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
Frijoles
Aesop Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah nasa lets try this
Ah
Park your bets
Sharks or jets
These bark mark targets where the barnacles nest
They burrow deep under the carnivores flesh
Carnival games
Like trying to shoot the star out of a space
Come double fist them aqua cats lock box you're passin'
Spoon up the ballooning for high noon saloony antics
Walk off with a thumbs up
And a stuffed Bullwinkle trinket
Pull twinkle out them awestruck baby sockets for a day
Yeah that's the ticket
Yeah that's the pipe dream
That's hater one oh one bitch picks
Living guilt trips for the fan base family picnics
Whose handshake carry with it
Y'all inspire me
Its an honor to meet you
Now its randomly fantasy beef stew
That's panicky preschool
That's peak re-signed Pikachu when hes poking Pinocchio's beezer
Where big brother watched me
Holler back Wally Cleaver
Knobby kneed geezer
Whose brittle pedal boat sank
Wishing he could restitch the images when the kine scope cranked
He couldn't, you can't
I'm more than two lamp with a mongoloid loyalty clause
And a done-did got busy ambience
That's like space mega lo sword scissor tongue lifted
Leap money merce ramble print 'o' matic hanger blockhead and bobby plots
And the fam only begins with the last two bars he dropped
After chrome fangs I'll rewrite a heavy metal parking lot
That's why these grapevines can pop shit to me all day
I only kick these fucking doors down and make sure the crew OK
Like food on the plate
Bread on the back
Kicks on the palate
I rock the bells without clown shoes, fight dogs, tickets or mallets
While the bearded ladies won goldfish from the ping pong tossed challenge
To let girls and misconstrue the lucky fuckloaders for talent
Its sad really
Ok im over it
Smolder over composure models like smoke over soldier nostrils
3d bifocal goggle broke over catwalkers
There must have been something up in that long island tap water
Through the mute windstorm the Hoover and his frisky sissy poodle pack
Oozing that hollow oodle mac act aes threw back in junior rap
Isn't it strange how its a fad to bite your idols
When the whole reason you liked em is 'cause their shit wasn't recycled
Caught pigeonhole Aesop like he ain't hurting
That's no burden
Need attention better dress them diversions like stripping nurses
Kid the cult is thick and media's the sacrificial virgin
Perching little man behind curtain opinions
This is perfect
Look I'm just like y'all
Living lo pro to paycheck
And when the landlord hollers they hid the dro in the tape deck
Rocket radio
Every success smidgin he harnessed
Parks with risk and sick wit it clickin' in perfect working ratio
What risk yeah? that dodge blame game for sneaky plots
With elevated rung placement derived from deep rooted jealousy issues
They cued our age as bull and every due is paid in full
With that I'll forget all you motherf***s that fail to pull
Why? Well
What's really good
Not a cat who pedal backwards for a hackers filthy looks
Hodge podge phenomenon
Muppets available in rubber stamp form
Hogwash hairy clamp norm
Wear the space cape baker
Order up Herbert's pacemaker
And vacate personal space in relation to face raker
Built an einstein-rosen bridge to ideate with Lincoln logs and bobby pins
Probably when ozzys friends slept on the poppy stems
Horseback sixty mph
One hand rollin' tobaccy badly
But it burns that cavalry of concerned worms for mayor
But you'll find validity in a penny, right
And I got a clear flick of the Lochness sucking off yeti
With a knee jerk response to his budgetary woes
Use hooky out the institute since huckleberry molds
Styled after the Hermann Rorschach margin mark
Starvin' art smash see the slashed martyr hark
Trapped in the lap for garter belt
This is sick flash definitive just baby
We like 'love it or leave it our your holler box now'
Cripple a kitten if a kitten is a culprit
You're spillin' insignificant frijoles
The lyrics to Aesop Rock's "Frijoles" use intricate wordplay and dense metaphors to create a commentary on the music industry and the struggle for recognition and success as an artist. The song opens with the lines "Park your bets/Sharks or jets," invoking the classic rivalry between two groups. But instead of being about street gangs, it's about artists vying for attention in the crowded music industry. The line "Without a trace/Carnival games/Like trying to shoot the star out of space" speaks to the difficulty of standing out amid an endless sea of other musicians, with each one vying for their time in the spotlight.
The rest of the song continues in this vein, using metaphor and wordplay to describe the struggle for success and recognition as an artist. Lines like "Kid the cult is thick and media's the sacrificial virgin/Perching little man behind curtain opinions" suggest that the industry is rife with influencers and decision-makers who hold sway over the direction of music but may not necessarily have the best interests of artists at heart. Ultimately, the song seems to suggest that those who are successful in the music industry are often those who are able to play the game the best, rather than necessarily being the most talented or deserving.
