In this day and age, I could count on one hand the number of artists that can hold my attention down for an hour or over. Off the top of my head, I’d say Kendrick Lamar when he’s on his conceptual shit is one, but another is this man who has been creating one of the greatest and most underrated discographies in all of hip hop. Let’s talk about it.
This is the latest full-length album by underground lyrical legend and pioneer Aesop Rock. Emerging since the late 90s, this man has been holding down the underground long before it became as popular as it now is. His albums have been the true culture shift that helped evolve the scene into what it is today, and he’s back proving he hasn’t aged a day!
What’s even more remarkable is that this album was entirely self-produced by himself and features some of the greatest lyrical minds in the game today, such as:
-Armand Hammer
-Open Mike Eagle
-Homeboy Sandman
-Lupe Fiasco
-Hanni El Khatib
This album is one hour and eight minutes but feels like a fraction of that. It’s because Aesop has been able to captivate an audience like no one else can. With his god-level lyricism, unmatched vocabulary, and skills on the mic (for those who are unaware, it’s been proven that he has a more complex vocabulary than even Shakespeare did), he’s that good.
And across this album, he’s showcasing the same level of in-depth wordplay, puns, double entendres, and intricate rhyme schemes that literally put everyone else to shame. Across this project, he’s going back and forth between telling short stories to flat-out spinning out the audience with his feats of lyrical superiority and doing his so in his trademark, witty, and introspective manner.
The most standout track to me is ‘Charlie Horse’ as it depicts the three strongest lyricists of our time coming together for a collaboration single unlike any other. A dream pairing for all the real ones and a song that doesn’t disappoint.
As the production goes, this is exactly up the alley as you’d expect from Aesop. Art Rap/Experimental, raw and unrefined alternative hip hop that he’s been working with for over 20 years now.
It’s unpredictable, interesting and off the wall. He’s always finding new ways to keep his production fresh and unique, and he’s always open to using any and every instrument palette at his disposal to make the beats.
You’ll find anything from synths to drums, horns, strings, keys, drumless to glossy to pop; he’s literally got his hand in every jar, and he’s come out with an original album because of it. If you’ve been a fan of his over the last 20 years, then you’ll love this production! It’s him to a tee, unpredictable and fun.
This was one hell of a fucking album. The features were perfect, the production was ecstatic, and the lyricism was prime Aesop at his best. This is the kind of shit REAL underground hip hop heads love to hear!
https://open.spotify.com/album/63y5mkLctupacSr20e0O6j?si=92-_WXSCQ3qQaopsFazQNQ
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