Bishop Nehru - Nehruvia: The Nehruvian EP
The Scene
At 18 years old, Bishop Nehru is quickly emerging as one of the young guns to keep an eye on, especially if you love your true-blue hip hop. It was only a few months ago that I found myself writing about Nehru's collabo with MF DOOM, something that dreams are made of and now we get another little dosage of Nehru.
But this time, on 'Nehruvia: The Nehruvian EP' it is all Nehru as he's behind all the beats and he serves up his bars. Bars which have anyone who has heard them, getting rather excited about his future. Signed to Mass Appeal, courtesy of Nas, Nehru has a debut album penned in his diary which will apparently feature a bit of Nas and you've got to tip your hat to Nas and Mass Appeal Records. They've got some of the finest MC's on their books with Nehru and Fashawn both holding it down as well as Boldy James.
Nehru has stated that this EP isn't as polished as an album, in terms of the sound, he's left it a bit raw which doesn't hinder the final product.
The Songs
- Intro - Noisey, but crafty
- Somebody Waits - A few shots fired, from a complex mind
- User - Some nice-as drums set the tone for the pitfalls of success
- Manssin ft. Que Hampton - Creepy, peep the Charles Manson guest appearance
- Mellowwithme - Sunday zoning, but still self-analysis poetry
- You & I - For all the dudes who aren't jocks, who don't get the shawties they want
- [JustFriends]Zone - If only she was enlightened, funky vibes though
- Breath - Creative on the boards, spiritual with the rhymes
- Harmony In A Glass - "Life moves fast when you're after a task"
The Vibe
If you haven't heard Nehru before, then you might not quite be ready for the semi-depressing nature of his music. Nehru isn't the out-there, king of the class type of character, he's the opposite and many of the experiences he draws upon, especially with females stem from that position. Nehru is equally skilled at rhyming about his own flaws and diving deep into his thoughts as he is exploring the outside world, which doesn't make for very upbeat music but he's able to put his thoughts into words so skillfully that you simply have to pay attention.
Listening to The Nehruvian EP, I got this vibe that I had to listen to it over and over again. Yeah, it was because I enjoyed what I was hearing but I had intended to write about it two weeks ago, and here I am finally penning something. It had to sit with me, there's so many little tangents that you can venture down with Nehru's rhymes and you can quickly sift through what he's offering.
Looking at the bigger picture, you could get the vibe that this is a bit of a filler between a classic project with DOOM and his debut album, but in that sense, it's the perfect EP. Nehru's career is on an upward curve and you get this intense self-reflection which we rarely get from artists, especially those on the come up.
Don't dwell on the 'depressing' bit I said, anytime you look within yourself you will probably find some sombre vibes, but there's enough wittyness and hope served up to keep you nodding along. And rapping the bars that you know out loud.
The Music
Nehru is signed to Mass Appeal because the dude spits fire. He never really ventures away from appearing to put minimal effort into what he's rapping; he doesn't have crazy energy nor does he raise his voice. There's plenty of craft in his bars though and he's a quality teller of stories, but he's got this zone that he raps from and it makes for an extremely easy listen.
Behind the boards and it's a similar case for Nehru. The beats on The Nehruvian EP are simple, not breaking down any walls in terms of inventing a new sound or anything but they do a great job of capturing the mood of that specific song and the EP. Being in control of both the beats and the bars and the whole EP, Nehru is able to rely on the simplicity of his beats to perfectly paint pictures with his rhymes. There's enough funk though that every song sounds different and stands alone.
A cherisher of breath
Ever since an asthma attack in the past
Had me a gasping mess
Felt like I was addressing death
But fortunately I wasn’t next
And they told me hold it, inhale it, depress
I did it excessive and got high off that - Breath
I strive for magnificent
By consistently spitting significant
But often ignorance leaves them disinterested
You the hottest out I'm about to leave you extinguished then
I've been instinctively thinking of extincting them
Hoping in a blink but it seems
Like it's longer than I think - Somebody Waits
It's awfully silent
Plus I have a hard time deciding
What I want to do with life
I like to meditate big beats and write
But these parasites are repairing my sight
Tryna siphon light and that's the shit I never like
So like Pike, I continue my hike
Out of sight, on the low, though my eyes tight closed
And the Tommy got a oddly cologne
Probably cause I'll be home on the roof getting blown - MellowWithMe
Eureka!
Yo when's this album coming?
Somebody else finds themselves in the friend zone, we ain't alone folks!
This as much a lesson on how to be spiritual, to approach life with a positive touch and to smoke mad weed. Weed > alcohol.
Low key peep the flow of Nehru, he can change it as quickly as he changes his rhyme scheme.
Finale
I encourage you to give the Nehruvian EP plenty of airtime, firstly by yourself, preferably with a joint. Get acquainted, not only with Nehru, but with the thoughts that he sparks within yourself and the feelings that come with that. This EP can equally be a journey through your mind as it is a journey through Nehru's current position.
Once you've had your moment with the EP, it's mellow/low key vibe to it goes down perfectly when you're chillin with the crew and you just need some music. Not music that is going to demand all your attention, it's just something cruisey to have on in the background. But definitely give it all of your attention for at least a few listens.