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
La Femme Fetal
Digable Planets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There was not a cloud to speak of so the orange sun hung
Lonely in the sky
I was laying prone in my catbeat home
Listening to fine nappy Jackie and his jazzcat's horn
Sliding in a tape of Bird on Verve when suddenly rang my phone
Hello Butterfly, the voice said
Slip on some duds, comb out your fro and slide on down to my pad
The vibe here is very pleasant and I truly request your presence
A problem of great magnitude has arose
And as we speak it grows
Damn, what could it be I thought
A juice I bought and rolled on down to her spot
Seeing bros I know slapping fives I arrived and pressed G-5
And there was Nikki
Lookin' some kind of sad with tears fallin' from her eyes
She sat me down, and dug my frown and began to run it down
"You remember my boyfriend Sid, that fly kid who I love
Well our love was often a verb and spontaneity has brought a third
But due to our youth an economic state, we wish to terminate
About this we don't feel great, but baby, that's how it is
But the feds have dissed me
They ignore and dismiss me
The pro-lifers harass me outside the clinic
And call me a murderer, now that's hate
So needless to say, we're in a mental state of debate"
"Hey, beautiful bird" I said, digging her somber mood
"The fascists are some heavy dudes
They don't really give a damn about life
They just don't want a woman to control her body
Or have the right to choose
But baby that ain't nothin'
They just want a male finger on the button
Because if you say war, they will send them to die by the score
Aborting mission should be your volition
But if Souter and Thomas have their way
You'll be standing in line unable to get Welfare while they'll be out
Hunting and fishing
It has always been around, it will always have a niche
But they'll make it a privilege, not a right
Accessible only to the rich
Hey, Pro-lifers should dig themselves
Because life doesn't stop after birth
And to a child born to the unprepared
It might even just get worse
The situation would surely change if they were to find themselves in it
Supporters of the H-Bomb, and fire-bombing clinics
What type of shit is that? Orwellian, in fact
If Roe v. Wade was overturned, would not the desire remain intact
Leaving young girls to risk their healths
And doctors to botch, and watch as they kill themselves
I don't want to sound macabre
But hey, isn't it my job
To lay it on the masses and get them off their asses
To fight against these fascists
So, whatever you decide, make that move with pride
Sid will be there and so will I
An insect 'til I die
Rhythms and sounds
Spinning around
Confrontations
Across the nation
Your block
My block
Dreadlocks
What a shock
Land of the free
But not me, not me
The song La Femme Fetal by Digable Planets is a story about a conversation between two friends discussing a difficult decision. The singer receives a call from a friend named Nikki, asking for support in an unpopular decision she has made. The decision is to have an abortion, and she is faced with the opposition of pro-lifers who are making her feel guilty and harassed. The singer tries to comfort her and explain the importance of a woman's right to choose. He also makes a connection between the pro-lifers' views and their support for war and violence. The song reflects on the broader societal issues surrounding abortion and women's rights.
The lyrics of the song are full of metaphors, cultural references, and poignant statements. The first stanza sets the scene of a beautiful day, but this idyllic image is interrupted by a phone call from Nikki. The singer is enjoying a peaceful moment listening to music when he is confronted with the difficult situation his friend is in. The lyrics use vivid imagery to convey the emotions of the situation, for example, "She sat me down, and dug my frown and began to run it down." The singer shows a great understanding of the harassment and discrimination faced by Nikki from the pro-lifers, calling them fascists and Orwellian.
The song also demonstrates the societal inequality surrounding reproductive rights. The singer emphasizes the importance of equitable access to services and care, and he calls out the false rhetoric of pro-lifers. The last verse repeats "Land of the free, but not me, not me," emphasizing the importance of equal rights for all.
