Hip-hop outfit and Rhymesayers label heads Atmosphere represent the Twin Ci… Read Full Bio ↴Hip-hop outfit and Rhymesayers label heads Atmosphere represent the Twin Cities with introspective rhymes, creative storytelling, and classic production (often incorporating live instrumentation), building a devoted grassroots following with prolific output, collaborations, and consistent touring. First appearing as a trio during the mid-'90s, Atmosphere settled into the core duo of rapper Slug and producer Ant, and first made a major impact on the hip-hop underground with 2001's Lucy Ford, a collection of three early EPs. Slug's lyrical focus shifted from personal struggles to character-based narratives with releases like fifth full-length When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, which landed at number five on the Billboard 200 when it arrived in 2008. With releases like 2011's The Family Sign and 2018's Mi Vida Local, Atmosphere's songs reflected on middle age and fatherhood, while 2020's The Day Before Halloween was an electro-tinged detour into dystopian paranoia. 2021's Word? was a more lighthearted return to a vintage boom-bap sound. As co-founders of Rhymesayers, they are also affiliated with a roster of like-minded hip-hop acts and curators of the annual Minneapolis music festival Soundset.
As a teenager, Slug (Sean Daley) became entranced with hip-hop, graffiti, and breakdancing, forming the Rhymesayers label and collective (originally known as Headshots) with two high-school friends, Siddiq Ali (Stress) and Derek Turner (Spawn). After some early gigs as Urban Atmosphere -- where Slug DJed behind Spawn's rhyming -- the pair hooked up with producer Ant (Anthony Davis), as well as like-minded locals such as MC Musab, Mr. Gene Poole, and the Abstract Pack, forming an underground hip-hop clique dedicated to freestyling and clever lyricism. In 1997, Atmosphere released their debut album, Overcast!, which received college radio airplay and earned an underground hip-hop following thanks to Slug's deeply personal, poetic musings, as well as Ant's bare-bones -- but inventive -- production.
Atmosphere participated in the supergroup the Dynospectrum (who released a self-titled album on Rhymesayers in 1998) and Slug contributed to another supergroup, Anticon's Deep Puddle Dynamics (whose full-length The Taste of Rain...Why Kneel appeared in 1999). The Headshots collective concluded their series of underground cassettes with a seventh volume in 1999, later reissued as an Atmosphere release called Headshots: Se7en. The group also began a series of limited releases (often sold exclusively on tour) titled Sad Clown Bad Dub, beginning with an extremely scarce 1999 cassette.
A year later, Atmosphere (then down to the duo of Slug and Ant) released the Ford One and Ford Two EPs, followed by the Lucy EP in 2001. Collected as the 2001 full-length Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EPs, the three EPs were built around the theme of Slug's complicated relationship with his ex-girlfriend, the lost love of his life. As Atmosphere's following increased beyond underground hip-hop circles, they toured consistently, both at home and overseas; while Ant usually didn't accompany the group on the road, Mr. Dibbs of the group 1200 Hobos often joined in behind the turntables while Slug was assisted on the mike by young rappers like the teenaged Eyedea. In June 2002, Atmosphere unleashed God Loves Ugly, an 18-track effort that returned to previous themes ("F*@k You Lucy"), but also contained the group's pop-friendly single "Modern Man's Hustle," which reached the Top 20 of the U.S. rap singles chart.
By this time indie rap superstars, Atmosphere returned with their fourth album, Seven's Travels, in 2003, followed two years later by You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having. Following the record's success, Ant began regularly touring with the group. They continued to put music out during the next couple of years, including the free download Strictly Leakage in late 2007, a near-party album that they followed up with When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold in April 2008. The record featured plenty of live instrumentation and guest background vocal spots from Tom Waits and TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe; it was also their highest-charting album, hitting number five on the Billboard 200. The "double EP" To All My Friends: Blood Makes the Blade Holy appeared in 2010, with the full-length album The Family Sign following in 2011.
In 2014, the group released the album Southsiders, which featured the single "Bitter" and became another Top Ten-charting hit. The following year, Atmosphere celebrated the ten-year anniversary of You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having by reissuing the album as a four-LP set (including instrumental versions of all the album's songs), in addition to The Fun EP, a picture-disc vinyl issue of an EP of You Can't Imagine outtakes that was originally released as a promo CD in 2006. In 2016, they returned with Fishing Blues, an album that featured the single "Ringo" along with guest appearances from MF Doom, Kool Keith, and Aesop Rock. While the set peaked just outside the Top 20 on the Billboard 200, it became their second album to top the U.S. indie chart. Mi Vida Local, an urgent reflection on middle age, appeared in 2018, followed a year later by the full-length Whenever. The Day Before Halloween arrived on that exact date in 2020, with Atmosphere unexpectedly switching to sci-fi/horror-informed themes over spooky, synth-heavy backdrops. Nearly a year later, Ant and Slug swerved back to their signature sound with Word?, which included guests such as Evidence, Aesop Rock, Sa-Roc, and MF Doom.
