Reachin

Digable Planets | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 27, 1993)
• Original Release Date: October 1, 1993
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000000W31
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,169 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #21 in Music > Jazz > Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo
  • #22 in Music > Rap & Hip-Hop > Southern Rap
  • #41 in Music > Rap & Hip-Hop > Experimental Rap

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Digable Planets deliberately disavowed the toughness of hip-hop culture: the trio's leader called himself Butterfly, his foil Ladybug purred like Eartha Kitt, and they produced hooks out of lines like "We're just babies, man." Despite occasional flashes of sorrow (like the pro-choice recitation "La Femme Fétal"), the group's happy and laidback on this debut, with tracks made out of old jazz records and finger-snaps, and words that draw on 50s hipster slang. Reachin' spawned the Grammy-winning single "Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)," and after this album, their joyous Blue Note-and-black-lights bounce lost some of its novelty. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jimmy's Digging This, October 15, 2004

By 

Open Mike (Montreal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reachin (Audio CD)

Digable Planets came off as a flash in the pan in the pages of hip hop history, which is a crying shame considering that this debut album of theirs is so good that it deserves a lot more respect than it's getting. Sylk 130, for starters, produces some of the best jazz-heavy beats of the early 90s, making it a truly up-lifting feel-good album despite the politically-charged nature of the lyrics. The MCs are also off the hook and, in my opinion, brutally slept-on. This album dropped in 1993, around when Illmatic and Midnight Marauders dropped. Both of these albums are heralded as lyrical masterpieces, yet I feel that Reachin' belongs right up there next to Nas and Q Tip. Butter, Doodle and Mecca have a smooth yet air-tight approach to the microphone, and their lyrics are both entertaining and socially relavent.

While these cats flew under the radar, mostly due to their ultra-left political alignment, I do believe that the Digable Planets deserve the same credit groups like A Tribe Called Quest are getting. The Digable Planets produced a more positive and empowering message than any group could ever even hope to achieve - an achievement that only the likes of KRS-One could ever boast. While De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest kept our summer days that much cooler with Three Feet High and Rising and Low End Theory, Digable Planets were doing the same thing yet at the same time spreading a message that was so important to the black communities of New York in the early 90s. Don't get me wrong, I think that most of the so-called d.a.i.s.y. hip hop acts brought a truly positive vibe to people's earphones, and I love them for that. But Digable Planets were on a whole other level. The passion that came out of their two albums was like no other. For me, groups like Tribe were about straight cold chilling; Digable Planets, however, were about straight inspiration and empowerment.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I miss the early 90's, May 19, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Reachin (Audio CD)

I've recently started listening to this (tape) about a week ago after a long time and then wonder what took me so long to dig the bad boy back up. Like A Tribe Called Quest's "Low End Theory", Reachin' is another album that you can play all the way through. This album is just as smooth and jazzy as the Best of Sade with a hip hop feel to it. Man, I long for jazzy hip hop to be the mainstream in pop music as long as no one loses their touch. Maybe it will happen we everyone tires of the hip hop that's out now. My favorite track are 'Jimmi Diggin' Cats', 'Femme Fatale', 'Nickel Bags' and the popular 'Rebirth of Slick'. Where are bands like Digable Planets, Arrested Development and Public Enemy when you need them.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best parts of being a teen in the 90s, January 28, 2004

By 

Goza N. Parks "willing_to_listen" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reachin (Audio CD)

I loved this cd to death. I even had the pleasure of meeting Cee-Knowledge from the group and it was a beautiful time. Real down to earth people and real music. Perhaps not always the best lyrically, but overall this was great listening. I would recommend this to anyone just for the experience. Rebirth of Slick, Where I'm from...Anyone who doesn't have it should.