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
Jimmi Diggin Cats
Digable Planets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I was thinking
If the 60's and 70's were now
Isaac Hayes would have his own 900 number
I know, and MC Hammer woulda been a pimp, right
Word, and Jimmi woulda dug us right
Word
Get yours, float up to the stars
Planets hits a spot bout six blocks east of Mars
Air soul kicks and crushed velvet hats
Hanging off the ave with the beautifulest naps
Ride in the crest with the blessed, give a yes
Planets kinda funky, as if you hadn't guessed
Placebos getting blocked, funky joints get rocked
Jive is not found
We fly from the flesh
Whether Jeep or Lac
Peak you as you been there and float to them raps
Butterfly's planets for the jam 8 Tracks
From the 90-tops with the twists and plaits
Look beneath my hat
Find the braids that hit ya, metro quite equipped
Knows of all the funk that was laid in seven zips
Funk is phat, homey homey don't you know me
Cool is back, give some skin, lay it on me
Groovy you could call it
Hip, yeah you could call we
Fikky sticky fingers stuck us, loot junkies
If you digging rhyme, then you digging rap
Jimmi's digging this and we be digging that
Yeah
The song is by some groovy cats
If you can dig
The cats, you can dig the song
Yo the black panthers woulda had their own cartoon right
I know and 8-track Walkmans, right
True, The Jackson Five would've had dreads
Word my man Tito would look fly right
Word and Jimmi would've dug Dig Planets for real, word
Planets busting out of this L-7 square
Check out the wares, check out the hairs
Sweetback chills with Shaft, on the ave
Jimmi's digging cats and that's just the half
Where'd they find the stuff to freak it like a wizard
Slick just like a lizard
Really weird, or is it
It's just the logic, from how we rocks it
Pop shock picks it up and drops its
We, the synthesis of then and now melts
Channeled to the masses through a DJ and some felts
Long haired hippies, Afro blacks
All get together across the tracks
Because when we shows up, rhythm rolls up
Funk cannot be measured while the pleasure grows up
Life ain't what it seems, life is but a dream
Planets wreaking havoc is as constant as the rain
Yeah
The song is by some groovy cats
If you can dig
The cats, you can dig the song
Yeah, I can really dig how these cats get down with the
Sound as it is today
The way they're bringing it all
Together, they're cool
Brothas are doin it right. And
They're paying good respect to the masters
I can dig it
Exactly the way it should be[Butterfly]
Yo, everybody's goin retro, right
And I was thinking
If the 60's and 70's were now
Isaac Hayes would have his own 900 number
I know, and MC Hammer woulda been a pimp, right
Word, and Jimmi woulda dug us right
Word
Get yours, float up to the stars
Planets hits a spot bout six blocks east of Mars
Air soul kicks and crushed velvet hats
Hanging off the ave with the beautifulest naps
Ride in the crest with the blessed, give a yes
Planets kinda funky, as if you hadn't guessed
Placebos getting blocked, funky joints get rocked
Jive is not found
We fly from the flesh
Whether Jeep or Lac
Peak you as you been there and float to them raps
Butterfly's planets for the jam 8 Tracks
From the 90-tops with the twists and plaits
Look beneath my hat
Find the braids that hit ya, metro quite equipped
Knows of all the funk that was laid in seven zips
Funk is phat, homey homey don't you know me
Cool is back, give some skin, lay it on me
Groovy you could call it
Hip, yeah you could call we
Fikky sticky fingers stuck us, loot junkies
If you digging rhyme, then you digging rap
Jimmi's digging this and we be digging that
Yeah
The song is by some groovy cats
If you can dig
The cats, you can dig the song
Yo the black panthers woulda had their own cartoon right
I know and 8-track Walkmans, right
True, The Jackson Five would've had dreads
Word my man Tito would look fly right
Word and Jimmi would've dug Dig Planets for real, word
Planets busting out of this L-7 square
Check out the wares, check out the hairs
Sweetback chills with Shaft, on the ave
Jimmi's digging cats and that's just the half
Where'd they find the stuff to freak it like a wizard
Slick just like a lizard
Really weird, or is it
It's just the logic, from how we rocks it
Pop shock picks it up and drops its
We, the synthesis of then and now melts
Channeled to the masses through a DJ and some felts
Long haired hippies, Afro blacks
All get together across the tracks
Because when we shows up, rhythm rolls up
Funk cannot be measured while the pleasure grows up
Life ain't what it seems, life is but a dream
Planets wreaking havoc is as constant as the rain
Yeah
The song is by some groovy cats
If you can dig
The cats, you can dig the song
Yeah, I can really dig how these cats get down with the
Sound as it is today
The way they're bringing it all
Together, they're cool
Brothas are doin it right. And
They're paying good respect to the masters
I can dig it
Exactly the way it should be[Butterfly]
Yo, everybody's goin retro, right
And I was thinking
If the 60's and 70's were now
Isaac Hayes would have his own 900 number
I know, and MC Hammer woulda been a pimp, right
Word, and Jimmi woulda dug us right
Word
Get yours, float up to the stars
Planets hits a spot bout six blocks east of Mars
Air soul kicks and crushed velvet hats
Hanging off the ave with the beautifulest naps
