Stream Swet Shop Boys Cashmere
Two years ago, Heems, the former Das Racist member, teamed up with Riz Ahmed, a Pakistani-British rapper and actor who records under the name Riz MC, to release a deeply promising free EP under the amazing name Swet Shop Boys. Next week, Heems and Riz make good on that promise. In the years since that EP, Ahmed’s acting career has exploded; he was the star of the great HBO show The Night Of, and he’s also in the new Bourne and Star Wars movies. And he’s grown in leaps as a rapper, too. Swet Shop Boys are about to release Cashmere, their debut full-length, and it shows Riz giving Heems a run for his money.
On the new album, Heems and Riz address systemic racism, post-9/11 paranoia, and the levels of bullshit they have to face whenever they board a flight. They also talk about the solidarity of being two men of Indian and Pakistani descent who are completely on the same page. And they talk a whole lot of slick rap shit. We’ve already heard the early tracks “T5,” “Tiger Hologram,” “Zayn Malik,” and “Shottin.” And right now, you can stream the entire album below, via NPR. You should really do that.
Cashmere is out 10/14 via Swet Shop Boys’ own new imprint Customs. Pre-order it here.