Curren$y is Shante Anthony Franklin, the New Orleans rapper born in 1981 who left No Limit and Cash Money to build Jet Life Recordings into one of the most prolific independent operations in hip hop. Pilot Talk (2010), produced by Ski Beatz, is the entry point — laid-back jazz rap that still sets the tone. Browse Curren$y vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Shante Anthony Franklin was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on May 4, 1981. He signed with No Limit Records as a teenager and later with Cash Money Records in the mid-2000s. After leaving both labels, he launched his own Jet Life Recordings imprint and released Pilot Talk (2010) and Pilot Talk II (2010) on Damon Dash's DD172 / Roc-A-Fella-affiliated DamFool Entertainment, both produced by Ski Beatz. He has continued as one of the most prolific independent rappers of the 2010s and 2020s, releasing dozens of albums and mixtapes through Jet Life Recordings.
Curren$y's sound combines hip hop, Southern hip hop, jazz rap, and stoner rap with smooth, laid-back vocal delivery over jazz-sample-driven production. His work draws on New Orleans hip hop traditions alongside the broader jazz rap lineage. He is widely recognized within hip hop for his prolific output and consistent independent business model.
Jet Life Recordings vinyl pressings of the Curren$y catalog have been issued in multiple variants and limited editions through direct-to-fan and partner distribution channels. Pilot Talk in particular has had multiple anniversary repressings.
Listeners new to Curren$y typically start with Pilot Talk (2010).