Biography by Dan LeRoy
There are other artists with the same name:
2) A Polish rock group, established in 1993 in Leszno, Poland, with Marcin Rozynek as a vocalist. In 1994 the group appeared at Mokotowska Jesień Muzyczna, where they were runners-up just behind Myslovitz. Two years later they won competition Marlboro Rock In. In 1997, Atmosphere released their self-titled debut album, Atmosphere, and in 1999 released Europa Naftowa. Atmosphere was awarded the Album debut of the year 1997 by magazine Tylko Rock and was nominated for the award Fryderyk in 1998 in the category Debut of the Year. In 1998, Atmosphere appeared at the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole with song Niewielki Skrawek Ziemi. Disbanded after Marcin Rozynek departure for a solo career. However, Atmosphere regrouped recently with a new line-up and is recording a new album.
3) An obscure one hit wonder Italo-disco group of the early 80’s. The group was produced by Franco & Venise Scopinich, and their one single “Swede’s Scandal” was realased on Superradio Reccords (label owned by Franco & Venise Scopinich).
4) A thrash metal band of the same name from Vietnam who have released two demo's.
As a teenager, Slug (Sean Daley) became entranced with hip-hop, graffiti, and breakdancing, forming the Rhymesayers label and collective (originally known as Headshots) with two high-school friends, Siddiq Ali (Stress) and Derek Turner (Spawn). After some early gigs as Urban Atmosphere -- where Slug DJed behind Spawn's rhyming -- the pair hooked up with producer Ant (Anthony Davis), as well as like-minded locals such as MC Musab, Mr. Gene Poole, and the Abstract Pack, forming an underground hip-hop clique dedicated to freestyling and clever lyricism. In 1997, Atmosphere released their debut album, Overcast!, which received college radio airplay and earned an underground hip-hop following thanks to Slug's deeply personal, poetic musings, as well as Ant's bare-bones -- but inventive -- production.
Atmosphere participated in the supergroup the Dynospectrum (who released a self-titled album on Rhymesayers in 1998) and Slug contributed to another supergroup, Anticon's Deep Puddle Dynamics (whose full-length The Taste of Rain...Why Kneel appeared in 1999). The Headshots collective concluded their series of underground cassettes with a seventh volume in 1999, later reissued as an Atmosphere release called Headshots: Se7en. The group also began a series of limited releases (often sold exclusively on tour) titled Sad Clown Bad Dub, beginning with an extremely scarce 1999 cassette.
A year later, Atmosphere (then down to the duo of Slug and Ant) released the Ford One and Ford Two EPs, followed by the Lucy EP in 2001. Collected as the 2001 full-length Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EPs, the three EPs were built around the theme of Slug's complicated relationship with his ex-girlfriend, the lost love of his life. As Atmosphere's following increased beyond underground hip-hop circles, they toured consistently, both at home and overseas; while Ant usually didn't accompany the group on the road, Mr. Dibbs of the group 1200 Hobos often joined in behind the turntables while Slug was assisted on the mike by young rappers like the teenaged Eyedea. In June 2002, Atmosphere unleashed God Loves Ugly, an 18-track effort that returned to previous themes ("F*@k You Lucy"), but also contained the group's pop-friendly single "Modern Man's Hustle," which reached the Top 20 of the U.S. rap singles chart.
By this time indie rap superstars, Atmosphere returned with their fourth album, Seven's Travels, in 2003, followed two years later by You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having. Following the record's success, Ant began regularly touring with the group. They continued to put music out during the next couple of years, including the free download Strictly Leakage in late 2007, a near-party album that they followed up with When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold in April 2008. The record featured plenty of live instrumentation and guest background vocal spots from Tom Waits and TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe; it was also their highest-charting album, hitting number five on the Billboard 200. The "double EP" To All My Friends: Blood Makes the Blade Holy appeared in 2010, with the full-length album The Family Sign following in 2011.
