| Malibu Ken | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 18, 2019 | |||
| Recorded | 2018 [1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 34:34 | |||
| Label | Rhymesayers | |||
| Producer | Tobacco | |||
| Aesop Rock chronology | ||||
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| Tobacco chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Malibu Ken | ||||
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Malibu Ken is the eponymous debut studio album of American hip hop duo Malibu Ken,composed of rapper Aesop Rock and producer Tobacco. It was released on January 18,2019,through Rhymesayers Entertainment to generally positive reviews.
In 2007,Tobacco's band Black Moth Super Rainbow opened for part of a North American tour headlined by Aesop Rock. [2] According to Aesop,he and Tobacco had wanted to work together on a project since their meeting during this tour,with Aesop calling Tobacco's production "something special". [1] The following year,Aesop featured on the track "Dirt" from Tobacco's debut album Fucked Up Friends . [3] In November 2018,the pair announced that they were releasing their debut album under the moniker Malibu Ken in January 2019,and released the album's first single "Acid King" and its accompanying music video at the same time. [1] The second single,"Corn Maze",released the following month,also with a music video. [4] On January 18,2019,Malibu Ken was released by Rhymesayers Entertainment. [3]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 76/100 [5] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The 405 | 7/10 [6] |
| AllMusic |    [7] |
| Highsnobiety | [8] |
| laut.de | [9] |
| Pitchfork | 7.7/10 [10] |
| Sputnikmusic | [11] |
| Vice | A− [12] |
Malibu Ken received generally positive reviews from music critics. On Metacritic,which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications,the album received an average score of 76,based on seven reviews. [5] Evan Rytlewski of Pitchfork praised the album for focusing on Aesop Rock's sense of humor,saying "he just needed the right producer to highlight that wit,he's found a choice one in Tobacco". He positively referenced many of Aesop's lyrics,particularly on "Tuesday","Churro",and "Acid King",and commended the album for being "more fun than most of" Aesop's discography. [10] Paul Simpson of AllMusic complimented the chemistry between Tobacco and Aesop,saying "Tobacco's music often seems disturbed and damaged yet somehow cool and carefree,and his style is so compatible with Aesop's that it's hard to imagine him working with any other rapper",calling them "a fitting match for each other". [7]
Channing Freeman of Sputnikmusic called Aesop's flow "chameleon-like" and drew attention to his unique delivery choice of lyrical topics,including eagles killing a cat on "Churro" and the story of teenage murderer Ricky Kasso on "Acid King". He criticized the album's formulaic qualities near its end and compared it negatively to The Impossible Kid ,but concluded that "it works perfectly despite the predictability". [11] Kyle Kohner of The 405 described the project as "quite unnerving and even extraterrestrial",praising its "comically dark and foreboding atmosphere". He compliments Tobacco's "retrofuturist" production,calling it "an influx of psychedelic mania that ends up enhancing his counterpart’s festering lyrical voyages". [6] Adam Finley of PopMatters also praised Tobacco's production,specifically on "Tuesday" and "Sword Box",and likened it to "an acid trip come to life" when paired with Aesop's lyrics. He shared Rytlewski's view that Aesop is "funny as hell when he wants to be",and that the album highlights his "silly" side. He did,however,criticize the production on "Churro",saying that it "overwhelms and ultimately detracts from the lyrics". [13]
All tracks are written by Ian Bavitz
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Corn Maze" | 3:23 |
| 2. | "Tuesday" | 3:30 |
| 3. | "Save Our Ship" | 3:29 |
| 4. | "Sword Box" | 4:01 |
| 5. | "Dog Years" | 3:05 |
| 6. | "Acid King" | 3:32 |
| 7. | "Suicide Big Gulp" | 3:30 |
| 8. | "1+1=13" | 3:46 |
| 9. | "Churro" | 2:27 |
| 10. | "Purple Moss" | 3:51 |
| Total length: | 34:34 | |
Malibu Ken
Additional contributors
| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [14] | 176 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard) [15] | 6 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [16] | 19 |
| US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard) [17] | 4 |
| US Vinyl Albums (Billboard) [18] | 7 |
Ian Matthias Bavitz, better known by his stage name Aesop Rock, is an American rapper and producer from Long Island, New York. He was at the forefront of the new wave of underground and alternative hip hop acts that emerged during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was signed to El-P's Definitive Jux label until it went on hiatus in 2010. In a 2010 retrospective, betterPropaganda ranked him at number 19 at the Top 100 Artists of the Decade.
