Aesop Storyteller seems to be a part of the growing conscious rap era. He’s very aware of his community and the story that needs to be told. His album Melanin is available for streaming and purchase on ITunes. Aesop Storyteller was a featured act for last week’s Vibes In the City.
AAHH: Cool name, how’d you come up with it?
AS: I got the name ASAP from when I used to hustle in the streets in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. I had to change the spelling, so there’s no confusion with any other rappers. Storyteller came from my propensity to reenact or put a comedic twist on things that happened in the hood. Once I started making music professionally, I combined the two elements of my brand in the streets to create a modern-day version of the Great African storyteller and the creator of Aesop’s Fabbles who goes by the same name and spelling.
AAHH: Your Album Melanin is now available on ITunes and available for streaming on Apple Music. What was it like making an album like that? And what’s your favorite song off there?
AS: Creating an album called Melanin took a whole lot of reading and watching boring YouTube documentaries about Africans worldwide. I came up with the concept while in Jamaica speaking to some Rastas about how best to honor our skin pigment and soulful expression. It is critically important that this album is in the marketplace at a time where collectively people are awakening to the fact that natural melanin characteristics and features are a sacred gift from God. My favorite song on this particular album is “Single and Ready To Mingle” because of the instant positive energy it spread. It’s a fun record to dance and be silly to.
AAHH: Five years from now, where do you see yourself as an artist?
AS: Five years from now I see myself touring the world, spreading my message of knowledge, self, and the growth of mind, body, and soul. But more importantly, I would love to continue to develop young people so that they can accomplish more than I ever did.
AAHH: Any social media?
AS: I’m on all major social media sites. Twitter: @Aesoplyrics, Instagram: @AesopStoryteller, Facebook: loosebandz, YouTube: aesopthestoryteller, Bandcamp: Aesopstoryteller, Soundcloud: Aesoplyrics.
