As an alternative to the unbridled aggression of the in-vogue gangster rap, Digable Planets’ debut Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) and its vibrant jazz-laced beats—not to mention Grammy-winning single “Rebirth of Slick”—quickly earned a name as some of the early ‘90s’ most astute hip-hop. The New York -based trio (which includes Seattle emcee Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler, recently acclaimed as Palaceer Lazaro of Shabazz Palaces) parted ways shortly after the release of their sophomore effort in 1994. Their reunion just shy of a decade later excited hip-hop heads from coast to coast, and whether or not a third album ever materializes, the chance to see these legends in action is definitely “Cool Like Dat.”
Mon., Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m., 2010