Aesop Rock quotes:

Armchair hater, I wouldn't piss on your coffin But when I see your picture I draw dicks on it.

People are very adamant about maintaining a certain sound or a certain era, like, "There were three years of rap that were great, so let's just keep doing that." The genre itself is just stuck in place. It's been treading water for a while.

I'm Mozart with a focus on the tide Hiding the inconsistencies of man behind water and wine

The only bridge I've ever burned along this legacy I dance is the one that linked the cities of prosperity and chance.

I'm just tryin to be somebody I can talk to in the morning with a smile.

Honestly, I don't feel pressure to live up to anything I've done because I tend to not listen to my work once a year passes.

I started freestyling with friends about eight or nine years ago. I started writing also around the same time, but didn't meet blockhead until about '94. I started making beats not until about '96.

There's smoke in my iris, but I painted a sunny day on the insides of my eyelids

...I've never had a dream in my life, Because a dream is what you wanna do, but still haven't pursued. I knew what I wanted, and did it till it was done. So I've been the dream I wanted to be since Day One.

Dream a little dream, Or you can live a little dream I'd rather live it 'Cause dreamers always chase But never get it

The alleycats manipulate the blocks with gutter magic

Too bad your inner sheep never forgets to follow...

In a time where everything's a flavor of the month, and it's hard to have any sort of longevity, I've been able to sell records still. I want to be the guy that stands out there and says thank you personally to everyone. And I try after my shows and kick it because I want to genuinely say thanks.

Everyone's been on the "hip-hop is dead" campaign for years, and now it's the most unsure-of-itself genre ever.

You can't get someone to like something they aren't feeling. After you press play, there isn't anything you can do.

I've learned I don't like being around people too much. It's hard to stand around and make conversation with people I've learned. But I do want to be the guy that can do it easily.

I've been able to tour because of my music and I've learned a lot about myself while on the road. I think some of the imagery of my writing are snapshots of where I've been and my feelings about the world.

If I had interesting things to say, I would have been a speechwriter. I think it gets to musicians' heads a lot of the time. Just because people like your records doesn't mean what you have to say is going to be interesting.

The thing about the state of hip-hop is that people are too concerned. I don't think that there's a problem with being too concerned about videogames, especially for me, because I'm not in the industry. I'm just a consumer. But hip-hop is constantly like, "What are you doing for the scene?"

For a guy who didn't expect a fan base whatsoever, I'm pretty stoked. People say they don't understand it, and I say that's okay. I don't think anyone can argue that I'm not trying to do my own thing at least.