PLAY: Das Racist, “Relax”

It’s hard to say just how seriously you’re supposed to take Das Racist, but there’s no denying that they’re becoming a major force in the hip-hop game. Himanshu Suri (“Heems”), Victor Vazquez (“Kool A.D.”), and Ashok Kondabolu (“Dap”) have taken the rap world by storm with their continuing streams of pop culture allusions and complicated humor used to address such varied subjects as disillusionment, global politics, and racial stereotypes. Like their previous two albums, “Relax” is a dizzying discourse on American youth culture over a diverse selection of top-shelf beats. It’s not without its tedious tracks, but there’s more than enough variation to keep it interesting. In a world of mindless bling and gangsta dumbness, it’s good to have Das Racist around. They’re more concerned with pushing boundaries than the Benjamins.

WATCH Das Racist’s music video for “Michael Jackson.”