BRITTANY WRIGHT
Looking through a stranger’s refrigerator feels a bit like reading his diary. Moments after meeting Grammy-winning rapper and producer Ishmael Butler of Sub Pop’s Shabazz Palaces, I was pulling open his fridge doors, digging through his drawers, and asking for a taste of his homemade tahini. Luckily, the sweet-faced, mild-mannered Seattle hiphop artist didn’t seem to mind. His fridge contained a selection of carefully curated, über-healthful items—including a dozen herbal tinctures—although a wooden bowl on the counter was stacked with knobby, freakishly large russet potatoes ready to be sliced into the french fries Butler says he craves at least once a week. What is he going to do with that coconut? Let’s find out…