Bavitz was born in Syosset, New York and grew up in Northport, New York. While attending college, Bavitz initially recorded and released two self-financed efforts, Music for Earthworms (1997), a full-length featuring underground artist Percee P on two tracks. Bavitz also released a music video to "Abandon All Hope", which was one of the tracks on the CD. The album sold over 300 copies, largely from a grassroots internet-based promotion at his website AesopRock.com and then-popular web portal, MP3.Com. It was a success. With the money he made from his previous release, he then released his Appleseed EP in 1999 which received critical acclaim in the underground hip hop circuit.[citation needed] Both of his early records were produced by long-time friend Blockhead, and underground producer Dub-L. He completed these albums while also working as a waiter.
After his breakthrough success in the underground hip hop and indie rap community, he was eventually noticed by the Mush label and obtained his first record deal in 1999, just a year after he graduated from college. 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. During this time, Aesop worked at a photography gallery. In August 2001 tragedy struck when Bavitz had a nervous breakdown. The song "One of Four" on his Daylight EP documents his struggles.
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 seven-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; it also was the first album in his catalog to break through the Billboard charts, peaking at number 15 at the United States Independent Charts, giving Aesop Rock more recognition.
Labor Days was followed by Bazooka Tooth in 2003. For the first time, production was mostly handled by Rock 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 2004, He released Build Your Own Bazooka Tooth and created a contest in which you had to create a remix of an Aesop Rock song using the a cappellas and instrumentals.
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, Rock 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 released in 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. None Shall Pass had positive reviews from critics and fans, applauding Aesop for his change in sound.
In 2011, Rhymesayers released "Are You Going to Eat That?", the debut album from Hail Mary Mallon, a collaboration between Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic, and DJ Big Wiz.
On July 10, 2012, Rhymesayers released Aesop Rock's sixth studio album, "Skelethon". Its first single, "Zero Dark Thirty", was released four months earlier on April 10. A second single, "ZZZ Top", was released on June 29.
In 2011, Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson of The Moldy Peaches formed the duo The Uncluded. The duo's debut album, "Hokey Fright" was released on May 7, 2013.
In 2018, Aesop Rock teamed up with TOBACCO to form Malibu Ken
Big Bang
Aesop Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(He said he's grown spiritually since the last one)
OK, this is the dawning of the book of bitter aspects
Where the jackals sit and watch the pedigods last flesh
Poison functions accompanied by six armor clad
Black horse and buggy mechanism
Tugged a portion of my severed vision
Wit a shoestring budget
Every man's got a field to plow (I know that now)
But it's like, man I really can't afford the oxen
Fee fie et cetera
I smell the warm blood of the bill collector knockin'
I get awkwardly sturdy with a frigid liquid backbone
I get swept in the pressure cooker tryin' to paddle back home
I get sprung with a vibe and alliance of clean intention
By eclipsing doom midigons hatched to bash these picket fences
Now I'll attend the wedding of the open sword festering
Now when the groom presents the ring
The bride commence to blistering
This textbook magnificently crude
Prototype king berserker modulate
Serve the vertical thirst, burst horizontal
Treasure, loose cannons span the star bit power
The clipper ship dipped in truth famine pressure
Cabin fever meter pegging ludicrous
Beautiful cartoon trooper
swallow brutal futility with a teaspoon full of sugar
I rock ready aim fire, while y'all rock ready fire aim
Then blame the stationary target when the prey escapes the frame
Merit badge marksman, a poacher, it's all the same
So I lay across the woods perpendicular to the grain
I gotta be a big bang, gotta be
Never want to be hear a probably, I want to see or hear a "Yes sir, sir"
YES SIR!
Armed with a tome, cross, sore to the bone
Warn the other brothers that was born forlorn
Big bang, sharper than a big dick
Hotter than a tunnel of big dreams that think big things
I'm a burn with this little light of mind
and a prime concern to earn thanks, I'm a be a big bang
I want to be a big bang,
Never want to be hear a probably, I want to see or hear a "Yes sir, sir"
YES SIR!
