The Mystery of "The Gates" | Aesop Rock

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anyway.
We are going to try to figure out what the heck Aesop Rock is talking about in his song, "The Gates" off the 2021 album "Spirit World Field Guide".
If you have any idea of the meaning behind the lyrics, let me know in the comments and be sure to subscribe for similar content.
background music used in between clips was approved by and is from Brock Berrigan. I highly recommend his music as well. The songs used in order are "Sea Breeze", "Snake Eyes" and "Bird Law".

[@dustinjones1346]

Man please do more aes like this. He has so many complicated songs that 95% of reactors completely don't even sense let alone grab. Pos, input, atmosphere, eyedea are other artist ideas. Hell of a start though

[@readrothbard153]

Don't miss Sage Francis if we're looking for Rhymesayers type sound

[@voyagerwitch]

man i miss pos. it hurt to find out how badly he was treating people.

[@gorehammer1]

I haven’t heard the name input in at least 10 years.

[@johnnyroberts9816]

Sadistik as well

[@Robeerie]

Bus driver and Andre 3000

[@ScarletKnightmare]

I've been listening to Aes for 22 years now and I think a lot of his lyrics are simply painting a picture with mental images- you can't necessarily break it all down logically. He's the GOAT

[@jimweatherred9377]

pre or post rhyme sayers aesop? I love it all, but I listen to mostly post Rhymesayers

[@sierraperez1452]

I love his aseop Bach album & spiritual world field guide the best!❤

[@AdmiralWhackass420]

The "It's Sci-Fi, Red Tide, my hi and by take make record time" line is a reference to the book Red Tide by Larry Niven which deals w/ the social consequences of instant teleportation. "3,2,1 desensitize" has to do w/ systematic desensitization which is a form of exposure therapy involving three steps: muscle relaxation techniques, ranking of fears, and finally exposure to those fears. This is basically a countdown towards facing one's fears. The juxtaposition of the building tension of a countdown w/ the purpose of excising fears gives an absurd, counterintuitive feeling. "No lie, tell death he could get in line" speaks to how phobias are often greater than the fear of death. Even if someone is aware of how irrational that is and has to therefore take corrective measures i.e. systematic desensitization. He truly feels it and it is "no lie" even though he knows better.

[@RobotronSage]

I think its way more complicated than that

[@nellkellino-miller7673]

​@@RobotronSageduh.. no offense.

[@beatgoes9171]

The mobile line - he’s off balance The “oh ee oh” bit is from Wizard of Oz, the guards are chanting it at the gates

[@KudosToYou]

Aesop's bars are like crossword clues.

[@RavenousCatalyst594]

i'v made a few aesop lyric crossword puzzles! i use 2 bars as clue in 2 diff spots w/ diff word from the same bars as clues. they're in folder on my gdrive that has Aesop's Official Lyric Book, The Living Human Curiousity Sideshow which is albums Float to Fast Cars & in sma folder is NSP lyric sheet & some pics of Aesop's handwritten notebook pages for Dryspell & No Splash heres link drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LeH_b0wleUFQ4bD2hfMFMiseNmvCJ8PL?usp=drive_link .

[@SPELTMUSIC]

the bloodlust/tough love lines always fucking got me with how clever they were. and then boiling both of them down to just “mud” is just a perfect representation of aes’ writing style

[@deefman123]

thats whats up

[@ExhaustedAdventurer]

The phrase "Agent of all things deep-sixed, I feel like I was put here to keep the crypt" just means he's the in tune with death or the dead. Deep-sixed is like six feet deep, like how far down people are buried. The crypt keeper is basically like the groundsman for a mausoleum, so he feels like he has just been put here to take care of the dead.

[@karabomasibi2331]

@13:32 the juxtaposition of killing a God and eating Glue is insane. You are right, those lines have no right being next to each other and for them to not only do but to fit so smoothly. His pen is something else

[@shanemcdaniels]

FINALLY SOMEONE WHO GETS IT!

[@karabomasibi2331]

@@shanemcdaniels I didn't realize it because I never looked up the lyrics so the fact that he said deicide, I completely missed it. But yeah, that's insane hahaha

[@spiderhands]

Right

[@SourWeezle]

"push foot, I go Mach 1, I'm all Woosh Woosh" is almost certainly a skateboarding reference. But yeah, Deciphering Aes is a tall order lol. Part of the magic, is that it means something different to every one.

[@nellkellino-miller7673]

Yeah. I think he intentionally and/or inadvertently shirks traditional analysis. He maps meaning according to his own internal compass, and that's just fine by me. I'm along for the ride and loving it every step of the way, whether I get every reference or not is irrelevant.

