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Feature: Aesop Rock Interview
Interviewer: Marcos Moret
Aesop Rock is just about to release his fifth album, entitled Bazooka Tooth, and it's a damn fine piece of work
bearing the inimitable seal of Def Jux quality (check out the review if you haven't yet done so).
We visited the abstract lyricist in his Brooklyn pad, dragged him away from a heated video game session, and talked some
shit about his art background and other stuff we thought you'd be interested in finding
out about. It's okay, thank us later - get reading...
You used to work in the shipping department of a gallery. What were you doing
there?
I worked a lot of jobs, but after graduating with an art degree all I could
do was work at galleries, and since I dressed like a slob they'd always put
me in the dungeon. I was installing shows, shipping and receiving artwork,
building crates, changing light bulbs. You know, cretin work. Nothing flashy,
but it kept food in my belly.
Tell us about the art degree you took. How did that that studying influence your music?
What was your favourite medium?
I studied painting at the school for the arts at Boston University. I had a
very classical, traditional training. It was the kind of place where you are
drawing circles for your whole first year. It'll drive you nuts - then you'll
realize later what it was all for. By the time I graduated I was painting
very large, very realistic, portraits in oil paints. I loved it, but it's
dead now. All my work is rolled up in my ex-girl's mom's basement. There are
massive similarities between that world and the rap world - they both involve
the need to harness and shape your craft before ever trying to put a "style"
into it. Style is something that just happens over years of practice and
legwork.
Who were your favourite artists when you were studying? Are there any
artists/designers/illustrators/graff artists that you like the work of
right now?
Well I could answer that forever... but when I was painting I was sort of
taught that Rembrandt was God and I still believe it. Richard Diebenkorn is
dope. I never got into anything too abstract. Mostly figurative stuff.
Graff-wise I am very excited that Phase II is working with Jux more and
more. He's a great person and an obvious graffiti pioneer, and even today
he is all about doing some next level shit. I was a fan of Gaze One's work
in the 90's. His shit was always real sharp and triangular, his letters
looked like weird blades. I liked Cope 2's stuff. I like Ewok's stuff cuz
his letters are like none I've seen. Character's too. Real creative. I
always was stunned with how Cost and Revs just ran shit in N.Y. with ups in
bulk. Same with people like JA. They were everywhere. Illustrators: I'm a
huge Chris Ware fan. His palette is always twisted. I asked him to do my
album artwork - he said no. I discovered Tomer Hanuka, “the guy that did do my
album art", after a drawing he did on the New York Times magazine cover. His
work is really original, and after sitting with him a while, he is a dope
person who I feel honored to have worked with on the project. I love my
album art. I also like Crumb's work. It was dope working on the "no jumper
cables" video. We got so many pioneers in the video and I just lit up that
day. Futura, Stay High 149, Doc, Haze…the list goes on and on. It was
dope.
How does it work when choosing the artwork of your music release covers? Do you want to do
your own artwork?
I get all the creative say in every aspect of my record, from music, to
singles, to artwork. I always tell myself that I'm gonna buckle down and do
my own artwork with each release, but it never happens. I just try to pick
shit that I like and I think works for release. I wanna work with artists I
respect. Labor Days was down by DJ Omega One, an old friend who still does
some ill shit. Tomer was dope to work with and I may work with him again -
real easy going and cool ideas. I like to find people that I don't have to
direct completely. Tomer was easy to work with cuz I basically didn't know
what I wanted exactly, but I like a lot of his work. We met up. I told him
about my record, gave him like 5 songs, told him my outlook on society
today, we talked about cartoons and girls. Then he sends me the art two weeks
later, and it is perfect. I want someone who I don't have to tip toe with
through the process. I wanna say "here's what I'm about, so do you - just
incorporate this somehow." But I want the artists to do them. That's why I
pick them.
What other stuff are you into in the arts/entertainment world - music,
film, performance arts, video games, figurines, etc?
I like toys. I love video games. Most people know this about me. I like
movies a lot, sci-fi shit. Bugged out shit. In all those categories I
haven't recently been impressed with much. The video game world is in a
serious low point - I hope they pull it together.
