The patches and "gangs" on an army jacket are called lucky charms. I think he's saying after he drops the rider, he eviscerated them till their only defining feature are the patches on their jacket.
I think the "triumph" he is referencing is still living in spite of all the horrible things life can bring. His friend couldn't do the same he succumbed to existential misery and became a drug addict, i.e. shutting down his central nervous. Or he could be referencing his past drug addition, like when someone says "asking for a friend" because they are to shy/embarrassed to admit it is themselves in the situation.
A severely underrated aesop rock song is leisure force i maintain its his lyrical masterpiece "Abadon threshold flash forged in a gallery, with un dead orcs pulling oars through the Alge" "Postcards from the pink bath stained leisure as a cloaked horse through a stained glass st Peter, hack faith healer, cheat death till the very end, cherry wooden nickels on his specs for the ferrymen" Wtf
I think he is talking about coming to terms with his best friend's death, and when how he continues to converse with him (refers to him as a ghost, directs questions at him, etc. How are you adjusting to the triump (like triump of Christ's death). He imagines his journey here is to seek the understanding of his friend's death. I might be wrong. I love the deep dives, but I think sometimes you have to step back and think about the whole song, and also references to his other body of work as a whole. I like the "..like an alphabet to Saul Bass" reference.
The bacon/transit bar reminds me of a Rob Sonic bar from a song by Hail Mary Mallon (Aesop Rock & Rob Sonic collab): 'Goin spiral ham on a transit cop, and turn his piglets in the Plymouth into Planet Rock.'
Yo after being a big fan back in the Bazooka Tooth days, I've been getting back into Aes and I can only put respect on his name after seeing how much he's evolved and how far past the average rapper he's progressed. These breakdowns are scholarly af and entertaining on top. Happily subbed. Keep em coming, bro!
it’s funny you said it seems like he’s describing himself as the sandlot character behind the fence, because he has a line in an older song where he makes that exact reference. it’s in “Coma” off of Labor Days. That would be a good one to check out when you venture into older Aesop
There are soooo many older songs! I can't wait... I just pulled up one called coffee that I've been thinking of getting into as well. I love it when he has videos as well.
I feel like you're the best breakdown UA-camr for aesop rock your points are eye opening that I personally would never get on my own thank you for your knowledge keep up the great work 👍
@55:20 ish 'headed for the panic' I like 2 think of panic as it's own realm, mayb ectoplasm free BBBUUTTT hearing bar during UR REACTION VID i could see 'the panic' as a diff emotional state he's moving thru after 'keepin his composure while the lymbic system's lighting up' LOVE THE NEW LAYERS U ADD TO THE BOUNDLESS JOY HIS ART ALREADY GIVES ME
At 13:45 "in parts uncharted alway find the corners cozy" -- isolation is a common theme across Aes's catalog. I think this is also another reference to that. He doesn't like to be out in the open; a lonely corner by himself is comfortable. Amazing breakdown as usual B! ✅♥ I'm digging the Aesop Rock, King Los, and Cost Contra content
Love the breakdown. Density recognized and explained. Only channel I've tuned to that actually makes full effort in interpereting aes' message. Star wars nerd as well. It's a clusterfuck. The fanbase is fractured. Books, movies, and TV shows. There is a pitifully lacking continuity to the universe. Disney just ditched some canon and embraced other when they bought it. Just a cash cow now. Sad day.
Follow up cause I didn't get all the way through the video before the star wars comment. The asking for a friend could be literal. Shutting the central nervous in a cubby via suicide. I've lost two this way. Checkerboard of blurry squares. Teary eyes staring at the floor with a dead friend in the next room. Check on your friends. If you need help, talk to someone, anyone. 988 is the national suicide hotline. Just like 911. There is always someone to talk to if you are at the end of your rope. 988 on your phone. Just like 911.
