It’s seemingly now or never in terms of artists across all genres collectively expressing their distaste with bigotry. Amidst the country’s rampant misogyny, racism and Islamophobia, it should be no other way. The Swet Shop Boys (Heems of Das Racist and Riz MC) are the latest to chronicle their experience with “Shottin.”
In a testament to the universality of modern hip-hop, producer Redinho warped classic Bollywood instruments into a soundscape that replicates rap’s dominant mainstream sound of the moment. Over the The rhymers both take turns noting their experience as men of color targeted by police for no reason but their faith and melanin.
Heems leads the track off, telling a story about being shot in a mosque even after he left the street life behind. “The NYPD ain’t nothin but Nazis,” he matter-of-factly notes. Riz MC followed up with a narrative of a Muslim man being “phone tap entrapped by the boys in blue.”
The track is their 4th single from their upcoming debut Cashmere LP, due out October 14th on the duo’s own Custom label. You can pre-order here. You can listen to “Shottin” below.
https://soundcloud.com/i-d-online-1/premiere-swet-shop-boys-shottin-1
