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
Wise Up
Aesop Rock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(it's big aesop rock)
[now hear this]
metropolitan grab bag apocalypse
maggot patch is swallowing the traps baddest columnist
held together by a beach bucket of bolts
i'm here to bleach masker lust and touch false allegations
where the born-agains and pagans claim the same corner store pavement (pavement)
silence and the needle pin hybrid
bought you this reflecting pool to school you on my underlying bias
now if
i polish of the poison with a sip
i know my orphanage massive will help you lift my casket
but the drip of this B-positive and ominous last cackle
bury me beneath the cherry tree bough and run for the castle
(i'm one propaganda)
i'm one propaganda speech ahead of televised beckonized life cyclers
too geek to stop and decipher
we cross-section a vision every genius dreams
something i've seen with
syncopated, simultaneous land-speeder achievement (drench)
drench! river-dance your way through bed and breakfast
blemished predetermined destiny checklist (but first check this)
well i was born upon a swiftly tilting galleon circling sloppy pseudo stick paddock pity-me sound system servers (oh god)
we the ?dicky? dawn left handed scribbles of god approach gruesome by drunk buddy systems' ?whosums?
one attack sternum turn to vaporize a minor (c'mon)
the second in turn circled to confirm the fertilizer
and i'm one of a small tribe camped in a rubber stamp facility
with best friends like utility who needs these instabilities of mind
you wanna hold that grudge that's fine
in fact let's both hold grudges just to see who's stubborn and who budges
well i'm the stubbornest bastard this side of 4 dimensions
and i'm here to build this picket fence around your frigid lenses
i ain't ever known a potion as potent as zen to mend a broken friendship
i'm saying don't get defensive
(now hear this)
[wise up, rise up, size em up
line em up against the wall
it goes run, walk, crawl, wise up] x4
[i barely know myself, man
and you barely know yourself
but i don't claim to know yourself
so you claim to know myself] x4
and i hear you recognize the jeopardy
finally
shepherd me
honoring the touch of pure peasantry i've been harboring presently
tough as nails, tough enough to sail through broken ballads
with a pinch of foul demeanor inching forward through your outlets (fuck that)
fuck that, increase burden incredible NOW! couldn't even offer concept minimum wage let alone benefit grace
wait wait wait, let's pick all paper dolls, line 'em in size order just to gaze in amazement upon a short fuse getting shorter (getting shorter)
basic upheaval laced with logical absurdities (c'mon)
stolen promise lacking witness to the burglary
i'm sharp
see yesterday i seen upon the target face your bargain base with dream attached with thumbtacks, so i arched
boogie bulls-eye upon that dim excuse for group effort triple thin oxidized box cutter law slam ecosystem drippin on my person
you see my version of ruler don't include underlings scumming through yellow pages for a future
today i strike a match adapt tragedy
tomorrow humankind's logic pistons crash and burn
the next day procreation becomes annual formality
i guess it's once a kid always a kid, it's just some kids'll never learn
i pack my bags and steadily trudged out the door
off to secure my legacy in threatened water blizzards
i couldn't feed the masses with four fishes
yeah but i can force-feed em wishes
and i'd rather be hungry for desires than float an entirety (entirely)
it goes keen cohorts condense at high noon to force every rattlesnake to beat the dead horse (horse)
aesop rock, premiere dysfunctional grief citizen of course
i'm headstrong, but even stronger in support
and then i've been there done did this and that (oaight?)
i've been the engine all the way down to the railroad spike
it isn't pretty, walked in sober, staggered out dizzy
take this lesson as a key to that life mystery
(now hear this)
[wise up, rise up, size em up
line em up against the wall
it goes run, walk, crawl, wise up] x4
wise up, rise up, size em up
line em up against the wall
it goes run walk crawl
[we're runnin and
we're walkin and
we're crawlin and
we're wising up] x7
we're runnin and
we're walkin and
we're crawlin and
we're dead
The song "Wise Up" by Aesop Rock is a commentary on the chaos, confusion, and misinformation that permeates society. With references to current events, politics, religion, and the media, the lyrics paint a picture of a world in crisis. The opening lines describe a city in turmoil, with corruption and decay everywhere. The singer declares himself a truth-seeker, determined to navigate through the falsehoods and propaganda that surround him. He acknowledges his own biases but also challenges the beliefs of others.
Line by Line Meaning
now hear this
Listen closely
(it's big aesop rock)
Introducing the artist
metropolitan grab bag apocalypse
Description of the chaotic world
maggot patch is swallowing the traps baddest columnist
The media is corrupt
big vision, tiger soul anonymous alacrity and pulse
The artist's perspective on the world
held together by a beach bucket of bolts
The world is held together weakly
i'm here to bleach masker lust and touch false allegations
The artist wants to expose lies and corruption
where the born-agains and pagans claim the same corner store pavement (pavement)
People are divided by their beliefs, but share the same space
silence and the needle pin hybrid
The world is full of contradictions and secrets
bought you this reflecting pool to school you on my underlying bias
The artist wants to reveal their true perspective
now if
If this is true
i polish of the poison with a sip
The artist can overcome negativity
i know my orphanage massive will help you lift my casket
The artist has support from their community
but the drip of this B-positive and ominous last cackle
The artist knows they will die someday
bury me beneath the cherry tree bough and run for the castle
The artist wants a peaceful death
(i'm one propaganda)
The artist is using their music to spread a message
i'm one propaganda speech ahead of televised beckonized life cyclers
The artist is ahead of the mainstream media
too geek to stop and decipher
The artist is too complex for most people to understand
we cross-section a vision every genius dreams
The artist has unique insight
something i've seen with
The artist has a perspective that comes from experience
syncopated, simultaneous land-speeder achievement (drench)
The artist has achieved great things and is unstoppable
drench! river-dance your way through bed and breakfast
The artist is urging the listener to enjoy life
blemished predetermined destiny checklist (but first check this)
The idea that our fate is predetermined is flawed
well i was born upon a swiftly tilting galleon circling sloppy pseudo stick paddock pity-me sound system servers (oh god)
The artist had a difficult upbringing
we the ?dicky? dawn left handed scribbles of god approach gruesome by drunk buddy systems' ?whosums?