[@ShawnsLoop]

I was thinking more gas pedal on a car to go Mach 1. But skateboarding would make more sense given we know AES likes skateboarding.

[@greener_gaming2932]

Aes might be the most lyrically talented song writer to ever walk the earth. This is the best part about his music, sitting down and just trying to figure out what the hell is going on inside his head. Truly a transcendental experience.

[@a.scottanderson4490]

@1100- Famously, van gogh was one of the best painters of his generation and was totally overlooked in hus lifetime, at times almost starving to death. And here is aesop finding himself making instant rice.

[@PinkMawile]

He isn’t smarter than all of us. He just has the ability to grind himself creatively. Learning to ride the struggle of creation is more important than intelligence, and far harder to cultivate.

[@spiderhands]

Ha. His intelligence is absolutely off the charts

[@brendanrogers9600]

You’re making a lot of it more complicated than it is. “Van Gogh with that instant rice” he makes bomb instant rice, he’s an artist it. “Bare hands on this bear trap” you get caught if you’re trying to peep. In Where’s Waldo you use to have to find a little mail envelope that was a “rare beige” a color he wears often. “Push foot” he’s a skateboarder. When he pushes he makes potholes. He lives in Portland he’s romanticizing skating around town. “Newspeaks all pink noise” he doesn’t fuck with political correctness. “Mood piece” art term, he’s capturing a moment when he eats street food in his normal attire which is not give a fuck whatever clothes. “Moons low” is his version of a sun setting on his tombstone. He’s not ready for death he’s more ready for more wild rides. Don’t think too hard, he’s being metaphorical in most cases about who he is and what he does literally and spiritually.

[@mmmmike0]

The red tide line. A red tide is an environmental phenomenon. When an ocean coastline grows too much algae, the water turns red and it becomes hazardous to swim in.

[@mmmmike0]

Also gonna have to dig into the line "Got tired of bread. I might eat the rich." Conquest of Bread is book written by Peter Kropotkin, one of the fathers of Anarcho-Comunism. And "eat the rich" became an adopted catchphrase of many leftists. "I ain't see a leader, just feeder fish." Every politician, celebrity, influencer, billionaire are just cogs of capitalism. "You want free weed. You want free shit. I mean, dude." This one turns it back on online leftists who "didn't read the book."

[@shanemcdaniels]

I'm very happy you commented, this totally flipped my view. I just put up a dryspell vid, it's completely different than this one, I would love to hear your thoughts on that one as well

[@jiveturkey333333]

Red tide is also a reference to a communist revolution.

[@BPCustomCreations]

I marinate my mind in aes to get my creative juices flowing. No matter how many times I listen there's something there

[@kevincurpheymusic]

This is an AWESOME breakdown! I shared it on my Facebook!

[@shanehill2288]

His last full album, Spirit World Field Guide is an amazing concept album. All about ritual magick and his experiences. He's one of the only MCs that I have to sometimes research some of the things he says to even fully understand what's he's saying or referring to. One of the best lyricists out there since he picked up a mic waaayyyyy back...

[@shanemcdaniels]

I'm actually hoping to put the vinyl in an art piece

[@poisonedivysaur]

Never and i mean never listen to it on shrooms you will never be able to listen to it normally again.

[@RobotronSage]

I'm defo gonna listen to that on shrooms@@poisonedivysaur

[@RobotronSage]

thanks for the idea@@poisonedivysaur

[@bobhope4949]

He got a new album out called itz

[@daynester]

Push foot refers to the foot that skateboarders use to push off and give themselves momentum. Aes is a skater.

[@Falconhawk3784]

Yeah I was about to say this.

[@KellyBurrell]

Accelerators = diff 'Gas.pedal' 'throttle' grep answered

[@DougRaymond-rc5fd]

My dude is a lyrical genius I have to love every album he's ever

[@fishfoodrenton1043]

he skates. push foot could come from that

[@anthonyv6962]

push wood. No? Back in the day the rollerbladers and skaters did not get along and would insult each other when in earshot. Because I mean it's rollerblading and there is nothing cool about that. Anyway they would call us wood pushers because obviously we push around on 7 ply's of maple. He uses a lot of skating references.

[@fishfoodrenton1043]

@@anthonyv6962 lol idk why i said push foot. also i bet youre a skater huh... i was gonna troll but then i clicked on your page, youre og. gotta let go of the fruit boot hate though, theyve been through enough lol. blood stains speed kills fast cars cheap thrill :) idk i just feel like you probably know that one . cheers mate

[@lukesayers5850]

Thanks, this shit is so dense, we need more of this, you really cant keep up with him unless your him.... So thanks for breaking it down, i feel like he wants us to see what ever we do, and i think your breakdown, was intense. 🙏

[@readrothbard153]

This deserves far more views. Great breakdown, subbed.

