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
Mars Attacks
Aesop Rock Lyrics
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You gotta love em' though
Mars attacks wit' electric gats
Not for sapien abduction (what's up then?!)
Billy took a laser to the mug piece; hallowed out the mandible
Channel headquarters order the cannonballs (Mars attacksssss)
FBI demands column to this pigeon ankle
Not a threat, an area witness won't injure the promise
Monster lead- carry your ligament fanged in the mosh pit
Dodge vapor, labor days are major A sir
Cater the alien decomposer soldier platter like cabbage check eight
I told her "go for C4 magic's"
Smolder as the Bazooka Tooth holster fabric
(This fucker's rabid and still breathing!) (Hiding cabbage!)
Oh, the heater claps to leave me
I'ma ninja this shit wit' sugar in the fuel tank of a saucer
Buddy up and head down to the metal corporate tunnels
Ice pick the soldered ship wiring; pissed of the mother and um
I'd be lying if I said I knew your intentions
See my sexy sabotage thinks defensive action to save the race
You land in hand on board to mention magma (Blaze the place!)
Red five revival there's wires in the bible
Obviously, ultra take advance when I point counterpoint
Comparison of ET verse little old freak me (She be on somethin')
Hey riddle sweet peas wit' your nickel PCs; fickle CDs, miserable TV sitcom (typical!)
Pathetic. Ritual. Collective slackership
Beautiful establishment; you ain't established shit! I consider you foul
Prowl back to the numbers under burnt pride in the dark (sup y'all!)
They want us dead or alive without the 'aliiivee' Part
The sun rose over a body bag shortage
Last week I was like 'god bless the saint that invented the cordless'
This week I saw the re-wrap of the bull's-eye of my worship
Temple body slash bull-cabinet Mastermind diversions (Fuck y'all!)
Lets do this shit, my movement soothes any space invader practice
Stomped under enemy like "Hey what now, bitch!?"
Hiding human hear me rise above material and cardinal sin
They shot me in the face
Mars wins. Mars wins. Mars wins. Mars wins. Mars wins
(Jet-black smoke on the horizon) Black smoke in the air
Maaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrsssss wins! (I thought you would like it)
Who you screaming at dog? I got this! (Lets go)
Zig zag zookah, pinnacle stitch
Unleash the unlimited edish primitive piss
I'm singin' cynical maybe the most military ops
Monkey! Here's elephant, and it drops
We on a three-ringed prong ancient elephant tusk
Bitter, at fully (break bread!) you shruggin' it off
Keep it electric, sure, But NY Electra's not about electric wars
Never seen a poor man's glimpse set fake (Last page!)
Three, two, one, domesticate!
The dawning of the cave man who invented the wheel and roll out funny
Sittin' on a bundle rolled with twenties, subtle
Sippin' Saber tooth blood puddle-
I could roll with the lackey's, that's if we hustle
Knuckle in the mud, hell's bells in the jungle
Red-berried face means smugger round the muzzle
I'm allergic to the now-born solo panel cutters stole quo to the core (dirt mess!)
Stone cold's hands out core cryogenics, stubborn
Can't talk shit wit' a tongue full a' rubber!
Bad cholesterol through blood sugar
Four-piece heartbeats wit' a subwoofer!
I'm not asking you to act like you notice (Oh Aesop's SO Mesozoic.)
Now what if in the cabin built the old pulping?
Opened the mirror, stole a pulse with the voltage
Keeping me alive is the vibe with the Vulcan's (hope!)
Tangle the vine catapult (Catapult!)
I break it down to the bunk for the crooks wit' the goals of a angel
Eat. Sleep. Fuck
Structural droids; more bangs for the buck
But they want a last stegosaurs, thorns in the glove (buck wit' it!)
Pre-stork land shark business, cradling the arms of the car man kidney
Swarm to the sickly thawed out the glacier
Beggin' for the freezer burn; back every day sir!
Sir, your science loves to fuck nature
Sir, your right to the dawn of my day sir
Sir, your violent laugh homing beacon is sad; who chase till we all catch vapors
Don't call it a sound-off, 'Mars Attacks" be the malarkey downfall
It's not a game no more, run from the flash, leave your penny at the door
A lotta of magic gadgets; give em all back just to nullify the savage
Mic's crumble we be rockin' right, in the year of the dropper tight
Saw a grey mouse rabied poured on a board
To the dull morose world like a lull in a storm
And I know you was hopin' that the piece for the ox was a dull sword, ah
(Guess what, it's not!) Guess what else, I transmit from the block!
T-Rex, X-Ray with triple X Hexen (give it up!)
For the yesterdays, or the next I can assure you if there is I got the sword
(Dead flesh!)
Ain't no time left. (Keep ya head up now)
Maaaaarrrrrrrrssss wins! (I thought you would like it)
In Aesop Rock's "Mars Attacks," the rapper delves into the idea of alien invasion and the consequences of such an event. He paints a vivid picture of a Martian attack, describing Martians with "electric gats" attacking humans and using lasers to harm them. He also alludes to the FBI's involvement, demanding answers and a solution to the problem.
Aesop Rock goes on to describe the effects of the invasion, including the destruction of crops and a sickness that has spread throughout the area affected. He appears to be frustrated with the collective inaction and incompetence of those in charge, calling out the "establishment" for being ineffective and not providing a solution to the problem. In the end, the Martians win, leaving the humans defeated and vulnerable.
Overall, "Mars Attacks" explores themes of powerlessness, fear, and the potential destruction that could come with the arrival of an alien species. The song is filled with vivid imagery and wordplay that expertly conveys the anxiety and terror that such an event could create.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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