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
Nickel Bags
Digable Planets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Planets land in flesh in the corners of New York
The ghetto, the meadow, the Mr. Butter flew
The Honeybugs dug and licked the honey dew
The sun, the kiss, the funk for a bliss
The lips with the soul and some jazz for ya hips
The puff, the buzz, the lids be heavy slick
The Mecca get a rush when the beats be very thick
The femmes fumble loose and drink the doodlejuice
The steps, the flams, the Planets goddamn
The peoples get a grip with a tape from a jam
A nickel bag of funk
The big, the fat, the cool cool cats
The psychedelic soul puts the Planets on the map
The chic, the love, the far out name
The lack of the funk's the main why we came
The boogie gets done, the colors won't run
The funk hits the square, the kids gotta come
The pizza with the pop, the west 4th stop
The crew after crew that do the grasshop
The true cool is black, the new school is fat
The beats by the ounce, the funk by the pack
The hanging off the butts with the fat sole kicks
A nickel bag of funk
The wide, the hip, dig it it's the trip
The loops, the scene and the funkifying it
The sounds, the pounds, the stacks, the flair
The baggy baggy jeans, the knotty knotty hair
The twinkle in the eye, the kids that livin' fly
The crew from the sky, the stuff that gets you high
The action, the work from the rhyme
We goes the whole nine
The papers won't rot, the vapors get got
The streets give the buzz the funk up your block
The opium groove, the smacked out soul
The kickin' it live the fat gotta roll
A nickel bag of funk
A nickel bag, a nickel bag Ladybug'll hit ya with a nickel bag
A nickel bag, a nickel bag Butterfly'll hit ya with a nickel bag
A nickel bag, a nickel bag Doodlebug'll hit ya with his nickel bag
A nickel bag, a nickel bag DPs always hit you with they nickel bag
The lyrics to Digable Planets’s song "Nickel Bags" are filled with references to the funk and hip-hop music scenes in New York City, where the band was based. The verses describe a variety of experiences, from hanging out on street corners to listening to jazz and soul music. The chorus, “A nickel bag of funk,” can be interpreted both literally as a drug reference and metaphorically as a small dose of the joy and energy that comes from listening to funky music.
The first verse of the song sets the scene in “the ghetto” where the “Planets land in flesh in the corners of New York.” The imagery of “The Honeybugs dug and licked the honey dew” and “The lips with the soul and some jazz for ya hips” describes the sensual and joyful experience of listening to this type of music. The verse also mentions “The Mecca,” which is likely a reference to the music and cultural center of Harlem.
The second verse continues this theme, describing the “psychadelic soul” music that the band is playing as “far out” and “cool cool cats.” The verse also mentions the “baggy baggy jeans” and “knotty knotty hair” of the hip-hop fashion scene in New York City. The chorus repeats the refrain of “A nickel bag of funk,” which serves as a celebration of the power of music to bring people together and elevate their spirits.
Overall, the song “Nickel Bags” can be interpreted as a celebration of the funk and hip-hop music scenes in New York City, as well as an ode to the good vibes that come from fresh beats and lyrical rhymes.
Line by Line Meaning
The Bloom, the Swoon, the Sugars on your block
The beauty and sweetness of your surroundings
The Planets land in flesh in the corners of New York
Digable Planets come to life in the corners of New York City
The ghetto, the meadow, the Mr. Butter flew
The rough, urban streets and the peaceful meadows collide and a character named Mr. Butter appears
The Honeybugs dug and licked the honey dew
The women danced and enjoyed the sweet life
The sun, the kiss, the funk for a bliss
The warmth and affection combined with the music brings enjoyment and happiness
The lips with the soul and some jazz for ya hips
Music with great soul and jazz beats to get you moving
The puff, the buzz, the lids be heavy slick
The sensation of smoking and feeling relaxed while being cool
The Mecca get a rush when the beats be very thick
New York City gets excited when the music is bumping
The hands, the feet, the brown baby treat
The women move to the beat and are a pleasure to dance with
The femmes fumble loose and drink the doodlejuice
Women dance and enjoy the drinks
The steps, the flams, the Planets goddamn
The dance steps and beats make people go crazy
The peoples get a grip with a tape from a jam
People record music from a concert to relive the experience later
A nickel bag of funk
A small amount of great music
The big, the fat, the cool cool cats
The stylish, funky individuals are noticeable
The psychedelic soul puts the Planets on the map
Digable Planets' soulful and psychedelic style makes them popular
The chic, the love, the far out name
Their fashionable style, loving attitude, and unique name help define them
The lack of the funk's the main why we came
They came to bring good music where it was missing
The boogie gets done, the colors won't run
The people dance and enjoy the diverse community around them
The funk hits the square, the kids gotta come
The music is so good that people can't resist coming to enjoy it
The pizza with the pop, the west 4th stop
