From The Desk Of Aesop Rock: Bats

Following a five-year hiatus, San Francisco-via-NYC hip-hop artist Aesop Rock recently returned with his first solo album since None Shall Pass. Released by the Rhymesayers label, Skelethon is the rapper’s effort to come to terms with the death of a close friend, as well as the deterioration of several friendships and close relationships. “Death has become commonplace in my life,” he says. “The past few years was an endless period of skeletons. But, hopefully, Skelethon will help put all of this behind me. It’s like a giant purging—like finishing a chapter and preparing to jump into the next one.” Aesop will also be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our recent feature on him.

Aesop: I have long found bats to be one of the more fascinating creatures our animal kingdom has to offer. From the dog-sized Malaysian flying foxes down to the adorable and puffy Honduran white bats, they intrigue me to no end. My uncle used to take me and my brothers fishing in northeastern Pennsylvania, and when it started getting dark, small bats would dart around, occasionally colliding with our fishing lines sitting out in the water. I loved it. There are more than 1,000 different species of bats in the world, and many of them can be seen with relative ease if you know the environments they like. Bat houses can also be installed in one’s yard to attract some leathery-winged friends, which are great at keeping insects to a minimum. It should also be mentioned that since 2006, a relatively mysterious fungal disease known as White-nose syndrome has killed more than six million bats in North America. The cause and cure is currently being researched, but I believe as of now the decimated populations remain a sad mystery. Here’s to hoping these little dudes prosper in the face of terrible times.

Video after the jump.