Line by Line Meaning
Park your bets
Let's get started
Sharks or jets
Choosing between two opposing things
These bark mark targets where the barnacles nest
The places where problems arise
They burrow deep under the carnivores flesh
Problems can cause deep pain
Without a trace
Problems can be hard to detect
Carnival games
Life can be fun, but not always easy
Like trying to shoot the star out of a space
Sometimes things are impossible
Come double fist them aqua cats lock box you're passin'
Taking advantage of good opportunities
Spoon up the ballooning for high noon saloony antics
Making fun of life's challenges
Walk off with a thumbs up
Being happy despite challenges
And a stuffed Bullwinkle trinket
A reminder of good times
Pull twinkle out them awestruck baby sockets for a day
Being happy for a moment
Yeah that's the ticket
That's what we need
Yeah that's the pipe dream
That's something we know can't happen
That's hater one oh one bitch picks
People who are envious and negative
Living guilt trips for the fan base family picnics
Holding onto negativity and affecting others
Whose handshake carry with it
The importance of a good handshake
Y'all inspire me
Being inspired by others
Its an honor to meet you
Feeling privileged to meet someone special
Now its randomly fantasy beef stew
Using imagination to create unrealistic scenarios
That's panicky preschool
Being scared and unprepared
That's peak re-signed Pikachu when hes poking Pinocchio's beezer
Silly and nonsensical
Where big brother watched me
Being watched and monitored
Holler back Wally Cleaver
Making references to old TV shows
Knobby kneed geezer
Old and frail
Whose brittle pedal boat sank
Being vulnerable and exposed
Wishing he could restitch the images when the kine scope cranked
Wanting to go back and relive past moments
That's like space mega lo sword scissor tongue lifted
A mix of superpowers and strange things
Leap money merce ramble print 'o' matic hanger blockhead and bobby plots
Silly words strung together
And the fam only begins with the last two bars he dropped
This is just the start of things
After chrome fangs I'll rewrite a heavy metal parking lot
Making changes after growing and learning
That's why these grapevines can pop shit to me all day
People can talk all they want, but it doesn't affect me
I only kick these fucking doors down and make sure the crew OK
Focusing on what's important and taking care of others
Like food on the plate
Necessities of life
Bread on the back
Working hard to earn a living
Kicks on the palate
Enjoying life's pleasures
I rock the bells without clown shoes, fight dogs, tickets or mallets
Being oneself, without gimmicks or violence
While the bearded ladies won goldfish from the ping pong tossed challenge
Silly and absurd events
To let girls and misconstrue the lucky fuckloaders for talent
Underestimating people who are just lucky
Its sad really
A feeling of disappointment
Ok im over it
Moving on from negative thoughts
Smolder over composure models like smoke over soldier nostrils
Trying to keep calm and composed
3d bifocal goggle broke over catwalkers
Making fun of people who take themselves too seriously
There must have been something up in that long island tap water
Wondering what caused certain behaviors
Through the mute windstorm the Hoover and his frisky sissy poodle pack
Silly imagery for a windy day
Oozing that hollow oodle mac act aes threw back in junior rap
Remembering old times
Isn't it strange how its a fad to bite your idols
Copying people you admire
When the whole reason you liked em is 'cause their shit wasn't recycled
Appreciating originality in art
Caught pigeonhole Aesop like he ain't hurting
Being misunderstood and judged unfairly
That's no burden
Not letting negativity bring you down
Need attention better dress them diversions like stripping nurses
Making distractions look appealing
Kid the cult is thick and media's the sacrificial virgin
Commenting on society's obsession with trends and fads
Perching little man behind curtain opinions
People making judgments without really knowing
This is perfect
Being content with what is
Look I'm just like y'all
Everyone is similar in some ways
Living lo pro to paycheck
Working hard to make ends meet
And when the landlord hollers they hid the dro in the tape deck
Finding ways to cope with stress and problems
Rocket radio
An escape from reality
Every success smidgin he harnessed
Making the most of small victories
Parks with risk and sick wit it clickin' in perfect working ratio
Being productive and successful
What risk yeah? that dodge blame game for sneaky plots
Being cautious and not taking unnecessary risks
With elevated rung placement derived from deep rooted jealousy issues
People being jealous and spiteful
They cued our age as bull and every due is paid in full
Feeling like life is unfair
With that I'll forget all you motherf***s that fail to pull
Letting go of negativity and moving on
Why? Well
Asking a rhetorical question
What's really good
What's going on
Not a cat who pedal backwards for a hackers filthy looks
Not being easily influenced or manipulated
Hodge podge phenomenon
A mixture of different elements
Muppets available in rubber stamp form
Mocking something with a joke
Hogwash hairy clamp norm
Using silly and meaningless words
Wear the space cape baker
Putting on a facade
Order up Herbert's pacemaker
Making fun of old people and their health problems
And vacate personal space in relation to face raker
Keeping distance from people who invade personal space
Built an einstein-rosen bridge to ideate with Lincoln logs and bobby pins
Using imagination and creativity
Probably when ozzys friends slept on the poppy stems
Thinking about the past and memories
Horseback sixty mph
A feeling of speed and freedom
One hand rollin' tobaccy badly
Loosening up and not taking everything too seriously
But it burns that cavalry of concerned worms for mayor
Poking fun at elected officials
But you'll find validity in a penny, right
Making fun of small and meaningless things
And I got a clear flick of the Lochness sucking off yeti
Using humor and absurdity
With a knee jerk response to his budgetary woes
Reacting quickly and impulsively
Use hooky out the institute since huckleberry molds
Skipping school and misbehaving
Styled after the Hermann Rorschach margin mark
Using psychological concepts in art
Starvin' art smash see the slashed martyr hark
Discussing the struggles of artists
Trapped in the lap for garter belt
Being stuck in a difficult situation
This is sick flash definitive just baby
Being confident and sure of oneself
We like 'love it or leave it our your holler box now'
Being opinionated and strong-willed
Cripple a kitten if a kitten is a culprit
Using violent language for effect
You're spillin' insignificant frijoles
Talking about unimportant things
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind