REVIEW - HEEMS: VEENA

 

Yo, what's good everybody? It's ya boy Denzel, droppin' another dope review for y'all to kick it with. This time, we takin' it back to NYC with a fresh album that just hit the streets 15 minutes ago – "Veena". Hopin' this cat Heems can hold it down. I'm diggin' the album cover, it's mad unique. And it ain't too long neither, only 33 minutes. Let's get it!!
 
Veena – I'm feelin' the vibe on this joint. It's got some jazzy flavors. There's a lady choppin' it up with a slick accent. Gives off that movie intro feel. As an intro, it's all good. No rating on intros, ya dig?

Ratatouille – The switch from Veena to Ratatouille is mad smooth. Props for that. I'm feelin' it so far. Now he’s spittin' bars. Gonna keep it 100 with ya—I ain't feelin' this dude's voice. Lyrics are tight, but his Queens accent got that gritty vibe that kinda bugs me. Maybe I'll grow to love it, though.

This beat is straight up unique. Ain't heard nothin' like this before. His raps are kinda basic. He’s pushin' too hard on the rhymes, sacrificin' solid lyrics for just lots of rhymes. The ending came outta nowhere, but it's cool. Nothin' has blown me away yet, though that line "I was voted Best Dressed at rehab" had me laughin'.

Beats – 5/10  
Lyrics – 6 /10  

11/20

Manto – The beat's alright, but ain't no uniqueness here. I dig how he's reppin' his Indian heritage, that's real. This track is mad thoughtful so far. Reminds me of Camp-era Childish Gambino but without the cheesy lines. It's pretty solid, but I wish he’d throw down some solutions to his family's issues instead of just talkin' 'bout 'em.

Beats – 4/10
Lyrics – 6/10

10/20

Bourdain – This beat is fire. I'm diggin' it. The production wasn't the best at first, but I'm feelin' the raw, real lyrics. It should be bumpin' loud in the whip, not just in my earpiece in the dark. The production stepped up now, and I'm lovin' it. This joint is lit.

Beats – 8/10
Lyrics – 7/10

13/20

Underbelly – This is a skit. Folks callin' Heems, it's chill. Reminds me of the phone calls to Biggie on the "One More Chance" track—not the remix, the original version from the first "Ready to Die" tape. But this one's deeper in thought than that skit. No rating 'cause we don't rate skits here.

Rakhi – This joint sounds like it's 'bout to get tough. It is tough, but Heem's rhymes are weak. I can't stand rappers who rhyme just to stack up rhymes like he does. But the Indian dude on the hook is killin' it. I think his name's Pavvan. Oh, now there's some native Indian rap. Ajji's on this. His thick accent makes it hard to catch most of what he's sayin', except "Brother I'm fresh like I'm Will"—that's a dope bar. I'm guessing the rest of his verse is tight too.

Beats – 6/10
Lyrics – 7/10

11/20

Flowers – A singer named Navz-47 on the hook. I like this guy reppin' his culture instead of imitatin' other NYC rappers. It's a love song. The beat's alright, maybe a bit too "clattery"? Can't think of another word. Plus that line:

"If you fall, I'll catch you like chicken pox"

kinda bugs me with all that cheesiness.

Now that lady on the hook is spittin' in Hindi. I don't catch a word, but it sounds dope. This is tight.

Heems is ramblin' now in free verse. That's whack. The track should've ended after that lady's rap.

Beats – 6/10  
Lyrics – 6/10  

12/20 – Once I get a translator for that Hindi verse and hook, I might flip this rating.

Juhi – Looks like another skit. A homie givin' Heems some relationship advice. It's back to that phone call format again.

Dame – The beat's catchy, but this rap is like a catalog of cheesy pickup lines. Maybe the most memorable one, and I mean the worst, is:

"I'mma bite on your neck like Vlad the Impaler"

Sounds brutal. Do y'all chicks actually wanna be drained dry or something? Sorry if I come off as clueless, I just think that's corny and strange.

Beats – 7/10 
Lyrics – 5/10  

12/20

Banshee – This one's chill. The beat's smooth. Good on him not rapping over it. Nice switch-up, and he stays quiet.

But we got the same rhyming issues again. This whole song seems stuck on -ing rhymes. I can't stand that. Heems might make me wanna punt him into a wall one day.

Yeah, his whole rhyme scheme was just -ing, no other rhymes. Yikes. Total disaster.

Then a rapper named Cool Calm Pete steps in and doesn't rhyme or add nothin'. Just ignore his verse.

Beats – 5/10  
Lyrics – 1/10  

6/20

Righteous – Another skit. Just more phone call recordings, so no rating here.

That was fresh. Never heard Indian rap before, but I dug it pretty well. Always been into international hip-hop, Nigerian, Japanese, South African, German, etc.

76/140

54%

This album ain't bad, and it ain't mind-blowing either. But I do appreciate the unique beats and love how he reppin' for his culture. That's what hip-hop's about—reppin' culture through music and keepin' it real. Grab this album, even if it ain't the dopest thing ever, it's real hip-hop and nobody can front about that.

Best Track – Rakhi  
Favorite Track – Bourdain  
Worst Track – Banshee