If New York is saturated with stories, then Aesop Rock is its story teller. This urban rapper – whose music spans over four albums of futurised funk – has an unsurpassed style: vulnerable, detail driven narratives and dexterous word play combine in an onslaught of underground anecdotes and slick sounds. The result is hip hop with heart and a hard eye. Aesop Rock took a moment to talk to OUTinPerth about his music and his upcoming Australian tour as part of Future Music.
Scott-Patrick Mitchell: You seem to lack the usual braggadocio one would commonly associate with mainstream hip-hop artists. How do you think your candour has shaped not only your music, but also your career?
Aesop Rock: A lot of that competitive edge and braggadocio is how I started writing. At some point though I hit a wall and I got sick of talking about myself. I figured that there was a thousand and one stories that I could be writing instead of sitting there writing about how I’m dope. Mostly with the most recent record I decided that I wanted to present characters and write stories about them, write about someone who wasn’t me for once. It was a chance to break the box, even more so I don’t want to mention myself. I want to be the author.
SPM: You have a tattoo of some lyrics from one of your songs – with all the words you have crafted over the last ten years, why choose ‘must not sleep; must warn others’?
AR: It seemed like a bit of a mission statement. I used it in a song, and then I thought hey, this is kinda what this is all about: stay alert, keep making music and watch out for people.
SPM: You just played a MySpace Secret Show on January 22nd. What effect has MySpace had on your fan base and your music’s exposure?
AR: I think it’s great for everybody. It provides an instant access. I can update whenever I want. I can communicate with fans. If I come up with some music I’ve just made I can throw it up there for a few days and take it down when I want to. It allows me to present myself how I want without the record labels involvement. So it was MySpace who approached me to do a show and they put a lot of money into promoting it. Plus it was an all ages gig, and a free one at that. So the next thing I knew, I was on a plane to New York. It was great.
SPM: In the past you have referenced yourself as being an ‘earthworm’, or someone from the underground. Do you still see yourself as someone who is an underground artist?
AR: Yeah I do. I’m always willing to take a risk. A lot of other people are wanting to find a formula whereas if I see the formula I’m gonna run away from it. Being that underground artist is a very surprising position to be in. You get to do a lot of your own footwork.
Aesop Rock appears as part of the Future Music Festival at Wellington Square on March 2, 2008.
