Duke Deuce

Many fans first discovered Memphis rapper Duke Deuce from his hit single “Crunk Ain’t Dead,” a fitting introduction to an artist steeped in his city’s hip-hop history. Duke Deuce (born Patavious Isom) grew up in the studio alongside his father, Duke Nitty, a producer for the likes of underground icons Gangsta Blac and Nasty Nardo, soaking in their proto-crunk sounds. The multifaceted rapper first gained widespread attention with a couple of well-regarded mixtapes under the label Quality Control Music, “Memphis Massacre” (2018) and “Memphis Massacre 2 “(2020). Last year, he released his debut album Duke Nukem, a throwback to Memphis rap’s “Stay Fly” heyday that debuted at number three on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. If there was any question, Duke Deuce is proving that crunk is indeed alive and well.