Appleseed is an EP by American hip hop musician Aesop Rock. It was originally self-released in 1999, and reissued via Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2021. Produced by Aesop Rock himself, Omega One, and Blockhead, it features a guest appearance from Doseone. It peaked at number 70 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart.
God Loves Ugly is the second studio album by American hip hop group Atmosphere. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on June 11, 2002.
Acid Rap is the second mixtape by American rapper Chance the Rapper. It was released on April 30, 2013, as a free digital download. In July 2013, the album debuted at number 63 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, due to bootleg downloads on iTunes and Amazon not affiliated with the artist. The mixtape has been certified "diamond" on mixtape site Datpiff, for garnering over 1,000,000 downloads. It was rereleased on streaming services on June 21, 2019, alongside his 2012 mixtape 10 Day. A 10th anniversary Complete Edition was later released, including the full version of "Juice", which previously wasn't available for streaming due to sampling issues.
None Shall Pass is the fifth studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released on Definitive Jux on August 28, 2007.
Bloody Radio is a studio album by American hip hop group Grayskul. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2007. "Scarecrow" was released as a single from the album.
Aesop Rock is an American hip hop artist currently signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment. His discography consists of nine studio albums, three extended plays, ten singles, four collaborations, one compilation, nine music videos, and many appearances on other artists' tracks and on compilations.
Thomas Fec, better known by his stage name Tobacco, is an American electronic musician. He is the frontman of the psychedelic rock band Black Moth Super Rainbow, in addition to working as a solo artist. As of late 2018, he has teamed up with rapper Aesop Rock to become the music duo Malibu Ken, releasing their self-titled debut album in January 2019.
White Van Music is the debut studio album by American hip hop producer Jake One. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on October 7, 2008. It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart, number 49 on the Independent Albums chart, and number 94 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez is the third studio album by Felt, an American hip hop duo made up of Murs and Slug. It is a concept album meant as a tribute to actress Rosie Perez. Produced by Aesop Rock, it was released by Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2009. It peaked at number 131 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
Are You Gonna Eat That? is the debut full-length album by the American hip hop group Hail Mary Mallon, consisting of rapper/producers Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic, and disc jockey DJ Big Wiz.
Skelethon is the sixth studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released through Rhymesayers Entertainment on July 10, 2012.
Hokey Fright is the only studio album by The Uncluded, a collaboration between rapper Aesop Rock and anti-folk singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson. It was released on May 7, 2013 on the Rhymesayers Entertainment label. Every part of every song on the album is performed by either Aesop or Dawson, with the exception of the drums on "Delicate Cycle", which were played by James McNew of Yo La Tengo.
Deadlivers is a studio album by American hip hop group Grayskul. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2005. The album is produced by Mr. Hill, Fakts One, Bean One, Rob Castro, and Onry Ozzborn and features guest appearances from Canibus, Aesop Rock, Sleep, and Mr. Lif, among others. "Prom Quiz" was released as a single from the album.
Together/Apart is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Grieves. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2011. The album features guest appearances from Brother Ali and Krukid.
Bestiary is the second and final studio album by American hip hop group Hail Mary Mallon. The album was released on November 10, 2014, by Rhymesayers Entertainment.
Rhymesayers Entertainment is an American independent hip-hop record label based in Minneapolis.
The Impossible Kid is the seventh studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released on April 29, 2016, through Rhymesayers Entertainment. The production was handled by Aesop Rock himself. The cover art was created by Alex Pardee.
Malibu Ken is an American hip hop duo composed of rapper Aesop Rock and multi-instrumentalist Tobacco. The duo released their eponymous debut album on January 18, 2019, through Rhymesayers Entertainment.
Spirit World Field Guide is the eighth studio album by American hip hop artist Aesop Rock. It was released on November 13, 2020, through Rhymesayers Entertainment. It acts as a "guide" to the Spirit World. The album was preceded by two singles: "The Gates" released on September 9, and "Pizza Alley" released on October 16, 2020. Both were released with music videos directed by Rob Shaw and featuring animation from Justin "Coro" Kaufman, who also designed the album's cover art. A third single and music video, "Coveralls", was released on November 13 alongside the album.