Armed with a tome, cross, sore to the bone
Warn the other brothers that was born forlorn
Big bang, sharper than a big dick
Hotter than a tunnel of big dreams that think big things
I'm a burn with this little light of mind
and a prime concern to earn thanks, I'm a be a big bang
I'm just a survivor of the woolly mammoth population
Bottle neck effect, sorta born deaf
Alien of shallow alchemy
If you gon' meta-morph the basemetal to precious
Might as well steal from the rich, bewitch the peasants
I'm floating the homing pigeon out hell's kitchen window
Left an SOS infested bottle nestled in his grip so
With a prayer circle release party and hardy wild bellow
I observed him fly ten feet then dropped the bottles to the devils
Fertile circle turn pertal crescent via bad investment
Despised every second, but I GUESS I LEARNED MY LESSON!
If I made an angel in the snow for every rotted victim
There'd be wings to float this mother ship up out the goblin system
Sticky panoramic contaminate planet
In conjunction with phantom assumption
Gutterbug alumnus candidates
Well, I promise you I man the lighthouse
Just to help guide in your ship
If you promise to help pull this hook out my lip (bitch)
Godspeed, straitjacket and ragged approach
To circle suns via folklore pollutants to rhyme strictly
From a BC generation disgust
Community movement alluding to a
"No blood given, no recognition"
Life matter, I was us up all night with a rusty hammer
Trying to build a fence around these magic beans my dreams are gathered
But uh, that certain lack of avail
I sail a choppy lie with buoyancy like a bucket of rocks (a bucket of rocks)
I gotta be a big bang, gotta be
Never want to be hear a probably, I want to see or hear a "Yes sir, sir"
YES SIR!
Armed with a tome, cross, sore to the bone
Warn the other brothers that was born forlorn
Big bang, sharper than a big dick
Hotter than a tunnel of big dreams that think big things
I'm a burn with this little light of mind
and a prime concern to earn thanks, I'm a be a big bang
I want to be a big bang,
Never want to be hear a probably, I want to see or hear a "Yes sir, sir"
YES SIR!
Armed with a tome, cross, sore to the bone
Warn the other brothers that was born forlorn
Big bang, sharper than a big dick
Hotter than a tunnel of big dreams that think big things
I'm a burn with this little light of mind
and a prime concern to earn thanks, I'm a be a big bang
Big bang, bi-big bang
It's gettin' bigger by the second
Check it
OK, I'm here to rock the tugboat and bare the others farewell
I shook the buddy system wisdom till the similar repel
I sell a barrel of spirit to dummy dimwits syndicate jackals
I'm broken arrow to the fuckin' bone (broken poem)
I don't really believe in God
But God, I'm scared to death of God?
I swear to God, I never meant to spill the beans
Nor tear the pod
It's like I hike an acre unimpressed
And slept on the saber's edge
Enough times to splice anti-Christ's favorite pledge
I want to know myself
Sorta solo sheep amidst wolves
And still my shepherd can't administer the proper push and pulls
I push the ghouls to man overboard
Pull the bulls onto my sword
And buckle down in a corner chair with a round table floor
Got an angel on my left shoulder, a devil on the polar
Got a mug a frigid, got a mug a solar, slide over
The recipe's design unplug the appetite continuity
By stitching together esteemed congruent (beautifully)
I peel back carts and lodge Greek physics in the chambers
Quartarized the wound and heads like "Gimme gimme something major"
Road side prophetic, ascend well
enveloped in a mummy ribbon system
Blistering in a wishing well
BIG BANG!
Aesop Rock's "Big Bang" is an abstract and complex song that can be interpreted in a variety of ways. It starts with the rap artist saying, "Well, so we meet again," and then goes on to say that he's grown spiritually since the last time he met this person. The song then enters into the "dawning of the book of bitter aspects," a place where the jackals watch the pedigods' last flesh rot. The lyrics speak of poison functions and six armor-clad black horses and buggies tugging a portion of the singer's severed vision. The song continues with the singer stating that every man has a field to plow, but he can't afford the oxen. The singer then says that he smells the warm blood of the bill collector knocking, gets swept in the pressure cooker, and tries to paddle back home. The song shifts with a vibe and alliance of clean intention and a desire to bash picket fences. The singer attends the wedding of the open sword festering, where the groom presents the ring, and the bride commences to blistering. It gets difficult to decipher the lyrics from this point on, but there are references to ancient worlds, futuristic societies, and the singer's desire to be a big bang.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, so we meet again
He said he's grown spiritually since the last one
OK, this is the dawning of the book of bitter aspects
The start of a pessimistic chapter in life
Where the jackals sit and watch the pedigods last flesh
Witnessing the downfall of the greats
Poison functions accompanied by six armor clad
Dangerous intentions supported by strong defenses
Black horse and buggy mechanism
A dark and outdated system
Tugged a portion of my severed vision
Taking away a part of my clarity
The gathering of loose ends in a bucket
Collecting unfinished tasks or unresolved issues
Wit a shoestring budget
With limited resources
Every man's got a field to plow (I know that now)
Everybody has their own responsibilities or problems
But it's like, man I really can't afford the oxen
But it feels impossible to handle them
Fee fie et cetera
Expressing frustration or exasperation
I smell the warm blood of the bill collector knockin'
Feeling the pressure of financial obligations
I get awkwardly sturdy with a frigid liquid backbone
Trying to appear strong despite feeling cold and uncertain
I get swept in the pressure cooker tryin' to paddle back home
Feeling overwhelmed in a difficult situation and longing for comfort
I get sprung with a vibe and alliance of clean intention
Feeling inspired and motivated by positive energy and sincere purpose
By eclipsing doom midigons hatched to bash these picket fences
Overcoming negativity and obstacles on the path to success
Now I'll attend the wedding of the open sword festering
Witnessing the consequences of violence and conflict
Now when the groom presents the ring
Now when the perpetrator reveals their true intentions
The bride commence to blistering
The victim suffers pain and harm
This textbook magnificently crude
A raw and unrefined representation of reality
Prototype king berserker modulate
An unconventional leader who defies expectations
Serve the vertical thirst, burst horizontal
Satisfy deeper desires while disrupting the norm
Treasure, loose cannons span the star bit power
Unpredictable individuals possess great potential
The clipper ship dipped in truth famine pressure
A vessel affected by scarcity of honesty and integrity
Cabin fever meter pegging ludicrous
Feeling trapped and overwhelmed in a chaotic environment
Beautiful cartoon trooper
An admirable character despite the challenges they face
swallow brutal futility with a teaspoon full of sugar
Endure the harsh realities of life with a small dose of positivity
I rock ready aim fire, while y'all rock ready fire aim
Approaching tasks with precision while others act impulsively
Then blame the stationary target when the prey escapes the frame
Shifting blame onto others for their own shortcomings
Merit badge marksman, a poacher, it's all the same
Achieving success through unethical means
So I lay across the woods perpendicular to the grain
Going against the norm and carving my own path
I gotta be a big bang, gotta be
Aiming to make a significant impact
Never want to be hear a probably, I want to see or hear a 'Yes sir, sir'
Seeking certainty and affirmation
YES SIR!
Expressing determination and compliance
Armed with a tome, cross, sore to the bone
Equipped with knowledge, faith, and relentless effort
Warn the other brothers that was born forlorn
Advising others who have also experienced hardship
Big bang, sharper than a big dick
Creating a powerful impact, greater than physical strength
Hotter than a tunnel of big dreams that think big things
Having burning ambition and grand aspirations
I'm a burn with this little light of mind and a prime concern to earn thanks, I'm a be a big bang
Using my intelligence and determined effort to make a lasting impact and gain recognition
I'm just a survivor of the woolly mammoth population
I have endured difficult circumstances and overcome great challenges
Bottle neck effect, sorta born deaf
Limited opportunities and a sense of being disconnected
Alien of shallow alchemy
A stranger in a world of superficial pursuits
If you gon' meta-morph the basemetal to precious
If you can transform something ordinary into something valuable
Might as well steal from the rich, bewitch the peasants
Taking advantage of those in power to benefit the less fortunate
I'm floating the homing pigeon out hell's kitchen window
Sending a message of hope and escape from a difficult situation
Left an SOS infested bottle nestled in his grip so
Leaving a cry for help in desperate circumstances
With a prayer circle release party and hardy wild bellow
Seeking liberation and relief through spiritual means
I observed him fly ten feet then dropped the bottles to the devils
Witnessing someone's failed attempt to overcome their struggles
Fertile circle turn pertal crescent via bad investment
Continuing a cycle of poor decision-making and negative outcomes
Despised every second, but I GUESS I LEARNED MY LESSON!
