Aesop Rock

Producer and underground rapper Aesop Rock was one of the first performers to rise from the alternative hip-hop scene of the late ’90s and became a respected and influential artist. ∙ He’s collaborated with numerous hip-hop icons, including MF Doom and Prefuse 73 (“Black List”), Busdriver (“Ego Death”), and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien (“Preservation”). ∙ After teaming up with The Mountain Goats’ frontman/songwriter John Darnielle on the song “Coffee,” he remixed the band’s “Lovecraft in Brooklyn” in 2008. ∙ Five of his records have reached the Top 10 of Billboard’s Independent Albums chart, led by 2012’s Skelethon, which hit No. 1. ∙ In addition to his solo work, he formed a duo called The Uncluded with Kimya Dawson and teamed up with TOBACCO in the project Malibu Ken.