In his song “Zero Dark Thirty,” Aesop Rock describes the effect that going from unsigned to famous in the music industry has on artists. Oftentimes, caught up in the fame, celebrities come to feel that they are invincible and this, usually combined with the aftermath of a tumultuous childhood, ultimately leads them to become addicted to drugs. The allusion to the Greek monster known as a Minotaur is used to describe the artist’s life before getting signed. The artist is considered ugly and repulsive–having no friends–like a Minotaur. Part of the lure of a producer is that they will transform an artist’s image to be more desirable to the public. Also, the Minotaur dwelled in a labyrinth, or a maze. This is also a reference to what it is like to be a single unsigned, underground artist in a sea of millions of other artists. Only a small percentage of musicians, especially of rap artists (like Aesop Rock), are ever found and signed successfully by well-known producers.
The function of the allusion to Rumplestiltskin in this song is to portray another negative side effect of drug abuse. Rumplestiltskin is able to relatively quickly turn plain, worthless straw into valuable gold. The line “spin hearts on sleeves into heads on poles” shows how one seemingly innocuous side effect of drugs (decreased inhibitions) can suddenly be replaced by a serious side effect (overdose or death). The allusion also creates irony; gold is a desirable object, whereas what is compared to it–death–is not.
I agree with the general theme but I think the Rumplestiltskin reference is aimed at the industry executives because the line goes "NEVERMIND straw to gold, spin hearts in sleeves into heads on poles." To me that indicates they don't care about helping the artist who is putting themselves out for everyone to see (hearts on sleeves), but just want to add the artist to their collection of gruesome trophies (heads on poles).
I agree with the general theme but I think the Rumplestiltskin reference is aimed at the industry executives because the line goes "NEVERMIND straw to gold, spin hearts in sleeves into heads on poles." To me that indicates they don't care about helping the artist who is putting themselves out for everyone to see (hearts on sleeves), but just want to add the artist to their collection of gruesome trophies (heads on poles).
This is idea is supported by the line "A-alike androids dreaming of carbon applause get stuffed with cartoon cigars." In cartoons cigars are often smoked...
This is idea is supported by the line "A-alike androids dreaming of carbon applause get stuffed with cartoon cigars." In cartoons cigars are often smoked by sleazy businessmen holding them in their teeth with a smug grin; the artists are "androids" dreaming of fame but get stuffed with the ideals of the businessmen who promote them. They get sick of this ("cold pack, neti-pot, home to roost" being a reference to physical sickness) and try to distance themselves, but the people they know are all similar "folk backed into what they most lampoon" which in rap culture tends to be selling out/commercialism. So many rappers start out bashing the commercial rap of the day but jump when they get a chance to be a part of it.
Continuing the interpretation, "shook to the fevered brow and broke ankles, daisy, declawed pound, no thank you, fade me" would refer to the artist realizing the hypocrisy that surrounds them, how they can't get out because of how much they've worked to get where they are (broke ankles), how their label association has taken away their ability to say what they want (declawed pound), and finally how they give up to the allure of drugs in light of this (no thank you, fade me). The use of the word "daisy" might be a reference to the 2006 Korean movie of the same name; one of the protagonists is shot in the throat which leaves them voiceless for their entire life. I believe it's easy to see how this ties in if my interpretation is correct, and while this may seem tenuous it wouldn't be the first time Aesop made an oblique reference to an obscure work.
I liked your interpretation of the Minotaur reference; I took it at face value (since a Minotaur would be ugly) but that makes a lot of sense.
In his song “Zero Dark Thirty,” Aesop Rock describes the effect that going from unsigned to famous in the music industry has on artists. Oftentimes, caught up in the fame, celebrities come to feel that they are invincible and this, usually combined with the aftermath of a tumultuous childhood, ultimately leads them to become addicted to drugs. The allusion to the Greek monster known as a Minotaur is used to describe the artist’s life before getting signed. The artist is considered ugly and repulsive–having no friends–like a Minotaur. Part of the lure of a producer is that they will transform an artist’s image to be more desirable to the public. Also, the Minotaur dwelled in a labyrinth, or a maze. This is also a reference to what it is like to be a single unsigned, underground artist in a sea of millions of other artists. Only a small percentage of musicians, especially of rap artists (like Aesop Rock), are ever found and signed successfully by well-known producers.
The function of the allusion to Rumplestiltskin in this song is to portray another negative side effect of drug abuse. Rumplestiltskin is able to relatively quickly turn plain, worthless straw into valuable gold. The line “spin hearts on sleeves into heads on poles” shows how one seemingly innocuous side effect of drugs (decreased inhibitions) can suddenly be replaced by a serious side effect (overdose or death). The allusion also creates irony; gold is a desirable object, whereas what is compared to it–death–is not.
I agree with the general theme but I think the Rumplestiltskin reference is aimed at the industry executives because the line goes "NEVERMIND straw to gold, spin hearts in sleeves into heads on poles." To me that indicates they don't care about helping the artist who is putting themselves out for everyone to see (hearts on sleeves), but just want to add the artist to their collection of gruesome trophies (heads on poles).
I agree with the general theme but I think the Rumplestiltskin reference is aimed at the industry executives because the line goes "NEVERMIND straw to gold, spin hearts in sleeves into heads on poles." To me that indicates they don't care about helping the artist who is putting themselves out for everyone to see (hearts on sleeves), but just want to add the artist to their collection of gruesome trophies (heads on poles).
This is idea is supported by the line "A-alike androids dreaming of carbon applause get stuffed with cartoon cigars." In cartoons cigars are often smoked...
This is idea is supported by the line "A-alike androids dreaming of carbon applause get stuffed with cartoon cigars." In cartoons cigars are often smoked by sleazy businessmen holding them in their teeth with a smug grin; the artists are "androids" dreaming of fame but get stuffed with the ideals of the businessmen who promote them. They get sick of this ("cold pack, neti-pot, home to roost" being a reference to physical sickness) and try to distance themselves, but the people they know are all similar "folk backed into what they most lampoon" which in rap culture tends to be selling out/commercialism. So many rappers start out bashing the commercial rap of the day but jump when they get a chance to be a part of it.
Continuing the interpretation, "shook to the fevered brow and broke ankles, daisy, declawed pound, no thank you, fade me" would refer to the artist realizing the hypocrisy that surrounds them, how they can't get out because of how much they've worked to get where they are (broke ankles), how their label association has taken away their ability to say what they want (declawed pound), and finally how they give up to the allure of drugs in light of this (no thank you, fade me). The use of the word "daisy" might be a reference to the 2006 Korean movie of the same name; one of the protagonists is shot in the throat which leaves them voiceless for their entire life. I believe it's easy to see how this ties in if my interpretation is correct, and while this may seem tenuous it wouldn't be the first time Aesop made an oblique reference to an obscure work.
I liked your interpretation of the Minotaur reference; I took it at face value (since a Minotaur would be ugly) but that makes a lot of sense.