In 2014, the group released the album Southsiders, which featured the single "Bitter" and became another Top Ten-charting hit. The following year, Atmosphere celebrated the ten-year anniversary of You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having by reissuing the album as a four-LP set (including instrumental versions of all the album's songs), in addition to The Fun EP, a picture-disc vinyl issue of an EP of You Can't Imagine outtakes that was originally released as a promo CD in 2006. In 2016, they returned with Fishing Blues, an album that featured the single "Ringo" along with guest appearances from MF Doom, Kool Keith, and Aesop Rock. While the set peaked just outside the Top 20 on the Billboard 200, it became their second album to top the U.S. indie chart. Mi Vida Local, an urgent reflection on middle age, appeared in 2018, followed a year later by the full-length Whenever. The Day Before Halloween arrived on that exact date in 2020, with Atmosphere unexpectedly switching to sci-fi/horror-informed themes over spooky, synth-heavy backdrops. Nearly a year later, Ant and Slug swerved back to their signature sound with Word?, which included guests such as Evidence, Aesop Rock, Sa-Roc, and MF Doom.
Biography by Dan LeRoy
There are other artists with the same name:
2) A Polish rock group, established in 1993 in Leszno, Poland, with Marcin Rozynek as a vocalist. In 1994 the group appeared at Mokotowska Jesień Muzyczna, where they were runners-up just behind Myslovitz. Two years later they won competition Marlboro Rock In. In 1997, Atmosphere released their self-titled debut album, Atmosphere, and in 1999 released Europa Naftowa. Atmosphere was awarded the Album debut of the year 1997 by magazine Tylko Rock and was nominated for the award Fryderyk in 1998 in the category Debut of the Year. In 1998, Atmosphere appeared at the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole with song Niewielki Skrawek Ziemi. Disbanded after Marcin Rozynek departure for a solo career. However, Atmosphere regrouped recently with a new line-up and is recording a new album.
3) An obscure one hit wonder Italo-disco group of the early 80’s. The group was produced by Franco & Venise Scopinich, and their one single “Swede’s Scandal” was realased on Superradio Reccords (label owned by Franco & Venise Scopinich).
4) A thrash metal band of the same name from Vietnam who have released two demo's.
Da Art Of Paranoia
Atmosphere Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Atmosphere:
02Trying to Find A Balance They love the taste of blood Now I don't know what…
03 Bird Sings Why The Caged I Know It's the bird, it must have been the bird Disgusting critter…
10 Cats Van Bags (Intro) I can't scratch, cause I'm drunk I got bad teeth a…
11 Los Angeles [Flight Announcement] "Flight 101, Super Jet service for Pit…
12 Lifter Puller You don't know me You just left me You don't know me You…
12. Wild Wild Horses He knew he wasn't perfect But he always did his best…
1597 [Slug] Hence forth, step within my psychoanalysis callouses …
3.2 Red Dog (one of those nights Warm beer, cold women I just don't fit…
4.30 AM (Anonymous) Why don't you get the fuck back to your seat…
7th St. Entry [Slug:] Now see, maybe if your tag was dope I'd actually len…
@ [Slug:] You'd better find a way, you'd better do it soon It'…
@ It Again And ain't nobody seen him around anymore Ever since she left…
A Bad Dub As I walk through this cluster Of people that I look…
A Girl Named Hope Come on, let's go She abandoned me, left me out in…
A Long Hello Let's make a bonfire I got a blanket in my trunk One…
A Song About a Friend Slug: "I didn't say nothin'." Girl: "What?" Slug: "I didn't …
A Song We Made With Sage A room full of happy sot Come see what daddy got Players…
A Tall Seven & Seven Yo can I get a Seven and Seven over here? Yo…
Abusing of the Rib I want to follow the footprints across my lover's stomach I…
Adjust I woke up on the wrong side of my head Converts…
Adjust. Featuring Beyond [Verse 1 : Slug] I woke up on the wrong side…
Advanced Communications Yo homie Had I known you would of grown To a full…
ain Hands stay clean till the well go dry The clutch kinda…
Ain't Nobody Smoke up, hold up, I'm on that grown-up stuff I'll be…
All That I Have Back in the days when I was a teenager Before they…
Always Coming Back Home to You To all my killers and my hundred dollar billers To emo…
Americareful Hey man what's happenin? I ain't seen you in awhile. How…
Angelface I love this fucking country And she loved me more than…
