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 music producer. He grew up in Long Island, New York. He became well-known in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was a leader in the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop music.

Aesop Rock has released many albums throughout his career. His first album, Music for Earthworms, came out in 1997. Other popular albums include Labor Days (2001), None Shall Pass (2007), and The Impossible Kid (2016). His most recent album, Integrated Tech Solutions, was released in 2023.

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.

About his stage name, Aesop Rock once explained: "I got the name Aesop from a movie I was in with friends. It was my character's name and it just stuck. The 'Rock' part came later from using it in my rhymes."

Early Life and Education

Growing Up in New York

Ian Bavitz was born in Syosset, New York. He spent his childhood in Northport, on Long Island. He has two brothers, Christopher and Graham.

College Years and Music Start

After high school, Ian went to Boston University in Massachusetts. He studied visual arts and earned his degree in 1998. It was there that he met Blockhead, who would become a frequent music partner. Blockhead was impressed by Aesop Rock's rapping. He decided to focus on producing music for Aesop instead of rapping himself.

Music Career Highlights

Early Days in New York City

As a young person, Ian often visited New York City. These trips greatly influenced his view of hip hop culture. He started rapping in the early 1990s. He was inspired by groups like Public Enemy, BDP, and Run DMC. He also enjoyed rock bands such as Dead Kennedys and Fugazi. Ian learned to play the piano and bass. He later got a sampler to create his own beats.

While in college, Aesop Rock released his first two projects. These were Music for Earthworms (1997) and the Appleseed EP (1999). These early works helped him gain attention in the underground hip-hop world. Many of his early songs were produced by his friend Blockhead.

In 1999, he signed his first record deal with the Mush label. He then released his first major album, Float (2000).

Breakthrough Albums and Video Games

After Float, Aesop Rock signed with Definitive Jux, a label based in Manhattan. He released Labor Days in 2001. This album talked about work and society. Its song "Daylight" became very popular. A remix of "Labor" was even featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4. This helped more people discover his music.

In 2003, he released Bazooka Tooth. Aesop Rock produced most of the songs on this album himself. The song "No Jumper Cables" was featured in Tony Hawk's Underground 2. This further increased his fame.

Aesop Rock performing in 2006

Unique Projects and Collaborations

In 2005, Aesop Rock released an EP called Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives. He also created a special 45-minute instrumental track for the Nike+iPod running system in 2007. It was called All Day. He wanted the music to feel like a runner was moving through different cities.

His fifth album, None Shall Pass, came out in 2007. It received positive reviews from critics and fans.

After None Shall Pass, Aesop Rock took a break from solo albums for a few years. During this time, he worked with other musicians. He formed the group Hail Mary Mallon with Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz. They released two albums. He also teamed up with folk singer Kimya Dawson to form the Uncluded. Their album Hokey Fright came out in 2013.

Recent Music and Film Work

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, Aesop Rock created his first film soundtrack for the movie Bushwick. In 2019, he formed the duo Malibu Ken with electronic musician Tobacco. They released a self-titled album.

His eighth solo album, Spirit World Field Guide, was released in 2020. In 2021, he reunited with producer Blockhead for the album Garbology. In 2022, he released "Pumpkin Seeds" with rapper Lupe Fiasco. This song helped raise money for skateparks in Dayton, Ohio. His latest album, Integrated Tech Solutions, came out in 2023.

Lyrics and Vocabulary

Aesop Rock is known for his very complex and unique lyrics. Some people find them hard to understand because of his detailed word choices. However, his lyrics are often inspired by his own life experiences.

In 2014, a study found that Aesop Rock had the largest vocabulary in hip hop. He used more unique words than many other famous rappers. He even used more unique words than found in Shakespeare's plays or the book Moby Dick. To build his vocabulary, he reads many news and science articles. He writes down interesting words he finds.

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)

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Aesop Rock para niños