Name	Switch
Background	non_performing_personnel
Birth name	Dave Taylor
Alias	Switch, A. Brucker, Solid Groove
Origin	London, United Kingdom
Genre	House
Occupation	DJ, songwriter, record producer, engineer
Years active	2003–present
Associated acts	Major Lazer

Switch is a UK-based DJ, songwriter, sound engineer and record producer. He is best known for his work with M.I.A.

Career

A leading figure in the fidget house genre, Switch runs his own music label "Dubsided", as well as the label Counterfeet, established in 2006 with fellow producer Sinden. He has released various singles under his own name, and is also well-known for remixing and producing many major artists.

In 2009 Switch collaborated with fellow producer Diplo (whom he met through artist M.I.A.), they created the album Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do under the name Major Lazer.

Most notably Switch has worked extensively with UK artist M.I.A. co-producing tracks on her albums Arular and Kala. For the latter, he travelled to work with M.I.A. in A. R. Rahman's Panchathan Record Inn and AM Studios and other locations such as Kodambakkam, Chennai and Trinidad and Tobago. He says "When you go somewhere like India , and especially Jamaica , it puts you in a different train of thought , outside of your usual working conditions . They use music as their voice ; they use it for politics , for religion. So, I think for people that are struggling , they can use it to vent frustrations , or to celebrate.”

He has also produced tracks for artists Santigold, Amanda Blank, MPHO and Christina Aguilera.

Discography

Singles

2003 "Get Ya Dub On"

2004 "Get on Downz"

2005 "Just Bounce 2 This"

2006 "A Bit Patchy"

Mix albums

2006 House Bash-Up Mix (given away free with Mixmag)

2008 Fabric Live.43 - Get Familiar (Mixed by Sinden)

Albums

2009 "Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do" as Major Lazer

Remixes

Songs that Switch has remixed include:

