Digable Planets performs tomorrow night at 9:30 Club.
When Digable Planets released “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)” in 1993, it seemed to be part of a shift in hip-hop where the genre spread itself in new directions. The trio of Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler, Mary Ann “Ladybug Mecca” Vieira, and Craig “Doodlebug” Irving embraced a lyrical consciousness that was characteristic of groups like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. The memorable jazz bass line that roots the song was serene compared to the more bombastic beats that characterized rap music in the 1980s. The song went on to become a top 20 hit, eventually winning a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
“Rebirth of Slick” was also the high water mark for Digable Planets in terms of commercial success. The album that the song appeared on, Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space), while critically praised, failed to produce any other hit singles. The follow-up, 1994’s Blowout Comb, also received strong reviews, but was a much more explicitly political album that seemed out-of-step with the West Coast hip-hop that was ruling the airwaves. By 1995, the first iteration of Digable Planets was done.
“I think that some artists feel the success of the thing they make, they think of it as a place,” Butler recently told DCist, talking about those salad days. “You make your art and the places where it takes you is where you’re supposed to be.”
All three remained active performers outside of Digable Planets. Ladybug Mecca released solo albums in ’05 and ’06, and now collaborates with DJ-producer Prince Paul in his BROOKZILL! collective. Butler has released two albums as the co-leader of Shabazz Palaces, while Doodlebug, who has adopted the stage name, Cee Knowledge, fronts the Cosmic Funk Orchestra.
A decade passed between Digable Planets’ break up and a 2005 reunion tour in support of a compilation album released that same year. Prior to this tour, the group’s last performance was a 2011 New Year’s Eve show in Seattle. Late last year, the three decided to hit the road once again, and they will make a stop at 9:30 Club tomorrow night.
“Even when we’re not making music together, we all keep making music. It’s our passion,” Butler said of his collaborators. “So you can’t look at it like a decision to get back together. This music has a life and in its life it offers us a chance to play and perform.”
Digable Planets will largely stick to its ’90s releases for tomorrow’s set, however all three members work with live musicians in their respective projects, so that will be the case here as well. As Butler described, the songs will serve as a springboard from that time and era, but the live element allows for updates to the group’s vibe. Butler also believes revisiting Digable Planets will offer the audience something that may be lacking in commercial hip-hop.
“Music is going to reflect what’s going on in the country as a whole,” he explained. “So the materiality and superficiality of hip hop, it reflects the country. Maybe seeing us will create some interest in [the audience] going back and revisiting everything we did in their own time.”
Digable Planets performs tomorrow, July 26, at 9:30 Club with opener Camp Lo. 7 p.m. doors. Tickets $25 sold out.
