Not since that paisley purple funk-filled egg cracked open to reveal Prince has Minneapolis produced such crucial musicians. Indie hip-hop duo Atmosphere — made up of MC Slug and producer Ant, primarily — has been cranking out conscious-raising, metaphor-laced sagas in album form for close to 15 years. Overcast!, their first official album as Atmosphere, debuted in 1997. On fan favorite Lucy Ford, Slug introduced ongoing recurring character “Lucy,” a lyrical metaphor for wack chicks and relationship woes. The complex, introspective God Loves Ugly reinforced the duo’s willingness to both spit some tough game and walk home with their proverbial tale between their legs, two themes explored further on the female-trouble-oriented Seven’s Travels. After 2005’s You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having was met with mixed reviews, Atmosphere returned last month to drop the brilliantly named When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That S*** Gold, which entered The Billboard 200 at #5 — a career-high for the duo and their Rhymesayers label.
The album is as complex as anything Slug and Ant have dreamed up in the past. The mix is lush, the guests include a beatboxing Tom Waits and TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe, and (our favorite part) the deluxe edition boasts a hardcover, a bonus DVD (Sad Clown Bad Dub 13) and a Slug-penned children’s story across it’s 36 pages. Awesome!
Let’s just say we love it, which is why we tapped Slug and Ant to set up shop — in this case, a hip-hop lemonade stand — all this week on MTV.
Moreover, you can dig into plenty of Atmosphere on MTV.com. Like the music videos for Lemons‘ “Guarantees” and “Shoulda Known,” among others, photos from the MTV shoot, and clips from MTV2’s Subterranean. And don’t miss the interview Slug gave MTV’s Sucker Free blog.
It gets even better. Take your adoration for Atmosphere worldwide web-style with Tag It on the duo’s Paint That S*** Gold web site. Use the virtual spraypaint to make your mark anywhere and submit it to the gallery. Just don’t deface Buzzworthy, k? Thanks.
While you’re here, watch “Guarantees” and their Artist of the Week videos here:
Filed Under: Atmosphere, Videos, Artist Of The Week
Keep your head Up, and thanks for the great music.
Sincerely,
Melissa
rhyme sayers and MidWest for life!
Mainstreamness sucks big time.
>:(
15 years! it's about damn time.
and forget all that "jumping on the bandwagon" BS... these guys deserve every new fan they get. people been on the bandwagon.
well anyways
Peace.
Atmosphere deserves all the credit. 10 years unnoticed! They are definitely the unsigned hype!
I hope you guys get big... well kinda. I'm just worried that it will be harder to get tickets to your shows. lol!
Peace
Jer
myspace.com/jerisamwichezbeats
P.S. There is a city across the river from Minneapolis called St.Paul! They form to make the Twin Cities!
Peace much love for atmosphere
Sameone
keep up the good work ant and se7en sep sev two!!
"GOD LOVES UGLY"
Bigger than wrestling
Bigger than the Beatles
Bigger than breast implants
Bigger than guns, bigger than cigarettes
T.
peace
hip hop is hip hop, it is a tree that has many VERY different branches.
and a quote from Slug himself, "I am a sell out. any one who sells one copy of their CD automatically is a sell out! We are all sell outs! get used to it and do your thing! and have fun!"
Atmosphere is amazing, truth.
I love you,
Don't ever ~**%%$ question that...
REZIDUAL
and as far as that dude who said something about "white people singing about how life is hard instead of brown people" is just ridiculous. if you aint having "hard life" troubles, what kind you having? becuz im sure it's the same as somebody else...or everyone else.
if you don't got the new cd, i recommend getting it...then get all the older stuff behind that new cd on the rack.
welcome to the world of REAL hip hop.
MYSPACE.COM/1KINGOFTHENORTH
ATMOSPHERE IS NOT THE TYPE OF MUSIC MINNESOTA DOES..DONT LET SLUG GIVE YA'LL THE WRONG IMPRESSION..IM SERIOUS