You should react to "Lazy eye" by Aes. He definitely does have an eye issue but I interpreted those lines about 'a checkerboard of blurry squares' to be sort of in a daze in urgent care. And I think 'some of you just wanna see the coffin jump' is talking about people who act hard and wanna see the macabre, 'until the coffin jump thay what I call a punk, didn't get to where he... and talk in tounges" is calling out the people fronting about how badass they are.... Really enjoying these breakdowns!
"What are you traversing Earth in spite of" is just ill af even totally out of it's context. That's like George Carlin tier, he had that evolving bit about how our greetings and parting phrases are mundane and he would just list off alternatives (Toodaloo go with god and don't take any wooden nickels /// have a profound dusk ///// may the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house); "What are you traversing Earth in spite of", like, I imagine if somebody said that to me when they met me I'd either hug them cry or make them my new best friend. That's just real a** talk
& to have next ? be 'how r u adjusting to the triumph?' THE TRIUMPH OF FINDING SOMETHING UR TRAVERSING EARTH IN SPITE OF!! wooowwzza . To feel triumphant when there are things that could make u just wanna STOP traversing thru life (TRAGEDIES/INJUSTICES/INSECURITIES/STATES O PANIC), is a WINNINGEST FEELING lol. i got unlimited winning moments cuz i heard aesop's art. can't imagine if his art didn't exist. it brings me enough joy that i know i'll die happy no matter what else i gotta go thru, even if i forget both teddy beas & my security blankie
"What are you traversing earth in spite of?" ie. What tried to kill you but failed so you're still walking around? "How are you adjusting to the triumph?" ie. Something else won & you need to make changes. The 1st question was "Where were you the night of? It's an interogation turned therapy session: What's you're alibi? Who hurt you? You lost! In context the person being interogated is someone who never grew out of playing with toys, "..never left the etch a sketch.." Between being over questioned by police & psychiatrists this person went nutz, blurred vision & shrivelling flowers nutz. Nutz enough that other people in the waiting room feared them like a demon "..holding crosses up.." Even that fear though was performative, like they had no interest in helping they just wanted to see a monster up close "..wanna see the coffin jump.." Aes goes on from there into his recurring themes of being an anti-hero whose power comes from struggling with depression or not conforming to popular expectations. The pictures Aesop paints are surreal, constantly moving imagery; complicated like trying to trying to make a curved line on an etch a sketch & then as soon as it's done, shaking it up and drawing another...
after these I suggest the entire album labor days, this is off the album impossible kid which is arguably some of his best so far IMO besides labor days
This is one of my favorite Aesop songs outside of my 2 favorite albums. If you like this one, I very recommend another one of my favorites Drums on the Wheel. That song is from a 4 song soundtrack to a sidescrolling outer space spaceship shooter, so the songs have that theme but that's probably the best out of the 4 songs and the music video is great, with a fun, animated charm
I like the breakdowns for sure but you should probably listen to the verse in whole first, then go back and break down each line. For context, so when you do break down each line, you have more information to base your analaysis off.. Just my opinion of course. Thanks for spending time on the tracks.
this was a dope video. your breakdowns are something to look forward to since most of his shit is meant to be open for interpretation with some specific references here or there, which he only knows about. check out "the greatest pac-man victory in history", one of his finest works' out there.