2003 Audio Bullys - "Way Too Long"

2003 The Chemical Brothers - "Get Yourself High"

2003 Futureshock - "Late at Night"

2004 Basement Jaxx - "Right Here's the Spot"

2004 The Chemical Brothers - "Galvanize"

2004 Faithless - "Miss U Less, See U More"

2004 Half Pint - "Red Light Green Light"

2004 Jentina - "French Kisses"

2004 Shaznay Lewis - "You"

2004 Mondo Grosso - "Fire & Ice"

2005 Basement Jaxx - "Fly Life Xtra"

2005 BodyRockers - "Round & Round"

2005 Dubble D - "Switch"

2005 Evil Nine - "Pearl Shot"

2005 Infusion - "The Careless Kind"

2005 Les Rythmes Digitales - "Jacques Your Body (Make Me Sweat)"

2005 X-Press 2 - "Give It"

2006 Lily Allen - "LDN"

2006 Coldcut - "True Skool"

2006 Def Inc - "Waking the Dread"

2006 Fatboy Slim - "Champion Sound"

2006 The Futureheads - "Worry About It Later"

2006 Jaydee - "Plastic Dreams"

2006 Kelis - "Bossy"

2006 MYNC Project feat. Abigail Bailey - "Something on Your Mind"

2006 Sharon Phillips - "Want 2 / Need 2"

2006 Playgroup - "Front 2 Back"

2006 Spank Rock - "Bump"

2007 Basement Jaxx - "Hey U"

2007 The Black Ghosts - "Face"

2007 Klaxons - "Golden Skans"

2007 P. Diddy - "Tell Me"

2007 Freeform Five - "No More Conversations"

2007 Just Jack - "Glory Days"

2007 DJ Mehdi - "I Am Somebody"

2007 Mika - "Love Today"

2007 Nine Inch Nails - "Capital G"

2007 Simian Mobile Disco - "I Believe"

2007 Speaker Junk - "Foxxy"

2007 Ben Westbeech - "Dance with Me"

2007 Robbie Williams - "Never Touch That Switch"

2007 Jacknife Lee - "Making Me Money"

2007 Radioclit - "Divine Gosa"

2007 Armand Van Helden - "Je T'Aime"

2007 Santogold - "You'll Find a Way"

2007 Santogold - "L.E.S. Artistes"

2008 Blaqstarr feat. Rye Rye - "Shake It To The Ground"

2008 Late of the Pier - "Space And The Woods"

2008 Laughing Boy and the Wrath of Khan - "PM Chalkman"

2008 Santogold - "Shove It"

2008 Underworld - "Boy, Boy, Boy"

2008 Mystery Jets - "Hideaway"

2009 Björk - "Náttúra"

2010 Sugababes - "Wear My Kiss"

2010 Christina Aguilera - "Bionic, Monday Morning, Bobblehead"

References

Category:British DJs Category:Living people

Name	Wyclef Jean
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Nel Ust Wyclef Jean
Alias	Wyclef
Born	October 17, 1969Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti
Origin	Newark, New Jersey, United States
Instrument	Vocals, guitar, piano, drums
Genre	Hip hop, reggae, compas, R&B;, folk, Bachata
Occupation	Musician, singer-songwriter, social activist, record producer, actor
Years active	1992–present
Label	Ruffhouse, Columbia, J, Clef, Koch
Associated acts	Fugees, Elephant Man, Shakira, Lauryn Hill, Akon, T.I.
Url

Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (, ; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country. He first received fame as a member of the acclaimed New Jersey hip hop group, the Fugees.

On August 5, 2010, Jean filed for candidacy in the 2010 Haitian presidential election., although the Electoral Commission subsequently ruled him ineligible to stand as he had not met the requirement to have been resident in Haiti for five years.

Early life

Born in Haiti, the son of a Nazarene pastor, Wyclef moved with his family to Brooklyn, New York, when he was nine before moving again to northern New Jersey. Jean has been a resident of Saddle River and South Orange, New Jersey. He graduated from Vailsburg High School in Newark and for one semester attended Five Towns College. In 2009, Jean enrolled in the Berklee College of Music.

Jean has cited reggae artist Bigga Haitian as one of his early influences. Although his birth date was widely given as October 17, 1972, papers filed for his run as a candidate for the presidency of Haiti, disclosed that he was, in fact, 40. In 2005, they adopted their daughter, Angelina Claudinelle Jean. The couple renewed their vows in August 2009.

His uncle – political activist, journalist and diplomat Raymond Alcide Joseph – has been the Haitian ambassador to the United States since 2005, and came to prominence as a spokesman for his country after the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake. Together with Wyclef, he issued an appeal for international aid.

Music career

Fugees-era

Jean's musical breakthrough was as part of The Refugee Camp (The Fugees), a three-member group that included Lauryn Hill and Prakazrel "Pras" Michel. Jean is Pras's cousin and a fellow Haitian immigrant. The Fugees signed to Ruffhouse Records, which released the group's debut album, Blunted on Reality. It sold fairly well, peaking at #49 on the U.S. Hot 100 and selling over 2 million copies worldwide. The follow-up album – The Score – sold over 18 million copies worldwide, eventually becoming a multi-platinum, Grammy-winning album.

Jean announced plans to begin a solo career with 1997's Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee All-Stars (generally called The Carnival). The album's guests included Lauryn Hill and Pras along with Jean's siblings' group Melky Sedeck; the I Threes (back-up vocals for Bob Marley); The Neville Brothers and Celia Cruz. The album was a hit, as were two singles: "We Trying to Stay Alive" (adapted from The Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive") and "Gone Till November" (recorded with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra).

Solo career

At the concert Woodstock 1999, Jean paid homage to 1969 Woodstock performer Jimi Hendrix by setting fire to his guitar after playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" – and burnt his fingers while doing so.

Released in 2000, Jean's second solo album was recorded with guests including Youssou N'Dour; Earth, Wind & Fire; Kenny Rogers; The Rock; and Mary J. Blige. With Blige he released "911" as a single. He was nominated for Best Hip-Hop Act at the 2000 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Jean participated in the benefit concert contributing a cover of the Bob Marley song "Redemption Song".

Jean's third album, Masquerade, was released in 2002. His fourth album, The Preacher's Son, was released in November 2003 as the follow-up to his first solo album, The Carnival.

