Shabazz Palaces at Treasure Island Music Fest 2011 (more by Autumn Andel)

As mentioned, Shabazz Palaces began revealing tour dates last week, including a NYC show happening on April 13 at S.O.B.'s. They've since announced the entire tour, which also includes another NYC show happening one day later at Brooklyn Bowl (4/14). Tickets for the S.O.B.'s show and the Brooklyn Bowl show go on sale Tuesday (1/31) at noon.

Shabazz Palaces also just released a video for "Are You... Can You... Were You? (Felt)" off of 2011's Black Up LP. Check out that video and all dates below...

Continue reading "new Shabazz Palaces video, more dates (including 2 in NYC)"

Shabazz Palaces at Treasure Island Music Fest 2011 (more by Autumn Andel)

Shabazz Palaces are beginning to reveal dates for a North American tour they'll head out on this spring. The whole thing hasn't been announced yet but so far there's a Chicago show, a NYC show happening on April 13 at S.O.B.'s and a few others. Tickets for the NYC show go on sale Tuesday (1/31) at noon. All currently known North American dates below.

In related news, Shabazz Palaces collaborators and Sub Pop labelmates THEESatisfaction are releasing their debut LP, awE naturalE, on the label on March 27. They recently released a song, "Do You Have Time," which won't be on the album, but you can grab it via a widget below. Their only scheduled dates at the moment are hometown shows in Seattle and SXSW.

In other Sub Pop-signed-rapper news, Spoek Mathambo will release his sophomore LP, Father Creeper, on the label on March 13. Grab the album's lead track, "Let Them Talk," via a widget below. According to his website, SXSW, CMW & NYC dates coming soon.

All dates and widgets below...

Continue reading "Shabazz Palaces scheduling dates; THEESatisfaction & Spoek Mathambo announce Sub Pop LPs"

original Digable Planets promo photo with Ladybug vs their last promo photo

Earlier this month, news began circulating that Digable Planets had plans to reunite with their original members in 2012 for a tour and a new album, which would be the followup to 1994's Blowout Comb. However, the group's original female emcee, Ladybug Mecca, has since denied those claims, stating that, "Though a dialog has started about possible plans in the future, nothing has been contracted yet. All reports of Digable Planets, and/or Ladybug Mecca's appearance with them, are false and inaccurate."

However, the group will be playing a show in Brooklyn this Tuesday (12/20) at Brooklyn Bowl with F. Stokes and UGO Crew. Tickets are still available. Digable Planets will be backed by the band The Cosmic Funk Orchestra, like they have been at past shows.

They originally reunited in 2005, and went through a series of reunion tours in the years following, scheduling-then-cancelling-dates with Ladybug and without. In the past Ladybug's role has been filled by MC Madarocka (aka Lady Makka). We contacted the group's agent for more info. He (slightly contradicted Ladybug and) said, "Though Ladybug is not yet slated rejoin her former band mates until 2012, you never know who will show up to a Digable show - constantly reminding listeners why Digable Planets are "Cool like dat"." Hmmm.

Ish aka Butterfly (Ishmael Butler) has recently been spending his time with Shabazz Palaces, who released one of Rough Trade's favorite albums of the year.

Check out some classic Digable Planets video below.

Continue reading "Digable Planets not reunited, playing Brooklyn Bowl"

DOWNLOAD: Shabazz Palaces - "An echo from the hosts that profess infinitum" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Shabazz Palaces - "Swerve... The reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding)" (MP3)

Black Sheep at Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest 2010 (more by Brook Bobbins)

When we first announced Summerstage's free hip hop show lineup, tonight's (6/28) free show at Soundview Park in the Bronx was listed as Funkmaster Flex and Special Guests. The lineup has since changed and will feature performances by three old school NYC hip hop artists; the duo Black Sheep (Dres and Mista Lawnge), Peter Gunz, who most notably recorded as a duo with Lord Tariq, and frequent Big L-collaborator and Studio 54 DJ Kid Capri. Peter says Flex will also be there.

Q-Tip, who, like Black Sheep, is part of NYC hip hop collective Native Tongues, is DJing at Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday (6/30). Questlove, who usually holds down the DJing at Brooklyn Bowl on Thursdays, returns on July 7.

Q-Tip also plays the Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest is July, part of which is taking place at Music Hall of Williamsburg this year. The July 14th MHOW event, titled "Salute the DJ", will feature Marley Marl, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Roli Rho, Twilite Tone, and Torae. Q-Tip's headlining performance goes down on the Main Stage on Saturday, July 16th. Tickets are still on sale for that (and for the Music Hall party).

