Robed in Rareness

On March 29, 2024, Shabazz Palaces' two new mini-albums, Robed in Rareness and Exotic Birds of Prey, come out on CD and LP. Shabazz Palaces is masterminded by Ishmael Butler (Digable Planets), whose relentless drive to reimagine hip-hop - even as he enjoys his fifth decade on Earth - remains undiminished. When Robed in Rareness hit digital platforms in 2023, NPR Music called it "enchanting and subversive, " while Pitchfork observed that "the futurism of Shabazz Palaces has always been interwoven with the past and present, their songs scintillating tapestries of old-school shit talk, proggy psychedelia, and melodic flossing. Robed in Rareness is draped in this multiplicity as Butler and a team of close collaborators swagger across eras of rap."