Shabazz Palaces – Black Up LP

Description

**New Metallic Gold Vinyl Press!!

Only a little more than a year after releasing two EPs — a self-titled one, and Of Light— Seattle’sShabazz Palacessigned to Sub Pop for their full-length debut. Even on a high-profile label, formerDigable PlanetsmemberIshmael Butler(formerlyButterfly) maintains a shroud of mystique, rapping under the facade of Palaceer Lazaro and purposely avoiding publicity, interviews, and liner credits. Considering his long-term time in the game, his wordplay is still surprisingly relevant, and, masked as Lazaro, he reinvents himself by adding an air of sophistication to the persona of a streetwise gangster. Jazz references are no longer the norm and Butler steers away from the blaxploitation slang and rhymes about being an insect or a creamy spy, but he still has a distinctive, surreal style of flowing. Compared to former albums byDigable Planets,Cherrywine,Camp Lo(Butlerguested on some of their tracks), or even on the priorShabazz PalacesEPs (which were pretty dark to begin with),Black Upis a much harder-edged album. There are no obvious singles, and the beats are murky, splintered, and synthesized, reminiscent of the space-age rap of acts likeDeltron 3030,Kool Keith, andDlek. In a year when minimal production is on the upswing — a trend highlighted by the enormous buzz surroundingOdd FutureandTyler, the Creator‘s bare-boned productions —Shabazz Palacesseems perfectly in tune with a modern underground movement that embraces the most ominous and difficult aspects of hip-hop. As the mainstream becomes more and more predictable,Shabazz Palaces inscrutability is a welcome change. Because the beats are so abstract, roots take precedent, and a strong presence on the microphone becomes the most important aspect.Butlerfills this role with ease. His smooth, sparkling rhymes glueKnife Knights‘ watery environment together to create a provocative listen from start to finish. -All Music Guide