Aesop Rock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aesop Rock
Aesop Rock performing in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Ian Matthias Bavitz
Born	(1976-06-05) June 5, 1976 (age 49) Syosset, New York, U.S.
Origin	Northport, New York, U.S.
Genres	East Coast hip hop alternative hip hop underground hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper songwriter record producer
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Definitive Jux Mush Rhymesayers Stones Throw
Signature

Ian Matthias Bavitz (born June 5, 1976), known as Aesop Rock, is an American rapper and producer. He comes from Long Island, New York. He became famous in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was known for his unique style of underground and alternative hip hop music. A music website called betterPropaganda once ranked him among the top artists of the decade.

Aesop Rock has released many albums. His first album, Music for Earthworms, came out in 1997. Other popular albums include Float (2000), Labor Days (2001), and None Shall Pass (2007). The song "None Shall Pass" became one of his most well-known tracks. His most recent album, Black Hole Superette, was released in May 2025.

He has also been part of several music groups. These include The Weathermen, Hail Mary Mallon, and the Uncluded. Currently, he is the singer for the duo Malibu Ken. He chose his stage name, Aesop, from a movie character he played. The "Rock" part was added later because it sounded good in his rhymes.

Early Life and Education

Ian Bavitz was born in Syosset, New York, and grew up in Northport. He has two brothers, Christopher and Graham. Ian was raised Catholic but later became agnostic. He went to Northport High School and graduated in 1994.

After high school, Bavitz studied visual arts at Boston University in Massachusetts. He earned his degree in 1998. There, he met Blockhead, who would become a frequent music producer for him. Blockhead decided to focus on producing after hearing Aesop Rock freestyle. Before becoming a full-time musician, Aesop Rock worked various jobs. These included answering phones for clothing companies and working at photo developing stores.

Music Career Highlights

Early Days in New York City

Ian Bavitz started rapping in the early 1990s. He was inspired by hip hop groups like Public Enemy and Run DMC. He also listened to rock bands such as Dead Kennedys. Bavitz learned to play the piano and bass. He later got a sampler to create his own beats.

While in college, he released two albums on his own. These were Music for Earthworms (1997) and Float (2000). Music for Earthworms sold over 300 copies. He promoted it through his website and MP3.com. His friend Blockhead produced many of his early songs. In 1999, he signed his first record deal with the Mush label.

Rising Popularity and New Albums

After Float, Aesop Rock signed with Definitive Jux, a record label in Manhattan. He released Labor Days in 2001. This album talked about work and "wage slaves" in American society. The song "Labor" was even featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4. This helped him gain more fans. Labor Days was his first album to appear on the Billboard charts.

Aesop Rock performing in 2006

In 2003, he released Bazooka Tooth. Aesop Rock produced most of the songs on this album himself. He also released music videos for his singles "No Jumper Cables" and "Freeze." A remix of "No Jumper Cables" was in Tony Hawk's Underground 2, which further increased his recognition. In 2004, he held a contest where fans could remix his songs.

New Projects and Collaborations

In 2005, Aesop Rock released an EP called Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives. This EP included a booklet with lyrics from his past albums. He also created a 45-minute instrumental track for the Nike+iPod running system in 2007. This track was designed to keep runners motivated.

His fifth full-length album, None Shall Pass, came out in August 2007. This album received positive reviews. After None Shall Pass, Aesop Rock took a break from solo albums for a few years. During this time, his label, Definitive Jux, went on hiatus. His next album, Skelethon, was released in 2012 by Rhymesayers Entertainment. He toured the United States to promote it.

Aesop Rock also worked with other artists. He produced an album for the group Felt in 2009. He formed the group Hail Mary Mallon with Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz. They released two albums: Are You Gonna Eat That? (2011) and Bestiary (2014). He also created the Uncluded with folk singer Kimya Dawson. Their album, Hokey Fright, came out in 2013.

Recent Works

In 2016, Aesop Rock released his seventh album, The Impossible Kid. The song "Rings" from this album was featured in the video game Madden NFL 17. In 2017, he created his first film soundtrack for the movie Bushwick.

In 2019, he teamed up with electronic musician Tobacco to form the duo Malibu Ken. They released a self-titled album that same year. His eighth solo album, Spirit World Field Guide, was released in 2020. In 2021, he reunited with producer Blockhead for the album Garbology.

In December 2022, Aesop Rock released the song "Pumpkin Seeds" with rapper Lupe Fiasco. This song helped raise money for skateparks in Dayton, Ohio. His ninth solo album, Integrated Tech Solutions, came out in November 2023. He released singles like "Mindful Solutionism" and "By the River" from this album. His tenth studio album, Black Hole Superette, was released in May 2025.

Lyrical Style

Critics often say that Aesop Rock's lyrics are very detailed and sometimes hard to understand. He often uses many words and complex ideas. However, he says his songs are not meaningless. He explains that his lyrics are inspired by his own life experiences.

In 2014, a study found that Aesop Rock used more unique words in his songs than many other hip-hop artists. He even used more unique words than famous writers like Shakespeare. To improve his vocabulary, he reads a lot of news and science articles. He writes down interesting words he finds.

Personal Life

In 2005, Aesop Rock married Allyson Baker, a guitarist and singer from the band Dirty Ghosts. They lived in San Francisco but have since divorced.

Discography

• Music for Earthworms (1998)
• Float (2000)
• Labor Days (2001)
• Bazooka Tooth (2003)
• None Shall Pass (2007)
• Skelethon (2012)
• The Impossible Kid (2016)
• Spirit World Field Guide (2020)
• Garbology (2021) (with Blockhead)
• Integrated Tech Solutions (2023)
• Black Hole Superette (2025)

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Aesop Rock para niños