As a member of the cult-followed underground hip-hop collective Living Legends, Fresno-bred Aesop Fables has been a globetrotting rapper for the past decade.
But these days, you'll find him settling into Fresno a bit more.
He hosts a weekly open-mike night at Starline and has plans for a music-based after-school program. Those jobs share time with his commitments as a member of the Living Legends, which does 20 or so shows per year as a group.
This week, his two worlds collide as The Grouch, one of the most popular members of Living Legends, makes a Fresno stop and Aesop shares the stage with him.
The show is at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Starline, 831 E. Fern Ave., and also includes Selma-raised rapper Iceman. Tickets cost $12 in advance or $15 at the door.
Advance tickets are available at FTK, 5048 N. Blackstone Ave.
Aesop recently released a new album, "Living the Dream While Awake." Even that has a little bit more of his hometown in it.
"I consider it a Fresno sound," he says.
Fresno producer Hecktik handled a majority of the production and most of it was recorded or written here in town.
"The vibe of the album is positive and political," Aesop says. "I have a whole lot more to say in it."
What's he most interested in talking about these days, though, is the weekly Monday open-mike night he hosts at Starline.
It's been dubbed the Tower District Musician's Guild, a sort of breeding ground for local music talent of all genres.
You're most likely to find Aesop performing with a band nowadays (he will be for at least part of Tuesday night's show), delving into funk and jazz in addition to hip-hop.
That's the point of the Musician's Guild night too, where Aesop provides most of the instruments.
"An artist can walk in and do whatever without bringing any instruments," he says.
He recalls moving to the Bay Area to pursue hip-hop when he was younger, and he says that's part of the inspiration behind the open mike -- to give young local artists a space to pursue their passions.
In 2010, he hopes to get more active in a nonprofit, after-school program that teaches music to kids.
He's also looking at promoting events at Smokehouse, the downtown barbecue restaurant his father owns.
"It seems really important for me," Aesop says, "to have a place to get out that musical energy."
The reporter can be reached at mosegueda @fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6479. Read his blog at fresnobeehive.com.
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