Digable Planets play the Masquerade
Doodlebug, Ladybug, and Butterfly refute time and space July 26
A glimmer of hope flickered out for ’90s hip-hop in 2012 after Digable Planets cancelled a reunion show, and Ishmael Butler declared that the legendary group was finally done. However, as with so many groups who announce definitive and final breakups, Digable Planets returned. The rap trio of Butler, aka “Butterfly,” Craig “Doodlebug” Irving, and Mariana “Ladybug Mecca” Vieira has expanded to a much larger ensemble, and embarked on numerous reunion tours since 2015, showcasing the group’s influential, jazz-infused style for new generations of hip-hop heads. While Butler has charted a new stylistic legacy as half of experimental duo Shabazz Palaces, his return to Digable Planets is a godsend to anyone who’s eager to witness the group’s renowned ability to connect both the musical, political, and avant-garde legacies of hip-hop and jazz.
$28.50. 7 p.m. (doors). Thurs., July 26. The Masquerade. 50 Lower Alabama St. S.W., Suite 22. 404-577-8178. www.masqueradeatlanta.com.