Swet Shop Boys – “Shottin'”
The Swet Shop Boys duo of Heems (formerly of Das Racist) and Riz MC (actor Riz Ahmed of HBO’s The Night Of) are set to drop the Cashmere LP next month. The album is full of slick, scathing commentary on what it means to be brown in America. But it’s not heavy-handed, as they strike an artful balance while dipping into their Indian and Pakistani heritages. We’ve already heard “T5” “Tiger Hologram,” and “Zayn Malik,” and each is stellar. Today, they share their strongest sonic tie to their ethnicities with “Shottin’.” Producer Redinho utilizes Bollywood strings, tablas, stirring sitars, and Wawwali hand claps, as Riz and Heems spit sharp-tongued retorts about how cops fuck with them more for being brown-skinned than for committing actual crimes. With all of that going on, it’s also one hell of a banger. Listen.
Cashmere is out 10/14 via Swet Shop Boys’ own imprint, Customs. Pre-order it here.