Ishmael Butler on Lightnin' Rod's "Hustlers Convention"

Ishmael Butler aka Butterfly of Digable Planets aka one-half of Shabazz Palaces joined us to take us on a trip back to the blaxploitation era and one of the greatest soundtracks-in-search-of-a-movie: Hustlers Convention, the spoken word/funk album by Jalal Nuriddin of The Last Poets. Backed up musicians that included Kool and the Gang, Eric Gale and others, Hustlers Conventiontook listeners on a trip into the world of pimps, players, police and other street characters in a vivid, cinematic story that would go onto inspire rappers the world over.

More on Lightnin' Rod and Hustlers Convention

Documentary about the album and other street poets of the early '70s. Graeme Thompson's story about the album for The Guardian  Red Bull Music Academy's feature on the album.

More on Ishmael Butler

Oliver's profile of Shabazz Palaces for Bandcamp. Tim Larew's interview with Butler for Pigeons and Planes. Twitter for Shabazz Palaces | Instagram for Shabazz Palaces

Show Tracklisting (all songs from Hustler's Conventionunless indicated otherwise):

”Sport” Digable Planets: Reaching’”The Rebirth of Slick” Curtis Mayfield: Superfly “Superfly” ”Hamhock’s Hall Wa Big” ”Spoon” ”The Shit Hits The Fan Again” ”The Break Was So Loud It Hushed The Crowd” ”Sentenced To The Chair” ”Brother Hominy Grit” Shabazz Palace: Lese Majesty “Forerunner Foray” Dr. Dre: Deep Cover “Deep Cover Feat. Snoop Dogg” Raekwon: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx”Heaven & Hell”

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