The group first took shape in the early ‘90s, in New York City. Former Seattle resident Butterfly (a k a Ishmael Butler) hooked up with Philadelphia native Doodlebug (Craig Irving), who was a member of New York collective Dread Poets Society, and Ladybug (Mary Ann Vieira), a Maryland denizen of Brazilian descent. Like the name chosen for their band, the new handles each member adopted also reflected a universal consciousness.
“Insects stick together and work for mutually beneficial causes,” Ladybug observed in Essence. Doodlebug added, “Humans are supposed to be the most intelligent beings on the planet, and yet we can’t seem to come together in a peaceful manner.”
On their 1993 debut, Reachin' (A New Refutation Of Time And Space), the threesome showed just how rich and vibrant the musical product of three distinctive minds working in harmony could be. Musically, they incorporated elements of funk, samba, and psychedelia into their street-savvy hip-hop; jazz, in particular, played a pivotal role. The group gave shout-outs to icons Charles Mingus and Charlie Parker, and sampled others, including Sonny Rollins and the Last Poets.
“Like hip-hop, they developed a language and style that was unique,” noted Butterfly of their jazz forefathers. “Those cats used their vernacular to communicate a new perspective.” With unabashedly intelligent lyrical references to everything from Karl Marx (on the reggae-tinged “Where I'm From“) and Jimi Hendrix, to feminist bell hooks and poet Nikki Giovanni, the Planets boldly followed suit.
Critics responded to the Planets’ debut platter enthusiastically. “Reachin' (A New Refutation Of Time And Space) is everything hip-hop should be: artistically sound, unabashedly conscious and downright cool,” proclaimed Kevin Powell in a four-star review for Rolling Stone. “And Digable Planets is the kind of rap act every fan should cram to understand.” The record would eventually hit #15 on the Billboard 200, break the Top 5 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and achieve Platinum sales status.
Buoyed up by a bubbling bass line and curlicues of brass (the latter lifted from a sample of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers), and peppered with finger-pops, the sublimely chill single “Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" became the album’s biggest hit. It peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, winning legions of fans across a variety of radio formats as well as in clubs. The track deservedly earned the 1993 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
After touring extensively, accompanied by a live band, the trio returned to the studio, emerging in 1994 with their sophomore outing, Blowout Comb. Even more so than its predecessor, the Planets’ second full-length pushed stylistic boundaries. The group downplayed samples in favor of live performances: “Dog It“ juxtaposed animated sax and vibraphone turns (by Donald “Duck” Harrison and Bill Lounge, respectively) with a slightly harder vocal style, while sultry, summery singing on “Dial 7 (Axioms Of Creamy Spies)" evoked an air of vintage ‘70s soul. Special guests on the Blowout Comb sessions included Brooklyn rapper Jeru The Damaja (”Graffiti“) and pioneering female hip-hop DJ Jazzy Joyce (”9th Wonder (Blackitolism)“), who also toured with the group.
Although Digable Planets dissolved in 1996, all three members have remained active musically. Butterfly went on to form the band Cherrywine, releasing the album Bright Black in 2003. He also composed music for commercial clients including Pepsi and Fila, and ventured into acting, with roles in film (the 2002 Sundance fave I Am Ali) and Off Broadway. Mecca the Ladybug – now Ladybug Mecca – dropped her new solo album, Trip The Light Fantastic, in June, 2005 on her very own record label “Nu Paradigm Entertainment”. She also composed the score for a short film entitled “The Monster” courtesy of “Scenarios USA” - Kids Creating Social Change in 2001. A segment of the film was featured on ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. She can also be spotted in Snoop Dogg's Video "Candy," the result of one of her lyrics being sampled for this song. Working as Cee Knowledge, Doodlebug has been leading Philadelphia live hip-hop ensemble Cosmic Funk Orchestra since 2000. In addition Doodlebug is actively the CEO of the successful multimedia company “7 and a Cresent”. But most importantly for Digable Planets fans worldwide, the original trio recently reformed to play a number of well-received live dates (including Lollapalooza 2005), and begin work on their first album in over a decade.
