Well, not to argue but he's in his mid to late 30s and has made a living by rapping since he graduated from college, I think.
But you're right, he's a paranoid guy who righteously hates wage-slavery.
He lives in San Francisco now so life may be a little more relaxed for him.

Whatever his personal situation, I have always looked up to him as a spokesperson for those of us who want more out of life than clock-punching as well as for being a defender of the idea that capable people can make at least a meager living by creating art.

Greatest Pac-Man Victory in History - 162

One of the first songs not on Labor Days that really got me into Aesop. Probably my second favorite song next to Battery. Love the all L.S.D. verse. Lazy summer days...

Freeze - 102

No Jumper Cables - 100

We're Famous - 90

Cook It Up - 74
Super Fluke - 73
Easy - 72

11:35 - 64

I used to like this song ^. Now, I'm so tired of it I never want to hear it again. Just about my least favorite Aesop Rock song on the books. Just about.

Bazooka Tooth - 63

NY Electric - 58

Mars Attacks - 54
Kill the Messenger - 52
Babies With Guns - 48

This track finally grew on me. I really really like the lyrics. I like the pokes he takes at gangbangers with crucifix chains and/or Catholic/Christian tattoos.

Limelighters - 38




The best thing about Bazooka Tooth is that he released all the a cappela and instrumentals so that people could easily remix the album.

My Bazooka Tooth remix thread


Well said

Actually he worked as a waiter while making the first few records. I'm not sure what his age would be an argument against?

I think his San Francisco transformation may be why i'm so bored by his newer material.

Pretty much any good artist is a spokesperson for life outside of societal confines right?

That's very different from my take on it. I've always seen it being simply about work, not as a negative, but just as a general topic ranging from, yes, punching the clock to focusing your energies on your creative work.

I'm not trying to prove my point incessantly, it's just i really don't have anything else to do today. Of course it's all totally subjective.

But lyrics like
Lead me to believe he's isn't coming from an impartial perspective. It's just my perception. On Float he has a lot more clear criticism dealing with working, and that may have skewed how i listened to this.

I didn't say an impartial perspective, I said the album focuses on work as a general topic in a variety of ways. "No Regrets", for example, is all about someone's life work, while "9-5er's Anthem" isn't so much anti-work as it is anti-meaningless work—he actually says that pretty explicitly in the closing lyrics of the song.

1) His current age plus his success in underground hip-hop = he's a very successful underground hip-hop artist. He's not making a lot of money but he does it anyway. He doesn't wait tables, he pays his rent by making music.

2) You're bored with the latest stuff you've heard? I'm not.

3) Absolutely wrong. Unless you're talking about artists who are very young and willing to subsist on almost no money (like living in a van), most "good" artists work very much within the confines of society and the way that much larger sums of money is normally generated (i.e. an investor pouring lots of ducats into promoting them and selling their merchandise which is the real commodity of commercial musicians. I know I don't need to explain this to you but you brought it up). To reference my point #1, most musicians don't make a reasonably sound living without getting within the confines of commercially successful record labels (i.e. society) even if its a very low-paying underground hip-hop label like Def Jux or Rhymesayers. They all have to make enough money to support themselves somehow. The way small, poor labels do it without wealthy investors? Employ talented artists who will work hard and garner the support of devoted fans. Duh.

I think Aesop Rock and all successful rappers his age (hence the reason I mentioned his age) would agree that making money in their field is hard work. But it is work that they do for their own satisfaction as well as for feeding themselves. As for Aesop Rock, he's definitely against the 9-5 clock punching method of generating income. The exceedingly few rappers who can feed themselves and pay their rent by making $$ from their own heartfelt art obviously work VERY fucking hard to do so.

A$AP Sparky, isn't all of the above obvious?

I posted both the closing stanzas of 9-5ers anthem to support my view point, so if you wouldn't mind expressing how you read those lyrics?

What was the original point of this? That because you think he never endured a typical job that his album wouldn't be from that perspective?





Thankyous sir, quite astonished i must say.