[@shanemcdaniels]

I appreciate that, I'm working on the next breakdown right now. It's a much different setup but I promise it will be more enjoyable and just as thorough as the video you just watched

[@readrothbard153]

​@@shanemcdanielson the verse where he talks about deicide by tea at 5, think about it in the context of the hip hop game, similar to the bars about writing crytograms. I think the verse is about the game itself, at this point it's all so easy for him he can drop some bars and get some meals, could kill any of this industry 'God's' and be done by tea, it's so easy he uses eating a glue stick in 2 bites as a comparison of what's more impressive.

[@shanemcdaniels]

@@readrothbard153 holy shit that's a great way of looking at it! I always thought this verse was like, someone who just evolved in such a crazy way that nothing they do will ever make sense to the lesser species. I think your perception of the verse may actually be what he meant. But still, 2 bites is VERY, Impressive 😂

[@supergatorhator]

"bear paw, my handshake, oh dear god" - pretty sure this is a play on words going back to the line about deicide. He is the bear, shaking hands with a deer god. "Bare bones, a few air holes" - a box for holding animals would have air holes, so it sounds like he's describing a box or trap that is crudely made. "barefoot, my square glows" - put together, it sounds like he's describing himself as an animal that has been trapped in a box, and the box is glowing.

[@arrowhraka9728]

Bare-bones and a few air holes I like your take on it but like everything with Aes is there’s three different ways to interpret the lyrics I suspect a “few air holes” referred to our nose, mouth and butt that we use to bring air in and out. That’s all we are bare bones and air holes we are a flash in the pan.

[@gromph4]

I know this is nearly a year late but, the 'barefoot, my square glows' is a Michael Jackson reference. Specifically the Billie Jean music video.

[@true_plays_games]

AR is the singular writing talent of a generation. If you think “dumb” is the answer, you haven’t passed the test.

[@shanemcdaniels]

True

[@-user_redacted-]

"I'm what's under the uncut chia seed" to me is him saying he's like clay, something to be molded.

[@davidbleeker784]

He’s just saying he’s the shit.

[@mitchries6339]

Great video, it really is so hard to keep up with Aes especially when he's flowing like this lol. I really appreciated the production quality!

[@shanemcdaniels]

It's something I try to improve on every vid, my Nintendo vid has the best I think and dryspell also has a ton of edits you may like

[@joeykaz32]

"I go marching in, I'm all OH-eee-OH" is a reference to The Wizard Of Oz.

[@DELTRON76]

I'm digging your content. Subscribed.

[@prohsodie]

He's definitely deep. I couldn't tell you for sure if every one of his songs makes coherent sense and is able to be deciphered, because I've not understood half of his songs. But I have deciphered some of them and when you realize what he is saying, it really does click and makes pretty profound sense. It could be argued that some of the lyrics are needlessly complex, and that might be true, but it is art after all. I think Aes really shines on the tracks where he stays understandable and focused, like for instance in Aggressive Steven. But it's always satisfying to listen to the words, whether I understand what he's talking about or not.

[@hiropon2985]

he's also super cute and goofy? like unexpectedly so. I've had the Harbour is Yours on repeat the last few weeks because it goes SO HARD and it's just some silly shit about a pirate seeing a mermaid. like I'm so tickled by what he chooses to write about. 100 feet tall, Kirby, Grace and By the River are just a handful of honorable adorable mentions. Bless his (probably holey) cotton socks and happy new year to us all, we go out with ITS as one of the last 2023 bangers.

[@theringster]

aesop rock is just a genius

[@djd34d14]

I feel like for the "push push" lyric you can't forget Aes is a skater. That verse tells me he's tearing up the streets pushing his way home on his board and bombing hills all the way.

[@maddawgmoody]

Awesome breakdown! Good vid

[@str82drew]

“My kind sleeps upside down” part might be talking about vampires

[@jiveturkey333333]

Push foot to drop zones is all about skateboarding. He makes potholes IE ollies over them drop zones relating to dropping in like a half pipe etc.

[@arrowhraka9728]

Potholes could also refer to just shredding on his board. Thanks @jiveturkey333333 for the drop in reference hadn’t thought that and there is nothing better than dropping in on vert!

[@RenegadeJ]

Subscribed. I appreciate the indepth analysis and hope to see more 😊

[@shanemcdaniels]

I appreciate your sub! I'm trying my best to break em down so your always welcome to correct any mistakes! Thanks for watching my videos!

[@ipso_facto]

Followed suit for the same reason... I second the motion. All in favor, all opposed? Keep em coming. We can, and history will figuratively and literally spend lifetimes examining his body of work with the appreciation of a missed contributor to the renaissance e.g. "He fleas Rome between seizures, still talking grease launching Tee's into bleachers. Take em to your leaders, leaders, leader... Even the Redeemer's like I need to speak to Senior, eh!" The Sea - Garbology Album

[@steverice7546]

Deepest line for me is the repeat…. “I know both sides of that tough love….they’re both mud.” He’s right. Again.

[@shanemcdaniels]

Every single line in this song is amazing. I didn't rate it or anything but when I think a song is perfect, I give it the diamond delivery award. I can not think of a song more deserving

[@Giganfan2k1]

Aes is at The Gates, and he has taken on the attributes of an undead entity. Everything he us saying is a motif on that idea.

[@ataridc]

I'd assume the Vincent Van Gogh reference was just saying, "Hey I make art too, but mine is cheap and disposable." kind of self deprecating line.

[@tybis4u]

Push foot=skateboarding. Drop zone= dropping in on a trick. All skating references

[@robwagner1534]

It sounds me not only to be him describing his trip through the levels of hell but that it starts at the gates of hell but I believe he is describing what he is seeing and experiencing

[@JonKankpaceKendrick]

Yea I take a lot of this album to be about altered states, ranging from "drugs" to "psychosis" and the mix of both. Different brain chemistry

[@alexlogue2505]

I feel like we are interpreting the words of a genius that none of us can truly comprehend. I feel it though. "I was at the gates..."

[@shanemcdaniels]

Yeah kinda how I feel. I hope more people see your comment and this comment, and understand that this is more for fun than factual information. Everyone in this comment section, has heard Aesop Rock for many years longer than I have. I'm no expert, I just like making this kind of video, thanks for watching my video

[@CraneArt0]

Not sure if anyone has already mentioned that this album project comes from a trip that Aes did to South America. Let's just say that he allegedly did som "trips" within that trip. That might give some other perspectives to this track (and the others) - hence 'Spirit World'. Basically he is describing his experiences during his travels. 😊

[@ipso_facto]

Pizza Alley - Spirit World Field Guide

[@ipso_facto]

I came to a different conclusion about the meaning of the title after listening to the album. Although the references to tripping is a logical deduction, I came away thinking that the album is a guide for navigating the world we collectively experience daily. It hints that he views "this" plain of existence as a land of the walking dead, drenched in shameful and insipid desires and motivations. He shows a reverence for the psychedelic, macabre fascination with the "afterlife" and interstellar travel. Basically, anywhere but here. Like Da Vinci writing backwards, I can see him inverting the assumed or presumed, and turning the listeners perception inside out by making the Album itself an allegory of the human condition in such meticulous detail it stares at you in the title itself... Pardon the rantings of an over thinker... One

[@CrowBot923]

MORE AESOP ROCK PLEASE ❤

[@ipso_facto]

ALL AESOP ROCK PLEASE...

[@frost9681]

"false start", "tired of bread, might eat the rich". Seems like he's sick of people who were given everything telling him it's his fault he's poor when they had such a head start

[@ThePragmaticMusic]

This is the best way I’ve seen anyone try to react to Aesop. Love this man. Gauze was my most played song last year.

[@shanemcdaniels]

If you wanna lose your shit, look at my Dryspell one

[@ThePragmaticMusic]

@shanemcdaniels Also fr I just gotta say this: I saw your sub count and got PISSED, you put so much work into your videos and you’re legitimately talented with editing, commentary, everything. But don’t let the numbers trick you for a second into thinking the numbers and the quality of content are related, that is a bullshit. But if you enjoy doing this, plz don’t stop dude I’ll keep watching every video from here on.

[@shanemcdaniels]

@@ThePragmaticMusic I absolutely love this my guy, thank you, thank you and everyone who's given me a chance. not all my vids will be music breakdowns, but they will always be on a topic I care about and want to go into. I won't ever half deliver. Thank you!

[@stephenbailey4426]

"I don't heel and I'm hung from an unkind mobile." It's finishing the line "roadkill, I'm off leash". Mobile = automobile. I don't heel, means he's not stopping and BAM. Hit by a car that also didn't stop (unkind because it didn't choose to stop? Unkind because life isn't kind? Hard to say). It's possible that he's either hanging from the undercarriage or is on the bumper, hanging from the car. This could be a reference to entering the spirit world. Just like a housepet, despite knowing he probably shouldn't go, he does, and as a result is struck. It's possible that entering the spirit world feels like the same sort of violent act as being hit by a car.

