Bishop Nehru – strictlyFLOWz (Mixtape Review)

Young, lyrically gifted Bishop Nehru blesses his “Nehruvians” with an aptly titled 10-track mixtape, strictlyFLOWz, his second project of the year coming right on the heels of his well-received debut mix tape, Nehruvia, released in March.

Bishop Nehru has had the privilege of opening live shows for some of the biggest names in rap music. The last four months alone have seen Bishop Nehru open for Ghostface Killah and MF Doom in London.  Before that, he opened shows for Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q. He leaves for the UK in late July to open for none other than Wu-Tang Clan. All impressive streaks for a 16-year-old high schooler from Rockland County, NY who recorded strictlyFLOWz at his home studio, The Suburban Dojo.

We interviewed Bishop Nehru shortly after the release of Nehruvia. READ: Bishop Nehru: From High School to High Expectations

Bishop Nehru’s deft lyricism has hip hop’s attention, but the question is, can he hold it and keep the fire burning. Nehruvia delivered because it was a solid project that answered the call for more lyricism and more of that “golden era” sound, but there were no expectations, as he emerged largely out of nowhere.

So what’s different this time around? Nehruvia was more like a full length LP whereas strictlyFLOWz is a scaled down version, a quick listen, and as Bishop puts it, “…just to show a different side of me.”  In fact, Bishop refers to himself on the skit “Start” as a “hip hop artist,” not a rapper.

strictlyFLOWz sounds like a crackling vinyl record, imperfect. If you think it sounds like he recorded the EP in his basement, it’s because he did. But that may be the idea. The songs evoke a certain feeling of when hip hop music was at its most innovative and fresh, in the hands of its creators, not the grubby hands of a label looking for its next hit. Bishop Nehru’s sharp ear for what sounds good musically results in a solid project worthy of listening to.

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Fellow Suburban Shoguns, Que Hampton and Mark Mason, are the only features while UK DJ Semtex and Peter Rosenberg step in to co-sign the project, perhaps helping to give it that extra boost  for those that might be hesitant and have never heard of Bishop Nehru until now. Original production is handled  by Bishop Nehru, Raz Fresco, Ghost McGrady, Afro Jazz, Herring Franky, Insanity, Massology and Yazu.

All in all a solid project and a satisfying return for Bi$hop Nehru.

For all things Bishop Nehru, visit www.thesuburbandojo.com