When i said all artists are a spokesperson for a life outside of societal confines(not necessarily living it themselves, but advocating for it) i was addressing this comment specifically, i shoulda made that clearer my bad.

I mean that could represent anybody from twizted sister to matisyahu really. I 'm just trying to pick on you for giving aesop some-what i believe to be(!!)-lame praise.

The lyrics I'm referring to aren't ones you posted. Maybe I'm forgetting where they happen in the song. Anyway, the part I was referring to is this:

I read this as him expressing a negative opinion about shitty, meaningless work, not work in general. He's saying people should be doing work that means something to them and that makes them happy, as opposed to simply punching the clock at some worthless job. To me it's pretty clearly stated with the lines:

And we may not hate our jobs
But we hate jobs in general
That don't have to do with fighting our own causes

I don't even see the argument. Janszoon, Sparky, you're talking about the same things with different words, from different sides. It's kind of funny. You're both right.

Also, Engine, good ish.

Really loving the new Lushlife album. Flawless production.

I was at the pier in Brooklyn on Saturday and had no idea the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival was going on. I could just make out this song and tried to rush up to see them but I just missed the end of their set. I was pretty pissed.

Yessir.

Yep.

Imagine the magnitude of MD DOOM...

Not sure if its been mentioned before but Hopsin.

You haven't heard of him but you won't forget him once you do!

Fucking good shit man. No doubt one of the posters on here that I make an effort to listen to or read whatever you post.

NEED HELP!!! I have a friend who I am trying to introduce to the hip-hop genre and have recommended various albums for a newbie to do so. But she is deciding to make it a little more complicated and asked that I make a compilation album instead of good hip-hop. I thought being a music addict this would be a simple task, but I am having a little more difficulty than first anticipated. My problem is not so much selection than it is transition. I have a terrible knack for putting various songs together.

So if anyone has the time to lend me a helping hand here, I would very much appreciate it. You won't be rewarded with much than a simple "thank you" but it may still give you a warm feeling deep down knowing you helped another crazed music follower.

hood reccomendation of today



if you mad cuz im bad then im glad cuz u sad

I know a band that has meaningful lyrics...
 

King Tuesday from Minneapolis... great talent, more rock than hip hop - but mc's keep a good flow and the singer is amazing- Their single "Bach" was recorded with a pro engineer for universal and they are getting label attention for their efforts - probably see more of them soon!

Find them on reverbnation (I would post a link but I guess I need to get to 15 posts)

i love her

I couldn't help but crack up.

i'll probably be this way until the final.

I'm looking for two totally different things- really dark, explicit stuff and obscure feel good uptempo stuff. no I'm not bipolar.

Sasha Go Hard is like the black Kreayshawn. Yes, that's supposed to be an insult.

a poignant critique

Tech N9ne "Am I A Psycho?" Official Music Video (Feat. B.o. B. and Hopsin) - YouTube

These are must watches:




Brings me right back 5 years to college. Still keeping up with them (mostly Hiero and Eligh and Sunspot Jonz) but I'm glad they're all doing well and still going strong. Crowd seemed kinda lame at first, but I guess they edited most of the crowd sounds out - which really makes Hiero's call and response sound like ****. But they lit it up.

Good stuff d00d :)

so good.

This is pretty cool man. Need to check out more of his stuff, but I like it.

Speaking of tnght
Does anyone know the beat that they're playing at 1:30 mark?

its nasty

voice of a generation.

Tha Alkaholiks AND The Beatnuts have joined forces as a hip hop collective.
This track is a perfect example of the Hip Hop I fell in love with;
a bunch of angry dudes over a sinister beat. FRESH OUTTA 2012!

These are two of my favorite hip hop groups, the fact that they
are doing this makes me so excited I can't even ****ing sit still.
If you still haven't pressed play let me just say this;

Tash
J-Ro
E-Swift
Juju
Psycho Les

Sounds like a bunch of grumpy old crocodiles if you ask me.

best song ever.

I hope you were being sarcastic.

Dude to have new Beatnuts is nuts. Best news of the month for sure. Will be looking for that.

F'n "'Lic n Nuts" man, that's fantastic isn't it.