Aesop Rock (born Ian Bavitz on June 5, 1976) is an alternative hip hop arti… Read Full Bio ↴Aesop Rock (born Ian Bavitz on June 5, 1976) is an alternative hip hop artist/producer from Long Island, New York, United States. He has released ten albums: "Music for Earthworms" (1997), "Float" (1999), "Labor Days" (2001), "Bazooka Tooth" (2003), "None Shall Pass" (2007), "Skelethon" (2012), "The Impossible Kid" (2016), and "Spirit World Field Guide" (2020), "Garbology" (2021), and "Integrated Tech Solutions" (2023). He is also a member of the groups Hail Mary Mallon, The Weathermen, Two of Every Animal and The Uncluded.
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
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
Zodiaccupancture
Aesop Rock Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Aesop Rock:
1 to 10 Bad back, bad back, bad back One half zig while the…
1000 Deaths Verse One: I saw the rod-eye cross and murder circle above…
10_-_coordinates [Les Miserables sample] STUDENT ONE Platoon of sappers ad…
11:35 Some cats grow by the laws of the wild Some learn…
39 Thieves Hunters with their dogs and deer rifles Thousands of them li…
6B Panorama I was sitting on my fire escape and I saw Sturdy…
89.9FM Nighttrain Promo (whats up this is Aesop Rock for wkcr, check it) I…
9 to 5'ers anthem [Aesop Rock] Zoom in to the fuming of an aggravated breed Vi…
Abandon All Hope Aesop Rock (Aesop Rock)... (x16) Is a love such as that…
Alchemy I spit with an immense amount of power Skull flame showers,…
Alchemy (feat. Blueprint) [Blueprint] I spit with an immense amount of power Skull fla…
Alchemy feat. Blueprint I spit with an immense amount of power Skull flame showers,…
all city nerve map There's nothin' you or anyone can do, this is my…
All Day: Nike Original Run Boy in the box, the fever is all day Boy in…
All Day: Nike+ Original Run Boy in the box, the fever is all day, boy…
All in all He's a Maniac maniac All in all in all in all…
Antisocial [looped sample] It's like antisocial hazardous portion orga…
Appleseed Intro APPLESEED (one, two) yeah. yeah- i recall the first time …
Attaboy Hi everybody, hope you're doing well Today I want to talk…
Attention Span Every little step we take breaks the dreams Of a warm…
Attention Span (feat. Vast Aire) [Aesop Rock] 3x Every little step we take breaks the dreams …
Babies With Guns Radio check check Video check check This is how the city-fol…
Bad Karma These wings... Have seen things most men would melt apart f…
Basic Cable Television, all hail grand pixelated god of Fantasy, murder …
Battery Yo, change the fuckin' channel I burn a coma candle When the…
Bazooka Tooth That jackhammer is so real Diamond covered spine Armadillo …
Bent Life [Aesop Rock] Yo I take 10 steps with a bed lamped vision Stu…
bentlife [Aesop Rock] Yo I take 10 steps with a bed lamped vision …
Big Bang Well, so we meet again (He said he's grown spiritually since…
Blacklist Keep in mind this flow is used for practice. Even so…
Blood Sandwich Yep Steps up to the plate Little brother, little league Eigh…
Blue in the Face Yo, I surf an axiom kicked in a center fold…
Boombox Raw, I'm going to give it to you With no trivia Raw…
Boot Soup You can't eject the new soy bomb Boiled tongue that hop…
Bracket Basher Hey yo must not sleep I bash the bracket open and…
Bring Back Pluto (Aesop Rock) And then there were eight (then there were eigh…
Button Masher Mash the buttons, knock knock, never yield Phobias in motion…
Catacomb Kids I was a dark, dumb student No hooky rookie day trippin'…
Citronella I stood before the glittery borders of new radius in…
Coffee [Chorus] We don't need no walkie-talkies, nope no walkie tal…
Coma We now present to you, music Music to make you stutter I've…
Commencement at the Obedience Academy Verse One: The harvest appeared less plentiful than last se…
Cook It Up Cook it up Spooky Salute Look Zoop, well hook it up Shoop th…
Cook It Up feat. P.F.A.C Cook it up Spooky Salute Look Zoop, well hook it up Sho…
Coordinates Platoon of sappers advancing toward the barricade! Troops be…
Coveralls Ayy I could give a fuck if there's mold on my…
Coward Of The Year (the Controls) Does it feel, you're the coward of the year?…
Crooked Shh the baby is sleeping A blind date with CNN a…
Crystal Sword Carry his own water as nary a known other Read a…
Dark Heart News Chorus: We don't need no walkie-talkies, nope no walkie talk…
Daylight Yoput one up shackle me, not clean logic procreation I did…
