Aesop Rock

Hello and thanks very much for the interest. You guys are awesome. I will do my best. Some things I won't answer.

FINAL EDIT - 3:08 AM - Pacific Standard Time - I thought i was gonna get another couple hours tonight to get to some more of these questions, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen. I can't thank you all enough for participating. Have a good one!

I'll be lurking...

Best A.R.

So I'm far from any kind of expert, but I've been listening to Aesop on and off since ~2009. He's always been an excellent lyricist with great flow. He seems to be held in high regard by the community, but never really broke into the mainstream. Just wondering on if anyone has insight into why that could be.

C'mon, I'm sure there's been at least one comment you've seen on this subreddit that makes you bite your tongue because the downvotes aren't worth it. I want to hear your confessions. I can start:

I dislike Salt and Pepper Squid, specifically the chorus. I haven't dissected the lyrics yet, but the song itself doesn't do it for me.

*Edit: I thought of another one. I like the story of No rEgrets and the message but I have to be in the mood to listen to it...overall I don't enjoy it as a song.

Here's mine:

When Aes and Blockhead collab, it's dope. When Blockhead remixes one of Aesop's songs it's usually just.....bad. Like, real bad.

Big examples that come to mind:

- Pigs

- Kodokushi

- Defenders

The originals just sound so much better.

What's yours?

Imo Aes is top 3 lyricists easily, wondered what the wider opinion on him was as well as who else people consider the best

I've heard a few songs from him and they're amazing. All I've always heard about him is his complex deep layered lyrics. Idk if he tells individual stories, tells stories in each album or his discography is just one big universe. I just want to get in it whatever it is and don't know what to listen to first

Mine is probably Verse 2 on “Zero Dark Thirty”, or Verse 2 on “The Greatest Pac-Man Victory in History”. Those are just the Top 2 that comes to head, he’s got tons of great verses so It’s hard to break it down to only one.

This man said "REAPER KNOCKIN AT ME THROUGH THE DINER GLASS, invite him in YES I KNOW THE DIE IS CAST NOW TRY THE GRITS."

This man also said "TAKE A BREATH AND MAYBE DRAW ME THAT CHIMERA FROM YOUR NIGHTMARE, I CAN PURÉE SOME PEACHES AND GET THE HIGHCHAIR, WHAAAA"

On top of that this man said "FITTING IN IS A FOOLS ERRAND UNWORTHY TO EMULATE. I DONT CARE, I NEVER REALLY FELT COOL ANYWAY"

AESOP WINS. "DONT FOOL WIT HIS COOL"

What Aesop Rock song would you say is the best to wake up to?

Im very new to aesop rock, only listened to skelethons, and im also pretty new to abstract / experimental hip hop but aesop rock feels different. What does he rap about, what are the themes he discusses? Whats all the spirituality aesthetic he got on? which are his best albums?

I really need some sort of introduction to aesop rock haha. Its not easy to find stuff about more underground artists, almost no one talks about them. Ive never seen aesop rock on any sort of feature, list, chart, etc etc, never heard of h but he sounds so good. Idk i just need to learn more about him and idk where.

EDIT: Thank you all for commenting, this post has opened my eyes so much, cant wait to listen to all his albums, hes def going to be my obsession for this entire year.

EDIT 2: I went to sleep 6 hours ago, and Ive gotten so many messages haha, I dont have time to respond to them but I will read them and read future comments.

Me first: Nine to Fivers anthem 1-10 Difficult

I have couple favorite songs, Yess And The Yall, Cycles To Gehenna, Gopher Guts, Leisureforce, None Shall Pass, i just love probably every song from every album. Each song has so much density. But if i should pick my all time favorite, it has to be Zero Dark Thirty.

I always loved dudes who are underdogs, complete outsiders and drifters in the form of art. The song actually blends from my perspective him being an outsider and drifter (Unsigned hype, bindle on a broomstick, pancake shoes), basically endlessly traveling and looking for new avenues. He also captures some topic regarding morality and how morality is way more ambiguous than just "right/wrong".

Near the end he says "failed all basic training but i spend couple groundhog days with a challenging silhouette, the gods last cigarette, anything less would be god damn ridicilous". I found these lines absolutely mind blowing - he admits he has no basics but learned everything through hard way. He gained a proper discipline through swimming against current. Make it easier? That would be just ridicilous and not challenging enough.

He also calls out from my point of view materialism and life circled around it. For example enzymes that evolved into mothmens munching textiles. And also how individualism is just failing "a-like androids dreaming of carbon applause" is another absolutely mind blowing line. He is one of the last individuals from the huge surplus of others.

Now i can be wrong about my point of view but this is the way how Zero Dark Thirty speaks to me. Also i have to say i never heard more mind blowing drum schemes in any other hip hop song than on this song, from the snare to how much fills are there. The dope dj scratches are sick as well, love the small obscure samples and the beeping keyboards are amazing! Nice beat transitions as well. The music video of him sitting with a bleak clothes and beard with the dope art on the background is another layer i love.

Zero Dark Thirty is in my opinion the most complete Aesop Rock song. It is thought provoking, catchy, dense, rich and i am always excited when the song starts. I feel like my intellectual compass grows bigger every time when i am listening to this song.

What is your favorite Aes song and why?