Shabazz Palaces are percussionist Tendai Maraire and Ishmael Butler, former… Read Full Bio ↴Shabazz Palaces are percussionist Tendai Maraire and Ishmael Butler, formerly of Digable Planets and Cherrywine. Working now under the moniker Palaceer Lazaro, Ishmael provides the group’s vision and vocals, while Tendai employs ancient instruments from his homeland Zimbabwe.
After releasing several recordings themselves on small time labels, in 2010 they contracted to release an ep with Sub Pop and have collaborated in recordings and on stage with artists such as MC Silk, and THEESatisfaction. They deliver sincere and radical lyrics with sounds and beats that include sounds from around the world. Containing echos of funk, minor-key jazz, London dubstep and mbira sounds they structure their songs outside the 16-bars/chorus/repeat form of much hip hop.Their music won them the first ever Music Genius award from The Stranger in 2010.

The group which also features mixing engineer Erik Blood, often dress in elaborate costumes and masks for their live performances.
For Butler, who never stopped making music since he released his classic album by Digable Planets , ''Blowout Comb'', Shabazz palaces is his latest place to play with ideas. Those ideas have always been simultaneously global in their expansiveness and basement ceiling low in their commitment to hip-hop’s bottom line.
Their video for Belhaven Meridian is a one-shot bw music video, shot in Watts, LA, homage to the 1977 classic film Killer of Sheep, a film set around the Watts Riots. It features a cameo by Ernest Wadell from The Wire.
Dope.

Gunbeat Falls
Shabazz Palaces Lyrics

We have lyrics for these tracks by Shabazz Palaces:

20 Gear Science Smoking on a leaf pack and I’m bout to Chief…
A Treatease Dedicated to the Avian Airess from North East Nubis Right on. Yea. I used to see her on club nights Dressed…
An Echo from the Hosts That Profess Infinitum Pinups in the shape of promise, arise All that diamond dust…
Are You... Can You... Were You It's a feeling. It's a feeling. It's a feeling. It's a feeli…
Colluding Oligarchs Sex, space, machine, extenses (Stay the fuck) Columbio, the…
Dawn in Luxor Focus The light hath names Just like the heavens and the s…
Eel Dreams Dance the wave, fascinate Glass of wine, conversate Glance e…
Forerunner Foray Now you could feel all the tension Building up at the…
Free Press and Curl Dance machine In the brown Juicy lips Watchin' glow In the s…

Gorgeous Sleeper Cell Gorgeous sleeper cells, could never sleep alone Lost inside …
Harem Aria Yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, mind Mind, min…
Ishmael Mimicking gods I was known on the throne which Fully charge…
MindGlitch Keytar TM Theme Mind glazing, that's pacing Heart breaking, dilatation Impat…
Moon Whip Quäz (I'm) Quazarz, born on a gangster star (I'm) Quazarz, born o…
Motion Sickness Money,money,money,money Activating, stop displaying You hav…
New Black Wave New, new new new new (wave) It's big how it get…
Noetic Noiromantics There goes the rain and Comes in a new light The strange…
Recollections of the Wraith With that moonlight on your mind, you wonder what you'll…
Self-Made Follownaire We was coming from the shadowy regions A slight light with…
Shine a Light Shine a light It's seven, it's heavy, it's heaven It's seven…
Since C.A.Y.A You know it's real Poppin' a pill Thanks for the pill Ice on…
Solemn Swears I bank in France like Jack Palance I don’t eat pork…
Soundview They made me manufacture rules Seventy five religions Based …
Sparkles We steppin' out The world has been down on me Waiting fo…
Suspicion of a Shape You guys are fun champs You guys are fun champs Look into…
Swerve... the Reeping of All That Is Worthwhile Now, if you talking bout it, it's a show But if…
The Ballad of Lt. Maj. Winnings Angel wings Rise up in it's time Angel fitted places You se…
The King's New Clothes Were Made by His Own Hands Just another tune, is it Just another sound Just another r…
They Come in Gold Vanity, I love your for myself Me and always you and…
Welcome to Quazarz Behold the soft cyber caress My television whose my lover Bu…
When Cats Claw For the stars (iceberg) At the castle top With the cars Told…
Yeah You Corny Niggas they comin for me Yellin at me Runnin at me …

…down 155th in the MCM Snorkel We was Escaping the bleak, pursuing a feeling Pressure pushe…

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