[@shanemcdaniels]

Awesome disection, love to see it!!

[@Serjohn]

you are missing the bigger picture, the single is called spirit world and the intro song is ''the gates'', its a song about entering another world the experience of going to the digimon world, hogwarts, narnia etc. its an entire song of thel andscape scene but instead of a movie you enter spirit world, aesop rock's single

[@tybis4u]

I think the feeder fish refers to people who say they hate the rich but have no idea what to do besides ask for free stuff

[@shanemcdaniels]

That's how I grew to think about it too. I think there's a way for all of us to make it, and asking for a handout here and there isn't wrong, but it shouldn't become habitual. Just a fun fact, one of my favorite movies is cool hand Luke, there's a scene where he's playing cards with another prisoner and despite having a bad hand, he wins by tricking the other player to fold. "Sometimes having nothing, is a cool hand"

[@quinnyeatman946]

It's possible to probable that someone else has already said this, but based on your noticing of the dog killing the rabbit just now, you may have also missed how the book the kids were reading said a portal to the spirit world opens if a creature from that side is killed over here, its definitely an interesting concept (^-^)

[@RLMitchell]

Been following Aesop for about 10 years, analyzing and annotating lyrics, seeing him live...I believe you have hit the nail on the head. Well done man I learned a lot about this song. Maybe do Mystery Fish next? Edit: 7:43, I think the "fresh pot" is a double entendre for pot of coffee, and pot (weed) - as Aes is a known stoner

[@matthewdaub]

6:47 "i go marching in, im all ohh eee ohh" is a reference to the wizard of oz. The guards march in step and sing ohh eee ohh.

[@shanemcdaniels]

Hey man I appreciate the info, I could never really sit through that movie. Don't know why. I posted a new video a few days ago where the editing is a lot better than this. It's not Aesop but I think you and everyone else might like that style a bit better. Let me know if there's anything I can improve upon. Thanks for watching my video

[@a.scottanderson4490]

@440 Re daybreak - daylight was his first well known track 20 years ago, maybe feeling slept on in the underground while kids with 1/10 the skills are celebrated and paid. Also, dude is drawn to horror themes and maybe he's as sick of it as we are but can't help himself

[@AspireAndInspire]

I always felt a different take on "I ain't seen a leader, just feeder fish; You want free weed, you want free shit; I mean, dude..." I've never truly seen a leader of the people (namely, in politics). I've never seen a "leader" who was truly out to better the lives of the people with real change. I've only seen those who are fed to us by the system to give us small concessions ("You want free weed? You want free shit?") to keep us complacent and continuing to follow a broken system, where those "leaders" get to remain in charge. "I mean, dude..." kind of just being Aes' response to placating. This interpretation always felt natural to me, particularly coming off the line "I get tired of bread, I might each the rich". Aes pretty much saying "I'm tired of the major inequality in the distribution of both power and wealth in this world, and I'm tired of leaders who don't have our backs". Wouldn't be Aes' first comments on the system.

[@seanposner8884]

15:31 He's transformed into a crow or other solemn bird (air holes in bones)...standing with no kicks on, just ..talons... and also smoking a [square] cigarette.

[@JustinWhite7861]

wow cool stuff! lots of goodies. I think the whole "push foot" line is about skateboarding.

[@RavenousCatalyst594]

@12:20 dig ur take on false starts & freight trains thru stalled cars. nice. hadn't thot of false starts that way. thanks for doing deep dives of his songs that u'v heard tons. that was something that was missing in the aes reaction genre fo sho!

[@shanemcdaniels]

You would be my first subscriber that I asked this to, what song, scene, character or game would you want me to break down next?

