URB » Aesop Rock

Top 12 Acts Of 2012 :: URB Readers Poll Winners

URB.com — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 21:22:11 +0000

The votes have been tallied and once again URB readers have made their voices heard. And how did 2012 flesh out in terms of your favorite artists? A rock solid mix of all-time favorites, current buzz-makers and a few veteran acts climbing their way to the top once again. Don’t call it a comeback — although it seems hip-hop dominated your world in 2012, while the rest of America was jocking EDM as the next big thing. Are MCs the new DJs, who are the new pop stars, already?

12. DOOMTREE

This seven-person collective from the Twin Cities has been on our radar for almost a decade, although it seemed like they’d forever be in the shadow of MPLS patriarchy Rhymesayers. Not that there’s anything but healthy competition between the two camps. And now, riding on win after win as a team, plus all-star performances from individual players Lazerbeak and Dessa, Doomtree has cracked our year end list for the first time. Looks like Minnesota is still the hip-hop capital of the Midwest.

Evidence, Cats & Dogs

M.F. DiBella — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:12:45 +0000

Evidence is that dude. Many heads point to 2007′s Weatherman as one of hip-hop’s recent treasures. That first solo project, with production from Sid Roams, The Alchemist, Jake One, Babu & Ev (all of whom are back on this one, save Jake One), had a refreshingly crisp sonic blueprint, heavy on the spacy synths and brimming with soul. Having now made a switch from the lost-at-sea ABB to Rhymesayers with a Layover (EP) in between, everything is back in order for the dilated one to drop another top-drawer record.

The only preconceived notion for this album was that the sound would be more muddy Minneap than Ev’s straight-ahead Venice Beach formula. This is foiled early on; the only track with fellow Rhymesayers is “Late For The Sky” with Aesop Rock & Slug (decent verse but Slug’s voice sounds a parsec tinny compared to Ev’s & Aesop’s, yeah the fool co-owns the label, got his feet up, so what).

Ev over Primo is nice, very adequate, if not just a bit underwhelming. The Raekwon/Ras Kass features on “The Red Carpet” are memorable but the best collaboration is “Fame” with add-ons from Roc Marciano & Prodigy. Premier chimes in again on “The Epilogue,” a superior composition to “You.” The album’s overall restrained production caters expertly to Mr. Slow Flow’s blunted baritone. Furthermore, there are 5 pairings of Ev & Alchemist (The Stepbrothers) and the results are typically engaging.

The loose concept of heavy rainfall is well-conceived and gives way to any number of interpretations. It also clears a path for a weather-themed trilogy. Ev’s penmanship continues to evolve with effortless storytelling and vivid phrasing; this listener favors “I Don’t Need Love.” The moment that truly trumps up the session is the intro for “Late For The Sky;” a bit where Ev jumps in a cab and asks the cabbie to turn up the radio. In that brief exchange, Ev sums up what hip-hop means to many listeners.

Evidence sponsors the best of what hip-hop once was and the glowing embers that still remain. This is not to discourage those who get excited about each of NahRight’s 30-leaks-per-day or hang on every character Jayceon or Tyler tweets. Sadly, hip-hop has run out of topics (not impact, mind you) and old-head critics have run out of ways to address the void. Ev seems aware of this, which is why the album is every bit bitter as it is sweet, “I ain’t claimed to be a game changer/I claim the West, Venice Beach, RSE & Dilated…” Enough said Mr. Perretta, despite running a bit long, this is clearly one of the year’s better releases.

Aesop Rocks The Casbah with Kimya Dawson (Live Review)

Brett Uddenberg — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:39:52 +0000

The stage presentation of Aesop Rock’s new crew Hail Mary Mallon, which features emcee Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz, is one of relentless upbeat fun. Their caffeinated onslaught of back-and-forth rhymes hits like A Tribe Called Quest for the ADD generation. “Smock” quickly got the audience in convulsions with Wiz’s deft scratches serving as the exclamation point. When fists nearly flew between a couple plastered fratboys in the crowd shortly thereafter, Aesop was quick to call for peace and keep the show’s positive vibe intact.

“Daylight,” the abstract, be-your-own-God anthem which made Aesop a cult hero a decade ago, inspired hearing loss levels of sing along. This night, however, was all about the collaborative spirit between Aesop, Rob Sonic and freak folk impresario Kimya Dawson.

Dawson, who most will know as one half of the quirky Moldy Peaches of Juno soundtrack fame, uses her gonzo imagination to flesh out soul-cleansing ballads and children’s songs alike. Unfortunately, her rambling acoustic constructions were somewhat lost in the buzzing chatter of the sold-out Casbah. It took until the latter part of Aesop’s set for Dawson to reemerge victorious, trading verses with the San Francisco-based emcee as they lit Kettner Blvd. ablaze with the delightfully-sinister “Bats.”