You've obviously travelled considerably on tour. What is your favourite foreign
country/city you've been to in the past few years?
I have traveled to a lot of places. The truth is, no matter how much I love
rocking shoes, when I'm on the road I just want to be at home. That shit is
so tiring. I like Japan, though the times I've been there it has been a
whirlwind. The jetlag plus the time difference really fucks with your body.
I like playing in New York a lot (guess i'm biased) but it's true. S.F. and
L.A. are fun too. Everywhere can be fun.
Who would you really like to collaborate with on a project?
I don't know. Musically I feel like most people I'd want to really
collaborate with I already know. Except like, Wu-Tang or Roc-a-fella. But
I'm cool, because I truly am a fan of most of my friends’ work, so as far
as I'm concerned I got what I need. I just wanna keep making dope records
and find interesting visual artists to design them. I'd love for Chris Ware
to do a cover for me, but he probably wont. I don't know. Visually, so many
rap records look exactly the same. I want to do shit that is raw rap, but
looks and sounds completely original, so i'll colab with whomever it takes
to make that happen.
Why the name Bazooka Tooth?
Super hero alter ego. I get stressed. Out comes the bazooka tooth. You are
all dead.
Pick three songs from the album and tell us what they are
about...
Hmmm…let's see. Well we got Babies With Guns, which is a sort of
rambling about how ridiculously easy it is to get guns in America. Kids have
'em. Shoot up schools. It seems like everyone is just shooting each
other. Jam Master Jay (R.I.P.) was shot around the time that song was made.
It's just weird to see these rappers with massive Jesus pieces, who thank
god first on their record, yet every word is murder. I mean, I listen to
that shit too. Bullet-slang is like caffeine. But it's all just getting a
little out of control in the "real world". Kids are just gonna start being
born with guns growing out of their faces.
Next....We're Famous featuring El-P. El cooked this beat up and it seemed like the perfect time to vent a little.
Jux has a lot of fans. With that comes lots of haters. People who just can't stand the fact that we're getting the buzz
we're getting. Kids
that'll smile in your face and pop shit later, like they deserve the fame
and we don't, or something. They'll find any reason to try to shit on us
when most of 'em at one point were fans. Nowadays the rap world on our level
deals with a lot of jealousy. No one can just say “oh they're blowing up. I
don't feel them. I'm gonna work hard to blow up now.” They'd rather cry
about who “fucked-up hip hop”, or why they should have been the ones. Me and
El, in the grand scheme of things, are not that famous at all. That's called
intentional arrogance for the purpose of a laugh. But we are getting larger
and the company is growing. That song is basically - you don't feel us, you
don't like our vibe? Cool. Fuck you. Go do your thing. Just know we got
where we are on our own terms. No one had to flip the script or pay someone
off or change they're style. I climbed this ladder my way, and it wasn't
through popping shit to get attention.
Lastly I'll talk about The Greatest Pac-Man Victory In History. This song is about a summer. That's it. It is a memory of
a really fun summer sometime in the nineties. i just wanted to capture it. It was drugs and friends. And we were all just
causing trouble
and living carelessly. I'm not allowed to live carelessly anymore. So it's
like my last summer of pure fun. No worrying about having to be an "adult".
That's it.
Note: 'Bazooka Tooth' is released 22 September 2003
Oh, and read the review of Bazooka Tooth here
RELATED LINKS:
Definitive Jux website
El-P and Mr. Lif concert review
Buy Aesop Rock's Bazooka Tooth album at Amazon
UK
|
US
Buy Aesop Rock's Daylight EP at Amazon
UK
|
US
Buy Aesop Rock's Labor Days album at Amazon
UK
|
US
PUBLISHED: Friday 12 September 2003
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::: RELATED LINKS
Bazooka Tooth album review
Definitive Jux website
El-P and Mr. Lif concert review
Buy Aesop Rock's Bazooka Tooth album at Amazon
UK
|
US
Buy Aesop Rock's Daylight EP at Amazon
UK
|
US
Buy Aesop Rock's Labor Days album at Amazon
UK
|
US
|
