The border-defying hip-hop group Swet Shop Boys was formed in the 2010s by Indian-American rapper Heems, Pakistani-English MC Riz Ahmed, and English producer Redinho. They issued their politically charged debut Cashmere in 2016 to critical acclaim.

Heems (half of Das Racist) and Riz (an accomplished actor who stars in TV and film, including roles in The Night Of, Nightcrawler, and Star Wars: Rogue One) initially met via Twitter, when Heems complimented a track Riz had shared. Sometime after their online encounter, Riz landed a lead role in The Night Of and needed to research life as a South-Asian American living in New York. Naturally, Heems offered to show him around, even inviting Riz to stay with his family. During their time together in America they managed to write and record a four-track EP titled Swet Shop; thus, their collaborative name was coined.

Two years later, in 2016, Heems and Riz found the time to start on a full-length record, this time bringing London-based producer Redinho into the fold to make the beats and melodies. Despite the difference in distance and scheduling, the three of them managed to make it work, with Redinho producing the instrumentals upfront before getting the two MCs to write their lyrics. The final recording process took place over five days in London, resulting in their debut album, Cashmere, which appeared in late 2016. Tackling culture, race, and politics with sharp wit and a welcome perspective, the set was met with critical acclaim. The next year, Swet Shop Boys issued the EP Sufi La. ~ Liam Martin, Rovi