Aesop Rock’s Side Project Set To Drop On Rhymesayers

Brett Uddenberg — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 04:18:01 +0000

While the trunk-rattling boom bap that was Aesop Rock’s production on Felt 3 temporarily satiated those craving some new material from the Def Jux veteran, fans are more than a little hungry to hear him back on the mic. The debut record from Aesop’s latest project Hail Mary Mallon, a collaboration with fellow abstract lyricist Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz, is set to drop this summer on Rhymesayers Entertainment. For a taste of what to expect from these gentlemen on the full-length, give a listen to “D Up” (their contribution to Definitive Jux Presents 4) or the instant banger “Smock” from their performance at last month’s SXSW.

Sonny Bonoho- Supersonic Flavor with a Phone Phreak

ramievenesh — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 06:07:42 +0000

Many might gawk at the name of this Tacoma Emcee, but if you meet the character behind it, you will soon see that there never has been a more charismatic person that is grateful for everything he has. Sonny Bonoho raps about his kids, loyalty to his wife, and selling everything from rollerskates to cds and tee shirts to his fans. He says his music is meant “to improve quality of life.”

Hey, who doesn’t need some improvement? I sure do.

Versatile is a light word, if you call versatile touring with Grayskul and Aesop Rock one year and then Playboy Tre and B.O.B. not even two years later. Get your phone phreak on though, becuase he even lays tracks with Money B of Digital Underground and went nation wide with Nappy Roots and Lil Jon too. “yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”- Lil Jon

How about a free EP for all you weirdos? Sonny has gotten Phone Phreak EP super love so check out the early Valentine’s gift from man himself.

TRACKLISTING

1. Phone Phreak

2. I Know ft. Playboy Tre

3. Dark Everyday ft.Dylan Dylinjah

4 Judge Brown

5. In The Jar

Phone Phreak Ep – Free Download

Follow him on twitter here @sonnybonoho

But screw name dropping. What about rollerskates? and a song called Zig Zag?

Dark Time Sunshine – Vessel

Brett Uddenberg — Thu, 13 May 2010 08:01:20 +0000

For an emcee with an absurd number of aliases (Onry Ozzborn, Reason, Count Draven etc.), Michael Martinez seems to have found his true identity as Cape Cowen with Dark Time Sunshine. The dystopian malevolence of his earlier work with Grayskul and Oldominion has largely given way to witty and astute musings on the human condition via Vessel. His shift in approach is reminiscent of Cage’s reinvention of himself some five years ago. While a dark, nebulous undercurrent remains, rays of sunlight occasionally peak through the Venetians.

The sinister soundscapes of Zavala, the Chicago-based producer and other half of Dark Time Sunshine, propel Cape Cowen toward the most focused work of his burgeoning career. Zavalas’s sound is equal parts boom bap and psych-rock. The consistency of his beats provides the platform for a wide array of subject matter to develop without sacrificing continuity. A tongue-in-cheek Cape Cowen refers to the project as snob rap and places it somewhere on the continuum between MGMT and Outkast. He is at his storytelling best on “E.R.” and “Little Or No Concern,” the latter track a somber, heartfelt tale of inherited addiction. P.O.S. and Aesop Rock breathe fire over lo-fi funk on “Primor,” which epitomizes everything a posse cut should be. Vessel reaches its cinematic apex on the dense, uptempo “All Aboard,” with assistance from Reva Devito on the beautiful, swirling hook. No song better encapsulates Cowen’s artistic transformation.

Following the superb EP Believeyoume, which found Cowen handling all vocal duties, the abundance of guests on Vessel comes as a surprise. Fortunately the lion’s share of featured artists (e.g. Solillaquists of Sound, Qwel) carry their weight and complement Zavala’s production style quite well. Some of his more nefarious beats lend themselves to razor-sharp, abstract raps from Cowen which are every bit as engaging as the straight-forward concept pieces on the record. There are few dull moments on Vessel, one of the strongest hip hop albums of this young year indie or otherwise.

Fake Four has emerged as a formidable label with avante-garde releases over the past half-year from the likes of Dark Time Sunshine, Sole & The Skyrider Band and Ron Contour. Wildly talented lyricists and mind-bending beatsmiths are pushing the boundaries of indie rap while incorporating a vast arsenal of influences. With summer albums on the way from Ceschi and Factor, don’t expect the momentum to die anytime soon.

Song you’ll remember in five years: “All Aboard”

Line you’ll remember in five years: “Yeah I know all of you bored / So was I until I found out what I’m for and what I’m not for” (from “All Aboard”)

SONICBIDS SELECTS: Skobie Won

Areti Sakellaris — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:00:22 +0000

Legal Name: John Skobrak
Location: Norwich, Connecticut
File Under: Rap

URB: How did you get into music and where does your name come from?
SKOBIE WON: I first got into music from my brother being in the hardcore/punk scene. I started by recording his band. I was making beats on the side and always had the ambition and wanted to make rap music. The name is just a nickname that stuck. Easy play on words from my last name–Skobrak.

URB: What’s the inspiration behind the record?
SKOBIE: The record is inspired by having to work a crappy job and wanting to make music for a living, teaching myself everything from how to record, how to rap, and how to make beats, all the way down to teaching my self math to pass my collage classes. I feel like to me that’s what Autodidact is about but it can be interpreted any way you want–that’s what music to me is.

