Atmosphere's Slug talks with Mean Street Magazine!
Atmosphere front man Slug isn't known for keeping his mouth shut. The innovative rapper makes his living doing just the opposite, crafting lyrical --- often deeply personal --- rhymes and dropping them with some serious intensity. Slug admits his shows can contain as much lecturing as rapping and he doesn't mind shocking people.
With the release of Atmosphere's fourth album, Seven's Travels, the man who put Minnesota and hip-hop in the same sentence has managed one of his most surprising moves --- and without even opening his mouth. Despite being wooed heavily by major labels like Sony, Interscope and Warner Brothers, Atmosphere turned to punk mega-indie Epitaph.
"They didn't want nothing from me and I didn't want nothing from them," Slug says simply about the majors. "I don't need money. Not that I'm rich, but I need power so I can make money for people like Brother Ali and Musab."
Even Epitaph wasn't ready to sign the entire Rhymesayers crew (which includes DJ Mr. Dibbs and stellar MCs Brother Ali and Eyedea.) What they did do was offer Atmosphere a unique one-off licensing deal to distribute Seven's Travels.
"I don't owe them shit," Slug explains succinctly. "I'm kind of like a low-risk guinea pig for them and they're kind of like a low-risk guinea pig for me. The [other] labels never thought of it and the artist never thought of it. Nobody in their mind would do what Epitaph did for me without seeing if it works first."
In the meantime, Slug and his Rhymesayers cohorts are out on the grueling 62-date "Double Struggle" tour. The MC's blistering live performances have had a lot to do with Atmosphere's success and his movie star looks (and rock star attitude) have helped build the duo's diverse fan base. They also offer a stark contrast to partner Ant.
"He doesn't like people," Slug says, explaining the dynamic producer who doesn't join Atmosphere on the road. "If he wasn't into beats, he'd be in the mafia --- not the Don Corleone mafia but the Steve Buscemi mafia."
Slug and Ant's disparate personalities have blended well over the years. Musically, they've had time to grow together and that has paid big dividends for Atmosphere.
Slug's also become a far more versatile lyricist. His material is always deeply personal but now his stories are filtered through others people's stories --- the things he sees and hears on the road --- and diffused through a variety of moods and styles. Ant frames his partners' meta-narratives perfectly, anchoring his bare-bones beats to a broad array of hooks, from frantic funk to satiny R&B.
"Every album has been concept driven," Slug explains. "Between me and Ant, we've got over ten albums."
The prolific artist shows no signs of slowing down either.
"The new record is way different," he explains. "It's called The Baby Farmer and it's based on a dream we both had."
Now we'll just have to see who's going to put it out.
By Martin Woodside
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