Shabazz Palaces

Seattle-native hip-hop artist Ishmael Butler has gone by many names. In the early '90s, he was Butterfly in the Grammy award-winning rap group Digable Planets. Now, under the guise of Palaceer Lazaro, he has teamed up with instrumentalist Tendai Maraire to form the experimental hip-hop collective Shabazz Palaces. Releasing two EPs simultaneously in 2009, Of Light and a self-titled venture, Shabazz Palaces were met with rave reviews and a cult following. Shabazz Palaces' first full-length, entitled Black Up, proves their experimental panache can still win the hearts of listeners as well as reviewers. They were named "Band to Watch" last year by Rolling Stone and Black Up has received numerous number one spots on local Top 10 lists throughout the country.