Man I hate to say it like this but sometimes it's nice during these big songs directions if you listen to the whole song once and react minimally before dissecting it? Could just be me but I'd love to watch you go over everything but it feels unnatural to break it down into 5-10 seconds parts from the get go
EAGERLY ANTICIPATING U reacting to anything on Float buutt i feel his ablums can be broken into 5 growth phases in chronological order 1st)-97-2003 Passionate Activist w/ tattooed arms saying "must not sleep, must warn others" from "Commencement at Obedience Academy' .. 2nd)2003-06 Bazooka Tooth blasting rapidfire on those he'd warned us bout. he'll even "Cripple a Kitten if a kitten is the culprit"' no more mr nice guy.. 3rd)2007 he's so disgusted w/ us still hearting art fuckery that we, "don't need no walkie talkies" & he "might just lie to them all. Lie in the morgue with a deep breath, hiding and bored" .... 4th)2012 LOSS & GRIEF, btwn NSP & Skelethon he moved from NY to west coast, married/divorced & GOT GUTTED BY DEATHS of PEOPLE HE CHERISHED & WHO LOVED HIM. "Been a bit since Mu died, Been a lot more loss in the wake...Gone from a happier jack-in-the-box to a package of clogged up chakra" ....5th)2018-23 sought hope, healing. Found crazy unique ways to connection w/ energies of love he thot lost so wrote handy helpful "Spirit World Field Guide' & even found joy here w/ connecting to our Garbology. Hoped to remember to "feed squirrels from my hand more" .. or somethin
"coughing up cookies" = smoking bud, specifically cookies.. the first verse is him trying to explain him, how he "comes off" a slow burn,.. like a slow burning joint, long to take in, he is an "otherworldly" emcee, teacher, he has his whole own lingo , which should be understood, say for instance he uses the term "triple 6rs "a lot, these are elitests that he speaks of, all of his music is encoded, that's what the essence of hiphop is, real teaching thru words thatust be decipher, thus the word "cipher" by todays standards, a rap circle, but, originally, a cipher was how you decode messages written in things, sorry if I comment as I'm listening ,
The patches and "gangs" on an army jacket are called lucky charms. I think he's saying after he drops the rider, he eviscerated them till their only defining feature are the patches on their jacket.
Nice, I knew I was missing something there. Thanks!
I think the "triumph" he is referencing is still living in spite of all the horrible things life can bring. His friend couldn't do the same he succumbed to existential misery and became a drug addict, i.e. shutting down his central nervous. Or he could be referencing his past drug addition, like when someone says "asking for a friend" because they are to shy/embarrassed to admit it is themselves in the situation.
A severely underrated aesop rock song is leisure force i maintain its his lyrical masterpiece
"Abadon threshold flash forged in a gallery, with un dead orcs pulling oars through the Alge"
"Postcards from the pink bath stained leisure as a cloaked horse through a stained glass st Peter, hack faith healer, cheat death till the very end, cherry wooden nickels on his specs for the ferrymen"
Wtf
I think he is talking about coming to terms with his best friend's death, and when how he continues to converse with him (refers to him as a ghost, directs questions at him, etc. How are you adjusting to the triump (like triump of Christ's death). He imagines his journey here is to seek the understanding of his friend's death. I might be wrong. I love the deep dives, but I think sometimes you have to step back and think about the whole song, and also references to his other body of work as a whole.
I like the "..like an alphabet to Saul Bass" reference.
Awesome, thank you!
Awesome breakdown! Thank you
The bacon/transit bar reminds me of a Rob Sonic bar from a song by Hail Mary Mallon (Aesop Rock & Rob Sonic collab): 'Goin spiral ham on a transit cop, and turn his piglets in the Plymouth into Planet Rock.'
Yo after being a big fan back in the Bazooka Tooth days, I've been getting back into Aes and I can only put respect on his name after seeing how much he's evolved and how far past the average rapper he's progressed. These breakdowns are scholarly af and entertaining on top. Happily subbed. Keep em coming, bro!
it’s funny you said it seems like he’s describing himself as the sandlot character behind the fence, because he has a line in an older song where he makes that exact reference. it’s in “Coma” off of Labor Days. That would be a good one to check out when you venture into older Aesop
There are soooo many older songs! I can't wait... I just pulled up one called coffee that I've been thinking of getting into as well. I love it when he has videos as well.
I always interpreted lucky charms as two possible things. One hes checking out and buying only lucky charms, or possibly dog tags hes collected
I feel like you're the best breakdown UA-camr for aesop rock your points are eye opening that I personally would never get on my own thank you for your knowledge keep up the great work 👍
Much appreciated.