In 2004, he released his fifth album, entitled (released in the United States by Koch Records). Most of its songs are in his native language of Haitian Creole like "Fanm Kreyol" with the French Caribbean Admiral T. He also figured on the album Mozaik Kreyol of this one in the song "Secret Lover". Then he covered Creedence Clearwater Revival's song "Fortunate Son" for the soundtrack of the 2004 film remake of The Manchurian Candidate and wrote the song "Million Voices" for the film Hotel Rwanda.

Jean also produced and wrote songs for the soundtrack to Jonathan Demme's 2003 documentary The Agronomist, about the Haitian activist and radio personality Jean Dominique. With Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis, Jean also composed the score of the documentary Ghosts of Cité Soleil, He also helped produce the film and he appears briefly onscreen speaking by telephone in 2004 to a "chimere" gang-leader and aspiring rapper, Winston "2Pac" Jean.

During a period between 2004 and 2006 and fueled by a reunion performance in Dave Chappelle's "Block Party", it appeared that the Fugees were on track to record a new album, however Fugees member Pras claims to Billboard "To put it nicely, it's dead." He says the root of this animosity is the third member of the group, Lauryn Hill, saying to Billboard, "Me and Clef, we on the same page, but Lauryn Hill is in her zone, and I'm fed up with that shit. Here she is, blessed with a gift, with the opportunity to rock and give and she's running on some bulls**t? I'm a fan of Lauryn's but I can't respect that."

Jean released an album in September 2007 that he recorded in Atlanta, Georgia, with the help of T.I., who also collaborated with Jean on the songs "You Know What it is" and "My Swag" on T.I.'s 2007 album, T.I. vs. T.I.P. Recently, Wyclef released a new song called "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" featuring Lil' Wayne, Niia and Akon, which references the song "C.R.E.A.M." by the Wu-Tang Clan. The album also features a single, "Fast Car", whose video was made with the assistance of video game Burnout Paradise. During this period, he was featured in a mix version of the Cartel song "Wasted" that was released with their self-titled album. In November 2008, an upbeat single 'Let Me Touch Your Button' featuring will.i.am (of The Black Eyed Peas) was released in the UK in conjunction with Wyclef's invovlement with UK MOTOROKRSTAR (which sees Motorola UK on the search to discover British talent).

In 2009, he featured in a song called "Spanish Fly" with Ludacris and Bachata group Aventura in Aventura's upcoming album "The Last" which came out in June.

On June 17, 2009, Wyclef announced via Twitter that his new album will be called wyclefjean and is to be released sometime in February 2010. The first single off of wyclefjean is to be titled "Seventeen" and will feature Lil' Wayne.

In November 2009, a track titled "Suicide Love" featuring rapper Eve leaked online prior to the release of his EP.

Wyclef Jean's EP named From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion was released on November 10, 2009. It includes 17 tracks, featuring Cyndi Lauper, Timbaland, Eve, and Lil' Kim. In this album, Wyclef uses the alias Toussaint St. Jean, his alter ego, when he raps.

Jean's self-entitled studio album is due to be released in 2010. "Hold On," the lead single from the project, will feature Dancehall artist Mavado. Much of Yéle Haiti's money has been paid out to Wyclef Jean, his relative and fellow Yéle Haiti director Jerry Duplessis, or companies they own. For example, of the $1,142,944 in total revenue the foundation collected in 2006, at least $410,000 was paid directly to Jean and his business partner for rent, production services, and Jean's appearance at a benefit concert. The Foundation paid $250,000 to Telemax, a television station controlled by Jean and Duplessis, $31,000 to rent its own offices from Platinum Sound owned by Jean and Duplessis, and $100,000 for Jean's own performance at a benefit concert in Monaco, when Jean had been paid only $40,000 as headliner at 2002 festival at the top of his career with the Fugees.

Hugh Locke, president of Yéle Haiti, said "I think people should be very comfortable that any money given to Yéle Haiti is going 100 percent to emergency relief." and that the group hopes to increase the percentage of its budget on services as it gains experience. The organization is currently listed as active on the Florida Department of State website.

In a 2009 interview with Allhiphop.com writer Han O'Connor, Wyclef stated that his priority for the organization was to raise money to build the Yéle Center, which would be a facility that consists of a sports center, Wyclef Jean School of the Arts, a cultural center focusing on the environment and an internet café. During the interview he claimed that he feels the key to improving the situation in Haiti is to build sustainable opportunity.

