True true. Aesop just seems to have become a caricature of himself. My problem with None Shall Pass is that it just seems blatantly overproduced. The beats don't seem to suit him. The first time I heard it I got the sense he was trying to unnaturally force himself into a niche.

Aesop IS his own niche.
I don't think he ever tries to force himself into it, but he may have mistakenly tried to expand it beyond what he is and what he represents.

I'm not saying he's originator of underground hip hop, but he is definitely at the forefront of it, and what he does is a reflection of the whole subculture, which I think he should keep representing.
But regardless of my own personal opinions about that, we can't really expect an artist to contribute to stasis of something like that. They don't have to keep it dirty and raw all the time, but at least keep the soul of what they're doing. Keep it alive and well, and still recognizable beneath the shine and sheen of modern production aspects.

I think he does that. He may expand too far lately, but he's still Aesop. Still Ace.

Now if he could get these cats to produce an album with him, that might be a nice change of pace:

Oh hell yea.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...beinfinity.jpg

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F♯A♯∞

Bloodbath - Nightmares Made Flesh

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA240_.jpg

Peter Tägtgren covered the vocals on this one and since I love Hypocrisy and Pain so much this was a must have.

Deltron 3030-Deltron 3030
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8ZjZsrwpzf...ron30_101b.jpg

Old Crow Medicine Show-Big Iron World
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ARDo07TDQl...20/oldcrow.jpg

Busdriver-Temporary Forever
http://www.theglitchmob.com/images/e...ethingness.jpg

Elliott Brood-Mountain Meadows
http://www.vueweekly.com/uploads/mus...liot-brood.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_bhGqBQjwzL...ace+Of+Sin.jpg

...aka Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman's first album after leaving the Byrds.

I still haven't got any Gram Parsons stuff, i've probably asked you this ages ago but what's the best Flying Burrito album?

The first two are the ones I've heard, and both of them are fantastic. As it happens, I've got just the link for you (cue checking of PMs in approximate 30 seconds). Gram Parsons' band before he played with the Byrds, the International Submarine Band, are great listening too. They've only got the one album themselves, called Safe At Home - well worth looking out for that one too.