[@RavenousCatalyst594]

​@@shanemcdaniels i'm honored fo real! i'd love to hear ur thots on Aes's early stuff pre-None Shall Pass. Hardly anyone reacts to stuff earlier than Impossible Kid. imo if only 1 thing could ever be created it should be the album Float. There's no breakdowns off that albums & maybe 3 reactions to tracks off it. i have his official lyric book if u don't i'll put link so u can download if u want. I WOULD REALLY LOVE UR TAKE ON DRYSPELL , THERE'S 5 OR 6 LINES i hear multiple ways & they're all dope. There's a newbie to Aesop who loves his stuff & is doing a few aes reactions a week, but gets overwhelmed & woudl benefit so much from ur help.the channel is Dreamers Entertainment & HE ASKED US TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE WHO KNEW AES'S STUFF & HE'd LOVE TO DO A REACTION VID W/ EM. IF U 2 LIVE STREAM WHILE HE'S HEARING SONG FOR 1ST TIME & U STEP IN WHEN HE GETS LOST & BREAK IT DOWN, THAT WOULD BE EPIC!!! if u haven't heard aes's collab w/ Homeboy Sandman called Lice it's soooo good... Who else do u llisten to? If u breakdown Lupe Fiasco u'll get tons of views. If u don't know Lupe 1st time reactions of him are gold & he is amazing. I just started listening to him bc he did 45min video about how MC's should study Aesop Rock here's link to folder with lyric book to download there's also an aesop rock lyric crossword puzzle i made in there! drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LeH_b0wleUFQ4bD2hfMFMiseNmvCJ8PL?usp=share_link

[@OracleTheRonin]

@@shanemcdaniels Ravenous Catalyst is the best aesop listener on the internet. I predict she would ask for Hall of Game, Big Bang or Spare a Match.

[@shanemcdaniels]

@@OracleTheRonin oh trust me, that's one of 8 names I've remember over 4 months of doing this 😂

[@OracleTheRonin]

@@shanemcdaniels I came into contact with her through another channel called moseefus where we would talk on his live streams during Aesop reactions and were both stoked to go off so passionately about Aes. She actually broke down one of my old songs from a while back on her channel.

[@TheLegendofGumby]

Also, damn this was such a good breakdown these lyrics. Hard to catch the meaning in these dense lines, specially when he’s going a mile a minute

[@drokmen99]

Aesop Rock is amazing, is a deep meaning.

[@anthonysantos3629]

I think there are maybe 5 songs in all of aesops massive catalogue that I don't like or just don't love. He is one of the most talented artists of all time in my opinion ig you're talking about written music/songs. And the most unique, not a single person sounds like him or raps like him, and it's fuckin dope. Love these breakdowns man💪🏼🤙🏼

[@shanemcdaniels]

Thank you! Let me know if there's anything you would like me to break down!

[@anthonysantos3629]

@shanemcdaniels not sure if you've done one on the song "big bang" by aesop, but that song has always been one that I just sit back and marvel at his ability to paint pictures in the minds eye. Also if wordplay and lyricism are the name of the game then you might enjoy "Sage Francis". Not as cryptic or beneath the surface as Aes, but he is a beast with the pen as well. The song "runaways" is crazy good.

[@rsage_]

"Vincent Van with that instant rice" --> I'm so used to making basic food that I've made it an art. ... something akin to "give me a flathead screwdriver and I'm Michelangelo under the hood of my 1995 Honda Civic." "Barefoot, my square glows" --> I'm made of bones; I'm not alive. You're barefoot (flesh) my square glows (alarms will sound). "Touché from our killjoys" --> touché comes from fencing which means "touch" or point to you. "touché from our killjoys" --> I acknowledge those that understand the system (take advantage of people) and take all to their advantage. "that newspeak's all pink noise" --> newspeak (1984 reference to correct social language) pink noise is a play on white noise (background sounds to soothe/subconsciously drown out other sounds)... "pink noise" would mean sanitized newspeak that is nothing but fluffy background sounds.

[@cuseyeti_one8three]

Fuuuuuhhhh! Aes and DOOM just have the most dense lix.

[@Zachariah33]

Worth mentioning that there was a warning that red something along the lines of - if a spirit world being dies in the real world a portal to the spirit world is opened. So at the end when the dog kills the rabbit one can assume it opened a portal to the spirit world

[@TravisBlack]

as an mc myself, and a fan (of hiphop) since 5 years old (30 now), i can whole-heartedly say that aesop is easily among the most intelligent musicians alive period. you can listen to his shit a hundred times on repeat and still catch something that completely went over your head on the 101st listen. it's insane. and a collab between him and tech n9ne is long overdue.

[@strictdrugregiment]

If your a real aes fan, you know he's always talking about avoiding DEATH and even being able to confuse death. In gates he's talking about going in to deaths world. That what what what from the guillotine might be a Lil shout out to death grips as he's a huge fan of death grips and they're huge fans of his. This song is about being ready to die or fight death.

[@followyourlight7978]

There is an interview where he said his lyrics are random thoughts about life experiences. It's very cute to watch y'all dig deep though.

