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
No City
Aesop Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(for want of a shoe the horse was lost)
(for want of a horse the rider was lost)
(for want of a rider the battle was lost)
(for want of a battle the kingdom was lost)
(and all for the want of a horse shoe...)
There is a hole in front of the shovel, shovel in front of the brawn
Each withered his mule-ish days to choose his tool of trade
Dueling blades that cue the cruel charade and fuel the flames
If you would clue the crew into the civil
Just get the food and land like you the man who flew the coop over the pit-bulls
Dash back flashy to compassionate nano police
Sat beneath an avalanche and jagged and nautical seas
And I would stop the violence more than I was Pontius Pilate
Cops and robbers riot by the vows of noxious sirens
A is gullible he figure all man equal no brainer
Take it his friends and neighbors didn't cater
Moms raised the babies through a very church-y eighties
Sunday mornings reinforced the waiting gates of Haties
And he brazen but apparently infernal bound now
For when a man had coughed recite his wrongs he wouldn't bow down
The punishment should fit the reasons you must punish him
Never puncture skin or pull the colored rugs from under them
Two opposing mother ships shall not employ the gunner's deck
Cause brotherhoods of public good do not employ the unctuous in you
Observing how the giveth is disproportionate to the taketh away decide to maketh his day
All the stoic odium glowing a coal holster
When he coulda stood easily in the tub juggling toasters
[Chorus]
No mountain too high
No city too far
No coma tonight
No city tomorrow
No fire too live
No city too charred
To treaty to sign
No city to guard
I pick the phone up with a grown-up mode approach
Skin crawlin off the drawl and now it clawed the awkward tone up
I'd known it wasn't roses but hoped it was less corrosive
Coast in to the focus of the grossest diagnosis like
Holmes, the barnicles that chew upon the flesh of man
Have clued into suitor's capital to a beggars hand
Comfortably, sung a stubborn legacy of gluttony
With carnivores that burrow like hunters into the blood and meat
Umm, what? !?
The chinny chin up and the city picked her sinning pen up let her numb the spitting stigma
Along came a spider sold her eggs to any buyer
Now the shooter in back is six legs wider than the driver
If you make no friends on the way to the top rung
There is no secret handshake club I do not give a fuck
But know the cancers make the olive branches obviously standard
So when they extend from the yachts and mansions drop your cannons
All kings hang em for the cliff side drip dry
Will he clip to zip line or slip for his final dip dive
If he live, will he survive the milligrams of middle ground
They pump into the pinstripe pentagrams over tinsel town
Or kill a man who trickled down the city with his scissors out as sickles
Dipped in military hells bells and whistles
Riders to the east
Now the wild tribes
Thank you for the peace on earth and mercy miled high
[Chorus]
No mountain too high
No city too far
No coma tonight
No city tomorrow
No fire too live
No city too charred
To treaty to sign
No city to guard
The lyrics of Aesop Rock's song No City are dense and multi-layered, encompassing themes of social justice, violence, and power struggles. The first verse starts with a famous proverb, "For want of a nail, the shoe was lost," and through a chain of events, emphasizes how one small thing can lead to a bigger catastrophe. Aesop Rock uses this proverb to highlight the interconnectedness of events and how we should pay attention to the small things to avoid larger negative consequences, such as war or loss of a kingdom. The second and third verses dive deeper into the complexities of power struggles and how they affect individuals and communities. Aesop Rock suggests that we must think critically about our own actions and policies and avoid the use of violence and oppression, which only leads to more violence.
Throughout the song, Aesop Rock's lyrics are dense with metaphors and cultural references, such as "Pontius Pilate," "Sunday mornings," and "military hells bells and whistles." These references are suggestive of his critical stance on Christianity and war, and how they are interconnected. Overall, No City is a thought-provoking lyrical masterpiece that encourages listeners to consider the broader implications of their actions and policies.
Line by Line Meaning
For want of a name the shoe was lost
Small things can have big consequences
For want of a shoe the horse was lost
One small mistake can lead to a disaster
For want of a horse the rider was lost
The loss of an essential element can lead to more loss
For want of a rider the battle was lost
Without a leader, a battle can be lost
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost
Neglecting small things like battles can result in the loss of a kingdom
(and all for the want of a horse shoe...)