Jean has been active in his support of his native country and created the foundation Yéle Haiti to provide humanitarian aid and assistance to Haiti. He describes Yéle as a non-political organization intended to empower the people of Haiti and the Haitian diaspora to rebuild their nation, saying, "The objective of Yéle Haiti is to restore pride and a reason to hope, and for the whole country to regain the deep spirit and strength that is part of our heritage".. Yéle Haiti was created in October 2004 with Wyclef's cousin Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis. Projects were launched in January 2005. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were present for the first anniversary of the launch in 2006.

In January 2007, Jean became a roving ambassador for Haiti, to help improve its image abroad.

May 20, 2008 – Yéle Haiti partnered with WFP (World Food Programme) of the United Nations to launch www.togetherforhaiti.org

September, 2008 – Wyclef in conjunction with Yéle Haiti Charity delivered food to Hurricane Ike victims in Haiti. Matt Damon provided assistance in the food lines serving food.

Oct 23, 2008 – Wyclef Jean performed on stage with Carlos Santana in San Francisco on behalf of Yéle Haiti, OneXOne, and WaterPartners International to raise funds for clean water, education, health, environment, and community development in the USA and in the developing world.

In 2009, Wyclef Jean and The Timberland Company joined forces to help raise environmental awareness in Haiti. This duo "will be a multi-platform effort incorporating Timberland products, digital and social media, service events, music, and concerts that will promote environmental awareness." The campaign will push to support and educate the country as well as helping to improve health care and the environment, and the community. Wyclef Jean also plans to spread information about the joint efforts through social media outlets such as "Twitter, YouTube, Myspace, Facebook, imeem, and Social Vibe." He also aims to use social networking websites to help raise money to build the Yéle Center. The tax returns can be seen on thesmokinggun.com website.

Politics

2010 Haitian presidential campaign

On August 5, 2010, Wyclef confirmed the rumors that he was running for office by telling CNN's Wolf Blitzer that he was running, though Blitzer had questions about Jean's actual citizenship and passport. In an article written by Exclaim! Magazine it was mentioned that Jean will be stepping down as the chairman of Yéle Haiti. On August 5, Jean formally filed papers as a candidate for the 2010 Haitian presidential election, following media speculation that he would make his announcement that evening on Larry King Live. Wyclef would have run as a candidate for the Viv Ansanm (Live Together) political party. On the topic of his candidacy, Jean has stated, "I am being drafted to serve my country."

Besides opposition from Sean Penn in regards to Jean's Haitian presidential plans, Arcade Fire's Win Butler stated in a radio interview: :"Technically, [Wyclef Jean] shouldn't be eligible because he hasn't been a resident of Haiti. And I think him not speaking French and not being fluent in Creole would be a really major issue in trying to run a really complex government, like the government in Haiti. It would kind of be like Arnold Schwarzenegger only speaking Austrian and being elected president of the United States after New York City and L.A. had burned to the ground... I think he is a great musician and he really passionately cares about Haiti. I really hope he throws his support behind someone who is really competent and really eligible."

On August 20, 2010, his bid for candidacy was rejected by Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council. He was turned down because he did not meet the residency requirement of having lived in Haiti for five years before the Nov. 28 election. Afterward Wyclef stated: }}

Financial problems

Wyclef's waterfront mansion that was purchased through his corporation on Pine Tree Drive in Miami Beach, Florida, is now owned by a bank as of November 2008. The property is valued at US$1.4 million. He took out a US$2-million mortgage to purchase and renovate the property, but fell behind in payments. There are more than $100,000 in construction and architectural liens associated with the property. The house was reported to be auctioned at the Miami-Dade Courthouse on December 12, 2008. Wyclef Jean's corporation, which he and a few friends set up several years ago, then owed the bank US$2.4 million.

In January 2009, Wyclef mentioned, in a walk-by interview, that the problems with their Miami property were due to a contractor's sitting on the job for two years, that the court-ordered sale did not take place, and that he plans to sell the property later.

While Jean was chairman of Yéle Haiti, there were accusations of financial misconduct. On 4 August 2010, The Smoking Gun reported that Jean owes the IRS $2.1 million.

Appearances in television and film

Was a musical guest star on Nickelodeon sketch comedy show All That during the 1990s.

