Shabazz Palaces is the cerebral and enigmatic art-rap project of Palaceer Lazaro, aka rapper/producer Ishmael Butler, and for a long time percussionist Tendai "Baba" Maraire, who left the group in 2020. The first hip-hop crew signed to pioneering underground label Sub Pop, Shabazz Palaces have concocted a string of heady recordings with elements of avant-garde jazz, funk, and dub supporting Butler's likewise mind-expanding verses mixing profundity and humor. Their current output includes six studio albums, of which the 2020’s The Don of Diamond Dreams, was the first not to feature Maraire and takes inspiration from the work of Butler’s own son, the emo rapper Lil Tracy.