Nehru Jackets
{{Short description|First solo mixtape by rapper Himanshu}}
{{Other uses|Nehru jacket}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Nehru Jackets
| type = mixtape
| artist = Himanshu
| cover = Nehru Jackets cover.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2012|01|17}}
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Hip hop
| length = {{Duration|m=73|s=36}}
| label = Greedhead
| producer = Mike Finito
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Wild Water Kingdom
| next_year = 2012
}}
Nehru Jackets is the first solo mixtape by American rapper Himanshu. It was released on Himanshu's own Greedhead Music label on January 17, 2012.{{cite web|url=http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/01/das_racists_himanshu_suri_on_dropping_a_mixtape_for_queens_redistricting_battle.html|title=Das Racist's Himanshu Suri: Rapper, Jokester, Community Organizer?|work=ColorLines|first=Channing|last=Kennedy|date=January 17, 2012|access-date=February 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203054734/http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/01/das_racists_himanshu_suri_on_dropping_a_mixtape_for_queens_redistricting_battle.html|archive-date=February 3, 2012|url-status=dead}}
Rolling Stone named the song "Womyn" the 36th best song of 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-songs-of-2012-20121205/himanshu-womyn-19691231|title=36 Himanshu, 'Womyn'|work=Rolling Stone|date=December 5, 2012|access-date=March 10, 2013}}
Background
Himanshu released Nehru Jackets in collaboration with SEVA NY to draw attention to the redistricting battle in Queens, New York. Guests on Nehru Jackets include Despot, Danny Brown, Childish Gambino, Fat Tony, and Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire.{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2012/01/das-racists-heems-drops-nehru-jackets-mixtape/|title=Das Racist's Heems Drops 'Nehru Jackets' Mixtape|work=Spin|first=Marc|last=Hogan|date=January 17, 2012|access-date=February 2, 2012}} In an interview with Rolling Stone, he explained the creation process: "with Mike [Finito], I just kind of let him do his thing. I told him I wanted Indian stuff, and he cooked it up. Mike just gave me, like, 40 beats and I fucked with whatever I liked."{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/q-a-das-racists-heems-on-his-new-mixtape-and-indian-american-identity-20121101|title=Q&A: Das Racist's Heems on His 'Wild Water Kingdom' Mixtape, Identity Politics|work=Rolling Stone|first=RJ|last=Cubarrubia|date=November 1, 2012|access-date=November 21, 2012}} The mixtape's cover is a parody of the packaging of Parle-G biscuits.{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2012/12/2012-year-in-review-the-25-best-album-covers-of-2012/nehru-jackets|title=The 25 Best Album Covers of 2012|work=Complex|author=Complex Magazine|date=December 13, 2012|access-date=March 25, 2016}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = The A.V. Club
| rev1score = B+{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/heems-nehru-jackets-1798171331|title=Heems - Nehru Jackets|work=The A.V. Club|first=Eric|last=Harvey|date=January 31, 2012|access-date=February 8, 2012}}
| rev2 = Robert Christgau
| rev3 = Pitchfork
| rev3score = 6.5/10{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16199-heems-nehru-jackets-kool-ad-the-palm-wine-drinkard/|title=Heems - Nehru Jackets|work=Pitchfork|first=Zach|last=Kelly|date=January 26, 2012|access-date=February 18, 2012}}
| rev4 = Rolling Stone
| rev4Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/nehru-jackets-20120209|title=Himanshu - Nehru Jackets|work=Rolling Stone|first=Monica|last=Herrera|date=February 9, 2012|access-date=February 18, 2012}}
| rev5 = Spin
| rev5score = 8/10{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/himanshu-nehru-jackets-greedhead|title=Himanshu 'Nehru Jackets'|work=Spin|first=Brandon|last=Soderberg|date=January 2012|access-date=February 18, 2012}}
}}
Zach Kelly of Pitchfork commented that "Nehru Jackets as a whole is pretty loose, filled with free-associative raps that find Heems in various states of alertness, sobriety, and engagement." He added, "[Mike] Finito's work is one of the tape's strengths, but it also leaves Heems with a lot of ground to cover, and much of the material ends up feeling unfocused."
=Accolades=
Track listing
{{Track listing
| title1 = Thug Handles
| length1 = 1:32
| title2 = Bad, Bad, Bad
| length2 = 3:11
| title3 = Alien Gonzalez
| length3 = 3:00
| title4 = Nehru Jackets Interlude
| length4 = 0:22
| title5 = Choorhay Lare
| note5 = featuring Lovedeep Singh and Pawan
| length5 = 3:05
| title6 = Swate
| note6 = featuring Lakutis and Kool A.D.
| length6 = 6:09
| title7 = NYC Cops
| length7 = 3:58
| title8 = You Have to Ride the Wave
| note8 = featuring Danny Brown and Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire
| length8 = 4:55
| title9 = Mike Finito Raps Too
| length9 = 1:07
| title10 = Womyn
| length10 = 3:22
| title11 = Bangles
| note11 = featuring Fat Tony and Big Baby Gandhi
| length11 = 3:54
| title12 = Ravi Shankar PSA
| length12 = 0:35
| title13 = It's the Drug I'm Needing
| length13 = 3:45
| title14 = Coca Cola Freestyle
| length14 = 1:50
| title15 = Chakklo
| note15 = featuring Ravi Eah Singh and Lovedeep Singh
| length15 = 4:49
| title16 = Jason Bourne
| length16 = 1:56
| title17 = Desi Shoegaze Taiko
| length17 = 3:09
| title18 = I Want It Bad (Liquid Heart)
| length18 = 2:56
| title19 = Juveniles Detained at Guantanamo Bay
| length19 = 1:59
| title20 = Kate Boosh
| note20 = featuring Despot and Kool A.D.
| length20 = 3:11
| title21 = What Do I Do When I'm Alone
| length21 = 2:47
| title22 = Computers
| length22 = 1:56
| title23 = Yo What's Good New York
| note23 = featuring Action Bronson, Lakutis, and Kool A.D.
| length23 = 3:43
| title24 = Womyn 2
| note24 = featuring Childish Gambino
| length24 = 3:27
| title25 = Tu Nach
| note25 = featuring Duggla Don
| length25 = 3:11
| total_length = 73:36
}}
=Notes=
- The track Kate Boosh contains a sample of Kate Bush's song Suspended in Gaffa.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs release|3875675|Nehru Jackets}}
{{Heems}}
{{Authority control}}