Interview w/Aesop Rock
By: Justin Rizzio

Some people love him. Some people hate him. Some people just don’t know what the fuck he’s talking about. However you may feel about Aesop Rock, you can’t deny the fact that this NY MC sells records and packs venues. In an industry that has become over-saturated with sub-par talent, Aesop manages to come out on top with every release for about a decade now. In preparation for his current tour and upcoming Philly show, I asked Aesop a few questions, and well, here they are.
*Aesop Rock is performing THIS Tuesday (8/19/08) @ The Troc for more info on show Click HERE
And also visit his official website at: myspace.com/aesoprockwins
AND sorry again for all the bold - for a better read please Click HERE

215hiphop: You have performed in Philly a few times. What do you think of the city and it’s hip hop scene?

Aesop Rock: Philly has always been live since the first time I was there. It’s one of the first cities outside New York that I ever got to rock in. We always have great show there and cats really come out and support.

215: What do you hate the most about doing interviews?

Aesop: It gets pretty mechanical. The answers can occasionally come out sounding more programmed than I wish but it’s kinda the nature of the beast. That’s why so many interviews read the same, doesn’t even matter who they’re with. You start answering the questions the way you’ve heard others answer in whatever feels like the most interview-y way to do it.

215: At some of your recent shows, I’ve noticed, the majority of your audience is not a hip hop audience at all. I’m sure you know this. I was curious to know how do you feel about that? Also do you ever wish you had just a strictly hip hop audience?

Aesop: I don’t know if I’d agree with that thought. That’s a pretty common comment. We get people from all walks of life. My show is a rap show. People come to see me rap. I definitely do get the people that are visiting hip hop for their first time, but saying there aren’t rap fans at my shows is pretty misleading.
If you’re saying the crowd is mostly white, well OK, the crowd is mostly white. I really don’t wish my audience to look or act any way in particular; and I don’t really care what they listen to when they leave. They come to the show as a fan and we do what we can to entertain. I am grateful for anyone who comes.

215: As a hip hop artist, do you ever find it hard to relate to your fans, considering most of them are not the “conventional” rap fans?

Aesop: Ha. No? I don’t even know what this means. Are you saying you can only relate to people who fall under your definition of a “conventional” rap fan? People come to the shows and buy records based on how they relate to the music, whether the artist says something that directly hits home, or there’s just an inexplicable attraction to the sound and vibe created by the music. Whatever. The venue is already common ground.

215: You are on the Def Jux label along with El-P and Cage. There has been a lot of negative reaction toward their “indie rock look.” Do you think the way they dress now plays a part in why more and more “non hip hop” kids are buying Def Jux records?

Aesop: I don’t even know what to say to this.

215: You’ve been on Def Jux for the highlighted part of your career. I’m sure by now you’ve got offers from major labels. Would you ever jump ship at Jux to go major?

Aesop: I don’t see that happening. If I were gonna sign to a major i probably would’ve done it way earlier in my life. Interest from majors has come and gone since before I had anything out, but at this point I’m pretty comfortable. if Jux ever got some distro deal through a major then fine, but I see no reason to not be on an indie label, and more specifically Definitive Jux.

215: In 2005 you moved to San Francisco. How would you compare their hip hop scene to New York’s? Did you find yourself creating different music out there than you would have in NY?

Aesop: Well I find myself creating different stuff with each year, and looking to make new sounds. I’m sure the music is always directly affected by the environment, so saying SF had no effect on my sound would probably be untrue. But, that said, it never felt like I slipped into some SF or west coast vibe. The scene seems cool and active. There’s a ton of shows, locals as well as traveling tours. Some great venues, and the city caters to artists and musicians a lot. The musical history in SF is very apparent, and they are very proud of it, rightfully so. Much like NY there is a creative electricity that runs through the city. At the same time I’m not really out at the bar/dj scene really, I’m more in the studio or eating a burrito. I’m relatively introverted, and I like to work. If a friend is playing I will go, and I occasionally check out new artists that I don’t know of, but I’m not really out in a social way much.

215: Not too long ago I did an interview with C-Rayz Walz. He mentioned that a few Def Jux artists gave him the cold shoulder after he left the label. Any comments on that?

Aesop: I’ve known C-Rayz for a very long time. Longer than I’ve known anyone else on Jux. I haven’t seen him in a long time. He moved out of NY and got married, as did I. I’ll get a random voice mail or text occasionally. I can only speak for myself, but I have never and would never give him a cold shoulder. I’ve always had a ton of love for Walz, and I feel no differently towards him now than I ever have. We just haven’t crossed paths in a while, but it’s not for any reason.

215: A lot of people have the complaint that it’s been a bad time for hip hop releases. Since you had an album drop in ‘ 07, was there anything else that came out recently that you liked, or were disappointed by? If not, what are you currently listening to?

Aesop: I’ve been disappointed by a lot, but I don’t really make a practice of speaking too negatively about specific artists publicly. Rap is just disappointing on the whole these days. Nobody’s doing anything new. I realize that’s a common complaint, and I really held off on being “that guy” for as long as I could, but what can I say. I remember in the late 90’s seeing some high-profile rap vids on TV with jewelry, cars, women, etc, thinking to myself OK, this can’t last too much longer. Here we are in 2008 and literally nothing has changed. The thing is, if that’s your world, cars/bitches/dough/guns, fine. I would never knock that or judge someones lifestyle. BUT if that’s your thing and you call yourself an artist then for god’s sake find a new way to talk about it. Rap has turned into such a formula its crazy. It goes way beyond the actual songs. The way people write, the way the lyrics are constructed, even the general approach to the idea of braggadocio is the same. People are saying the same lines that have been used for yeeeeaaaarrrrs and just substituting a few words. It’s actually become hard to believe. Sometimes I see shit on TV and I feel like I’m waiting for someone to jump out like “just kidding!”
Ok, my rant is done.

215: You have a rapidly growing fan base and I’m sure that comes along with some interesting fan stories. What is your most interesting fan story?

Aesop: Most of the time people are really, really, great. Really respectful. Occasionally you get someone who’s a little too excited, and generally that’s still OK. On the other hand, I’ve had people ring the doorbell of my home where I live with my wife, on some “hey I payed to find out your address online and I just wanted to build….” Complete crazy shit.

215: Any last words for the 215hiphop readers ?

Aesop: Big up Philly, come check the show. Thanks!

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