Ishmael Butler returns as Shabazz Palaces with new album, It’s a Style Sport

It’s a Style Sport follows the sibling mini-albums Robed In Rareness released in 2023 and Exotic Birds Of Prey released in 2024. Lead single “Ahh World (I Won The Alpha Bet)” sees Butler chronicle his "rise to excellence" from a fantasy-inspired third-person perspective, ultimately focusing on him staying grounded in his own honour. Butler has built a significant career over three and a half decades with his Shabazz Palaces project, having collaborated with the likes of Flying Lotus, Thundercat, George Clinton, Clipping, Battles, Oneohtrix Point Never, Animal Collective and his son Lil Tracy, as well as tours with Radiohead, TV On The Radio and Ms Lauryn Hill. It’s a Style Sport sees him continue working with guest artists, including Marquette Miller, Thaddeus "Thaddillac" Turner, Evan Flory-Barnes, Gerald "Tugboat" Turner, Kassa Overall and Carlos Overall. It’s a Style Sport artwork