In 1997, toured "Carnival" album on MTV's "Live from the 10 Spot" at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan.

Performed "Sweetest Girl" on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Performed "President" on the second season of Chappelle's Show.

In 2001, he appeared in the made-for-television movie alongside Beyonce and Mos Def, as a fortune teller.

Performed on the 2003 Source Awards with DJ Khaled.

Appeared for a second time on Chappelle's Show in a parody of Making the Band.

Appeared on The Apprentice (US Season 4) in 2005. Did a rap, "Rubble Man", with the winning team, Excel, as their reward for winning task five.

Also in 2005, he played gang leader Marcel Hollis who leads his group on an assault on the station house in the NBC television drama Third Watch.

In 2004, Jean, Pras and Hill reunited as The Fugees for an event filmed and released in 2006 as Dave Chappelle's Block Party.

He starred in Virgin Mobile commercials as himself. In one commercial, a woman approaches him and tricks him into signing a contract which legally binds them in marriage. She drags him back to her trailer-park home where he is mistreated, forced to work and pleasure his wife. Eventually, he runs away and seeks police assistance, but is instead arrested for violating his contract and ultimately winds up in jail.

Appeared in 2002 Jamaican gangster film Shottas, released in 2006.

In 2005, he played the role of a Jamaican drug dealer in the movie Dirty.

He narrated the movie Full Clip, starring Busta Rhymes, Xzibit, Prodigy of Mobb Deep, Spliff Star, and others.

He has appeared and performed on the Source Awards with DJ Khaled, with Wyclef and his band and Khaled doing turntables.

He appears in the documentary film Ghosts of Cité Soleil, released in limited theaters on June 27, 2007.

In 2005, he appeared in the film One Last Thing.... His character is a cab driver named Emmett Ducasse. It is implied he is an angel due to being in the main character's "Heaven". Wyclef also has an original track that is the closing credits first song. The song is "Heaven's in New York".

In December 2007, starred in the four-part MTV exclusive online short-film Americlef

On April 26, 2008 he hosted the MTV Australia Awards

He appeared on a remix of his own track "Bubblegoose" for , where he sings alongside the main characters of the show.

Created a music video at the University of San Francisco for the song "President" in February 2008.

May 20, 2008: At the Gansevoort Hotel, Wyclef Jean in partnership with the WFP and PADF launched "Together for Haiti" to address the hunger crisis in Haiti members of the American and international television and print media were invited to cover the news. UN envoy Jeffrey Sachs introduced Jean. Supermodel Petra Nemcova was on hand to support. A surprise appearance was made by Paul Simon.

August 25, 2008: Wyclef Jean appears on the show "On the Record" with Greta Van Susteren of Fox News Channel discussing his life and career, political coverage, Obama, McCain, Bush and 9-11.

January 11, 2009: Wyclef Jean is featured on 60 Minutes

January 30, 2009: Wyclef Jean is featured on The Musical Brain on CTV, a documentary film based on Daniel Levitin's book This Is Your Brain On Music.

2009 TV appearance on 30 Rock (performed He Needs a Kidney with many other musicians).

FIFA 10 Soundtrack "MVP Kompa"

Performed on David Letterman with Cyndi Lauper and DJ Rekha on Monday, November 16, 2009, singing "Slumdog Millionaire"

Performed on the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, 2009.

Was a guest speaker on Hope For Haiti Now telethon, January 22, 2010.

Was a guest speaker on the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, January 31, 2010.

He was a musical guest at the 2010 Nickelodeon Mega Music Fest.

he starred in 'Electric Company' singing 'Electric City'

Discography

1997: The Carnival (Columbia)

2000: (Columbia)

2002: Masquerade (Columbia)

2003: Greatest Hits (Columbia)

2003: The Preacher's Son (J)

2004: (Koch)

2007: (Columbia)

2009: From the Hut, To the Projects, To the Mansion (Columbia)

2011: (Columbia)

References

External links

Official website

Yéle Haiti Foundation

Sak Pasé Records (a record label founded by Wyclef)