Dead Pan This be the dawning of the age of dead water Stitchin…
Defender Alex up the street called, said he saw a bobcat Keep…
Dog at the Door Huh? Who's there? Dog at the front door barking at the…
Dokken Rules One one one one one One two and freeze, don't nobody…
Dorks Question, if I died in my apartment like a rat…
Drawbridge [Aesop Rock and Dose One] This is not your ordinary ballad W…
Drums On The Wheel Calling Gamma Ray This is Major Cigar Do you read me Gamma…
Dryspell On a sunny afternoon in lower east side New York... You…
Easy (Thank you) Cameras or guns one of ya'll is gonna shoot…
Encounter (Yo Blueprint Let's put it on these cats check it) Zig-zag Z…
Facemelter blaze with a face melter, go fish, pigeon itchin for a…
Fascination Shooken to Casper. Illustrate beautiful disaster. Flight of …
Fast Cars Checkmate sucka, not a move, game's over! Who's that walkin…
Fishtales Once upon a time in the days of yore When the people…
Five Fingers Take take, the medicine tastes great Got the key to the…
Fixed and Dilated House of cards and bent bars, hold up Body parts that…
Flashflood "We'll have more news after this commercial word" (As so it…
Flies Flies buzz around the sink Lunch on crumbs, fuck y'all think…
Float This fallen angel could stitch a wing with a shoestring The…
Food Clothes Medicine (Food clothes medicine) Heh, so y'all know it's nearly a hu…
Freeze It goes welcome the pop off, some pop soft. We…
Freeze / Honeycomb It goes welcome the pop off, some pop soft We bang…
Frijoles Yeah Yeah nasa lets try this Ah Park your bets Sharks …
Fumes You ain't shit man Your story's a joke You should package it…
Garbage Wing of wax? Or wing of gold leaf? Choose one Float…
Gauze Some of you know me already Those of you who don't You're…
Get Out of the Car I see how y'all be trying to front, man y'all…
Getaway Car Cage Yo, I?ll send this to alla my corporate corpses Trying …
Grace [NOTE: These are the official lyrics, straight from the lyri…
Gun For The Whole Family [Aesop Rock] Before shooting troops was cooler than hula ho…
Hello From the Spirit World Hello from the Spirit World My days here have been as Reward…
Hold the Cup Verse One: And the saints go marching in Serpentine regi…
Holy Smokes Well they were selfish with the helmets on the little…
Holy Waterfall I'm a glutton where the food Still shimmy and shake Not a…
Home Again I'm in a red zone, That's my miracle meridian, Boundaries l…
Hot Dogs (We're so excited We don't know what to do because we're Abo…
How to Be a Carpenter So you want to be a carpenter, do you? Well it…
I Scum of the earthly I plug into the 1+1=13 Summer of love,…
I'll Be OK Burn it down Pad the circles 'round your life To capture all…
I'll Be OK (feat. Slug) [Slug] Burn it down... Pad the circles 'round your life To …
infinity fill goose down The brand reads Animal Farm A fugee on the lam, runnin'…
Jazz Hands Love note to the whole fuck show Postmarked from a lighthous…
Jumping Coffin (What-what, what's that?) I'm-I'm-I'm-I'm a slow burn, craw…
Junkyard Same hand that snuggled the barbed wire Tug an orphan assor…
Keep Off The Lawn (Good Evening) (Happy to be Breathing) (I am Alive) (Yeah) (…
Kill Switch This is Minister Metal Foot, treat a pedal like an…
Kill The Messenger Hey stupid, you're listening to Bazooka tooth, dental cannon…
Kirby Hey Kirby Whatcha doing Kirby Whatcha doing there Hobgoblin…
Know That To Know This Was in the throes of Rome with goat's legs Clip clip…
Kodokushi I shouldn't even be here, mum's the word I burn down…
KOWP I could drive a car through a fence Bonnie's sitting shotty,…
Labor "This is labor" {*echoes*} {*sample cut and scratched*} [Ae…
Lazy Eye (Super fresh) My spirit animal comes with a pretzel bun Tro…
Limelighter ft. Camp Lo Pain cave uno, smoking a broken blue note. Tar pit…
Limelighters (feat. Camp Lo) AESOP- Pain cave uno, smoking a broken blue note. Tar…
Limelighters / Flunkadelic Pain cave uno smokin' a broken Blue Note Tar pit escape…
Limelighters feat. Camp Lo Pain cave uno, smoking a broken blue note. Tar pit…
Long Legged Larry "With a body length of about twenty centimeters Bull frogs a…
Lotta Years The kid that work down at the local Baskin-Robbins Got a…
Maintenance Count that for me, thanks One, two, one, two, three, four…
Mars Attacks These lil', lil' fuckin' Martians You gotta love em' though …
Merit All right I can hear the ocean in a shell, but, For…
Miami Advice I was feeling master blasted, lost my id My anti-entity And …
Molecules (That's impossible) (Come on) Spoilers, the non bon-voyage…
