Back Rockin' the Block: Aesop Rock

THE DEF JAM LABEL may rule the world of mainstream hip-hop, but Definitive Jux is spearheading the underground resurgence — with Aesop Rock at its forefront. The New York City rapper born Ian Matthias Bavitz has gained a cult following for his creatively wordy rhymes and magnificently produced albums, especially 2007's "None Shall Pass," his fifth full-length.

Aesop Rock has been touring solidly to promote "None Shall Pass," and will hit the 9:30 Club on Aug. 20 — his second show there in less than a year — with fellow Def Jux labelmates Yak Ballz, Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz.

Express spoke to Aesop Rock about touring, his friendship with John Darnielle — frontman for indie-folkers The Mountain Goats — and his future recording plans.

» EXPRESS: How will this performance be different than the last time you played the 9:30 Club?
» AESOP ROCK: Well, we've just changed up the set bit: Some of the same stuff, some older material, some stuff we didn't get to do last time around. The demand was still there to make another run, so we decided to go for it. We're gonna tour through September, then take an official break. It's been a lot of touring in the past 12 months, probably more than I've done any year before, both nationally and internationally. Hopefully a couple jams in the set people will be happy to hear, a few things we haven't played in many years.

» EXPRESS: What's it like to be on tour with opener Yak Balls?
» AESOP ROCK: Yak's my dude; he's a crewmate, a brother. [I'm] also bringing Rob Sonic and [DJ Big] Wiz, who are fellow labelmates. I love being in a position where I can help get these dudes out there. Traveling sucks, so it's better to be rockin' a show with some friends. Yak made a dope record ["Scifentology II"] this year, as did Rob [2007's "Sabotage Gigante"], so hopefully everyone gets a chance to shine. I wouldn't do this any other way.

» EXPRESS: What do you think was the highlight of your "None Shall Pass" tour? For example, at the Baltimore show at the Ottobar on Sept. 21, people definitely went crazy when John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats came out for "Coffee."
» AESOP ROCK: That was totally a coincidence that we were in the same city the same night. We were gonna try to do it again, because I was supposed to play "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and was gonna get John to come with me, but the writer's strike fucked it all up.

That was definitely fun, though, because we had no chance to rehearse, and he had just played a show the same night [at Sonar], so I was unsure if he'd even make it over to Ottobar. It was fun to have Blockhead [a fellow Def Jux artist who produces much of Aesop's work] with us all tour, too; he's one of my oldest friends, and for the amount of music we've made together, that was the first time we'd traveled together.

On the whole, tour is a bunch of driving and hotels. ... It was really successful, though. Just knowing kids are happy to come out and see us is more than enough.

» EXPRESS: Speaking of Darnielle, do you have a favorite Mountain Goats song?
» AESOP ROCK: Hmm ... [there are] so many. I like "Baboon." I love "Home Again Garden Grove." "Faithless Bachant Song." "Black Mollies." Really, so many.

» EXPRESS: So far this year, other rappers such as Lil Wayne and Nas have both put out huge albums, with "Tha Carter III" and "Untitled." Have you listened to either? What were your thoughts?
» AESOP ROCK: I heard Nas' record. Nas always has some moments on the mic; I mean, he's a master. I'm not a huge fan of some of the production he goes with, but that's all personal preference. It's hard to deny the skill behind writing "Queens Got the Money" or "Sly Fox." To be in the game that long, and still sounding as hungry as he does on those songs and some others on that record, is damn impressive.

» EXPRESS: What's next for you after this tour? Should fans expect a new album, and if so, what kind of new material should they be looking forward to?
» AESOP ROCK: Yeah, I mean, but not immediately. I'm gonna get back in the studio and start making things and see what happens. We'd ideally like to get a Weathermen [the hip-hop group consisting of Aesop, Yak Ballz, Tame One, Cage Kennylz, El-P and Breeze Brewin] album done. Me and Rob Sonic might try to do an EP. ... I wouldn't expect a solo Aesop Rock full-length for a minute. But yes, I'll be working on it.

» 9:30 Club, 815 V Street NW; Wed., Aug. 20, 7 p.m., $20; (202) 265-0930. (U Street-Cardozo)

Written by Express contributor Roxana Hadadi

Live photos by Adam Fried; other photo by Chrissy Piper