Shabazz Palaces
American hip hop duo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shabazz Palaces is an Seattle-based hip hop group led by Ishmael Butler a.k.a. Palaceer Lazaro (formerly Butterfly of jazz rap group Digable Planets).
.jpg)
Shabazz Palaces | |
|---|---|
Ishmael Butler of Shabazz Palaces, 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Labels | |
| Members | |
| Past members |
|
| Website | shabazzpalaces |
Much of Butler's work as Shabazz Palaces had been made in collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Tendai "Baba" Maraire, son of mbira master Dumisani Maraire.[1][2] who was no longer part of the group as of 2020.
Shabazz Palaces has released seven studio albums on Sub Pop between 2011 and 2024 after self-releasing two EPs in 2009.
Biography
Two anonymously self-released EPs titled Shabazz Palaces and Of Light in 2009 led to Shabazz Palaces becoming the first hip-hop act to be signed to Sub Pop. Their debut full-length album, Black Up, was released on June 28, 2011 to widespread critical acclaim.[3] In 2019, Pitchfork ranked Black Up at number 179 on their list of "The 200 Best Albums of the 2010s"; cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib wrote: "From great mystery exploded an album of impossible vision".[4]
Their second album, Lese Majesty, was released on July 29, 2014 after having premiered at the 'Laser Dome' in Seattle's Pacific Science Center.[5]
On July 14, 2017, Shabazz Palaces released its third and fourth full-length records concurrently. Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star and Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines were accompanied by a short film directed by Nep Sidhu, and a limited-run comic book illustrated by Joshua Ray Stephens.[6]
The following year, Shabazz Palaces joined up with frequent collaborator Erik Blood to release a full-length LP titled 1 Time Mirage under the moniker Knife Knights which released on September 14, 2018.[7] The moniker had been used by Butler for his collaborative production work with Blood on previous Shabazz Palaces records, though now formalised as a touring band signed to Sub Pop.
Shabazz Palaces' fifth full-length record, The Don of Diamond Dreams, was released on April 17, 2020.[8] An article written by The Guardian confirmed that Tendai Maraire was no longer part of Shabazz Palaces and was not involved in creation of the album.[9]
On April 12, 2023, an EP titled Illusions Ago was released on Glass Cane Records in collaboration with 'Lavarr The Starr', presumed to be another moniker of Butler's.
A sixth studio album by Shabazz Palaces, Robed in Rareness, released later in the year on October 27, 2023.[10]
On March 29, 2024, Shabazz Palaces' seventh and most recent album was released, titled Exotic Birds of Prey.[11]
Collaborations
Shabazz Palaces' collaborations include guest features with or from Flying Lotus, Thundercat, THEESatisfaction, Stas THEE Boss, Erik Blood, clipping., Battles, The Helio Sequence, Porter Ray, Sunny Levine and Carlos Overall. One notable collaboration is the supergroup WOKE, formed with Flying Lotus and Thundercat, which released one single, "The Lavishments of Light Looking", featuring George Clinton.
Chimurenga Renaissance is a project led by Maraire, in collaboration with guitarist Hussein Kalonji and with contributions from Butler. The project released a mixtape, Pungwe, in 2012, and published it as an album on March 5, 2013.[12][13] They released their full-length debut album riZe vadZimu riZe on March 25, 2014.[14] Two EPs followed: Kudada Nekuva Munhu Mutema on February 3, 2015, and Girlz With Gunz on February 5, 2016.[15][16]
Shabazz Palaces form part of the Black Constellation, a Seattle-based collective including visual artists, fashion designers, and musicians.
Style and influences
Discography
- Studio albums
- Black Up (2011)
- Lese Majesty (2014)
- Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star (2017)
- Quazarz vs. the Jealous Machines (2017)
- The Don of Diamond Dreams (2020)
- Robed in Rareness (2023)
- Exotic Birds of Prey (2024)
Extended plays
- Shabazz Palaces (2009)
- Of Light (2009)
- Illusions Ago (with Lavarr the Starr) (2023)