(2) Though they were not the first to synthesize jazz and hip-hop, Digable Planets epitomized the laid-back charm of jazz hipsters better than any group before or since. The trio's 1993 debut album, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space), was a mellow ride packed with samples from Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, and Curtis Mayfield, and the single "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" became a Top 20 pop hit. After earning a Grammy for Best New Duo or Group and embarking on an ambitious tour that included several live musicians, the Planets returned in late 1994 with their best album yet. Blowout Comb continued the group's jazz-rap fusion, but also saw them branching out to embrace the old school sound of the street as well.
Digable Planets formed in the early '90s, when Butterfly (b. Ishmael Butler, Brooklyn, NY) met Ladybug (b. Mary Ann Vieira, Silver Springs, MD) while attending college in Massachusetts. The two later hooked up with Doodlebug (b. Craig Irving, Philadelphia, PA), in Washington, D.C., and began recording. Their first single, "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)," released on the Pendulum subsidiary of Warner, hit the R&B Top Ten while their debut, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space), was a critical and commercial success. Digable Planets' resulting tour had a laid-back vibe more in keeping with a jazz show than any hip-hop concert, though the live musicians were criticized for doing little more than re-creating samples from the album. The trio solved that problem with the release of their second album, Blowout Comb, in late 1994. Much stronger than its predecessor, it used fewer samples and even included several solos. With no strong single to carry it, however, Blowout Comb's sales performance was not up to that of Reachin'. After Blowout Comb, Digable Planets basically dissolved due to the dreaded "creative differences". All three continued making music separately, but despite many promises that the recordings would become actual releases, nearly a decade passed before releases appeared from Butterfly's Cherrywine project, Ladybug's new billing Ladybug Mecca, and Doodlebug's Cee Knowledge. Then, just a few weeks shy of the ten-year anniversary of Blowout Comb, the three announced that they had reunited to record their third Digable Planets album. A compilation, Beyond the Spectrum: The Creamy Spy Chronicles, filled the gap while fans waited for its release. ~ John Bush, Rovi
Escapism
Digable Planets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Swimmin' in this art born up the boogie down
The Rubin Rod Squad flew angles toward the point
Could a wierdo group of bugs slam a gang of funky joints
The provin's in the movin' of the baggy clothes
At the dimly lit clubs where flock the milk duds
Hip hop enzymes with pride kicks inside
Bobbin' over beats that sleeps with ghetto slang
No sirens just felts and wax from ghetto brains
The cosmic child's hit with dance and beats and kits
Like the [Incomprehensible] uhh uhh and shit
The ancestors grin cause rap is gettin' fat
To some of them it's grim cause it's youth be havin' gats
So save all the cares, let down your nappy hairs
Cause the beats is givin' life like air
The flyest fly bids is swellin' the inside
The locest loc kids left they Glocks in the ride
Hoodlums in the house gettin' they flams on
Cause even peace got some clout when the funky jams on
Get free, get free y'all
Funk is you, funk is me, funk is us, funk is free
Insects at the joint no flam just kickin' it
Wiggle with the fruits over by the liquids
The slick kids is down, the flyers passed around
We try to dig the group or recognize the loop
The strobe light is out in the crowd, dig my speakin'
Who you see freakin' is the native cause your seekin'
I came in the door, I said it before
Jams make me kite, if they slam then it's life remember this
Yo, silkworm's chillin', Butterfly's chillin'
A crew of Ladybugs; We giggle with the thugs
The world is in here cause expressions under hair
I love my peers
You for a black jam makes you for a black man
A kid I didn't know slapped his fingers in my hand
A wisdom caught my eye damn a jams fly
Honeys with some cuties someone havin' hootie
Get free, get free y'all
Funk is you, funk is me, funk is us, funk is free
I think every mom and dad should say to their kids
K-k-kids be free
Be whoever you are and do whatever you wanna do
Get free, get free y'all
Funk is you, funk is me, funk is us, funk is free
Funk is you, funk is me, funk is us, funk is free
Funk
The lyrics of the song Escapism by Digable Planets speak to the power and freedom of funk music in the black community. The song describes the energy and vibe of a club where people come to escape the hardships of their lives and find joy and connection through music. The lyrics depict the variety of people who come to the club, from insects to kids and hoodlums, all grooving to the same beats. The song highlights the sense of community and solidarity that exists in these spaces, while also acknowledging the challenges faced by the youth in the community who are caught up in violence and crime.
