When I first started DJing many years ago, the house parties I was doing never wanted to hear electronic, so I would blast mostly top 40 hip-hop party jams.  In my own bedroom however, I jammed to the more intelligent jazzy hip-hop sounds of Arrested Development, Black Sheep, Black Eyed Peas (before Elephunk), A Tribe Called Quest, and Digable Planets. You know, pre-2000 hip-hop.

I loved Digable Planets Grammy-winning 1993 debut album, Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) since I could pick up on the samples from jazz/R&B greats like Art Blakey, Sonny Rollins, and Curtis Mayfield.  After the trio’s second release Blowout Comb, they separated to pursue their own projects (of which Ladybug Mecca’s work stands out the best, she even released some jams on Om Records!).  They reunited a decade later and promised the release of a third album in 2005, of which I’m still waiting to hear.

I do have the opportunity this week however to go here them live here in Portland with other great hometown hip-hop heroes Dj Rev. Shines and Nico Luminous.  Thank God it’s at the 2410 N Mississippi space and not the Roseland.

• LadyBug Mecca – Dogg-Starr-ft.-Raheem-DeVaughn (Kenny-Dope-Voc-Up-Remix)
• Digable Planets – Where Im From (Aural G Ride 12)
• digable planets – Rebirth of Slick (Crashing Giant Step mix)
• digable planets – reachin’ – 12 – nickel bags