Shabazz Palaces - ＂An Echo from the Hosts that Profess Infinitum＂

What this video is

This video arrives at the peak of a fertile period for experimental Black American music-making operating outside mainstream hip-hop infrastructure. Shabazz Palaces — a Seattle duo comprising Ishmael Butler (formerly of Digable Planets, operating as Palaceer Lazaro) and Tendai Maraire (percussionist whose practice incorporates instruments from Zimbabwe) — released Black Up on Sub Pop in 2011 to widespread critical…

Why it matters

Represents a landmark in art-rap and experimental hip-hop visual culture: a video that refuses conventional performance or narrative tropes in favor of symbolic abstraction, beat-locked editing, and Afrofuturist costuming. Demonstrates how Sub Pop's indie infrastructure enabled unprecedented…

The director

Joris Grelet is a music video and short-form director credited with the 2013 official video for Shabazz Palaces' 'An Echo from the Hosts that Profess Infinitum.' The video received coverage from major music outlets including Stereogum and Okayafrica. No…