Throughout the song, the lyrics emphasize the importance of being true to oneself and embracing individuality. Funk music is presented as a way for people to express themselves and break free from the constraints of society. The final lines of the song encourage parents to teach their kids to be free and embrace their individuality.
Overall, the lyrics of Escapism celebrate the power of music to bring people together and create a sense of community and belonging. The song speaks to the unique role that funk music has played in the black community, both as a form of artistic expression and as a means of empowerment and social change.
Line by Line Meaning
Planets be the champ of the amplified sound
Digable Planets is the best at creating loud music
Swimmin' in this art born up the boogie down
Their art is inspired by the culture of the Bronx
The Rubin Rod Squad flew angles toward the point
Their music is experimental and goes in different directions
Could a weirdo group of bugs slam a gang of funky joints
They are different from other musical groups, but still make great music
The provin's in the movin' of the baggy clothes
Their music is validated by the way people dance in baggy clothes
At the dimly lit clubs where flock the milk duds
Their music is popular at underground clubs frequented by regular people
Hip hop enzymes with pride kicks inside
They are passionate about hip hop culture and express it in their music
Dig the threads the nappy heads
They appreciate the fashion and hair styles of the African American community
Bobbin' over beats that sleeps with ghetto slang
Their music is created over beats inspired by street culture
No sirens just felts and wax from ghetto brains
The inspiration for their music comes from the creativity of the people living in ghettos
The cosmic child's hit with dance and beats and kits
Their music appeals to people of all ages who love to dance and listen to hip hop beats
Like the [Incomprehensible] uhh uhh and shit
Their music has a universal appeal and incorporates different cultural elements
The ancestors grin cause rap is gettin' fat
Hip hop is becoming more mainstream and popular, which makes the pioneers of the genre proud
To some of them it's grim cause it's youth be havin' gats
Some find it troubling that hip hop's popularity is being associated with violence
So save all the cares, let down your nappy hairs
Forget about worries and enjoy life
Cause the beats is givin' life like air
Music is a life-giving force that should be celebrated
The flyest fly bids is swellin' the inside
Great music can uplift and energize your spirit
The locest loc kids left they Glocks in the ride
Even people from neighborhoods with high crime rates can come together and appreciate good music
Hoodlums in the house gettin' they flams on
Everyone is enjoying themselves, even those who may not have the best reputation
Get free, get free y'all
Encouraging people to express themselves freely and enjoy the music
Funk is you, funk is me, funk is us, funk is free
The power of funk music is that it brings people together and transcends boundaries
Insects at the joint no flam just kickin' it
People from all walks of life are enjoying themselves at the club
Wiggle with the fruits over by the liquids
People are dancing and having fun by the bar
The slick kids is down, the flyers passed around
Everyone is vibing and sharing info about upcoming events
We try to dig the group or recognize the loop
People are trying to connect with each other and appreciate the music
The strobe light is out in the crowd, dig my speakin'
The crowd is fully engaged with the music and feeling the energy
Who you see freakin' is the native cause your seekin'
The people dancing are feeling connected to their roots and culture
I came in the door, I said it before
The artist has been promoting their music and message for a while
Jams make me kite, if they slam then it's life remember this
This music makes the artist feel high and energized and is an important part of life
Yo, silkworm's chillin', Butterfly's chillin'
Everyone is relaxed and enjoying the music
A crew of Ladybugs; We giggle with the thugs
People from different walks of life are coming together to have fun
The world is in here cause expressions under hair
The club is a microcosm of the world where people express themselves in different ways
I love my peers
The artist has a strong connection to other people who appreciate their music
You for a black jam makes you for a black man
Appreciating black music and culture is an important part of being a black person
A kid I didn't know slapped his fingers in my hand
Even strangers can connect through their appreciation of the art and culture
A wisdom caught my eye damn a jams fly
The artist is impressed by the wisdom and beauty of the music
Honeys with some cuties someone havin' hootie
People are flirting and having a good time
I think every mom and dad should say to their kids
The artist is sharing a message for parents to pass on to their children
K-k-kids be free
Encouraging children to express themselves and be free
Be whoever you are and do whatever you wanna do
People should be themselves and pursue their dreams freely
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ISHMAEL BUTLER, ISHMAEL R. BUTLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind