My guest this week is Ishmael Butler, one-third of Digable Planets and the center of Shabazz Palaces. We spoke about the Amazon Prime original series Them, Afrosurrealism, Superfly, the role blaxploitation soundtracks played in the early days of sampling, his love for horror movies, transitioning from Digable Planets and Cherrywine to Shabazz Palaces, the group’s creative process, his views on rap culture 50 years in, and the process behind Shabazz Palaces’ latest project Robed In Rareness.

Robed In Rareness is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping from Bandcamp. Follow Shabazz Palaces on Instagram and Twitter: @shabazzpalaces

My first book, Reel Notes: Culture Writing on the Margins of Music and Movies, is available now, via 4PM Publishing. Order a digital copy on Amazon.

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Reel Notes stands in solidarity with the oppressed peoples of Palestine, Congo, Sudan, Tigray, and Haiti. Please consider donating to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, The Palestinian Youth Movement, Medical Aid for Palestinians, HealAfrica, FreeTigray, and/or Hope For Haiti. For information about contacting your representatives to demand a ceasefire, finding protests, and other tools, check out CeasefireToday!

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Between Bombs: The Art of Palestinian Storytelling w/ Eman Alhaj Ali