Digable Planets Reunite for First Tour in 11 Years

Alternative hip hop group Digable Planets has reunited and begun their first highly anticipated tour since 2005. The tour kicked off Wednesday in Birmingham, Alabama.

The trio, comprised of Mary Ann “Ladybug Mecca” Vieira, Craig “Doodlebug” Irving, and Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler, gave their fans and spectators a little taste of the reunion tour by performing at some of the latest music festivals, including Sasquatch!, Essence and Pitchfork.

Digable Planet's ability to combine jazz with hip hop broadened the sound of hip hop and its connection to black culture and music history. The group's first single, "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" was released in 1993 off their debut album Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space). The song became a crossover Top 20 Billboard hit, earning gold certification by the RIAA and winning a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a group.

The group's second album Blowout Comb was released in 1994. They continued to mesh jazz, soul and hip hop, while also articulating political consciousness and everyday life. After the second album, the trio decided to pursue solo careers.

The Planet's came back together in 2005 to release a compilation LP, Beyond the Spectrum: The Creamy Spy Chronicles, and then again went their separate ways.

Given their success and impact, fans are obviously excited about their current reunion tour. Their next few tour stops this week will be in Nashville, TN, Atlanta, GA, Charleston, SC and Carrboro, NC.

You can view the full tour schedule here.