Shabazz Palaces is the latest artistic vehicle of one Ishmael ("Butterfly") Butler, sometimes alternatively referred to as "Palaceer Laz[aro]." To paraphrase Butler himself, the only known member of the group: "Everybody that's in it is the same. We don't really say names, who did what. It's just really... about the final product. There's no credits on the album [Five W's], because we just don't feel like that's the point." While interviews and press contact are scarce, Palaceer Lazaro and company -- THEESatisfaction (backing vocals), Blood (record mixer), and Knife Knights (producer) -- seem to be warming up to mild media/fan attention.
"Butterfly" is/was previously a member of both Digable Planets and Cherrywine. Linking up with "Doodlebug" and "Ladybug Mecca" in 1992, Digable Planets were originally active until 1995 and then re-formed in Winter 2005... The group's feature-less Jazz/Funk-sampling 1993 debut, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space), spawned 1 wildly successful hit single - "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)." After releasing 1 album with his Hip-Hop/Blues effort, Cherrywine, Butler formed Shabazz Palaces around 2009. Their discography includes 2 self-released EP's ( Of Light & Shabazz Palaces/Eagles Soar, Oil Flows)... As well as their just-released, critically acclaimed major label debut for Sub Pop - Black Up. "bronny on a breakaway," showcased here, is an Exclusive iTunes Bonus Track.