Line by Line Meaning
It was 8:49 on a beautiful 9th day of July
The song sets the scene to mid-summer, early morning as the mere sight of the orange sun reminds the singer of the beautiful weather
There was not a cloud to speak of so the orange sun hung
Lonely in the sky
The sun hung lonely in the sky without any cloud for company, highlighting the warmth of the sunny day
I was laying prone in my catbeat home
Listening to fine nappy Jackie and his jazzcat's horn
The singer was chilling, relaxing and listening to soul music with a jazz twist at his home
Sliding in a tape of Bird on Verve when suddenly rang my phone
The artist was playing a mixtape or cassette of famous jazz tracks when his phone rang out of nowhere
Hello Butterfly, the voice said
Slip on some duds, comb out your fro and slide on down to my pad
The vibe here is very pleasant and I truly request your presence
A woman named Butterfly invited the artist over to her house, complimenting him to dress nicely and join her to vibe with good music
A problem of great magnitude has arose
And as we speak it grows
Damn, what could it be I thought
Butterfly informs the singer of a significant problem that has occurred, and the singer worries about what it could be
A juice I bought and rolled on down to her spot
Seeing bros I know slapping fives I arrived and pressed G-5
The singer got some juice and headed over to Butterfly's house, where he was greeted by some friends and proceeded to exchange high-fives as he arrived
And there was Nikki
Lookin' some kind of sad with tears fallin' from her eyes
She sat me down, and dug my frown and began to run it down
Upon arriving at Butterfly's house, the artist noticed Nikki was visibly upset and crying. She confided in the artist about her concerns
"You remember my boyfriend Sid, that fly kid who I love
Well our love was often a verb and spontaneity has brought a third
But due to our youth an economic state, we wish to terminate
About this we don't feel great, but baby, that's how it is
Nikki mentioned that she and her boyfriend try to have sex often, and the result was a pregnancy. They want to terminate the pregnancy because they are young, unmarried, and lack the financial means to care for the child
"But the feds have dissed me
They ignore and dismiss me
The pro-lifers harass me outside the clinic
And call me a murderer, now that's hate
So needless to say, we're in a mental state of debate"
Nikki feels unheard and unsupported because the federal government does not support abortion, and there are protesters who picket outside of clinics to shame women like Nikki. This has caused her stress and trauma
"Hey, beautiful bird" I said, digging her somber mood
"The fascists are some heavy dudes
They don't really give a damn about life
They just don't want a woman to control her body
Or have the right to choose
The singer tries to lighten the mood by calling Nikki a beautiful bird. He then proceeds to criticize the government and their position on abortion, arguing that their stance is not about preserving life but rather exerting control over women's bodies and choice
"But baby that ain't nothin'
They just want a male finger on the button
Because if you say war, they will send them to die by the score
Aborting mission should be your volition
But if Souter and Thomas have their way
You'll be standing in line unable to get Welfare while they'll be out
Hunting and fishing
The artist suggests that the government officials who oppose abortion have even more sinister motives - they want to wage war and send men to their deaths while women are unprotected and denied financial aid. The artist advises Nikki to make her own decision but cautions that judges like Souter and Thomas will make that decision harder for her
"It has always been around, it will always have a niche
But they'll make it a privilege, not a right
Accessible only to the rich"
The singer believes that abortion has always been available, but those in power will restrict it to a privilege only accessible to the wealthy
"Hey, Pro-lifers should dig themselves
Because life doesn't stop after birth
And to a child born to the unprepared
It might even just get worse"
The singer calls on anti-abortion activists to examine their belief systems because a child's life cannot be ensured beyond birth. A child born to unprepared parents is at risk and might not be given a fair chance
"The situation would surely change if they were to find themselves in it
Supporters of the H-Bomb, and fire-bombing clinics
What type of shit is that? Orwellian, in fact
The singer argues that these activists would change their mind if they were in Nikki's situation. He criticizes the extremist tactics employed by pro-lifers such as bombing clinics and using instruments of mass destruction. He likens this behavior to George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984
"If Roe v. Wade was overturned, would not the desire remain intact
Leaving young girls to risk their healths
And doctors to botch, and watch as they kill themselves
The artist points out that even in the absence of Roe v. Wade, women will still want abortions and turn to dangerous methods to obtain them, taking risks that could result in the loss of their health and life
"I don't want to sound macabre
But hey, isn't it my job
To lay it on the masses and get them off their asses
To fight against these fascists
The artist believes it is his job to educate and inform people about the dangers of these extremist views and the need to resist them
"So, whatever you decide, make that move with pride
Sid will be there and so will I
An insect 'til I die
The singer tells Nikki to make a decision that she can stand behind, adding that he and Sid will be there to provide support. He concludes by calling himself an insect, a reference to his own insignificance in the face of such overwhelming systemic problems
Rhythms and sounds
Spinning around
Confrontations
Across the nation
Your block
My block
Dreadlocks
What a shock
Land of the free
But not me, not me
The song concludes with a commentary on the state of America, highlighting the social and cultural divides that exist between people from different backgrounds. The singer questions the supposed freedom and equality of the country, a suggestion that is reinforced by the declarative statement "not me, not me"
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ISHMAEL R. BUTLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind