Coward Of The Year
Aesop Rock Lyrics

(the Controls) Does it feel, you're the coward of the year?
The question is directed towards someone who may feel like they are the most cowardly person of the year.

(Percee P) I'm so laborious, bright, Its a wreck in dire vocabulary, Adversaries will commence to ignite like magnesium oxide, canned argon peroxide, I'm hazardous, more poisonous than carbon monoxide, Earning stacks gold sterling plaques from burning tracks, Your learning that if your unconcerned with rap no turning back now, Man I'll bomb you please from up in the trees I'll freeze the season with a tighter squeeze than Aaron Cometbus
The singer is boasting of their intelligence and toxic lyrical style, warning rivals that they are not to be underestimated or ignored. They threaten to harm anyone who tries to stand in their way, making a comparison to the effectiveness of magnesium oxide and carbon monoxide, and warn their opponents that once they start rapping they can never stop.

(Aesop) Hey yo, One heart plated with purely golden tiles, Mixed with a little mischief behold style, Load a back alley shiner liquid Tomb raider with a most fertile assortment of spitting logic, 'Til lab rats gone colossus in the spotlight, Now Aesop Rock be the handle while your breath control is tough, to breath along is not enough, I correspond to a kick snare blind, but share the passion with but a small percentage of the masses and their fashion
The singer describes themselves as having a heart of pure gold, but tempered with a bit of mischief. They see themselves as a master of delivering clever and thought-provoking lyrics, capable of turning even ordinary rappers into giants of the genre. They allude to their own stage presence, comparing themselves to a tomb raider who has a wide range of rhyming skills. Although they appreciate their fans, they acknowledge that their music is not for everyone.

(the Controls) You got a feeling that you got me where you want me I've wait within the palm of your hand And you've got cartoons in the morning while I'm sleeping I've just got dreams that I don't understand
The artist is expressing their frustration and sense of being stuck in a situation where they are at someone else's mercy. The person holding the power over them seems to be using their advantage to enjoy life, while the artist is left feeling lost and unsure of what to do next.

(Percee P) Supply the checks, Known from Cali, Chi to Lex My respect and styles some try to get, but die direct from the side affects, You crave Perc cause I'm well equip with predicate your too delicate for this fella flip kid you better get saved first, called freaks give me no floor feet all sweet small peeks cause my stocks exchange they bore street still the slick kicking the illest hits who kill us quick when I build this? Spit more rounds than Bruce Willis flicks Ideas and flow raise eyelids that's why kids make hybrid rhymes supplied with step this God did years ago to grasp a taste have to place them in a glass case and observe 'em from a Nasa space center with a mask on face Coward of the year make others fear the way this brother is empowered I am the bomb, dont try tampering with my brand of style could by stand, the only witness ??? is God's (this guy's) camera taping me
The artist is describing themselves as a well-respected rapper who is known across a variety of regions. They have a sense of pride in their skills, which they believe are superior to most other rappers. They are confident that their ideas and rhyming style will impress listeners and make them stand out. They express some paranoia about being watched, but also revel in the thrill of being the center of attention. They issue a warning to anyone who tries to copy their style or get in their way.

(Singing) I'm here, Does it feel, You're the coward of the year? I'm gone too far somebody pull me home, too gone, too far, too gone, too far
The singer is expressing a sense of disconnection from reality and a desire to be rescued. They wonder if the listener feels like they are being seen as a coward, perhaps due to some unfortunate circumstance. They express a feeling of being lost or unable to return to the safety of their home.

(Aesop) Sadly I withered a non-believer, When pride covered this must lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth form the frame of your demeanor? I address but a rapidly lessoning portion of majors dissolved in the abortion of creations new laborers, Pilot burner riddle of trades, divinity, composers and tunnel through and out of spite the anti hero dosage, In a cradle I label the dreaded simulation we compile, Tenents embeded within synthetic inclination We have never dined on bait so when corrupt crooks hook simple Samaritans' eyes buried in books, shift on a badda datta sun moon merger to guard the difference, The New York MC population dancing uncontrollable expansion, I, cyclothymic pound dodger, push a wooden nickel towards town squatter bother me not, My wallow across the village drunk and mumbling in the streets, 'bout how an angel gets its wings with every blue note I release, An angel gets its wings with every blue note I release? Could this be lies? Cause I'm gonna spit cobalt 'til every angel flies, I blew the operation set to clinch victor, Walkie talkers turn awkward fixtures to complete the wicked mixture, the fire and ice combination adjourns fresh, I return with the last living specimen caressed, When the earth is vacated and the populous cleared, I'll be the last star fighter sipping a goblet of my tears
The singer is describing themselves as failed to convince someone who was skeptical of their abilities. They imply that this person is ruled by the seven deadly sins, making them difficult to reason with. They express frustration at only being able to reach a small number of people in the music industry, which they believe is oversaturated with mediocre performers. They describe their own creative process as a kind of sophisticated puzzle, involving many different elements. They refer to themselves as a cyclothymic, meaning someone prone to mood swings, and boast of their ability to write lyrics that are both meaningful and catchy. They express some doubt about the idea of angels getting their wings from good music, but are determined to keep producing it anyway. Finally, they talk about their future survival as a lone musician in a world without people.