Ishmael Butler, of former Digable Planets fame, has released his third album of the 2020s, titled: “Exotic Birds of Prey” under the Shabazz Palaces moniker. The group previously consisted of Butler and Tendai Maraire, though it became a solo act for Butler sometime between 2017 and 2020. They are most known in hip-hop circles as the architects of “Black Up” in 2011, the socially conscious and esoterically produced album once heralded as one of the best albums of that year by many publications. Unfortunately, the group has steadily declined ever since.
Those unfamiliar with Butler’s old and newer work may find interest in the fact that he is the father of Lil Tracy, the former right-hand man to Lil Peep. The father and son have collaborated on “Woke Up in a Dream,” a track from Shabazz Palaces’ last album, “Robed in Rareness,” and possibly on the first track from this new album, “Exotic BOP.” The influence of contemporary artists is recognizable based on Butler’s bars, such as: “My outfit’s the event,” along with Travis Scott-esque crooning throughout the track. One must wonder if the 54-year-old Butler is still a student of his peers, favoring to borrow his style from other successful artists instead of advancing his own.
Furthermore, I would assume the crooning is done by featured artist Purple Tape Nate, but it is hard to distinguish who is saying what, between the murky production and similar voices of the artists. This may be due to Purple Tape Nate’s potential identity (you guessed it: Lil Tracy!), which has yet to be confirmed by anyone. Internet sleuths have hypothesized he is Butler rapping in another voice, comparable to J. Cole’s alter-ego, kiLL Edward. However, considering Tracy is in a music video of “Fast Learner (ft. Purple Tape Nate),” this is the likely answer. The mystery is less intriguing than figuring out the identity of MF DOOM’s friend, Mr. Fantastik, but we will hold off on the DOOM comparisons for now.
The following song, “Angela” bolsters a throwback beat, characteristically wonky like those found on Digable Planets albums, except there is a void generated by the lack of thought-provoking lyrics that once defined Butler’s ’90s rap group. By the third track, “Myths of the Occult,” it is clear that this new record is far from cohesive. Its 23-minute runtime is not a far cry from the nearly 35-minute “Black Up,” except each song on “Exotic Birds of Prey” takes forever to get started. Japreme Magnetic, a rapper who is undoubtedly separate from the Butler family, performs the best verse on the project, which may or may not be worth including on a playlist if you are willing to sit through an introduction for a two-minute song.
Besides its usage of muffled vocals, nothing notable can be said about the four-and-a-half minute “Goat Me”. He is the real goat in this conversation. Look at his new picture on Spotify! Anyway, the guitar riffs on the next song, “Well Known Nobody” do not work well on this emotionally disconnected album with a predominantly digital soundscape. “Synth Dirt” is a not-so-subtle nod to “Bistro” off Madvillainy by Madlib and the late MF DOOM, serving as a verbal introduction to the people behind the music. The humor and wit of the Madvillainy cut is absent on Butler’s rendition, claiming his own music is “eclectic,” and the purpose of it is pointless given he is now the only surveyor of sounds behind Shabazz Palaces. The replay value of this album as a whole is essentially nailed in the coffin by this unnecessary song.
The MF DOOM inspiration is solidified by the final track, “Take Me to Your Leader,” a reference to one of DOOM’s best projects, made under his King Geedorah pseudonym. The lyrics are seductive, an odd and strangely welcome addition for something human the listener can latch onto. The beeps and boops that make up the majority of the beat is superseded by a fluttery passage that reminds me of a Flying Lotus song, with about half the complexity. Feeling like one of the only finished tracks on “Exotic Birds of Prey,” I am uncertain how Shabazz Palaces has downgraded this much, and why Butler is still producing with this tiresome aesthetic.
Rating: 1.5/5