by John Bear
Daily Lobo
Digable Planets first wowed audiences with its highly recognizable brand of jazz-infused hip-hop in 1993.
The group's debut album, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space), earned a Grammy Award for Best New Duo or Group. Digable Planets was the first hip-hop group to do so.
The album features the classic track, "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)," which is a song that captures the essence of the group - laid-back rhyming over mellow jazz grooves.
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The group released a second album, Blowout Comb, in 1994. It was critically well-received but didn't sell as well as its predecessor.
The group disbanded shortly after. Rapper Cee-Knowledge, more widely known as Doodlebug, said the members were too immature at the time of Digable Planets' demise.
He also cites management issues and problems with labels.
"We didn't know how to deal with being a collective of artists," he said. "We have matured."
Former members went on to produce solo projects. Cee-Knowledge formed the Cosmic Funk Orchestra. Butterfly, also known as Ish, joined a band called Cherrywine. Ladybug, also known as Mecca, recently dropped her first solo album, Trip the Light Fantastic.
Cee-Knowledge said Digable Planets decided to reform in September 2004. The members met up and worked everything out. Then they embarked on their first tour in years.
"The vibe at the shows was crazy, so we just wanted to keep doing it," he said.
They have been performing their old material, but they slip in some freestyle sessions and solo work, he said. DJ Jedi supplies the beats, but a live band consisting of a drummer, a guitarist, a keyboardist and a bassist also fills out the performances.
After this tour ends, Digable Planets will return to the studio and begin recording new material. Cee-Knowledge said the group plans to release another album, but he wasn't sure when it will drop. He said it is unnamed as of yet.
The vibe of their previous work is still intact, he said.
"It's more of a futuristic '06 version," he said. "We haven't totally changed, but no one stays the same after 10 years."
Digable Planets has gained widespread popularity that transcends the boundaries of taste. People who don't necessarily like hip-hop music will often appreciate the Planets' sound. Cee-Knowledge said there is no easy way to explain this, but he partially attributes the disparate fan base to the sincerity of the group's members.
"It's hard to say," he said. "We're being ourselves. We're being honest. We're not trying to be anybody but ourselves."
