Ishmael Butler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ishmael Butler
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Ishmael Butler in 2019
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ishmael Reginald Butler |
| Also known as |
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| Born | July 3, 1969 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | |
| Children | Jazz "Lil Tracy" Butler |
Ishmael Butler is an American rapper, music producer, and songwriter. He is famous for being part of the music groups Digable Planets in the 1990s and Shabazz Palaces in the 2010s.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Ishmael Butler was born in Seattle in 1969. His father, Dr. Reginald Butler, was a professor who studied African American culture. Ishmael started his music journey playing the alto saxophone in his middle school jazz band.
After finishing Garfield High School in 1987, he moved to Massachusetts. There, he attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Music Career Highlights
Starting Digable Planets
In 1989, Butler left college and moved to Brooklyn. He recorded some hip hop songs there. These songs were heard by a music executive named Ruben Rodriguez.
In 1992, Butler formed a group called Digable Planets. He teamed up with his friends Craig Irving and Mary Ann Vieira. Their song "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" became very popular in 1992. It was a big hit on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.
Digable Planets was known for mixing hip hop music with jazz sounds. They also wrote songs with deep, thoughtful lyrics. The group released two albums. They broke up in the mid-1990s. After Digable Planets, Butler made music under the name Cherrywine. He also took film classes at New York University. In 2003, he moved back to Seattle to be with his mother.
Forming Shabazz Palaces
In 2009, Butler started a new music group called Shabazz Palaces. He formed it with his neighbor, Tendai Maraire. They first released two short music collections on their own.
Later, they signed with Sub Pop Records, a record label. Their first album with Sub Pop, Black Up, came out in 2011. Their next album, Lese Majesty, was released in 2014.
In 2013, Ishmael Butler also joined the A&R team at Sub Pop. This means he helped find new artists for the record label.
Family Life
Ishmael Butler has a son named Jazz Ishmael Butler. His son is also a musician, known as Lil Tracy. Jazz's mother is Coko Gamble, who is the lead singer of the group Sisters With Voices.
More About His Music
You can find more details about the music Ishmael Butler has made with his groups here:
External Links