Ride in the crest with the blessed, give a yes
Planets kinda funky, as if you hadn't guessed
Placebos getting blocked, funky joints get rocked
Jive is not found
We fly from the flesh
Whether Jeep or Lac
Peak you as you been there and float to them raps
Butterfly's planets for the jam 8 Tracks
From the 90-tops with the twists and plaits
Look beneath my hat
Find the braids that hit ya, metro quite equipped
Knows of all the funk that was laid in seven zips
Funk is phat, homey homey don't you know me
Cool is back, give some skin, lay it on me
Groovy you could call it
Hip, yeah you could call we
Fikky sticky fingers stuck us, loot junkies
If you digging rhyme, then you digging rap
Jimmi's digging this and we be digging that
Yeah
The song is by some groovy cats
If you can dig
The cats, you can dig the song
Yo the black panthers woulda had their own cartoon right
I know and 8-track Walkmans, right
True, The Jackson Five would've had dreads
Word my man Tito would look fly right
Word and Jimmi would've dug Dig Planets for real, word
Planets busting out of this L-7 square
Check out the wares, check out the hairs
Sweetback chills with Shaft, on the ave
Jimmi's digging cats and that's just the half
Where'd they find the stuff to freak it like a wizard
Slick just like a lizard
Really weird, or is it
It's just the logic, from how we rocks it
Pop shock picks it up and drops its
We, the synthesis of then and now melts
Channeled to the masses through a DJ and some felts
Long haired hippies, Afro blacks
All get together across the tracks
Because when we shows up, rhythm rolls up
Funk cannot be measured while the pleasure grows up
Life ain't what it seems, life is but a dream
Planets wreaking havoc is as constant as the rain
Yeah
The song is by some groovy cats
If you can dig
The cats, you can dig the song
Yeah, I can really dig how these cats get down with the
Sound as it is today
The way they're bringing it all
Together, they're cool
Brothas are doin it right. And
They're paying good respect to the masters
I can dig it
Exactly the way it should be
The song "Jimmi Diggin Cats" by Digable Planets is a tribute to the 60s and 70s era, celebrating the retro coolness of that time period. The lyrics speak about what iconic personalities from those times would be like if they existed in the present. The song asks if Isaac Hayes, MC Hammer, and the Black Panthers existed now what would they be doing - Isaac Hayes would probably have his own 900 number, MC Hammer would be a pimp, and the Black Panthers would have their own cartoon show.
The song touches on the themes of funk, love, and unity. It speaks about the power of music in bringing people together regardless of race, cultural background, and social status. The lyrics mention the different musical influences that the band members carry with them - from soul to funk, to hip hop.
The overall message of the song is that the past was cool, but we can also incorporate its coolest elements into the present. The song encourages the listeners to embrace and celebrate the unique cultural attributes that different groups, subcultures, and ethnicities bring to the table.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, everybody's goin retro, right
Everyone is embracing the past these days
And I was thinking
I had an idea
If the 60's and 70's were now
If those past decades were happening in the present
Isaac Hayes would have his own 900 number
Isaac Hayes would be profiting from having his own phone line to call
I know, and MC Hammer woulda been a pimp, right
I am aware of the popular hypothetical scenario that MC Hammer would have been a successful pimp
Word, and Jimmi woulda dug us right
Agreed, and Jimmi would have liked our style/music
Get yours, float up to the stars
Do your thing and reach for the stars
Planets hits a spot bout six blocks east of Mars
Our music hits a sweet spot just a little bit outside of this world
Air soul kicks and crushed velvet hats
We wear stylish sneakers and hats made of soft velvet
Hanging off the ave with the beautifulest naps
We hang out on the avenue with the most beautiful, well-groomed afros
Ride in the crest with the blessed, give a yes
We ride high on success and say 'yes' to opportunities
Planets kinda funky, as if you hadn't guessed
We have a funky, cool vibe, like you might have guessed already
Placebos getting blocked, funky joints get rocked
Fake, imitation music gets ignored while our funky tunes get played
Jive is not found
We don't mess with phony music
We fly from the flesh
We transcend earthly limitations through our music
Whether Jeep or Lac
Whether you drive a Jeep or a Cadillac
Peak you as you been there and float to them raps
We appeal to those who have been there before and they groove to our rap music
Butterfly's planets for the jam 8 Tracks
Butterfly and the rest of Digable Planets are in charge of creating the best rap music on eight-track tapes
From the 90-tops with the twists and plaits
We're from the 1990s and we have cool hairstyles with twists and braids
Look beneath my hat
Check out my hairstyle underneath my hat
Find the braids that hit ya, metro quite equipped
Discover how cool my braids look, my fashion sense is modern and trendy
Knows of all the funk that was laid in seven zips
We are deeply familiar with the funky music that was recorded in the past
Funk is phat, homey homey don't you know me
Funky music is amazing, my friend, don't you already know that?