[@jackmama198]

Thanks for giving me more ideas of how to interprete certain lines! Aes is like Bob Dylan of hip hop; you really need to be well-versed culturally to get all these references. And it can be pretty challenging if you're not an American. 😢

[@a1fromday117]

I go marching in I’m all “oh eeeh oh” is referencing the witches minions in wizard of oz. They march around chanting that shit.

[@shanemcdaniels]

OHHHHHHHHHHH I REMEMBER THAT NOW!!! thanks for clearing that up! If you know any others on the other aes vid lemme know. I love when you guys chip in your knowledge

[@a1fromday117]

@@shanemcdaniels no prob bro. Love what u do keep up the good work

[@Oxellis]

Don’t know if someone said this but “dog bite and my bird curse” refers to him still being a pirates. He’s got a dog that bites and a bird on his shoulder talking shit

[@zetoma16]

The way i inturperate "i dont pussyfoot i make potholes my path homes all drop zone." For me it invokes immages of a scared landscape where bombs create crators. I inturperate it as "im brutaly honest and cause damage when i speak." Every line is esplosive and packs a punch. It also feels like a callback to his work with kimya dawson "walk like thunder" where the song is about setting a stride to overcome all thing. To move in a way that others see u as powerfull and give u space

[@lukesayers5850]

Vocabulary. Dude has it.

[@LAkadian]

He's trapped in a simulation just biding his time and providing motivation for others who are awake and feel alone too. He doesn't have any allegiances. Like Neo, he is free. "I go marching in like 'Oh ee oh'" is a reference to how they dress up like the flying monkeys in Wizard of Oz to sneak into the castle and kill the Wicked Witch. He'll blend in if it gets him closer to his enemy.

[@MartyBucholz]

So a lot of the metaphors here are about gate keepers, anubis, cerberus, the crypt keeper, all creatures or gods that stand between the living and the dead. he is counting his place among them when he says he was at the gates. More of the imagery even describes vampires and zombies and things that are both alive and dead. Its really just one big near death experience, and exploration of the liminal space between life and death, which all happens a the gates.

[@JoeZarx]

My dog bite and my bird curse is reference to him owning disobedient/bad pets Like, I have a dog that bites and a bird that can talk but just curses...

[@Dennis_The_Peasant]

forgot about the WKUK guillotine bit lol

[@JonKankpaceKendrick]

Aes will say the most complicated thing simply, and the simplest thing poetically and dense

[@SweetMusicIsMyLove]

Aesop speaks in riddles, a living hip hop Shakespeare of our time!

[@dcorbin5779]

I think he went to hell and back and was given a vision of the gates to above and below.

[@thebadegg8937]

16:19 He could be talking about skateboarding, next line supports it

[@definepoetic]

For what it's worth I think "my square glows" might be a D&D reference, like a top down grid on a map

[@definepoetic]

"push foot/whoosh whosh" and "dropzones" could be in reference to skateboarding too. As you can tell I've thought about this guys lyrics a fair bit (still clueless)

[@roosterman84]

I alway pictured this song as Aesop standing at the gates of Hell talking a bunch of shit, and demons and stuff are coming out and and he’s just running his mouth.

[@WoodsyTD]

A square is slang for a cigarette. He says it’s glowing so I’m assuming it’s lit.

[@shanemcdaniels]

I just looked it up and you are dead on accurate. I'm glad you commented because I probably would have lived the rest of my life not knowing wth he was talking about

[@elohem78]

I go marching in I'm all ooh eee ohh is a direct reference to the wizard of Oz when the solders were marching into the witches castle

[@arthurporter131]

“Rat tail, my backdrop’s all black sails Dog bite and my bird curse” Surprised you didn’t get the second line here. His dog is an asshole and borrowing from the pirate imagery he has a parrot (bird) that curses, like, says swear words lol. Great videos though I’m loving these

[@arthurporter131]

And “my square glows” is a phone or tablet lol

[@shanemcdaniels]

Thank you! Love your interpretation on the bird!

[@chugpaint7938]

i think "barefoot, my square glows" is a loose reference to a tile based rpg. not any one is particular, but it made me think of the "tile indicator" function in old school runescape, which highlights the "tile" or "square" that you're standing on. i'm sure you can imagine the visual of a character in some sort of rpg taking their shoes off and the "tile" or "square" that they're standing on glows because of the direct contact with the ground.maybe it's like he shares a common element with the ground/dirt/earth, and when making direct bodily contact with it, the earth acknowledges the interaction by glowing. aside from that visual, maybe he is purposefully referencing the elements of an rpg and how he views his life through a similar lens. he also mentions "hit points" in this song as well, which i think kind of backs up what i'm saying. aside from my input, really great video man! i'd like to see you do this with more of his tracks. if i may request one, do this for Commencement at the Obedience Academy. might be an hour long video, but i think a lot of people would appreciate it. much love!!

