Skelethon - Aesop Rock (2012)
a run through four decades of the hip hop underground
You won’t have to read here very long to figure out who my all-time favorite rapper is. I love me some Aesop Rock. He does amazing things with the language and always has something observant or clever to hide in his chaotic but strategically-built verses.
I’ve already written up None Shall Pass, which probably would have landed in this slot. But the follow-up is every bit as strong.
It’s easy to dismiss as jumbled claptrap, but there’s such deep wordplay here that you’ll spend a month picking it all apart if you let yourself.
Tracks I Liked
ZZZ Top - Tribute to the old culture turning into the new culture
Cycles To Gehenna - a frightening and complex view of the end of all things… OMG. Aes-chetology.
Racing Stripes - aside from a funny take on how to let loose some chaos magic, it’s a tribute to his close confidant, the gone-too-soon Camu Tao
Grace - The trauma of having to eat your vegetables
Dokken Rules - be sure to stick around for the “deluxe version” additions of what I’m assuming are outtakes of the recently-recorded Hail Mary Mallon session pairing our boy with Rob Sonic.