Enjoying pizza with soda at West 4th Street stop
The crew after crew that do the grasshop
The many artists who come to perform
The true cool is black, the new school is fat
Being cool means being black, and the new generation is great
The beats by the ounce, the funk by the pack
Music is plentiful and excellent
The hanging off the butts with the fat sole kicks
People wearing fashionable sneakers with baggy pants
The wide, the hip, dig it it's the trip
The wide range of people and styles make it a great experience
The loops, the scene and the funkifying it
The DJ creates a great atmosphere with his music
The sounds, the pounds, the stacks, the flair
The music shows its quality through sounds and depth
The baggy baggy jeans, the knotty knotty hair
The fashion in the area
The twinkle in the eye, the kids that livin' fly
The children who are confident and stylish
The crew from the sky, the stuff that gets you high
The artists who come from up above to elevate the music
The action, the work from the rhyme
The musicians work hard to create good lyrics
We goes the whole nine
We put in max effort
The papers won't rot, the vapors get got
The songs will last through time and the melodies will endure
The streets give the buzz the funk up your block
The community around is alive with excitement and a great beat
The opium groove, the smacked out soul
The music is hypnotic and soulful
The kickin' it live the fat gotta roll
The live music is pumping and the good vibes are infectious
A nickel bag, a nickel bag Ladybug'll hit ya with a nickel bag
Here's your small portion of the great music Ladybug has for you
A nickel bag, a nickel bag Butterfly'll hit ya with a nickel bag
Here's your small portion of the great music Butterfly has for you
A nickel bag, a nickel bag Doodlebug'll hit ya with his nickel bag
Here's your small portion of the great music Doodlebug has for you
A nickel bag, a nickel bag DPs always hit you with they nickel bag
Digable Planets always have some great music for you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ISHMAEL BUTLER, ISHMAEL R. BUTLER, MARY ANN VIEIRA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lia00123
[Verse 1: Ladybug]
The Bloom, the Swoon, the Sugars on your block
The Planets land in flesh in the corners of New York
The ghetto, the meadow, the Mr. Butter flew
The Honeybugs dug and licked the honey dew
The sun, the kiss, the funk for a bliss
The lips with the soul and some jazz for ya hips
The puff, the buzz, the lids be heavy slick
The Mecca get a rush when the beats be very thick
The hands, the feet, the brown baby treat
The femmes fumble loose and drink the doodlejuice
The steps, the flams, the Planets goddamn
The peoples get a grip with a tape from a jam
[Chorus: Ladybug Mecca and Butterfly]
A nickel bag of funk
A nickel bag of funk
A nickel bag of funk
A nickel bag of funk
A nickel bag of funk
A nickel bag of funk
A nickel bag of funk
A nickel bag of funk
[Verse 2: Butterfly]
The big, the fat, the cool cool cats
The psychedelic soul puts the Planets on the map
The chic, the love, the far-out name
The lack of the funk's the main why we came
The boogie gets done, the colors won't run
The funk hits the square, the kids gotta come
The pizza with the pop, the west 4th stop
The crew after crew that do the grasshop
The true cool is black, the new school is fat
The beats by the ounce, the funk by the pack
The groove is the fix, the jitterbugs fix
The hanging off the butts with the fat sole kicks
[Hook: Butterfly and Doodlebag]
That's my nickle bag of funk
My nickle bag of funk
A nickle bag of funk
A nickle bag of funk
Check me up
A nickle bag of funk
A nickle bag of funk
Oh damn
A nickle bag of funk
A nickle bag of funk
[Verse 3: Doodlebug]
The wide, the hip, dig it it's the trip
The loops, the scene and the funkifying it
The sounds, the pounds, the stacks, the flair
The baggy baggy jeans, the knotty knotty hair
The twinkle in the eye, the kids that livin' fly
The crew from the sky, the stuff that gets you high
The action, the work from the rhyme
We goes the whole nine
The papers won't rot, the vapors get got
The streets give the buzz the funk up your block
The opium groove, the smacked out soul
The kickin' it live the fat gotta roll
[Hook: Doodlebug/Everyone]
With my nickel bag of funk
My nickel bag of funk
A nickle bag of funk
A nickle bag of funk
Yeah it's a nickle bag of funk
A nick bag of funk
A nickle bag of funk
A nickle bag of funk
[Outro]
A nickel bag, a nickel bag Ladybug'll hit ya with a nickel bag
A nickel bag, a nickel bag Butterfly'll hit ya with a nickel bag
A nickel bag, a nickel bag Doodlebug'll hit ya with his nickel bag
A nickel bag, a nickel bag DPs always hit you with they nickel bag
@Emezie
I love how all 3 of them look good in totally different ways. Just 3 kool kats.
@jaredlhulum
2 kool kats; 1 has a kat
@studiobencivengamarcusbenc5272
Excuse me ? They look intelligent and bloody cool - I feel massive brain activity 😂😆🏄🏻♂️🧏♀️🐳
@ryanjacksonjr825
Yeaaaaaa Mannn
@gost4995
"The beats by the ounce. The funk by the pack."
This group was on an entirely unattainable level of existence lyrically.
@TheSouthernfried45
Unobtainable?
@dvbbeeuchiha7031
There ISM IS INCREDIBLE RAPPING LYRICAL PUZZLES
@HazeGrayQM2
In my humble opinion, this is the most innovative album in history.
@ivalinapasse2469
Great Song
@KG-th3cr
Man if we only had hip/hop like this today.