Fans may listen to the prolific MCs together for the first time on a new song that Lupe Fiasco and Aesop Rock have collaborated on while also helping a good cause.
In an effort to support The Collaboratory, a non-profit organization based in Dayton, Ohio, the new song “Pumpkin Seeds” was released on Friday, December 9. According to the organization’s website, The Collaboratory seeks to build an “infrastructure for people and organizations to collaboratively develop community initiatives that generate new economic, civic, and creative opportunities and value.”
The charity will use the revenue from the new Aesop Rock and Lupe Fiasco track to repair two DIY skate parks in the area: Claridge Park DIY in Central Dayton and Home Ave DIY in West Dayton.
By purchasing “Pumpkin Seeds” on Aesop Rock’s or his label Rhymesayers Entertainment’s websites, or by streaming it on their favorite streaming service, fans can support the endeavor.
Aesop and Rhymesayers also revealed a limited 7″ vinyl edition, available in black and two other deluxe colored editions, an exclusive “Pumpkin Seeds” shirt, and two skate deck designs, for which both websites are currently accepting pre-orders, in addition to the new Blockhead-produced release. These products will also support The Collaboratory’s work.
The official launch date of the merchandise capsule is February 7.
Aesop Rock has been working with Blockhead for 20 years, despite the fact that the new song makes it seem like this is his first time appearing on a record with Lupe Fiasco. Two of the Long Island MC’s biggest singles to date, “Daylight” from 2002 and “None Shall Pass” from 2007, were produced by him.
Garbology, the first full-length record Aesop Rock and Blockhead produced together, was released in 2021. The project started to take shape in early 2020, after the loss of a close friend left the rapper feeling uninspired, according to the Rhymesayers website.
“The world got really weird during those months,” he explained. “I knew at some point I had to get back to making something. Make a beat. Draw a picture. Write. Just go. But the idea of making a beat felt like math homework, and drawing is just so hard. “Writing is hard too, but at some point, I had to pick one.”
“I was playing a show in Portland and got dinner with Aesop, and he was like, ‘You got any beats?’ and I was like ‘I sure do,’” he recalled. “I sent him some beats and shortly after that, the pandemic started. I don’t think we really knew or had a plan when we started.
“He just started making songs, and all of a sudden it was like, ‘Hey, we should just make a whole album.’ And that’s what happened. I think it helped us both pass the time during the pandemic.”
