Denzel Curry is mourning the loss of Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, who died Friday at the age of 68.
On Sunday, the Florida rapper, who's referenced the hit anime series in his music on several occasions, took to social media to honor the Japanese artist. Toriyama died March 1 after suffering a blood clot in his brain.
In Curry's tribute to Toriyama, the Melt My Eyez See Your Future artist credited the influential manga creator with inspiring him "to be the best artist I can be."
“Akira Toriyama’s work has inspired me to be the best artist I can be,” Curry wrote. “Growing up in Carol City with a house full of brothers, his work was always something me and my siblings bonded over. His work on Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, GT and Super made me want to be the best version of myself because Goku was the person that kids looked up to."
Curry continued by praising Dragon Ball Z character Goku with being someone he looked up to.
“Goku was always training and always looking for ways to excel in martial arts and being a muay thai practitioner for 7 solid years I feel closer to Goku than I was,” he shared. “And last but not least, Toriyama work was a great influence on my style of hair, the way I create music and the way I perform.”
Curry concluded his tribute: “Akira Toriyama, I know I’ll never be able to meet you but maybe in the next life. Thank you for being a big part of my life and an essential part of my creativity.”
The Florida rapper's catalog is littered with references to Toriyama's iconic DBZ anime. On "SUPER SAIYAN SUPERMAN | ZUPER ZA1YAN ZUPERMAN," a track off his 2018 album TA1300, Curry likens himself to a Super Saiyan, which is a nod to a transformation only certain characters in Toriyama's Dragon Ball Z franchise can achieve.