URB: What are some of the advantages and challenges of recording and producing your debut on your own?
SKOBIE: Funding my projects seems to be the most difficult challenge to overcome, finding the money and making the time is the hardest part. The advantages are that I can do what I want with out having to answer to anyone.

URB: Who do you dream of performing or working with?
SKOBIE: If I could work with any of the people that inspired me El-P, Aesop Rock, P.O.S. and Sage Francis are at the top of the list. I also have a slight obsession with Norah Jones.

URB: Connecticut isn’t known for a rap scene. Do you often run into people expecting your act to sound a certain way because of where you’re from?
SKOBIE: I don’t really fit in a box I’m sure there is some kind of expected attitude for a kid from Connecticut, but I don’t really try to appeal to that. I try to keep doing my own thing and hope people catch on.

URB: So, what are your live gigs like?
SKOBIE: My gigs are usually high energy and all over the place I like to keep the crowd involved, whether it be a room full of metal/hardcore kids or a room full of hip hop heads I think everyone has fun and that’s all it’s about.

URB: What’s the most valuable part of using Sonicbids?
SKOBIE: Being given the opportunity to get exposure outside the sticks is an awesome thing, and the company is full of opportunities.

[audio:http://www.urb.com/files/2010/03/02-American-Dream-abstract.mp3|titles=02 American Dream (abstract)]
Skobie Won “American Dream” from Autodidact, available free.
Check Skobie Won out on Sonicbids.

To become one of URB’s Sonicbids Select artists, please submit your music here.

The Ramones x Aesop Rock

dave cantor — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:00:12 +0000

Ahh, the combination of completely unrelated musics. What’s better – or more American? The Ramones and some latter day emcee? Come on, it’s golden.

Bisco Smith – The Broadcast

Zach Cole — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:00:46 +0000

Some have likened him to Aesop Rock, but really the comparisons are unfair. Bisco Smith is an individual, intent on putting his own spin on traditional rap. Well-versed in the world of hip-hop, Bisco has two full-lengths already under his belt prior to 2010’s The Broadcast. The concept behind his newest release is simple and self-explanatory. Bisco has ideas – big ideas – that he wishes to broadcast to the world.

And so he begins. With the turn of a radio dial, the listener lands on just the right frequency and is launched head first into Bisco’s warped world of electro-rap. The album’s first single, “Morning Breath,” is dedicated to the daily grind. Using the life-is-a-marathon metaphor, Bisco throws down bars declaring his dedication to hip-hop. His perseverance within the music-making world serves as the topical backbone for the album, with numerous tracks touching on his love for hip-hop.

Bisco proves he also has a rather intellectual side with the excellent group cut “Railroads.” Riding over an eerie, distorted synth line, emcees Human?, Esen, Grimace and Bisco all deliver formidable verses. As one of the most aggressive tracks on the album, “Railroads” takes a somewhat political stance, warning listeners about the scheming of higher powers.

Bisco’s rhymes largely revolve around personal narratives, almost as if the music is a personal outlet for emotional release. But while his words are methodical and precise, the end sum of the lyrical content falls just short of where it should be, especially given that the album clocks in at just over half an hour.

Another key driving element of The Broadcast is the left-field production, helmed by J. Vegus. For the majority of the album, Vegus’ brand of electronica constructs a dense sonic backdrop for Bisco, providing the album with an overall continuity. The trance-like synths at times lend as much to the rhythm and pacing as the drum tracks, emphasizing the production’s significance to the album. However, with such an importance placed on the layered and distorted sounds, Bisco’s vocals are at times lost, engulfed by the larger-than-life production.

Certain fans are sure to gravitate towards Bisco’s somewhat obtuse style more than others. He is not a traditional rapper, and together with J. Vegus, he is trying hard to push the boundaries of hip-hop. Like it or not, Bisco wants you to know that musical landscapes are changing, and he may very well have a point. Tune in.

Goodbye Def Jux

Joshua Glazer — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:00:47 +0000

Def Jux founder and artistic director El-P has announced that he will putting his classic indie hip-hop label (voted the #2 label of the decade by you) on hiatus, following the release of the late Camu Tao’s King of Hearts LP. El-P explains that this break will allow him to focus on being a producer and raper full-time in a statement on the Def Jux website. He also expect to continue Def Jux as a brand of some sort (sounds like a media company we know) just not releasing music in the traditional way.

In 2000 starting a traditional record label made a lot of sense. But now, in 2010, less so and I find myself yearning for something else to put my energy into. I also see newer, smarter, more interesting things on the horizon for the way art and commerce intersect, and as an artist and an entrepreneur, I’m eager to see them unfold. The evolution of this industry is, in my opinion, exciting, inevitable and it would be nice to see the DEFINITIVE JUX brand be a part of it. In other words, maybe we can turn this hoopty in to a hovercraft.

Read the full statement here.