There's no harder challenge in hip hop than trying to break down Aesop's cryptic ass, and that's why I love him.
Yes thank u brother
@55:20 ish 'headed for the panic' I like 2 think of panic as it's own realm, mayb ectoplasm free BBBUUTTT hearing bar during UR REACTION VID i could see 'the panic' as a diff emotional state he's moving thru after 'keepin his composure while the lymbic system's lighting up' LOVE THE NEW LAYERS U ADD TO THE BOUNDLESS JOY HIS ART ALREADY GIVES ME
At 13:45 "in parts uncharted alway find the corners cozy" -- isolation is a common theme across Aes's catalog. I think this is also another reference to that. He doesn't like to be out in the open; a lonely corner by himself is comfortable.
Amazing breakdown as usual B! ✅♥ I'm digging the Aesop Rock, King Los, and Cost Contra content
agreed,
king los has been around for a while, glad he's decided to get his money for him n not ghost write anymore
Love the breakdown. Density recognized and explained. Only channel I've tuned to that actually makes full effort in interpereting aes' message.
Star wars nerd as well. It's a clusterfuck. The fanbase is fractured. Books, movies, and TV shows. There is a pitifully lacking continuity to the universe. Disney just ditched some canon and embraced other when they bought it. Just a cash cow now. Sad day.
Follow up cause I didn't get all the way through the video before the star wars comment.
The asking for a friend could be literal. Shutting the central nervous in a cubby via suicide. I've lost two this way. Checkerboard of blurry squares. Teary eyes staring at the floor with a dead friend in the next room.
Check on your friends. If you need help, talk to someone, anyone.
988 is the national suicide hotline. Just like 911. There is always someone to talk to if you are at the end of your rope.
988 on your phone. Just like 911.
You should react to "Lazy eye" by Aes. He definitely does have an eye issue but I interpreted those lines about 'a checkerboard of blurry squares' to be sort of in a daze in urgent care. And I think 'some of you just wanna see the coffin jump' is talking about people who act hard and wanna see the macabre, 'until the coffin jump thay what I call a punk, didn't get to where he... and talk in tounges" is calling out the people fronting about how badass they are.... Really enjoying these breakdowns!
"The piss poor vision is forty percent floaters"
"What are you traversing Earth in spite of" is just ill af even totally out of it's context. That's like George Carlin tier, he had that evolving bit about how our greetings and parting phrases are mundane and he would just list off alternatives (Toodaloo go with god and don't take any wooden nickels /// have a profound dusk ///// may the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house); "What are you traversing Earth in spite of", like, I imagine if somebody said that to me when they met me I'd either hug them cry or make them my new best friend. That's just real a** talk
I love George Carlin...
& to have next ? be 'how r u adjusting to the triumph?' THE TRIUMPH OF FINDING SOMETHING UR TRAVERSING EARTH IN SPITE OF!! wooowwzza . To feel triumphant when there are things that could make u just wanna STOP traversing thru life (TRAGEDIES/INJUSTICES/INSECURITIES/STATES O PANIC), is a WINNINGEST FEELING lol. i got unlimited winning moments cuz i heard aesop's art. can't imagine if his art didn't exist. it brings me enough joy that i know i'll die happy no matter what else i gotta go thru, even if i forget both teddy beas & my security blankie
"What are you traversing earth in spite of?" ie. What tried to kill you but failed so you're still walking around? "How are you adjusting to the triumph?" ie. Something else won & you need to make changes. The 1st question was "Where were you the night of? It's an interogation turned therapy session: What's you're alibi? Who hurt you? You lost! In context the person being interogated is someone who never grew out of playing with toys, "..never left the etch a sketch.." Between being over questioned by police & psychiatrists this person went nutz, blurred vision & shrivelling flowers nutz. Nutz enough that other people in the waiting room feared them like a demon "..holding crosses up.." Even that fear though was performative, like they had no interest in helping they just wanted to see a monster up close "..wanna see the coffin jump.." Aes goes on from there into his recurring themes of being an anti-hero whose power comes from struggling with depression or not conforming to popular expectations. The pictures Aesop paints are surreal, constantly moving imagery; complicated like trying to trying to make a curved line on an etch a sketch & then as soon as it's done, shaking it up and drawing another...
excited to hear this one! appreciation to you my guy! thank you for the s/o
That was inspector deck you was quoting on truimph.