Another Knight Could have been a princess, crown out of thorns Pretty litt…
Anterlude (For all those, who's cares have been our concern. The…
Anybody That I've Known In my past I'd wish for something different from what's with…
Anymore Uh I can't listen if you can't be accountable I'm not your…
Apple [Slug] Hi, my name is Sean Daley and you might know…
Apr: Running With Scissors Protect your jimmy, keep it fresh Anything is everything and…
Arthur Sippin' on that brown stuff Got you feeling like you found…
Aspiring Sociopath [Slug]: 7:30 AM, Alerted to life by a song on the…
Atmosphere Tak perlu berpura, semua telah ku tahu, Diriku hanyalah perm…
Bad Dub Mix As I walk through this cluster Of people that I look…
Bam [Slug] BAM!! We land at your table like dinnertime Asinine a…
Barcade Uh, duck, duck, I'm too next Punks jump to get suplexed My…
Bde Maka Ska I'm at the bottom of already knew I was I'm at…
Beautiful Beautiful is how we know you though Rebel, rebel, for all…
Besos One up Never still if the sun up It's all love until…
Between the Lines (What it tis it taint and what it taint it…
Between the Lines & Scapegoat (What it tis it taint,& What it taint it tis Its…
Bird Sings Why the Caged I Know It's the bird, it must have been the bird Disgusting critter…
Bitter Everything used to be so good then Now it seems like…
Blame Game [Slug] Yo yo yo... I wish that I had something to say That…
Bleed Slow I think her pony-tails are a little too tight Because she's…
Body Pillow then there was this one night when i took the…
Breathing "Take a deep breath relax, don't push it on out."(x2) Somebo…
Brief Description [Sample: "Have you heard it? Sing along. If you didn't…
C'mon C'mon [repeated] When he was a kid he was the joker Low…
Camera Thief Camera thief Take pictures Run like the parallel stitches At…
Can He wanted to make a difference be understood right? Wanted …
Cashier In A Convenience Store (slug arguing with himself) Get up man, wake up What time …
Cashier in a Convience Store (slug arguing with himself) Get up man, wake up What time is…
Cats Van Bags (Intro) I can't scratch, cause I'm drunk I got bad teeth and…
Cats Van Bags (feat. Brother Ali) (Slug) We're travellin' a missile Weavin' through your cornf…
Caved In [D. Turner] The door opened, in walked my brother Terrified,…
Chasing New York I used to be in love with Brooklyn Way before I…
Choking on the Wishbone This one goes out to all of those that want…
Clay When I first landed the damage was outlandish anguish, anxio…
Commodities [Chorus] Everybody, everybody want to be somebody Go gotta b…
Complications Yo this is dedicated, to this girl that I dated Complicated…
Crewed Up Stage One: They call me bad lieutenant when my eyes …
Cuando Limpia El Humo [Slug/(Beyond)] Patterned around the thought and the will We…
Current Status I peep rap city high like to my eyesight Witnesses bitches…
Deer Wolf (7 summers old lovely like I told...) I know a lotta…
Delicate That little kid in the window's looking out at the…
Denvemolorado (Good evening ladies and gentlemen let me get a warm…
Die Motherfucker Die Hands stay clean till the well go dry The clutch kinda…
Dirty Girl I love you like a Rap Kid loves breaks... [chorus] dirty…
Dmfd Not certain exactly how I should approach this Maybe conjure…
Domestic Dog Hahaha, yo did you see that? Yo she pushed her cart…
don It was still dark when Mark arrived Maybe 6:45 in the…
Don't Ever Fuckin Question That [Repeat: x6] Don't ever fucking question that [Slug] Enough…
Don't Forget It was still dark when Mark arrived Maybe 6:45 in the…
Don't Stop All right, see I ain't really all that famous, yet But…
Dont Ever Fuckin Question That [Repeat: x6] Don't ever fucking question that [Slug] En…
Dont Ever Question [Repeat: x6] Don't ever fucking question that [Slug] Enough…
Dreamer She got a condition of the heart A heart condition So as…
Drown I knew that I couldn't survive without you by my…
Dubs [Chorus: Beyond (Slug)] Beyond and Slug got the shit you lo…
Dungeons Â??Dungeons and Dragonsâ?? by Dr. Demento Narrator: Dungeon…
Edie Brikell I feel that most of you soliders are flimsy How the…
Everything Trying to grow Time to let it all go Cause I don't…
F'@k You Lucy Leave me never would you, if you should could I…
Fashion Magazine Chorus Lady of darkness Nigh of my midnight (repeateded th…
Fashionably Modest Shes a formal princess From the moment she wakes up…
Fear [Verse 1] (Slug) Something sinister sits in the corner Ign…
Feb: Body Pillow then there was this one night when i took the…
Feel Good Hit of the Summer 2 I wont lie little homey, they opened up doors for…
