Today marks the tenth anniversary of the release of Bishop Nehru’s emphatic debut, Nehruvia. In honor of this special occasion, I feel the need to dedicate the next entry of traction to this forgotten mixtape. At the release of this project, it caught immediate recognition and earned Nehru a great deal of respect at only sixteen years old. However, Nehruvia has seemed to fade into obscurity in the ten years since its release, an unfair outcome for one of the more impressive mixtapes of the early 2010s. Nehruvia has earned its flowers but never fully received them, so it is time for the mixtape’s time in the spotlight.
Bishop Nehru wears his influences on his sleeves during this project, rapping over several instrumentals produced by legendary producers MF DOOM, J Dilla, Madlib, and DJ Premiere. The listeners are introduced to the mixtape by none other than the metal-faced villain himself as Nehru samples an interview of the emcee from 2004. “The Music” is an open invitation to what the young rapper has to offer, with a gliding flow over a relaxed instrumental. The opening is nothing to come back to, but it does do its job of setting the tone for the album. The second track, however, is the first of many highlights on the mixtape. “Light Leak$” presents a hungry, driven teen with a mechanically-centered flow. Working over a masterfully crafted instrumental, Nehru puts his talents on full display, giving the listeners a glimpse at the teen’s natural ability to form expert-level rhyme schemes. Effortlessly opening up the track with “I be teaching … lessons, they be investing in protection, trying to get weapons, so they can leave a young … breathless” entices any first-time listener of the project and certainly adds replay value to the track itself.
The quality continues as the project continues to improve with the emphatic “Fickle Mind$” coming next. “Fickle Mind$” was the first breakout track of Nehru’s career and its accompanying music video continues to be a staple in the underground. The young emcee doubles down on the abilities presented in the previous track, working in his favor with a complimentary instrumental matching his flow. “Lemon Grass” does not match the quality of “Fickle Mind$”, but it still proves to be an enjoyable track. The fourth track on the mixtape reinforces that this is a project curated by a teenager, one that still has childish characteristics at heart. Where the first three tracks introduced a mature and motivated artist, “Lemon Grass” allows Nehru to relax and have fun over an MF DOOM instrumental.
The mixtape then goes through a more forgettable section, depending on who you ask. “Y.E.T” was a fan-favorite at release, a track that sees Nehru describe a crush he has and how he plans to approach the situation. While the track is not bad by any means, it does not stand tall next to “Her Ballad” and “Sweet Lips”, and with a poor hook plastered across the chorus, I fail to see a reason to come back to it. “Misruled Order” offers an interesting instrumental and a fascinating look at the world presented by Nehru, but apart from a few lines in the track it fails to separate itself from other similar tracks, like the aforementioned “Light Leak$” and the yet-to-come “S.S.S”. “Moon&Stars” can be a jarring experience as the instrumental is overrun by a disorienting string sample. While Nehru’s performance over the instrumental shows a more versatile side of the rapper, the track is ultimately uninteresting with a lackluster feature by Raz Fresco. This stretch did, however, contain a more boom-bap-centered track. “Languages” is the shortest track on the mixtape but it is one of the more unique of the bunch, as it is one of the only boom-bap style songs he has in his discography. Nehru’s performance does not outshine any of the heavy hitters on the project, but it does show his New York roots.
The final four tracks of the mixtape present possibly the best stretch of songs on the entire project. “Her Ballad” is possibly the most impressive of all of the tracks, as it shows a great deal of maturity in Nehru’s character. The track is led by a beautifully crafted instrumental centered around melancholy piano notes as Nehru confronts a girl about her abusive partner. The track is a true eye-opener to Nehru’s life and the environment in which he grew up. Knowing that Nehru was only fifteen years old at the time of writing this song only adds to the respect I have for him to make such an intrusive track. Apart from the theme and message of the track, “Her Ballad” contains the best hook of the project, and also works as a way to display Nehru’s expertise in storytelling. “S.S.S” follows the powerful track and does not skip a beat, as Nehru attacks the corruption he sees in the society surrounding him. He feels that large corporations are controlling the world we live in, encouraging the common man to take advantage of their free will and recognize the evil of the society they find themselves in. “Sweet Lips” is a better “Y.E.T” in my opinion. It is another crush-centered track, but it is much more personal and story-driven. The song follows Nehru becoming infatuated with a classmate and the steady progression of the feelings he develops for her. Similarly to “Lemon Grass”, “Sweet Lips” reminds the listeners of the age of the artist they are listening to, as certain moments in the song can be seen as youthful. With a beautiful J Dilla instrumental and an incredible hook on the chorus, “Sweet Lips” stands as a personal favorite in the Bishop Nehru catalog. The closing track “Welcome” sees Nehru, and an early collaborator, Que Hampton, complete a victory lap of sorts. Nehru celebrates his natural ability on the mic and offers advice to fellow emcees, telling them to “Check the melodies” on the hook over a KMD-Esque instrumental.
As Nehruvia turns ten tomorrow, it is important to celebrate the quality of this mixtape. This project kickstarted one of the most unique careers in all of hip-hop and introduced Bishop Nehru to the world of music. Nehruvia is a standout project in Bishop Nehru’s discography and is easily his second-best work thus far. A vehement introduction to a promising young emcee displaying his many natural talents, Nehruvia stands as an underappreciated classic in the underground and earns an 8.6/10.
Link to stream Nehruvia
