Aesop Rock

Hip-Hop

Aesop Rock (born Ian Bavitz on June 5, 1976) is an alternative hip hop artist/producer from Long Island, New York, United States. He has released eight albums: Music for Earthworms (1997), Float (1999), Labor Days (2001), Bazooka Tooth (2003), None Shall Pass (2007), Skelethon (2012), The Impossible Kid (2016), and Spirit World Field Guide (2020). He is also a member of the groups Hail Mary Mallon, The Weathermen, Two of Every Animal and The Uncluded. Bavitz was born in Syosset, New York and grew up in Northport, New York. While attending college, Bavitz initially recorded and released two self-financed efforts, Music for Earthworms (1997), a full-length featuring underground artist Percee P on two tracks. Bavitz also released a music video to Abandon All Hope, which was one of the tracks on the CD. The album sold over 300 copies, largely from a grassroots internet-based promotion at his website AesopRock.com and then-popular web portal, MP3.Com. It was a success. With the money he made from his previous release, he then released his Appleseed EP in 1999 which received critical acclaim in the underground hip hop circuit.[citation needed] Both of his early records were produced by long-time friend Blockhead, and underground producer Dub-L. He completed these albums while also working as a waiter. After his breakthrough success in the underground hip hop and indie rap community, he was eventually noticed by the Mush label and obtained his first record deal in 1999, just a y...