At the age of 18, Rockland County, New York product, Bishop Nehru, has flown under the radar crafting rhymes in a style reminiscent of New York emcees of the ‘80s and late ‘90s. The choice to trade mainly in what is considered a fading era of Hip Hop has earned him the attention of from the likes of Nas and MF Doom — the masked beat maker who teamed up with the young prodigy to release Bishop Nehru’s first full-length album, NehruvianDOOM.
Those familiar with DOOM’s work behind the boards and on the mic know he’s comfortable dealing in the obscure. He handles the production throughout the album, tossing in ‘80s-like cuts and drums, dusty Jazz loops, meditative chants and sometimes even a rehash from his own Special Herbs series (“Darkness”). As a result, the beats on NehruvianDOOM have a scatterbrain feel, with seemingly dozens of moving parts unlike the polished beats most are accustomed to hearing. Yet this seems to be the way DOOM the super villain likes it, with his non sequitur rhymes adding to the calculated randomness. Nehru counters with a more straightforward approach–for the most part rhyming about himself and his skills in thinly veiled metaphors.
“Winning with the bob and weave, and got the profit in the sleeve / They pocketing off of me, alright I’ll let it be / They’ll see in the soliloquies, they ain’t with me mentally / Born in a different league, so they see me differently,” he raps on “Om.” It’s an approach that casts him as the straight man to DOOM and balances out the pairing. Nehru does an admirable job of bending his rhyme scheme to the complex beats, even going so far as to sing on the album’s third track, “Mean The Most,” a moment of light in an otherwise dark album.
This song, like most on the album, allows each artist room for experimentation. For DOOM, “Mean The Most” is a chance to toy with background drums, a high-pitched trumpet and a minute-plus-long Pete Rock-esque outro that consists of a groovy sample overtop what sounds like the audio from a movie scene, opting to ditch the mic until later tracks such as “Casket” and “Great Things.” For the young rapper, the record is an opportunity to test his vocal skills, briefly singing on the chorus and focusing his gift of gab on words of love in what turns out to be one of the album’s standout tracks.
Fear not underground Hip Hop fans, for the parity on NehruvianDOOM finds the listener jumping from the lighthearted “Mean The Most” to “So Alone,” an introspective look at the life of the young emcee overtop a distinctly underground beat, before “Coming For You” introduces the listener to DOOM’s take on a beat that is one part Wu-Tang Clan, one part “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash. It is this innovative blend of various styles and genres found throughout DOOM’s beats that has helped him achieve the cult status he holds today, and this project is no different.
“Not from a golden state, but still a self-acclaimed warrior. Waiting for more euphoria, glory and all sorts of fun. Getting done more work than most ever do, my passion it pulls me through, so spitting writtens is food,” rhymes Nehru, quickening his pace to match the beat as he gives a subtle allusion to the producer’s food-themed albums. Here we see a return to underground Hip Hop’s tendencies to try and take on the world, with Nehru letting rappers, society and those that set its rules know that he has his sights set on them.
In just nine tracks, the duo have created a brief, quirky and dense project. It is an album that’s experimental in almost all the right ways, filled with well-crafted, albeit ominous beats mined from obscure source material and features an impressive one two punch on the mic. NehruvianDOOM isn’t the first attempt to recreate Golden Age Hip Hop in the 21st century, but it’s an exceptionally creative take on the now-classic sound that succeeds in offering an enjoyable — and at times quirky — listen.
5/5
I’ve only heard “Om” and “Darkness” so far, but if these two songs set the precedent for the album, it’s going to be a straight banger.
Sadly, these two and Caskets are the only noteworthy songs on this album.
dope
Two rappers rapping over your basic chop looped sample beats….decent rap album. But by no means experimental…sounds like the same ol same to me….he’s rapping like the 90’s rappers? Wooo what an experiment!
trash compared to most all of dooms other stuff
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
DOOMS beats really showcase Bishop Nehrus talent. Great duo and DOOM back on some beats. This album is a must.