All city by the time you're eyes adjusted to the darkness is one of the best graffiti bars after Vinnie Paz "grandaddy purple" bars
after these I suggest the entire album labor days, this is off the album impossible kid which is arguably some of his best so far IMO besides labor days
this is off of spirit world field guide but both albums are dope
This is one of my favorite Aesop songs outside of my 2 favorite albums. If you like this one, I very recommend another one of my favorites Drums on the Wheel. That song is from a 4 song soundtrack to a sidescrolling outer space spaceship shooter, so the songs have that theme but that's probably the best out of the 4 songs and the music video is great, with a fun, animated charm
I like the breakdowns for sure but you should probably listen to the verse in whole first, then go back and break down each line. For context, so when you do break down each line, you have more information to base your analaysis off.. Just my opinion of course. Thanks for spending time on the tracks.
eyedea pushing buttons
It’s dope Aesop is privy to writers lingo. 10:20
Hic sunt dracones is a bit harder to rhyme with I imagine.
this was a dope video. your breakdowns are something to look forward to since most of his shit is meant to be open for interpretation with some specific references here or there, which he only knows about.
check out "the greatest pac-man victory in history", one of his finest works' out there.
Man I hate to say it like this but sometimes it's nice during these big songs directions if you listen to the whole song once and react minimally before dissecting it? Could just be me but I'd love to watch you go over everything but it feels unnatural to break it down into 5-10 seconds parts from the get go
*dissections
EAGERLY ANTICIPATING U reacting to anything on Float buutt i feel his ablums can be broken into 5 growth phases in chronological order 1st)-97-2003 Passionate Activist w/ tattooed arms saying "must not sleep, must warn others" from "Commencement at Obedience Academy' .. 2nd)2003-06 Bazooka Tooth blasting rapidfire on those he'd warned us bout. he'll even "Cripple a Kitten if a kitten is the culprit"' no more mr nice guy.. 3rd)2007 he's so disgusted w/ us still hearting art fuckery that we, "don't need no walkie talkies" & he "might just lie to them all. Lie in the morgue with a deep breath, hiding and bored" .... 4th)2012 LOSS & GRIEF, btwn NSP & Skelethon he moved from NY to west coast, married/divorced & GOT GUTTED BY DEATHS of PEOPLE HE CHERISHED & WHO LOVED HIM. "Been a bit since Mu died, Been a lot more loss in the wake...Gone from a happier jack-in-the-box to a package of clogged up chakra" ....5th)2018-23 sought hope, healing. Found crazy unique ways to connection w/ energies of love he thot lost so wrote handy helpful "Spirit World Field Guide' & even found joy here w/ connecting to our Garbology. Hoped to remember to "feed squirrels from my hand more" .. or somethin
"coughing up cookies" = smoking bud, specifically cookies..
the first verse is him trying to explain him, how he "comes off" a slow burn,.. like a slow burning joint, long to take in, he is an "otherworldly" emcee, teacher, he has his whole own lingo , which should be understood, say for instance he uses the term "triple 6rs "a lot, these are elitests that he speaks of, all of his music is encoded, that's what the essence of hiphop is, real teaching thru words thatust be decipher, thus the word "cipher" by todays standards, a rap circle, but, originally, a cipher was how you decode messages written in things, sorry if I comment as I'm listening ,
agree with the second part mostly, not the first part tho. he’s not talking about coughing off the cookies strain lol. c’mon