Mystery Fish Tech support, feral army In a cave on a failed bit…
N.Y. Electric New York (indistinct) Stanton Isle, up state, Tri-state Just…
N.Y. Electric / Hunter Interlude New York (indistinct) Stanton Isle, up state, Tri-state Ju…
Next Best Thing You can read along with me in your book You will…
Nickel Plated Pockets [INTRO: Vast Aire & Aesop conversing] Yo, (Alright Ok) Can I…
Night Light Voice: "Day turns Night" x8 [Aesop Rock] Night Light suckas…
No City (for want of a name the shoe was lost) (for want…
No Jumper Cables Burn train buffers My fancy Up jumps the boogie delivering e…
No Regrets Lucy was 7 and wore a head of blue barettes City…
No Splash [Aesop Rock] January, I fell to the cobblestone In April, I …
None Shall Pass Flash that buttery gold Jittery zeitgeist, wither by the wat…
Numb Atop the news this evening this just in! Thanks Bob! Due to…
Numb (to the Guns) (News Reporter) Atop the news this evening *static* This jus…
Number Nine Deliver us from evil. Litter bugged amoedba simmer on the…
NY Electric New York (indistinct) Stanton Isle, up state, Tri-state Just…
Odessa Shhh Dose: Well or, And this is, new york city Ae…
One Brick [Aesop Rock] I start my city with a brick (one brick) Then…
One Brick (feat. Illogic) I start my city with a brick (one brick) Then add…
one brick ft illogic [Aesop Rock] I start my city with a brick (one brick) Then…
One of Four 1 of 4... My name is Ian Mathias Bavitz. I was born…
Oxygen I'm twice born, once and seven something Once is the resurre…
Panorama I was sitting on my fire escape and I saw Sturdy…
Pigs Sharks in the dunk tank, vipers in the garden Locusts stole…
Pizza Alley Keep it classy key to Pizza Alley Weaving traffic in a…
Plastic Soldiers Style messiah, Hot like a volcano with fire The sound of…
Play Dead This is not good Batshit, I'm batshit My ship's crashed, my…
Preservation Yeah riff raff Uh, Weathermen, Hieroglyphics, what up? Ok R…
Prosperity Sulking and bulking a half sulking a laugh crash test figure…
Pumpkin Seeds Outside isn't what it seem It seem like nothing up the…
Put Your Quarters Up "Trapped in a deadly video game "Trapped in a deadly video…
Rabies Hey warm cider, barn full of spiders Orange moon, starry nig…
Racing Stripes There is a bowl cut template mapped with a billy…
Rickety Rackety Aesop Rock Smack dab in the middle of the cuddles and…
Rickety Rackety feat. El-P & Camu Tao Aesop Rock Smack dab in the middle of the cuddles and…
Rings What'cha gotta do, what'cha gotta do, what'cha gotta, what'c…
Ruby '81 July 4th,1981,candles of a Roman ilk Unloaded from a chevy …
Sabbatical With Options "Are you leaving for the country? You say the city brings…
Salt Severe cold, stare at the code Keep a small circle like…
Same Space Killings reflect the destiny of the village So when 20 coun…
Save Yourself (Chill with that ill behavior) - KRS sample Pull the pin…
Shere Kahn (Sample from Sing-A-Song) "You can come, I'll leap right ov…
Shere Khan You can come, I'll leap right over Any day you like System…
Shovel I don't shrug, I study the ramifications of my shovel Lovin'…
Shrunk My first name is a random set of numbers and…
Sick Friend (Intro - Unknown man) Thou mayest indeed Tune onto the for…
Side Quest I like skating to the store at night in Autumn weather…
Sinister (Sample from "Snatch") "Do you know what 'nemesis' means? …
and many more tracks by Aesop Rock.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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RedefineYou
Still my favorite Ace line to this day: "Headaches, nausea, vomiting, facial paralysis. These are a few of my favorite venomous side effects."
Darrick Hubbard
All of his songs reach unreachable depths.
Stranger
His flow is off the charts
NinjaCoded
im here cuz Aesop Rock is a beast, lyrical genius, and an inspiration to build my vocab
Joe Smith
I lyrical tracking program was written by a computer science major. He entered ALL the lyrics of the top 150 rappers of all time. Aesop was like 27-30% greater in vocabulary than the next nearest. Dude's a lyrical legend.
Jerry Piper
I think ace. (Not known enough) might be the best lyricist we’re gunna see
13 Amp
This is the album that tied the old aesop sound with the new aesop sound (everything before this album had a particular sound and everything after had a certain sound, this album marries the styles)
Thomas Alverson
Exactly ^^
John Dee
Well said!
Mental Hellth
This beat is something else. I liked this era of Aes