It was not bad. By no means a 5 out of 5. Lyrics were pretty repetitive and lacking in creativity compared to Bishop’s Nehruvia. Dooms beats were just basic DOOM beats. I didnt get the feel of a real chemical partnership here.Definitely give it a listen but dont get your hopes too high…
I agree with you. Bishop is REPETITIVE, predictable, & boring as hell. I’m all about the 90’s but emcees back then majored in a unique style, cadence, voice, choice of beats, etc. If Bishop came out in the 90’s…he wouldn’t be a stand-out back then or now. Unfortunately, he & this album is OVERHYPED & OVERRATED!!! Doom’s beatz are good soundbeds but you need a charismatic or real distinct emcee to really complement these simple chop-looped concoctions. Hey, Bishop requesting that Nas be apart of your next album…you need to step it up a few (alot more) notches before sparring & collaborating with the God Emcee, Nas!!! (next to Rakim)!!
I’ll admit both of you are fucking retards who will never amount to much in life . You asked for the truth ..you cant handle the truth !
like a breath of fresh air
nice
Dreamy sound-scape. Relaxed flow. It’s a 5 compared to most the crap that gets passed as hip hop these days.
When I first bought the album, I thought DOOM was going to rap a lot more than he does. But after hearing this young Bishop Nehru cat, I like it. It’s different. Something that stands out amongst that masses of bullshit. 4/5 in my book. Def going to be spinning this one for a while. Also, the cover art is just glorious.
the newest artist signed to Maybach/MMG is Project Pat. Trapped.
MCs are weak nowdays. These dudes got no style man. No strength behind thier lyrics. Mediocre at best. This just sounds like the local dude at every hole in the wall hiphop spot I ever went to. I’d blaze this nigga.
Doom is doing doom. Youngster is wack I might blaze w em’
SUPER COOL
Dope as fuck, but not anything to be wildin about.
Where’s the Vince Staples review?
Review Vince Staples and Cozz and 7eventhirty you slacking fuck bags
you fucking slack bags
This album is a classic, DOOM is a great mentor.
The beats are great but Nehru is wack as fuck on this. Hoping for an instrumental version.
fuck this..wack as shit
This kid was four when operation doomsday came out. i feel old as shit,but look as young as nehru
LOL WORD
Nope, not that great an album, quite average i think. But put MF DOOM on anything and people assume it’s a classic. Dooms production is how you expect it, tight. But Bishop is weak, boring. 2/5
wtf. 3/5.
It was alright.
Beats were cool, except the few that we have already heard on the special herbs instrumentals,.. Don’t know why the used those..
I felt like bishop could of came out harder, I’ve heard that kid on other tracks straight killing it, not so much on this one.
Last track is my shit tho
I can’t fathom how people could enjoy this music. Horrible lyrics, horrible beats.
MF Doom beats always hit the mark. Nehru contributes solid lyricism with above average delivery, but don’t span the same range of topics as Doom does. The album left me wanting more classic Doom witticisms and humor. Still, a good album to listen too.
MF Doom always highest in your beats,Bishop is amazing,but he’s lyrics on NehruvianDOOM is weak and disappointing.Is a work with Doom,ok.But Doom appears on the album only 2,3x.
3/5-Solid
Best Tracks:So Alone,Caskets,OM,Darkness(HBU)
enough collaborations with sub-par artists give me MF DOOM
I started to listen to this expecting a great album by the legend himself MF DOOM, and what i got was a bunch of wonderful tracks with high replay value so i wasn’t dissapointed this album will definetly be on repeat constantly. Some will like it and some will hate it but i’m one of those that love it!
Corny.
This kid is only 16/17 during the recording of the majority of the album. When he gets a little older and wiser, with mentors such as DOOM and NaS, his skills should maximize and hopefully he can become legendary some day.
Lyrically solid, but boring.
MF doom
DOOM
pretty meh
decent
better than most of the bullshit coming out these days
Love the lyrics, but the beats are doo doo. Ended up taking the album off my IPhone. Terrible beats for such a good MC
1/5
This is weak , I WANT A NEW MF DOOM AND MADLIB ALBUM NOW .
This dude sounds like Joey badass clone . Nothing original about his style of rapping or lyrics . Not feeling this . But i am a fan of MF DOOM THOUGH DOOMSDAY , MMMM FOOD , MADVILLIANY , AND BORN LIKE THIS ARE ALL DOPE MF DOOM ALBUMS
Production is sick. Top 10 album of 2014 easily!