Haiti: Working Together at Last by Wyclef Jean, September 23, 2010

Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:American activists Category:American guitarists Category:American humanitarians Category:American people of Haitian descent Category:American Protestants Category:American record producers Category:Berklee College of Music alumni Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Haitian actors Category:Haitian human rights activists Category:Haitian immigrants to the United States Category:Haitian rappers Category:Hip hop singers Category:People from Bergen County, New Jersey Category:People from Brooklyn Category:People from Newark, New Jersey Category:People from Ouest Department Category:People from South Orange, New Jersey Category:Rappers from New Jersey

Name	Aesop Rock
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Ian Matthias Bavitz
Origin	Northport, New York, United States
Born	June 05, 1976
Genre	Rap rockAvant-hopAlternative hip-hopUnderground hip-hop
Occupation	Rapper, producer
Years active	1996 – present
Instrument	Vocals, MPC, Synthesizer
Label	Definitive JuxMush Records
Associated acts	The WeathermenBlockheadThe OrphanageEl-PFeltHail Mary Mallon Two of Every Animal
Url	Definitive Jux BiographyMush Records Biography 900Bats Art Website

Ian Matthias Bavitz (born June 5, 1976), better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American hip hop artist and producer. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He is signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label and is a current member of The Weathermen. Regarding his name, he said: "I acquired the name Aesop from a movie I had acted in with some friends. It was my character's name and it sort of stuck. The rock part came later just from throwing it in rhymes."

Career

Aesop initially recorded and released two self-financed efforts, Music for Earthworms (1997), a full length featuring underground legend Percee P on two tracks, and the Appleseed EP (1999), online at aesoprock.com, a website that was active until April 2001 while also working as a waiter.

After moving to the Mush label, Aesop released his first major album, Float (2000), with guest appearances from Vast Aire, Slug, and Dose One. Production was split between Blockhead and Aesop himself, with one track by Omega One.

Shortly after releasing Float Aesop Rock signed to Manhattan-based label Definitive Jux (commonly shortened to Def Jux), where he released Labor Days (2001), an album dedicated to the discussion of labor in American society and the concept of "wage slaves". This album was most well known for its single "Daylight." Because of its popularity, Daylight was re-released in 2002 as a 7-track EP, including an "alternative" new version of the song, "Night Light," whose paraphrased lyrics simultaneously refer back to, and stand in stark opposition to, the original's. The song "Labor" (from Labor Days) was featured in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, giving Aesop Rock more recognition.

Labor Days was followed by Bazooka Tooth in 2003. For the first time, production was mostly handled by Aesop himself, with three tracks from longtime collaborator Blockhead and one from close friend and Definitive Jux label CEO El-P. Guest appearances include Party Fun Action Committee, El-P, and Mr. Lif (all Definitive Jux labelmates) and Camp Lo. With this release Aesop hit a higher level of recognition, releasing "No Jumper Cables" as a single and music video, then another single, "Freeze", shortly after. A remix of "No Jumper Cables" was featured on Tony Hawk's Underground 2, furthering Aesop's recognition.

In February 2005, Aesop Rock released a new EP, Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives. The first pressing of the EP included an 88 page booklet with lyrics from every release from Float until this EP (the lyric booklet is titled The Living Human Curiosity Sideshow); later pressings of the album come without the booklet, but with an additional bonus track, "Facemelter". In addition, a limited number of albums were available direct from Def Jux with Aesop Rock's graffiti tag on them. In response to demands from his fans, Aesop did less production on the EP: three songs are produced by Blockhead, three produced by Aesop, and one by Rob Sonic. During this time he was asked to join the Weathermen to replace Vast Aire.

Aesop Rock was commissioned to create a 45-minute instrumental track for the Nike+iPod running system, entitled All Day. It was released in February 2007. Distributed via the iTunes Music Store and featuring his wife Allyson Baker on guitar and scratches from DJ Big Wiz, Aesop has described the release as "something that evolved enough that the sound was constantly fresh and attractive, as though the runner were moving through a set of differing cities or landscapes."

