Shabazz Palaces : NPR

Review: Shabazz Palaces, 'Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines'

Shabazz Palaces' new album, Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines, is out July 14. Victoria Kovios /Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Victoria Kovios /Courtesy of the artist

Review

First Listen

Review: Shabazz Palaces, 'Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines'

July 6, 2017 • The second of two new LPs finds Ishmael Butler, a.k.a. Palaceer Lazaro, drawing out the ironies of trap's outsider aesthetic.

Review: Shabazz Palaces, 'Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star'

Shabazz Palaces' third album, Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star, is out July 14. Victoria Kovios/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Victoria Kovios/Courtesy of the artist

Review

First Listen

Review: Shabazz Palaces, 'Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star'

July 6, 2017 • Ishmael Butler, aka Palaceer Lazaro, takes on a sentient persona to illuminate hip-hop's darkest corners.

LISTEN: Shabazz Palaces Shades 'Your Favorite Rapper' With '30 Clip Extension'

Shabazz Palaces: "30 Clip Extension" Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

LISTEN: Shabazz Palaces Shades 'Your Favorite Rapper' With '30 Clip Extension'

May 9, 2017 • Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines will be the second of two albums released by the psychedelic hip-hop group, both on July 14.

Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

Marty Stuart's "Time Don't Wait" is a favorite at The Current in St. Paul, Minn. Alysse Gafkjen/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alysse Gafkjen/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

April 29, 2017 • Hear new music by country veteran Marty Stuart, former Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto, psychedelic hip-hop duo Shabazz Palaces and more in April's playlist, curated by public-radio hosts.

Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

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Listen: Shabazz Palaces Returns With 'Shine A Light'

Victoria Kovios

All Songs Considered

Listen: Shabazz Palaces Returns With 'Shine A Light'

April 25, 2017 • Sentient beings and mysteries await as the experimental hip-hop group announces a new album and tour dates.

Shabazz Palaces' new record, Lese Majesty, comes out July 29. Patrick O'Brien-Smith/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Patrick O'Brien-Smith/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

Unlocking The Eclectic

July 20, 2014 • The enigmatic leader of Shabazz Palaces says his process is instinctive, non-linear and, sometimes, beyond his own understanding. Read Ishmael Butler's extended interview with All Things Considered.

Unlocking The Eclectic: A Conversation With Shabazz Palaces' Ishmael Butler

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Shabazz Palaces, 'They Come In Gold' (Live)

Shabazz Palaces performs live on KEXP. Dave Lichterman/KEXP hide caption

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Dave Lichterman/KEXP

Favorite Sessions

Shabazz Palaces, 'They Come In Gold' (Live)

KEXP

September 2, 2014 • Shabazz Palaces' music sounds like nothing else. Watch Ishmael Butler and Tendai Maraire bring an interplanetary vibe to "They Come In Gold" during their recent visit to KEXP's studios in Seattle.

New Mix: Weezer, Lucinda Williams, Sufjan Stevens, More

Clockwise from upper left: Weezer, Sufjan Stevens, Lia Ices, Lucinda Williams, Shabazz Palaces Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Mix: Weezer, Lucinda Williams, Sufjan Stevens, More

August 26, 2014 • On this week's All Songs Considered, premieres from Lucinda Williams, Buke and Gase and Lia Ices, along with much more.

New Mix: Weezer, Lucinda Williams, Sufjan Stevens, More

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Shabazz Palaces' new album, Lese Majesty, comes out July 29. Patrick O'Brien-Smith/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Patrick O'Brien-Smith/Courtesy of the artist

First Listen

First Listen: Shabazz Palaces, 'Lese Majesty'

July 20, 2014 • Lese Majesty is MC and producer Ishmael Butler's most relentlessly noncommercial chapter yet. No hits, no singles; just raw, graceful tunes from the inventive former leader of Digable Planets.

Lese Majesty

Audio for First Listens is no longer available after the album has been released.

Grind And Shine: Shabazz Palaces And THEESatisfaction

Shabazz Palaces and THEESatisfaction (from left to right, Ishmael Butler, Catherine Harris-White and Stasia Irons) outside Caffe Vita in Capitol Hill. Kyle Johnson for NPR hide caption

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Kyle Johnson for NPR

The Record

Grind And Shine: Shabazz Palaces And THEESatisfaction

June 29, 2011 • We sat down with the city's most enigmatic groups in Capitol Hill, the hub of Seattle nightlife.

Swerve... the reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding)

3:52

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The British producer SBTRKT wears one of his many the African-inspired masks. Dan Wilton/courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Dan Wilton/courtesy of the artist

The Record

Musicians And Their Masks

February 18, 2012 • Many musicians — particularly those at the intersection of hip-hop and electronic music — are experimenting with the way masks can obscure or change their identity.

Shabazz Palaces performing at KEXP. David Lichterman/KEXP hide caption

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David Lichterman/KEXP

Favorite Sessions

Shabazz Palaces: Bop Hard

KEXP

February 14, 2012 • Seattle's otherworldly hip-hop group brings their hypnotic, battering low end beats and transcendent raps to KEXP.

December 5, 2011 • Musicians new and familiar gave us exciting sounds in 2011. We witnessed the ascent of the mighty Merrill Garbus, a.k.a. tUnE-yArDs. We reveled at the return of Ishmael Butler, formerly known as Butterfly from jazz-rap greats Digable Planets, whose debut with Shabazz Palaces gave off a dark buzz. Wilco moved even farther away from its alt-country roots and managed to sound even more like Wilco. The list of our 50 favorite records of 2011 wraps up here, with album Shabazz Palaces, Sonny Rollins and more artists from S to W.

For Pesky Relatives, A Musical Gift Guide

Shabazz Palaces David Belisle and Leif Podhajsky hide caption

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David Belisle and Leif Podhajsky

Music Lists

For Pesky Relatives, A Musical Gift Guide

November 25, 2011 • NPR Music's Stephen Thompson picks new music for the hard-to-please on a host's shopping list.

For Pesky Relatives, A Musical Gift Guide

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First Listen: Shabazz Palaces, 'Black Up'

Ishmael Butler, alumnus of Digable Planets and leader of Shabazz Palaces. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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First Listen

First Listen: Shabazz Palaces, 'Black Up'

June 19, 2011 • The latest album from Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler, an alumnus of the '90s jazz-rap crew Digable Planets, is as immersive as it is odd. Hear it in its entirety until its release.