Butterfly of Digable Planets, who weren't actually part of Native Tongues but take cues from similar NYC-jazz based sources, released the debut full length Black Up for his Shabazz Palaces project today (6/28) via Sub Pop. You can still stream it at NPR. Download two tracks from the album above, and check out Shabazz Palaces tour dates (though no more in NYC at the moment) below.

Continue reading "Black Sheep playing Soundview Park, Q-Tip DJing Brooklyn Bowl, Shabazz Palaces released 'Black Up' (MP3 & dates)"

Evan Dando at The Bell House (more by Graeme Flegenheimer)

Evan Dando & The Lemonheads have a few random upcoming dates scheduled. The Lemonheads will share a bill with The Canon Logic on April 28th at Maxwell's in Hoboken. Tickets are still available. You can also catch Josh Lattanzi of The Lemonheads at Bowery Ballroom on May 26 & 27 as part of the Bob Dylan tribute that will also include members of the Strokes, Hold Steady, etc, etc.

All other upcoming Evan Dando dates are in other countries at the moment, including a June 16th Evan & Juliana Hatfield show in Toronto for the NXNE festival which, like Brooklyn's own multi-venue festival Northside, recently expanded its lineup. Some of the other bands playing are in the title of this post. The rest are listed below.

All Dando-related dates and some videos below too...

Continue reading "Lemonheads playing shows, NXNE expands lineup (includes Descendents, Stars, Devo, OFF!, Juliana Hatfield, more)"

by BBG

Ish of Shabazz Palaces at Sasquatch (more by Chris Graham)

There have been many projects and solo albums in the days following the (original) fall of Digable Planets, but now Ish is breaking out with his killer new Seattle-based project Shabazz Palaces. The group has only been playing limited dates so far (pics from Sasquatch 2010), but will play three shows in October including NYC's American Museum of Natural History for "One Step Beyond" on Friday, October 15th with the great Blockhead on support. Tickets are on sale.

The show is one of a greater set of dates for Blockhead. All dates for both are below.

Shabazz Palaces have released a couple of EPs during their short existence, and are prepping a new LP for release on Sub Pop in 2011.

"I think we both have a lot of love, appreciation, respect and energy for music and for each other. Recognizing the fact that business is necessary for maximizing exposure to it, I think we mutually feel that doing business is less a 'job' and more an opportunity to exercise those feelings in dope ass ways. Shabazz, we bring a distinct hip-hop mentality from left to Sub Pop, which has established itself wide and deep in r&r from that same field. So, it's going to be cool to see what gets born from rolling together. And, of course, Seattle is the immeasurable muse, the backdrop, backbone, the foundation to how we all get down. So SP feels a lot of pride around this partnering-up as well. The people, the office, the deal, it all feels super plush. So stay tuned, it's 'bouts to be on."-The Palaceer, Shabazz Palaces.

Meanwhile Digable Planets, which is -according to their myspace- "Doodlebug AND Butterfly" (but no Ladybug), is scheduled to play SOB's on Thursday (9/23), their only current tour date. Tickets are still available.

Dig on some streaming audio from Shabazz Palaces's previous EPs, as well as a recent video for "Belhaven Meridian", with all dates, below.

Continue reading "Shabazz Palaces, now on Sub Pop, playing a NYC museum w/ Blockhead (dates), 'Digable Planets' playing SOB's"

photos by Chris Graham

DOWNLOAD: Shabazz Palaces: "32 leaves dipped in blackness making clouds forming altered carbon" (MP3)

"One of my favorite performances of the whole Sasquatch festival was from the group Shabazz Palaces. Palaces is the new rap project for Palaceer Lazaro or Ishamel "Butterfly" Butler of Digable Planets. Lazaro doesn't do interviews mostly because he wants you to form your own opinions about his music. You have to love that idea! My opinion is that I could not get enough of Shabazz Palaces.

I am always a bit hesitant when seeing rap groups live. I have a tendency to think all the songs sound alike and I find it boring. Definitely not the case with Palaces. Using innovative and imaginative beats and African style drumming you are constantly surprised and hypnotized by their sound. But the drums do not distract from the raps. I found myself actually listening to the raps and wanting to hear what Lazaro had to say.