Cool is back, give some skin, lay it on me
Being cool is in again, give me a high five, show me some love
Groovy you could call it
It's so cool that you could call it groovy
Hip, yeah you could call we
We are so hip that you could call us that
Fikky sticky fingers stuck us, loot junkies
People can't get enough of our music, and they're always looking for more
If you digging rhyme, then you digging rap
If you like rhyming, then you must enjoy rap music
Jimmi's digging this and we be digging that
Jimmi likes our music and we appreciate his style
The song is by some groovy cats
This song is made by some very cool and stylish musicians
If you can dig
If you can understand and appreciate our style
The cats, you can dig the song
Then you will surely enjoy this song made by those cool musicians
Yo the black panthers woulda had their own cartoon right
The Black Panthers political group could have had its own animated television show
I know and 8-track Walkmans, right
I agree, and yes, people would have been using 8-track Walkmans
True, The Jackson Five would've had dreads
It's true, the famous musical group The Jackson Five would have had stylish dreadlocks
Word my man Tito would look fly right
Agreed, my friend Tito would look very cool with his new hairstyle
Word and Jimmi would've dug Dig Planets for real, word
Yes, Jimmi would've really enjoyed our rap group, Digable Planets
Planets busting out of this L-7 square
Our music is breaking free from a square or boring lifestyle
Check out the wares, check out the hairs
Take a look at our style and our hairstyles
Sweetback chills with Shaft, on the ave
Our music is cool just like the movie characters Sweetback and Shaft who hang out on the avenue
Jimmi's digging cats and that's just the half
Jimmi likes our style, but there's still more of it to uncover
Where'd they find the stuff to freak it like a wizard
Where did we find the inspiration and the skills to make such cool and funky music?
Slick just like a lizard
We make it look easy, smooth and cool like a lizard's movements
Really weird, or is it
Our style might seem unusual or different, but maybe it's not actually that weird
It's just the logic, from how we rocks it
It's simply our logical approach to making and performing music that allows us to be so great
Pop shock picks it up and drops its
The mass appeal for our music is so high that anyone who hears it can't help but become a fan
We, the synthesis of then and now melts
Our music is a combination of the past and the present, and it blends together seamlessly
Channeled to the masses through a DJ and some felts
Our music is made with the help of a DJ and some cool equipment
Long haired hippies, Afro blacks
Our fans come from different backgrounds, such as hippies and black people with afros
All get together across the tracks
Our music brings people from different communities together
Because when we shows up, rhythm rolls up
When we arrive, good music comes with us
Funk cannot be measured while the pleasure grows up
Funky music can't be quantified, but people enjoy it more and more
Life ain't what it seems, life is but a dream
Don't take life too seriously, it's only temporary and fleeting
Planets wreaking havoc is as constant as the rain
We make a disruptive impact with our music that is just as consistent as rainfall
Yeah, I can really dig how these cats get down with the
I really enjoy and respect how these musicians play music
Sound as it is today
Music as it exists in the present moment
The way they're bringing it all
The way they're combining various elements of music to create something new and refreshing
Together, they're cool
The musicians are very cool and stylish as a group
Brothas are doin it right. And
These musicians are doing it right and are cool as a group
They're paying good respect to the masters
They're acknowledging and honoring the previous great musicians who inspired them
I can dig it
I can appreciate and admire it
Exactly the way it should be
This music is precisely how I believe it should be done
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALTON TAYLOR, ROBERT MICKENS, ROBERT BELL, DENNIS THOMAS, RICHARD WESTFIELD, GEORGE BROWN, CLAYDES SMITH, RONALD BELL, ISHMAEL BUTLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind