Alt-rap stalwart Aesop Rock and TOBACCO (formerly of Black Moth Super Rainbow) have announced a new collaborative album called Malibu Ken. The LP is due out on January 18. The first single is called “Acid King,” and comes complete with an animated video by Rob Shaw. The grotesque, mutating face may look a bit like Donald Trump, but the younger features and the title of the record indicate that it’s more likely that this is a portrayal of Malibu Ken himself. Gradually, it transforms into a leprous piece of skin, somehow a perfect accompaniment to Aesop’s athletic bars and TOBACCO’s doomsday synth counterpoint.
In a statement, Aesop Rock had this to say about the upcoming project: “TOBACCO and I have thrown around the idea of doing a project together since we first toured over a decade ago. I find his production to be something special, and always wanted to see what I could bring to it. We recently found time to record some songs, and Malibu Ken was born. I brought a few stories to the table, but also did my best to let the production dictate the subject matter throughout. We hope you like the soup.”
Aesop Rock’s last full-length was 2016’s The Impossible Kid, and TOBACCO released his rarities and beats compilation Ripe & Majestic last year. Watch the video for “Acid King” below, and preorder Malibu Ken here.
