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Friday Flashback: Digable Planets
It's the calm before the storm. After the one-two punch of Sunset Junction this weekend, it's another double-whammy with two nights of Radiohead at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday and Monday. There’s enough drama and stress going around this weekend, so enjoy this funky flashback to the mid-‘90s with Brooklyn hip-hop heroes Digable Planets. Surely you remember their breakout single “Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)”, which went on to win the 1993 Grammy for Best Rap Performance.
Their debut album, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) was fat with laidback and breezy tunes, like this timeless summer jam, "Nickel Bags"
The band’s 1994 follow-up album, Blowout Comb was a serious change-up. The stark collection of jazz samples and militant lyricism scared off their pop audience. But for deep hip-hop heads, it was an instant 5-mic classic. Led by the single “9th Wonder (Blackitolism),” album cuts like “Jettin’” and “Graffiti” were thick with the heat and humidity of a long, hot New York summer.
While they never released another album after that, the hip-hop nation has always had love for the DPs. They reunited for an inspired performance at Coachella 2006, and are about to embark on a fall tour that will bring them to the El Rey on September 19th. It’s gonna be live, y'all!
—Scott T. Sterling
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