All Day was followed in August of the same year by Bavitz's fifth full-length album, None Shall Pass (2007). The album also contained original artwork by Jeremy Fish. About Jeremy Fish, Aesop Rock said: "Man that guy is my hero. We have a friend in common who hit me up a while back saying that this guy Jeremy Fish had an opportunity to pitch a cartoon to Disney and wanted me to be involved in the music side. I flipped out cuz I was also a fan of his, and owned some of his work." Aesop Rock also teamed up with Jeremy Fish again in a project called Ghosts of the Barbary Coast. Aesop Rock made a song called Tomorrow Morning, to go along with a slideshow of drawings that Jeremy Fish drew. This was displayed in San Francisco, but was also made available for download online.

In 2009, Aesop Rock produced Felt's third album; . Aesop recently announced via twitter that he is working on his next studio album, due to be released in 2011.

Personal life

Bavitz was born and raised in Northport, Long Island, New York to his father Paul and mother Jameija. His mother is jewish however Bavitz and his siblings were raised as catholics. Bavitz would convert to agnosticism later on in life. Ian has two brothers: Chris (born 1975) and Graham (born 1977). Bavitz attended Northport High School. He is also a graduate of Boston University, where he studied fine arts and eventually acquired his bachelors in 1998. He married Allyson Baker, guitarist of rock band Parchman Farm in 2005. They now reside in San Francisco, California.

He has tattoos on each forearm. His left arm says the words "Must Not Sleep", and the right says "Must Warn Others," which are quotes inspired by the 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Aesop Rock has used these quotes as lyrics in the chorus of his song "Commencement at the Obedience Academy": "Must not sleep; must warn others / Trust blocks creep where the dust storm hovers." He also used them in his song "Antisocial," in the line "Must not sleep; must warn others / I'll tourniquet your turbulence then trample on your stutters."

In August 2001, Bavitz had a nervous breakdown. His song "One of Four" on his Daylight E.P. documents his struggles.

Lyricism

Bavitz's lyrics are generally seen as complex and abstract. Critics state that the use of words can be so detailed that it becomes difficult to determine their originally intended meaning. The interpretation is highly subjective, because the messages conveyed are not always clearly defined. The lyrics are sometimes inspired by events which have occurred in Bavitz's personal life.

It's also important to note the significance of his name when pondering his lyricism. Aesop is short for the word Aesopian. Aesopian language is defined as "conveying an innocent meaning to an outsider but a hidden meaning to a member of a conspiracy or underground movement."

Questioned about his lyrical style in an interview, Bavitz responded:

It’s probably because it’s not the most accessible music in the world. It may pose a slight challenge to the listener beyond your average pop song. I'm no genius by a long shot, but these songs are not nonsensical, that's pretty preposterous. I'd have to be a genius to pull this many nonsensical records over people's eyes. It's not exactly fast food but when people pretend I'm just spewing non-sequiturs and gibberish I can’t help but think they simply haven’t listened and are regurgitating some rumor they’ve heard about me. Even if it's not laid out in perfect sentences—is any rap?—you’d have to be an idiot to not at least grasp a few things from these songs. Or have had no interest in pulling anything from them in the first place.

Selected discography

Albums

Music for Earthworms (1997)

Float (2000)

Labor Days (2001)

Bazooka Tooth (2003)

None Shall Pass (2007)

EPs

Appleseed (1999)

Daylight (2002)

Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives (2005)

Compilations

Build Your Own Bazooka Tooth (2003)

Collaborations

Ghosts of the Barbary Coast, released with Jeremy Fish (2009)

Filmography

References

External links

Aesop Rock on LastFM

Aesop Rock on IMDb

Aesop Rock discography at Discogs.

Aesop Rock interview and profile in Exclaim! magazine

Interview with Aesop Rock in Guernica (guernicamag.com)

"All Day, All Night" April 2008, Interview with Submerge Magazine

Sept 2008 Interview with L.A. Record

September 2008 Interview with L.A. Weekly

Pitchfork article

Know The Ledge interview with Aesop Rock

Delarge interview

Category:1976 births Category:American abstract artists Category:American agnostics Category:American people of Jewish descent Category:Former Roman Catholics Category:American graffiti artists Category:American hip hop record producers Category:American painters Category:Artists from New York Category:Boston University alumni Category:East Coast hip hop musicians Category:Living people Category:People from San Francisco, California Category:People from Suffolk County, New York Category:Rap rock musicians Category:Rappers from Long Island Category:Rappers from New York City Category:Underground artists Category:Underground rappers