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Aesop Rock, "None Shall Pass"

An El-P cohort adds more highbrow hip-hop to the '07 mix

By Tim Brodhagen, Special to Metromix

August 27, 2007

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Backstory: While it was once considered improbable that a white rapper with a penchant for Sartre and Camus could establish a profitable following, Aesop Rock has done just that and more. Alongside his compatriot, El-P, Aesop Rock elevated New York City’s Def Jux sound into the dominant underground hip-hop movement of the late '90s and early 2000s.

Why you should care: Sometimes it's fun (and maybe even enlightening) to listen to hip-hop that deals with existentialism and chaos theory instead of Cristal and sizzurp.

Verdict: In the four years since his last release, Aesop has refined his sound considerably. Although he’s still relying on lightning-fast delivery of sirloin-thick lyrics, Aesop sounds more relaxed and pensive these days. Utilizing production from longtime collaborators Blockhead, Rob Sonic, and El-P along with his own, Aesop’s beat selection is also top notch. Standout tracks include “Catacomb Kids,” “Getaway Car” featuring Cage and Breeze Brewin and “Gun for the Whole Family” featuring El-P.

X-Factor: John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats marks his first ever hip-hop collaboration on “None Shall Pass” with “Coffee.”