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Atmosphere finally deals
After passing on more offers than most artists would dream of having, and being credited and exulted by a number of their peers for persistently maintaining their independent ethics, Atmosphere has inked a deal with Epitaph Records, which will essentially co-release the group's next full-length, Seven's Travels, September 23 with Rhymesayers.
It's no secret that the Minneapolis hip-hop act - consisting of MC Slug, producer Ant, and primary live/touring DJ Mr. Dibbs - have long been in the sights of major labels looking to cash in on Atmosphere's mainstream crossover potential; as Epitaph reports Interscope, Sony, Warner Bros., Atlantic, and Universal each expressed interest. Through it all both Slug and Rhymesayers have insisted that they would not cut any deal that affected how the act could make music, or limit how the label did business.
In a much earlier interview MC and Rhymesayer Brother Ali explained, "Slug has never bit at that record deal that they've offered and they understand that they have to have a certain level of respect for what we're doing, 'cause we don't need them. The reality is that we've built it to the point that the only way we would ever [work] with them is if they were in the position to benefit us; we don't need them."
Brother Ali also explained that unlike most indie labels, Rhymesayers has been very close to 100-percent independent, the only exception being that of a vinyl distribution deal with Fat Beats.
"A lot of the other companies that are perceived to be independent, aren't 100-perecent independent; they have backing from other places. [What Rhymesayers has done] is really based on what Atmosphere is doing; Atmosphere has really made the music industry take this shit seriously - to the point where they have to respect it. It made them have to respect [the music that people make] in their basements," said Ali in the same interview.
The amount of recognition that Rhymesayers has received for maintaining their independence, and the offers they've passed on would suggest this deal was made with their integrity in mind.
Epitaph on the other hand, a label synonymous with punk rock, recently made Rhode Island MC and good friend of the Rhymesayers, Sage Francis, the first hip-hop artist under their umbrella and took a little flack from their fans for it. The news of Sage's signing, posted on May 13, remained a hot topic on the label's mainpage until the end of June, acquiring nearly 540 posts in the specified forum beneath the label's news piece - compare that the to current high of 8 posts for a specific news item on Epitaph's mainpage (excluding the Atmosphere announcement). The forum feedback generated from the Sage signing was represented nearly equally with points for and against the signing. The naysayers were largely under the impression that Epitaph had sold-out for large profits. The supporters primarily spent their words trying to justify the signing to the naysayers.
Though this deal does not make Atmosphere exclusively an Epitaph artist - this is just a worldwide distribution deal and Atmosphere remains a Rhymesayers staple - it does once again link the Epitaph name to a hip-hop act.
With speculation around this deal a near certainty Epitaph issued this statement:
Many may wonder why an established Punk label would put out a Hip Hop record or possibly why a recognizable indie Hip Hop label and group would choose Epitaph to license a record to? Well, there has been a resurgence of the independent Hip Hop scene burrowing underground for sometime now, creating a movement most notably represented by Atmosphere as well as like-minded artists including Living Legends, Sage Francis, EL-P, Aceyalone, J-Live, Aesop Rock and others that have established an underground phenomenon rooted in the same values and ethics that Punk Rock is, at it's best, known for.
In an interview we conducted with Slug earlier, he said that he also felt that hip-hop and punk shared a common bond that was greatly philosophical.
"I think when you carry those types of ideals or theories as a person into music, no matter what you're making, the scene you're going to create out of that is going to be good," said Slug, adding, "the music is not as important as the people that we're connecting with in the process of making the music."
As for Seven's Travels, Epitaph of course says that Atmosphere are better on this disc than they ever have been. They also allude to Slug taking on the moniker of Seven for this release, creating the possibility of a concept album.
According to Epitaph, Atmosphere are also planning a 62-date fall tour with fellow Rhymesayers Eyedea & Abilities, the Micranots, Soul Position, and Brother Ali.
An international tour is expected to follow in early 2004.
by Brian
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