Aesop Rock – Checkers

Aesop Rock has announced his new album, “Black Hole Superette,” which will be released on May 30th via Rhymesayers. The 18-track project follows his acclaimed 2023 release, “Integrated Tech Solutions,” and features an impressive roster of collaborators, including Armand Hammer, Open Mike Eagle, Lupe Fiasco, Homeboy Sandman, and Hanni El Khatib.

The lead single “Checkers” showcases Aesop’s self-production skills. It features additional vocals from Homeboy Sandman and Slug (Atmosphere) and keyboards from Asher Fulero. The track explores the concept of neighborhood as an equalizer, with Aesop explaining, “You can’t show up feeling one way because the world will show you otherwise.”

The album’s concept centers around the dreamlike quality of late-night convenience store visits – “not quite awake, not quite asleep, real and unreal at once.”