Shabazz Palaces' has released two mini-albums, Of Light and its self-titled follow-up which are both available for purchase on their website." [Against the Grain]

Continue reading "Shabazz Palaces (Butterfly of Digable Planets) played Sasquatch (pics), has 2 great mini-albums out (MP3)"

After a successful reunion in 2005, some shows (some canceled) in 2006, and a tour in 2008, Digable Planets' planned tour earlier this year was called off due to reported "irreconcilable differences."

Now the jazz/hip-hop fusion group is back...kind of. Cee Knowledge (DoodleBug) and and Ishmael Butler (Butterfly) will be touring this fall and performing Digable Planets material, but they'll be without founding member and key MC Ladybug Mecca (who is now going by "LadyBUGMEK"). The first date on the tour is October 13th at Brooklyn's Southpaw. Tickets are on sale now. hmmm.

Also at the shows will be the current projects of both members, Butterfly's band Cherrywine and Cee Knowledge's band C.F.O. (aka Cosmic Funk Orchestra). Their MySpace describes the setup as "a review [sic] that includes a 3 piece band, a deejay and will perform songs from their respective solo careers as well as Digable Planets classics."

One of those "solo career songs" - "Sparkles" off Butterfly's Shabazz Palaces which came out in June - is posted below.

There's also the new commercial for Tide detergent which makes use of the group's classic "Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)." That, a past-reunion video, and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Digable Planets playing without Ladybug?? (but w/ Butterfly & Doodglebug's solo projects) +++ Tide is Cool Like Dat!?"

Talib Kweli & The Roots @ Highline Ballroom (more by Jacob Blickenstaff)

In a bit of shuffling, Digable Planets have cancelled their tour with Common Market and Dujeous. According to a post at Hyena Records, "there were 'irreconcilable differences' in Digable Planet's camp, so they've pulled the plug on the entire tour." That includes the show that was supposed to happen at Highline Ballroom in NYC tonight, April 1st (no foolin).

In their place will be The Roots. The Roots were supposed to play yesterday (3/31), but they postponed it to today (4/1 @ 11PM). Ticekts are now back on sale, and still available for many of the other upcoming residency dates.

The Roots were one of a few hip hop groups that played the All Points West festival in 2008. Check out which hip hop groups are playing it in 2009.

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Common Market - "Back Home (The Return)" (MP3)

Man, Cleopatra Jones!

They reunited & toured, played a $7 show with Ghostface and The Alchemist, and now Digable Planets are preparing to hit the road again, including a date at Highline Ballroom in NYC on April 1st. Tickets are on sale. All dates below.

Joining the Creamy Spies for the trek, Seattle's Common Market, who released their album Tobacco Road in 2008 which includes "Back Home (The Return)" available for download above. Before CM hits the road with Digable, look for them at SXSW at one of two places: The Back Alley Social on March 18 with Brother Ali, The Grouch & Eligh, and Zion I, and at Palm Door on March 21 with Past Lives & Natalie Portman's Shaved Head. Full Common Market dates, with Digable and without, below.

Zion I

Speaking of Zion I, the critically acclaimed duo dropped The TakeOver on Feb 17. It's the follow-up to their 2006 collabo record with The Grouch (but not Eligh), Heroes In The City Of Dope. Check out a video of the duo discussing that record on LBTV (as in Lyrics Born TV) below. Full Zion I tour dates below too.

Meanwhile, The Grouch and Eligh are prepping their new record, Say G&E! due on April 7th. Say G&E! features production by Flying Lotus, Rick Rock and others, as well as guest appearances by Sage Francis, Slug, and Gift Of Gab of Blackalicious. The Grouch & Eligh are part of the LA based Living Legends crew with MURS. G&E, as well as the entire Living Legends crew, will team up at The Paid Dues Festival in San Bernardino, CA on Mar 28 with Cage (who has a new album coming), Brother Ali, Eyedea & Abilities, Atmosphere, B-Real, and many others.

Dates and video below...

Continue reading "Digable Planets, Common Market, The Grouch & Eligh, Zion I - Tour Dates, albums, SXSW & an MP3"

A Red Bull sponsored show (actually the "Big Tune National Finals"), tonight/Wednesday at Highline Ballroom. $7.00 for charity - tickets available at the door (says the venue) (aka no RSVP necessary). Ghostface AND Digable Planets AND Alchemist. Flyer below...