Fire Eyes pouring on a rug made of dogs playing poker Shoulda…
Flesh [scratched] "Get off the mic and get off the coke!" "On the…
Flicker One little flicker of light Can erase the dark One little fl…
Fortunate I highly doubt that y'all think about sex Anywhere near as…
Free or Dead So here I am, trying to be the man, right Using…
Freefallin' [Chorus:Repeat x2] Freefallin' when you shook from the pack…
Fuck You Lucky .it leave never would you, you show could I If…
Full Moon (Hook:) The moon is full, you can't fake that light No roo…
Get Fly [chorus] They want us to fight but we just wanna get…
Get It To Get Her And then he asked me if he could bring her…
Give Me Jimmy got shot in the parking lot... I'm a slow typer,…
god love sugly "Fuckin' Slug? Oh my God, he is so fucking ugly." I…
God's Bathroom head, pressure, senses, clutch date, divinity, wouldn't fuck…
Godlovesugly I wear my scars like the rings on a pimp Atmosphere,…
Godlovesugly Reprise 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 God loves you God loves…
Gods Bathroom head, pressure, senses, clutch date, divinity, wouldn't fuck…
gods bathroom floor (Slug): Head, pressure, senses, clutched Date, Divinity, wou…
Good Daddy [Verse:] He gave his baby boy a bath Tub full of bubbles…
Good Times This next one goes out To all the depressed women in…
Gotta Lotta Walls Dialed up his homie Murs on the telephone Gotta talk to…
Graffiti I wrote this one when I was still alive Hey you,…
Guarantees These warehouse wages Kill the ends introduction Man I shoul…
Guns & Cigarettes [Slug] (What's your name fool?) Rap is stepping to me They …
Ha OK, I'ma have to see some I.D. from everybody here,…
Hair "And she still wonders why I'm so insecure, she giggles 'cau…
Happymess Remember that time that I made you so mad Last week…
Heart Dusty trails Jezabel's singing about heads and tails Breast …
Hell (Ahh) (Ahh) (Ahh) And I remember it like it was …
Hells Playground It's like I change my plans with every grain of…
Higher Living Follow me, everybody spread around, I want you all to…
History [NWA airline attendant] Welcome aboard ladies and gentlemen …
Hockey Hair You can't imagine how much fun we're having [Slug] Stop it …
Hope Somebody's amp is buzzing Somebody's amp is buzzing Somebo…
Horny Ponycorn Horns (Slug) I seen it all from the best to the worst,…
How I Won the War The first time they came to get me for their…
How We Go You can't imagine how much fun we're having [Slug] Stop it …
Hungry Fuck lets pretend that this hip hop nation was an actual…
I [Slug talking to crowd] I'm different because I respect my a…
I Don't Need No Fancy Shit I don't need no fancy shit I'm only askin' ya: "Can…
I Don’t Need No Fancy Shit [Hook: Slug] I don't need no fancy shit I'm only askin' ya…
I Love You Like a Brother She might cry herself to sleep tonight You might act like…
I Wish Those Cats @ Fobia Would Give Me Some Free Shoes Tomorrow's forecast (flurries motherfucker) snowman in fu…
I Wish Those Cats At Fobia Would Give Tomorrow's forecast: flurries motherfucker Snowman in full …
Idiot Whoever taught you how to speak your mind Never knew you'd…
If I Was Santa Claus If I was a rich man, I'd buy you some…
In Her Music Box She had a bad dream in the back seat The same…
In My Continental [ CHORUS ] In my Continental Splinter off the mental When yo…
Inside Outsider inside out and upside down who qualifies to try to judge…
It Goes [Slug] Now, when you come to apply for a job Don't tell…
Jan: Sad Clown This world ain't a wasteland It just taste that way some…
January on Lake Street The doors open My left foot sitting on the driveway You look…
Jason Such a pleasure to come home 'cause I...I have a very…
Jerome I ain't the one I never was the one, just another…
Jewelry I never really understood a man's jewellery You soon to see…
Jul: Hungry Fuck lets pretend that this hip hop nation was an actual…
Kanye West Put your hands in the air like you really do…
Keep Steppin it goes job after job after blow to the self…
Lambslaughter (sample.. dont know where its from) "Oh that is one sorry…
Less One (Chorus: x2) Less one, just might lose breath Read me, my …
lift her pull her "Do you really feel? Honestly, I'm asking you of your…
Lifter Puller You don't know me You just left me You don't know me You…
Like a Fire Eyes pouring on a rug made of dogs playing poker Shoulda…
Like the Rest of Us [Verse 1:] See I've been here for thirty-some years Lookin' …
and many more tracks by Atmosphere.
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