Das Racist have been carving out a home in hip-hop headlines for their brand of cheeky and socially conscious rap, but on “Power,” they reserved their smarts for the beats.
Dash Speaks was behind the churning, mechanical production on this steel-toothed “big bad wolf,” a lurching bevvy of good ideas. Each rhymers’ lax sing-song verses playfully spar against each other in slow motion; while I find guest Danny Brown’s contribution (see: hos, blow jobs) to be a bit archaic, Despot saves the day.
Don’t get this “Power” mixed up with the Kanye West variety, even though they seem to share the same BPM. Das Racist are having fun and nodding to their forebears, with a “microphone check one, two…” — not unlike their Sundance video pick “Who’s That? Brooown!” — on top of a very fresh bounce.
It’s culled from the band’s newest album, “Relax,” a title that’s more of a command than a suggestion; it was released earlier this week. It’s wicked, smirking and fun to listen to.