Aesop Rock - Zero Dark Thirty

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The last time we heard any real solo material from underground rap favorite Aesop Rock, his 2007 album None Shall Pass was getting a remarkable amount of love from MTV. Since then, times have certainly changed. For one, MTV no longer puts quite a strong emphasis on ‘Music’ in its ‘Television,’ and as of recent people have been confusing the Long Island-raised MC’s name with that of a self-proclaimed “pretty motherf***er” from Harlem. But most profoundly for Aesop Rock fans, None Shall Pass marked the end of an era for the acclaimed spitter and producer. That LP and his two before it helped independent label Definitive Jux break ground in the hip-hop world and become one of the most popular underground outfits around. But sadly, Def Jux’s 10-year reign came to an end in 2010 when founder El-P announced that its functions as a label would be put on hiatus. Because of this, many had been wondering through what company Aesop Rock would release his future music. Now, we have the answer.

For years, Def Jux and Minneapolis-based Rhymesayers Entertainment were essentially competitors and the latter’s founding duo Atmosphere was placed neck-to-neck with Aesop Rock amongst the favorites on the underground rap circuit. Despite people siding with one artist or the other, the two built a strong friendship over the years, thus making the newest addition to the Rhymesayers family a logical and welcomed one. To prep fans for his sixth album, Skelethon, which is due out July 10 via Rhymesayers, Aesop Rock has unleashed his brand new single. His abstract jargon and distinct flow over this spastic beat showcase the song, “Zero Dark Thirty,” as a declaration—times and situations have changed, but Aesop Rock is still Aesop Rock. Listen and download below.