Released: 2014
Alright, let’s put our shoulder to the wheel and break down “You Stressin'” by Bishop Nehru. This ditty, heavily immersed in the grand tradition of hip hop bravado, takes us on a journey through Bishop’s thorough confidence, lyrical prowess, and his relentless hustle. Nehru manifests his unshakeable belief in his own colossal talent and is unafraid to assert that he is the dopest MC out there, while simultaneously commenting on the grind towards success and stressing the power of the mind as a weapon.
The first verse launches Bishop’s lyrical bombardment, with lines like “The master of the 16 bars and leaving rappers starving”. A ’16’ in hip hop refers to a verse, and he’s claiming he’s a virtuoso, letting his peers famished due to his dominance. He backs this up with his next line where he talks about his “sickening punch lines leave em salty like almonds”. In other words, his clever lyrical quips leave his competition bitter, as ‘salty’ in the hip hop game is slang for being upset or bitter.
Bishop keeps leveling up his lyrical swagger as the song progresses. In the chorus, he repeats “You stressin’ you stressin’, The minds a lethal weapon”, suggesting, I believe, that while others are stressed or worried about their position in the rap game, he’s calm and focused because he considers his mind (or his creativity, skill, and intelligence) to be his most potent weapon.
In the second verse, I reckon Bishop further solidifies his conviction of greatness and ownership of his craft with lines like “Getting cream and exposure reaching my dreams they seem closer”. ‘Getting cream’, a term popularized by Wu-Tang Clan, means acquiring wealth (it’s an acronym for Cash Rules Everything Around Me). Here, Bishop articulates his ascent in the rap game, as his dreams of success seem within reach.
To round it all off, towards the end, Bishop masterfully spins lines that chastise his naysayers and competition with, “They glory him, and meaning me I’m causing all hymns”. Not only does he declare that even his detractors end up praising him, but he also makes a clever play on words with “causing all hymns”, suggesting his music is so divine it prompts spiritual praise.
In the end, “You Stressin'” serves as a shining example of Bishop Nehru’s wordplay, wit, and audacious confidence. It’s a legitimate banger that showcases why Nehru is considered a force to be reckoned with in the hip hop world. With a lethal mind and a mic in hand, Nehru has no plans of slowing down or lowering his exceedingly high standards. The game better take note!
