From 1993 Debut Album: "Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)
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Reachin (A New Refutation of Time and Space) is the debut album by alternative hip hop group Digable Planets. It was released on September 27, 1993, by Pendulum/Elektra Records. The album was produced solely by Digable Planets' Butterfly and features raps by each of the group's members[4]. There are no guest performers on Reachin', but the production is heavily sample based. Butterfly samples artists including Kool & the Gang, James Brown and Herbie Hancock to provide the album with funky and jazzy beats. The lyrics tend to cover a wide scope of subject matter including the right to abortion ("La Femme Fetal"), the coolness of Digable Planets ("Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)") and the similarities between cannabis and funky music ("Nickel Bags").
The single "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" became a hit in 1993, breaking into the Top 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1994. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1993.
In 1998, this album was listed in the The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums.
In 2008, "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) was ranked number 62 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
The song "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) was used for a Tide commercial in 2009.
The album is broken down track-by-track by Digable Planets in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.
Digable Planets is an American alternative hip hop trio based in New York City, composed of Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler (from Seattle), Mary Ann "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira (from Silver Spring) and Craig "Doodlebug" Irving (from Philadelphia). They released their debut album Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) in 1993, and their follow-up album Blowout Comb in 1994. Shortly after this release the trio parted ways, citing "creative differences", though they've re-united to perform shows in more recent years.