If hip-hop is to survive, it must move beyond pseudo-nationalistic dogma and the gangsta gibberish spouted more often than not for the sake of shock value and a quick dollar. In the past, visionary groups like Public Enemy, De la Soul and last year's conformity busters in Arrested Development jumped into the fray just when it seemed rap was set to rap itself over the head. Digable Planets follow in this tradition with their debut album, Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space), and methodically strip hip-hop to the bone with Afro-chic witticisms backed by a trunkload of retro jazz and funk beats.

Digable Planets – Butterfly, Ladybug and Doodle Bug – flaunt and manipulate hip-hop culture (attitude, vernacular, dress) in ways only true rap enthusiasts could appreciate. As if on cue from its be-bop predecessors, this trio strikes a slick pose straight out of New York City and crushes stereotypes in the process. Yes, they are quirky bohemians, but rest assured they've got crisp ghetto flavor to boot. And no, the presence of the lady Ladybug is not a gimmick; rapwise, she is the best performer in the group and could hold her own with the best on the scene.

As in the jazz aesthetic they pay homage to on their first single, the bass-driven "Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)," Digable Planets' modus operandi is to elevate a rebellious and oft-misunderstood music to universal recognition. The group's name signifies that each individual is a planet that is, well, "digable," and the timid insect handles highlight the group's social thrust and concern for community.

Aptly titled, the album reaches into one area heretofore untouched by most male rappers. On the darkly poetic "La Femme Fétal," Butterfly speaks delicately of his belief in abortion rights. Light songs like "Pacifics" present a twentysomething kaleidoscope of New York City, while "Escapism (Gettin' Free)" celebrates the wonders of music. "Jimmi Diggin Cats" is a playful tribute to Jimi Hendrix and other icons of yesteryear often sampled by rappers and their DJs but rarely understood. Butterfly insists that if Hendrix were around today he "would have dug us."

Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) is everything hip-hop should be: artistically sound, unabashedly conscious and downright cool. And Digable Planets is the kind of rap act every fan should cram to understand. (RS 650)

KEVIN POWELL