Hating the process but ultimately realizing the value of the experience
If I made an angel in the snow for every rotted victim
If I memorialized every person who suffered or died unjustly
There'd be wings to float this mother ship up out the goblin system
There would be enough support to escape from a corrupt society
Sticky panoramic contaminate planet
A world consumed by chaos and pollution
In conjunction with phantom assumption
In agreement with false beliefs or assumptions
Gutterbug alumnus candidates
Individuals who have experienced hardship and adversity
Well, I promise you I man the lighthouse
I assure you that I will guide and protect
Just to help guide in your ship
To assist you on your journey
If you promise to help pull this hook out my lip (bitch)
If you agree to help me overcome my own struggles
Godspeed, straitjacket and ragged approach
Good luck, despite feeling confined and uncertain
To circle suns via folklore pollutants to rhyme strictly
To revolve around success through artistic expression
From a BC generation disgust
From a time of dissatisfaction and discontent
Community movement alluding to a 'No blood given, no recognition'
A movement that seeks justice and equality
Life matter, I was us up all night with a rusty hammer
Fighting tirelessly for the value and importance of life
Trying to build a fence around these magic beans my dreams are gathered
Protecting and nurturing my aspirations and ambitions
But uh, that certain lack of avail
But the inability to achieve success
I sail a choppy lie with buoyancy like a bucket of rocks (a bucket of rocks)
I navigate through difficult circumstances with resilience and determination
Big bang, bi-big bang
A significant and impactful event
It's gettin' bigger by the second
Growing in magnitude
Check it
Take a closer look
OK, I'm here to rock the tugboat and bare the others farewell
I am here to bring change and leave a lasting impact on others
I shook the buddy system wisdom till the similar repel
Questioning conventional wisdom and rejecting conformity
I sell a barrel of spirit to dummy dimwits syndicate jackals
Providing inspiration and motivation to those lacking intelligence or integrity
I'm broken arrow to the fuckin' bone (broken poem)
I am deeply wounded and damaged
I don't really believe in God
I have doubts about the existence of a higher power
But God, I'm scared to death of God?
But I am still afraid of the consequences of my actions
I swear to God, I never meant to spill the beans
I genuinely did not intend to reveal a secret
Nor tear the pod
Nor cause harm or disrupt the natural order
It's like I hike an acre unimpressed
Feeling unimpressed with the vastness of the world
And slept on the saber's edge
Living dangerously on the precipice of danger
Enough times to splice anti-Christ's favorite pledge
Experiencing temptation and disillusionment
I want to know myself
I desire self-discovery and understanding
Sorta solo sheep amidst wolves
Standing alone in a hostile environment
And still my shepherd can't administer the proper push and pulls
Even with guidance, I struggle to find balance
I push the ghouls to man overboard
I try to overcome my fears and face them head-on
Pull the bulls onto my sword
Confronting challenges fearlessly
And buckle down in a corner chair with a round table floor
Taking a seat at the table and asserting my presence
Got an angel on my left shoulder, a devil on the polar
Feeling conflicted between good and evil influences
Got a mug a frigid, got a mug a solar, slide over
Experiencing both cold and warm emotions
The recipe's design unplug the appetite continuity
Changing the course of desires and habits
By stitching together esteemed congruent (beautifully)
By combining respected and harmonious elements
I peel back carts and lodge Greek physics in the chambers
I uncover hidden knowledge and wisdom
Quartarized the wound and heads like 'Gimme gimme something major'
Healing a metaphorical wound and seeking significant progress
Road side prophetic, ascend well
A wise observer from the side of the road who is ascending to greatness
enveloped in a mummy ribbon system
Wrapped in a restrictive and suffocating environment
Blistering in a wishing well
Suffering and longing for better circumstances
BIG BANG!
A powerful and transformative event
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL SMYKLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind