Shabazz Palaces

Now that Sun Ra has returned to Saturn, someone has to step in as cosmic ambassador, and who better than the duo Shabazz Palaces? Ishmael Butler and Tundai Maraire’s last stop was on a »Gangster Star,« according to the subtitle of one of their albums, and they turn hip-hop into a truly alien affair. Butler’s lyrics are as complex as so many egos elsewhere in the rap game, while Maraire’s beats are light-years ahead of the rest. A »Lese Majesty,« as their second LP was called – that is, the crime of violating the dignity of a reigning monarch – aimed at the status quo and offering new perspectives. Although space is still the place, there are still a few things to take care of here on Earth. Good thing Shabazz Palaces are on it.