Continue reading "Digable Planets, Ghostface & Alchemist tonight for $7"

Digable Planets LIVE @ Irving Plaza, 2005 (more)

In 2008 Ladybug Mecca has lent her talent to eMC (Masta Ace, Punchline, Wordsworth, Stricklin) on the title track "The Show" and Del The Funkyhomosapien's 11thour Album on the song "I Got You". April 1, 2008 marks the release of her collaboration with the likes of Legendary producer Prince Paul, Chali 2na (Jurrasic 5), Ursula Rucker, Scratch (The Roots) and Wordsworth (eMC) on Baby Loves Hip Hop's The Dino-5 Children's CD which is a "Book on Tape" through Ropeadope Records. Ladybug Mecca is the voice of Tracey Triceratops, the leader of The Dino 5 as well as the "interrupting child". She is also wrapping up her second solo project to be released in 2008. [Wikipedia]

Continue reading "Digable Planets - 2008 Tour Dates (BB King's)"

Come celebrate the Gowanus Canal and its watershed at an all day festival on the banks of the canal! Showcasing an assortment of environmentally-conscious products and services from Brooklyn businesses. Great music, organic and natural food, educational workshops, kids activities and more for the whole family!!!! Free admission for the public.

Sunday is also the second edition of "Sunday Best" with King Britt of Digable Planets (from 3-9).

Other events coming up at the Yard include "A Picnic Party" on May 31st, Benevento Russo Duo on June 28th, and Ponytail/Joan of Arc in July.

DOWNLOAD The Gift of Gab - Way of the Light (feat VURSATYL of Lifesavas) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD Guru ft Common - Clarity (MP3)
DOWNLOAD Atmosphere - Sunshine (MP3)

The Atmosphere song is from the latest installment in their limited edition "Sad Clown" series: "Sad Clown Bad Summer Accompanied by Piano". Common's new Finding Forever is an interesting album. It's getting really mixed reviews from really great, to mediocre, to worst album of his career. What do you think?

KRS-One (CRED)

Tonight (Aug 3) the legendary KRS-ONE with Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets, Blitz & Turntable Anihilists will be performing as part of Lyricist Lounge @ Prospect Park Bandshell, 7.30pm - FOR FREE!!

Tomorrow (Aug 4): Brand Nubian, Cham, MIMS, Joell Ortiz, Clipse & Large Professor will be performing at "Live at the BBQ", 3-10pm. RSVP here -- FREE.

Gift of Gab and Z-Trip are playing Highline Ballroom on Sunday (Aug 5, 2007). To win a pair of tickets, email us at BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: Gift Of Gab). Include your first and last name for guestlist. One winner will be picked at random, and notified by Saturday morning.

NEWS

• No new Eminem album coming for a while. Maybe he's too busy suing Apple for copyright infringement.
• AboutRap lists their 10 Most Underrated MCs.
• TSC continues to provide excellent articles like this great write up on Gang Starr's Moment Of Truth. While BGDBoom looks back on 2Pac's Me Against The World.
• I mentioned Cause last week and offered up some MP3s. This week he performed at Pianos during Cross-Pollination.
• El-P and Aesop Rock will perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live Friday August 10th.
• NY Magazing reviews El-P's Urban Outfitters show, as does Entertainment Weekly. Never thought I'd even say that.
• Disco D passed away a year ago. The Voice looks back.
• Ghostface will be making an acting appearance in the.....Iron Man movie.
• Raekwon shares his thoughts on the recent Ghostface ghostwriting rumors, the new Wu album, and more.
• The Lox are allegedly moving to Def Jam.
• Metal Lungies interviews Royce 5'9".
• Industry legend Steve Rifkin reassures us that Pharoah Monche will not be dropped.

Continue reading "Wes' Weekly Hip Hop News Roundup (August 3, 2007)"

The Digable Planets show that was supposed to happen at Nokia Theatre in NYC on August 24, 2006 has been cancelled due to "scheduling conflicts".

My Tuesday night Sirius radio shows have been all over the place so far. I maybe played one song twice in five weeks, and there have only been a handful of artists who I've played more than once. I think that'll be less-and-less true as weeks go on - partly for my sanity because picking 30-something songs each week, not to mention getting them to Sirius so they can make sure they have them in their system, is a lot of work. What I mean is - they'll probably be more repeats as the weeks go on. That said, here's my June 27, 2006 playlist.

----

I wanted to open with The Ballet because they're what I've been listening to most lately (the four songs I have anyway), and I'm excited to have them playing my show Thursday night @ Syrup Room.

1) The Ballet - I hate the War

Their anti-war song inspired me to play three more.

