[Reaper16]

25. Heems – Nehru Jackets

Das Racist broke up. I’m sad. But if Heems is going to continue to put out solo work like this then I’ll get over it. This album is exactly what you’d think a Heems solo album would be like: you are never sure when Heems is making fun of hip-hop or embracing it. These tracks frequently act as deconstructions of every convention in hip-hop. Other times they come real, presenting depictions of Indian-American life that I haven’t found in any other music. This album is as much Mike Finito’s as it is Heems’. Finito, who is one of the standout producers of 2012, did all of the beats here, and his glitchy, jarring drums and electronic samples mixed with syrupy pop vocal samples is a very appropriate match for Heems, especially when Finito decides to find inspiration in music from India. This isn’t the most accessible record, and intentionally so. But I returned to it time and time again this year for laughs and for its unique sonic stance.