[@spiderhands]

This album is so good. In the top 5 albums of alltime in my ears.

[@shanemcdaniels]

Actually, the same here

[@IDontLikePplPlayinOnMyPhone]

You know that poem The Wasteland ? Has the line “I can show you fear in a handful of dust” among other badsss lines. Aes stil uses the English language better than TS Elliot or any other American or Brit poet I can think of. Sounds like blasphemy but I’m dead serious. Maybe not better but at least using language as well and in a mix of hi and low art. The references, the linguistic tricks, the play with meaning, with implications, with pronunciation…it’s crazy. Maybe I only see it in this high regard because I can decode it far better than I can some poet from a century ago or using a British vernacular of English. Aesop Rock has taken not hip hop, but American poetry to its logical conclusion. I don’t think there can be a BETTER technique from here, just maybe a different one. But this is as close to perfection as a person can get in a subjective field like art

[@shanemcdaniels]

It's such a high bar to attain and he's been doing it for so long. I have to agree with you, I don't know who you could even put in his caliber

[@a.scottanderson4490]

@630 - Frankenstein has bolts in his neck

[@Welsed]

He’s standing at the gate to the spirit world as a tour guide, and why he is qualified to do so, and youre not, and why you’re just a visitor.

[@awesomepawn2]

i think the gates is pretty obviously the gates of hell, and a lot of his lyrics i think are actually from the perspective of the devil explaining exactly who he his, its an introduction.

[@fatkid504]

i feel like The Gates is just that an entrance like hes rhyming classic aes BUT his topics are on the surface, he talks about how good he his versus others, hes doing an entrance song for people to grasp and enter with " gates are opening and after that each track goes a little more deeper in the topics of ghost, being possessed, finding camp, going MIA through colors and stuff, but gates stands as his way of tackling the classic " im better than you and this is how" type of track. which i think is cool. if you dont feel the first track and the lead single " THE GATES" then you wont survive the spirit world. idk kind of my thought about it

[@lgyrslkkhe]

That glue stick line always threw me, but hearing you talk about it makes me think it's just how Aes can tell us about two great accomplishments in the same breath.

[@cBake0]

I guess being a big fucking nerd with a deep exposure to Goth/industrial and street culture, as well as psychedelics and occult philosophy gives you more of a leg up in understanding Aes than I realized 😂😂

[@cBake0]

Also Deicide is a metal band, Aesop references metal and industrial bands quite a bit in his rhymes

[@shanemcdaniels]

Hey, it was bound to pay off sometime

[@deefman123]

my interpretaion of the deicide by tea at five onto the bear paw my handshake verse is that the psychedlics are kicking in. ive seen squares around me when tripping once. the understanding of what we are, a few bare bones and air holes. the paranoia of spooky shit " who goes there"

[@shanemcdaniels]

*Reads this megachad interpretation*: Hoooooooollly Shi-

[@deefman123]

@@shanemcdaniels cheers man, I wouldn't call it chadlike but more how lyrics hit different to each person. A lot of psychedelic imagery in this album. I guess it goes with the atmosphere of the albums topics.

[@Oxellis]

The van goh line goes along with him being inside writing not stop. So all he eats is instant rice. And he’s the van goh of it. He can make it delicious

[@nawledgeTm]

naww, homeboy sandman throws lightning bolts

[@eismanbear8012]

This reminds me of how i felt doing DMT. Could be relevant.

[@michaelvenezia9673]

this is the quickest way to take all the magick outta his art. read an old book listen to jazz along withhis old albums to understand his style. its not made for linear logical analysis ....its loosely formed stream of consciousness while taking into account how it might sound if you didnt know english , it still has an amazing cadence. but to think your going to go line by line and tell us what its all about seems highly undesireable

[@samanderson806]

He is probably talking about growing mushrooms on instant rice as a substrate.

[@shanemcdaniels]

I'm not a mushroom guy but that sounds.... Feasible 🤔

[@user-jd3cp4fs9j]

When I was in Portland there were homeless people being farmed by locals (no cops) in the parks who would pose as the homeless camp mayors, but have separate housing / cars / provide LSD for free to the homeless residents before offering them a ride ... Somewhere. One of the dudes in the tent was listening to this album ... The world is awesome to discover, lots of secrets, but getting eaten by hillbillies is not one of them.

[@shanemcdaniels]

Congrats on providing me one of the most traumatic things I'll ever read 😂