2) Neil Young - Living With War
3) The Clash - The Call Up
4) Billy Bragg - The Marching Song of the Covert Battalions

I already played Neil Young, so then I played a Neil Young cover by one of my favorite Brooklyn bands of all time, Type O Negative....

Continue reading "Sirius Playlist - Week 5"

DOWNLOAD: Pacifics (NY is Red Hot) (MP3)

DIGABLE PLANETS TOUR DATES
06/15/2006 Barcelona, Spain Sonar Music Festival
07/20/2006 Seattle, WA Neumo's
07/21/2006 Seattle, WA Neumo's
08/24/2006 New York, NY Nokia Theatre
09/02/2006 Johannesburg, South Africa Arts Alive Festival
09/24/2006 Del Mar, CA Festival Del Mar

Previously
Digable Planets @ Irving Plaza, NYC | Pics
Ladybug Mecca Solo & New Digable Planets Album
Digable Planets Reunite & Tour

Dork Magazine is "a daily publication about art, habitat and people." It's also a print magazine that you can read online. They just published isssue #3. Check it out for an interview with Ladybug Mecca, a piece on Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and more.

Previously
Ladybug Mecca & Digable Planets Downloads
Ladybug Mecca & Digable Planets play Irving Plaza

You'll find a PASSWORD and a link to download a Digable Planets Mixtape right here. It's a .rar file. After you download it, you need the proper software AND password to open it. (via between thought and expression)

If you like what you hear (and it's your first exposure to Digable Planets), buy the real albums too.

For a sample of Ladybug Mecca solo, check out the MP3s on her site.

Previously
Digable Planets @ Irving Plaza, NYC | Pics

After 9 years off, Digable Planets are back. Thursday night July 7th, 2005 they played to a sold out crowd at Irving Plaza in NYC. Joined by a backing band and DJ Jedi, they proved they still have it and then some with an almost 2 hour exilirating set. We got to hear at least one new song in addition to two from Ladybug Mecca's solo debut. Twas great.

"The reunion of Digable Planets on Saturday night was a nostalgic, if not altogether surreal, trip back to hip-hop's heady days of the early 1990s. After all, this was the pioneering trio that fine-tuned the art of melding buttery jazz grooves with laid-back beats, earning a 1993 Grammy Award for its hit single Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)." [azcentral]

Continue reading "Digable Planets @ Irving Plaza, NYC | Pics"

How are Digable Planets tickets not sold out?

I wish I had bittorrent access right now because I'd download and listen to David Byrne's show from Saratoga last week (via LHB) and the reformed Digable Planets show from DNA Lounge in San Francisco (that they played 10 days ago).

Consolation is the live David Byrne show in Central Park tonight where he'll hopefully play Talking Heads songs again.

Coincedentally(?), there's a free screening of Stop Making Sense ("Jonathan Demme's innovative 1984 concert film of The Talking Heads") tonight in Washington Square Park @ 8:30 PM. (via an e-mail from Central Village)

Previously
David Byrne says some musicians should not perform live (like Annie maybe?)
Ladybug Mecca Solo & New Digable Planets Album

"You may remember her soft-as-silk flow during her days with Digable Planets, when "Rebirth of Slick" (Cool Like Dat) was a favorite during Hip Hop's zenith. Ladybug Mecca has been in the process of developing her first solo album, "Trip the Light Fantastic" and has recently reunited with her former group members to drop a third Digable Planets album.

Ladybug's new release is set for June 28, she was recently on a European reunion tour with Digable Planets for the entire month of Feb, also performing twice with DB at the Winter Music Conference and in Los Angeles at El Rey."

"...Ladybug speaks on what's been happening since the last Digable Planets album and more in our interview."

Listen to a Ladybug's first single on her official site.
She plays Knitting Factory in NYC TOMORROW (May 27th). Not sold out.
Tickets for Digable Planets are not sold out yet either.
NPR talks about the Reuniting

Tickets are on sale for Digable Planets' July 7th show at Irving Plaza in NYC (and other shows across the country). As previously mentioned, they're back together and touring.

What's happenin' Butterfly, what's happenin'? Digable Planets have reunited! Saying I'm really excited about this is an understatement. After like 10 years off, Digable Planets are touring. They'll be at Irving Plaza on July 7th, and they're also playing Lollapalooza in Chicago. Tickets for the NY show are not on sale yet. More tour dates below. MTV has the story.

Continue reading "Digable Planets Reunite & Tour"