We are all imperfect and flawed
one attack sternum turn to vaporize a minor (c'mon)
The artist's words are powerful
the second in turn circled to confirm the fertilizer
Others will be influenced by the artist's words
and i'm one of a small tribe camped in a rubber stamp facility
The artist is part of a group of people who are trapped by society
with best friends like utility who needs these instabilities of mind
The artist does not want to be held back by societal norms
you wanna hold that grudge that's fine
The artist is aware that others might not like them
in fact let's both hold grudges just to see who's stubborn and who budges
The artist is challenging the listener to confront their own stubbornness
well i'm the stubbornest bastard this side of 4 dimensions
The artist is very stubborn
and i'm here to build this picket fence around your frigid lenses
The artist wants to broaden the listener's perspective
i ain't ever known a potion as potent as zen to mend a broken friendship
The artist believes that forgiveness is the best remedy
i'm saying don't get defensive
The artist wants the listener to be open-minded
[wise up, rise up, size em up
line em up against the wall
it goes run, walk, crawl, wise up] x4
The artist is urging the listener to become more aware and proactive
[i barely know myself, man
and you barely know yourself
but i don't claim to know yourself
so you claim to know myself] x4
The artist acknowledges that they do not fully understand themselves or others
and i hear you recognize the jeopardy
The artist senses that the listener understands the danger
finally
After a long time
shepherd me
Guide me
honoring the touch of pure peasantry i've been harboring presently
The artist values simplicity and purity
tough as nails, tough enough to sail through broken ballads
The artist is resilient
with a pinch of foul demeanor inching forward through your outlets (fuck that)
The artist does not care about being polite or politically correct
fuck that, increase burden incredible NOW! couldn't even offer concept minimum wage let alone benefit grace
The artist is frustrated with society's treatment of the working class
wait wait wait, let's pick all paper dolls, line 'em in size order just to gaze in amazement upon a short fuse getting shorter (getting shorter)
The artist is commenting on society's obsession with superficiality
basic upheaval laced with logical absurdities (c'mon)
The world is full of contradictions
stolen promise lacking witness to the burglary
Promises are often broken without consequence
i'm sharp
The artist is intelligent and perceptive
see yesterday i seen upon the target face your bargain base with dream attached with thumbtacks, so i arched
The artist sees through people's lies and illusions
boogie bulls-eye upon that dim excuse for group effort triple thin oxidized box cutter law slam ecosystem drippin on my person
The artist does not trust institutions or authority
you see my version of ruler don't include underlings scumming through yellow pages for a future
The artist does not believe that success should come at the expense of others
today i strike a match adapt tragedy
The artist is ready to confront the challenges of life
tomorrow humankind's logic pistons crash and burn
Humanity's ideas and systems will fail
the next day procreation becomes annual formality
Society will become stagnant
i guess it's once a kid always a kid, it's just some kids'll never learn
Some people never mature or grow up
i pack my bags and steadily trudged out the door
off to secure my legacy in threatened water blizzards
The artist is moving on to new challenges
i couldn't feed the masses with four fishes
The artist acknowledges their limitations
yeah but i can force-feed em wishes
The artist wants to inspire people
and i'd rather be hungry for desires than float an entirety (entirely)
The artist values ambition over comfort
it goes keen cohorts condense at high noon to force every rattlesnake to beat the dead horse (horse)
The artist is calling for unity and action
aesop rock, premiere dysfunctional grief citizen of course
The artist is known for their dark and complex music
i'm headstrong, but even stronger in support
The artist is confident and supportive
and then i've been there done did this and that (oaight?)
The artist has lived a varied life
i've been the engine all the way down to the railroad spike
The artist has been a driving force in their own life
it isn't pretty, walked in sober, staggered out dizzy
The artist has experienced challenges and setbacks
take this lesson as a key to that life mystery
The artist wants the listener to learn from their experiences
wise up, rise up, size em up
The artist is urging the listener to become more aware and proactive
it goes run walk crawl
The path to progress is slow and difficult
[we're runnin and
we're walkin and
we're crawlin and
we're wising up] x7
The artist is repeating their call to action
we're runnin and
we're dead
The artist recognizes the inevitability of death
Contributed by Josiah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@VacantCard
How the fuck do I keep coming across Aes songs I've never heard, I've been listening to him for almost a decade!
@highlyblessed87
Victor Y Sammeeeee it's very annoying but at the same time it's awesome lol. One of mine being puff tuff. Have you heard this Aes song? If not, may I suggest you do. It's sickkk
@larryknicks
That's what's dope about Aesop Rock. His body of work isn't defined by just his catalogue. There isn't really even a definition for his songs. I guess "wordy" would be adequate
@heroalas2296
Brov. I Know.
@MrSexyskyrim
Thing is he'll be still releasing shit to look forward to, more for the next generation and anyone else listening
@Titaniumjake1472
Ditto
@kclanoble7
"Im the stubbornest bastard this side of 4 demensions." Damn, i felt that.
@moriffyoulongtime
2023 checking still eternal
@BlessedPen
"My version of ruler don't include underlings thumbing through yellow pages for a future"
@nolanbarton1808
Flip through these yellow pages and draw a man GROWING MORNING