Film + TV

Aesop Rock releases new album with shot-for-shot remake of 'The Shining'

by Jeremy Mersereau

Never let it be said that Aesop Rock doesn’t go the extra mile for his fans, even if that mile ends at the sinister Overlook Hotel. Already beloved by backpackers and serious hip-hop heads worldwide for his lyrical dexterity, Aesop Rock (government name: Ian Bavitz) could’ve easily gone a more traditional, laid-back promotional route for his new album The Impossible Kid, which is due out on April 29th.

Instead, Aesop gonna Aesop: he’s paired a full album stream with a nearly 50-minute remake of Stanley Kubrick’s horror classic The Shining based on Stephen King’s classic novel, made entirely with miniature figurines and toys. Directed by Rob Shaw, the video re-creates all the classic scenes, including elevator blood floods, and Dick Halloran’s awesome room decor, with creepy little dolls and a metric ton of cardboard.

Best of all, Aesop Rock’s Shining remake is set to the full runtime of The Impossible Kid, so you can cross “watch Jack Torrance’s descent into madness while listening to rhymes about terraforming” off your bucket list. “Finally!”