Digable Planets is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987. The trio is composed of rappers Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler, Mariana "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira, and Craig "Doodlebug" Irving. The group is notable for their contributions to the subgenres of jazz rap and alternative hip hop.
Jazz rap is a fusion of jazz and hip hop music, as well as an alternative hip hop subgenre, that developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. AllMusic writes that the genre "was an attempt to fuse African-American music of the past with a newly dominant form of the present, paying tribute to and reinvigorating the former while expanding the horizons of the latter." The rhythm was rooted in hip hop over which were placed repetitive phrases of jazz instrumentation: trumpet, double bass, etc. Groups involved in the formation of jazz rap included A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, De La Soul, Gang Starr, The Roots, Jungle Brothers, and Dream Warriors.
Acid jazz, also known as club jazz, is a music genre that combines elements of funk, soul, and hip hop, as well as jazz and disco. Acid jazz originated in clubs in London during the 1980s with the rare groove movement and spread to the United States, Japan, Eastern Europe, and Brazil. Acts included The Brand New Heavies, D'Influence, Incognito, Us3, and Jamiroquai from the UK and Buckshot LeFonque and Digable Planets from the U.S. The rise of electronic club music in the middle to late 1990s led to a decline in interest, and in the twenty-first century, the movement became indistinct as a genre. Many acts that might have been defined as acid jazz are seen as jazz-funk, neo soul, or jazz rap.
Rebirth is the fourth studio album by American singer Jennifer Lopez. It was released on February 23, 2005, by Epic Records. Following the release of her third studio album This Is Me... Then (2002), which was dedicated to her fiancé at the time Ben Affleck, Lopez decided to focus on her film career. After her engagement to Affleck ended, Lopez put her career on hiatus, as she felt that it had been on a "roller-coaster" ride for years. She soon married fellow Hispanic recording artist Marc Anthony, and professed that she had entered "phase two" of her life, signifying a new beginning.
Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool is a compilation album in the Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series with performers from jazz, pop, rock, and rap. "Stolen Moments" is a jazz standard composed by Oliver Nelson in 1961.
My Ghetto Report Card is the ninth studio album by American rapper E-40. It was released on March 14, 2006, by BME Recordings, Sick Wid It Records and Warner Bros. Records. My Ghetto Report Card was supported by two singles: "Tell Me When to Go" featuring Keak Da Sneak, and "U and Dat" featuring T-Pain and Kandi Girl.
Reachin' is the debut album by alternative hip hop group Digable Planets released on February 9, 1993, by Pendulum/Elektra Records. The album has been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
The Last Poets is the debut studio album by spoken word recording artists The Last Poets. It was released in 1970 through Douglas Records. Recording sessions took place at Impact Sound Studio with production by East Wind Associates, managers of The Last Poets at the time of recording. The album peaked at #29 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and at #3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States.
Alan Goldsher is the author of 15 books, performs on bass and keyboard, and is a music and sports journalist. He lives in Chicago.
Blowout Comb is the second studio album by American hip hop group Digable Planets, released October 18, 1994, on Pendulum/EMI Records. The album was written and recorded in Brooklyn, New York, where the group moved, with recording sessions beginning in 1993 and finishing in 1994. On Blowout Comb, Digable Planets abandoned the radio friendly style of their debut album and worked with a more ambitious, stripped-down sound. The album features a diverse range of samples and live instruments, and contains lyrical themes of the inner city and black nationalism. It also features guest appearances from Guru of Gang Starr, Jeru the Damaja, and DJ Jazzy Joyce.
Heavy is the second album by the rapper Heavy D, released in 1999 via Uptown Records. It was produced by Heavy D, Tony Dofat, Erick Sermon, Jay Dee and Q-Tip. The album was a minor success, making it to #60 on the Billboard 200 and #10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It is Heavy D's lowest-selling album, at a little over 500,000 units sold.
Imani Francesca Coppola is an American singer-songwriter and violinist. Her debut single "Legend of a Cowgirl" reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart in 1997. Her debut album, Chupacabra, released by Columbia Records, was praised by critics and appeared on the US Heatseekers Albums chart. In 2001, Coppola appeared as a guest artist on the Baha Men single "You All Dat", which broke the top 10 in Australia and gave Coppola her second entry on the Billboard Hot 100 to date.
Rebirth is the seventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released February 2, 2010, on Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown. The album's production was primarily handled by Cool & Dre, DJ Infamous, DJ Nasty & LVM, Kevin Rudolf, and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. Rebirth was promoted as Wayne's rock music debut, though it includes some hip hop tracks.
"Rebirth of Slick " is a 1992 song by jazz rap trio Digable Planets which was released as the first single from their debut album, Reachin' . The black-and-white music video was directed by Morgan Lawley.
The Hard Sell is a live DJ mix album by American music producers and turntablists DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist, released in January 2007. The album is a recording of a rehearsal by the two producers for a June 2007 show at the Hollywood Bowl.
The 1994 Soul Train Music Awards were held on Tuesday, March 15, 1994, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The show was hosted by Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Johnny Gill.
Here We Go Again: Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles is a live tribute album by country singer Willie Nelson and jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. It was recorded during concerts at the Rose Theater in New York City, on February 9 and 10, 2009. The album received mixed reviews, in which the instrumentation of Marsalis' orchestra was praised by the critics.
The Documentary 2 is the sixth studio album by American rapper the Game. It was released on October 9, 2015, by Blood Money Entertainment and eOne Music. The album serves as a sequel to his debut album. The project is first half of a two-piece project with other half The Documentary 2.5, which was released the following week. The album features guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Kanye West and Future, among others.
Ishmael Reginald Butler is an American rapper, record producer and songwriter. He is best known for his work with such groups as Digable Planets in the 1990s and Shabazz Palaces in the 2010s.
Michael Mangini is an American record producer and owner of Mojo Music, a production and artist management company. He has worked with Digable Planets, Imani Coppola, and Baha Men, among others.