The significance of small things should not be underestimated
There is a hole in front of the shovel, shovel in front of the brawn
One obstacle follows another
Six billion gorillas for whom the graves yawn
Everyone will die eventually, regardless of power or status
Each withered his mule-ish days to choose his tool of trade
People spend their entire lives choosing their professions
Dueling blades that cue the cruel charade and fuel the flames
Conflict can be destructive
If you would clue the crew into the civil
Fostering understanding can prevent conflict
Just get the food and land like you the man who flew the coop over the pit-bulls
Take what you need to survive, even if it means leaving behind danger
Dash back flashy to compassionate nano police
Appealing to authority can resolve conflicts
Sat beneath an avalanche and jagged and nautical seas
Danger is everywhere
And I would stop the violence more than I was Pontius Pilate
I would take a stand against violence
Cops and robbers riot by the vows of noxious sirens
Conflict can be sparked by authority
A is gullible he figure all man equal no brainer
Some people are naive to the complexity of inequality
Take it his friends and neighbors didn't cater
People who are ignored may feel resentment
Moms raised the babies through a very church-y eighties
Child-rearing can be influenced by culture
Sunday mornings reinforced the waiting gates of Haties
Religion can reinforce negative values
And he brazen but apparently infernal bound now
He is confident but may be headed for disaster
For when a man had coughed recite his wrongs he wouldn't bow down
Someone who refuses to apologize may be in the wrong
The punishment should fit the reasons you must punish him
Punishment should be proportional to the crime
Never puncture skin or pull the colored rugs from under them
Violence is never justified
Two opposing mother ships shall not employ the gunner's deck
Both sides in a conflict are responsible
Cause brotherhoods of public good do not employ the unctuous in you
Integrity is important in public service
Observing how the giveth is disproportionate to the taketh away decide to maketh his day
Someone decides to take control of their life
All the stoic odium glowing a coal holster
Resentment and anger build up inside
When he coulda stood easily in the tub juggling toasters
Life is full of pointless distractions
I pick the phone up with a grown-up mode approach
Taking a mature approach to a situation
Skin crawlin off the drawl and now it clawed the awkward tone up
Feeling uncomfortable and nervous
I'd known it wasn't roses but hoped it was less corrosive
Expecting the worst but still hoping for the best
Coast in to the focus of the grossest diagnosis like
Confronting a difficult situation
Holmes, the barnicles that chew upon the flesh of man
Comparing a problem to a parasite
Have clued into suitor's capital to a beggars hand
Exploiting the poor
Comfortably, sung a stubborn legacy of gluttony
A culture of excess and greed
With carnivores that burrow like hunters into the blood and meat
Exploitative and predatory behavior
Umm, what? !?
Confusion and disbelief
The chinny chin up and the city picked her sinning pen up let her numb the spitting stigma
Ignoring problems can lead to societal decay
Along came a spider sold her eggs to any buyer
Exploiting the vulnerable
Now the shooter in back is six legs wider than the driver
The power dynamic can shift suddenly
If you make no friends on the way to the top rung
Ambition can lead to isolation
There is no secret handshake club I do not give a fuck
Rejecting the idea of elite power structures
But know the cancers make the olive branches obviously standard
Peace can be impossible due to entrenched hatred
So when they extend from the yachts and mansions drop your cannons
Rejecting violence and aggression as a response to privilege
All kings hang em for the cliff side drip dry
Even those in power are vulnerable to disaster
Will he clip to zip line or slip for his final dip dive
Life is uncertain and full of risks
If he live, will he survive the milligrams of middle ground
Navigating the nuances of life
They pump into the pinstripe pentagrams over tinsel town
The powerful are obsessed with superficiality
Or kill a man who trickled down the city with his scissors out as sickles
Violence destroys communities
Dipped in military hells bells and whistles
Military aggression and violence
Riders to the east
An army on the move
Now the wild tribes
The people affected by war
Thank you for the peace on earth and mercy miled high
Gratitude for peace and compassion
[Chorus]
Repeating the idea that no challenge is too great to be overcome
No mountain too high
No obstacle is insurmountable
No city too far
No distance is too great to travel
No coma tonight
No life-threatening situation
No city tomorrow
No future challenge too great
No fire too live
No amount of hardship is too much to bear
No city too charred
No damage is permanent
To treaty to sign
Peace can always be achieved
No city to guard
There is no end to the struggle for peace
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: IAN BAVITZ, JAMES ANTHONY SIMON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Max Weaver
Aes hit his pinnacle on this album in my opinion. His vocals, and the production are flawless
durereee
@Steven Peterson and Impossible Kid. and Skelethon. the original comment is moronic imho.
Steven Peterson
looks at spirit world field guide and then back at your comment ...... well this didnt age well.
durereee
Lyrical Pinnacle?
Dan Fontaine
Yup every track is replayable as hell
Avery Lopez
Max Weaver didn't he do 90% of this album?
redhotchilifan98
Hes criminally underrated
Ranger Kasdorf
God, what a dope track!
Bofur Seamantle
This album is just flawless, it leaves a fresh afterglow in my mind. There's just this really satisfying feeling when you hear an artist one hundred percent express themselves in their music. Aesop does it with just his words. Blockhead is amazing and does that in his own music, what a brilliant collaboration. But you've got to admit, even without the track hearing those expressive vocal tones from Aesop would knock you on your ass.
Matjaž Verčič
and also El-P has production credits on this song