Atmosphere featuring Brother Ali
Eleven years after becoming the first hip hop act to put the Twin Cities on the map, Atmosphere has grown into one of the most accomplished MC/producer duos around. Between Slug and Ant, they've released six albums, 11 Sad Clown tour albums and various side-projects like Felt - amounting in well over a million units sold. And along the way have performed to sold-out crowds everywhere from modest sized venues in their hometown to colossal festivals in Japan.
Since releasing their 1997 debut, Overcast!, Ant's ASR-born melodic beats and Slug's open book and observational style of rapping continues to evolve into hip-hop that's more honest - more textured. And the praise for these Rhymesayers pioneers hasn't stopped flowing in.
While Slug's name has become synonymous with introspective rap, the new revelatory recording process with Ant inspired the MC to open up his subject matter well beyond his own life. In fact, When Life Gives You Lemons... is entirely based around fictional narratives that deal with societal issues - many, which revolve around the theme of parenthood. To accompany the release, the album comes with a 40-page hard cover book that includes a children's story by Slug in addition to all of the lyrics. And this was done in part to celebrate Slug's growth as a writer.
The song that got this whole album started is In Her Music Box - the tale of a young girl who sits in the back seat of her wannabe pimp of a father's car, absorbing the explicit raps she hears coming out of the speakers. The song is not so much about neglect as it is examining the dichotomy between a young, inexperienced father and his impressionable child.
The almighty Atmosphere are joined on this very special Southbound appearance by the one and only Brother Ali. Growing up albino (colourless hair, skin and eyes, poor vision, and extreme sensitivity to the sun) in a world of cruel kids made it strikingly obvious to Ali that he needed a high-powered way to earn some respect and prestige among his peers. As a result, ever since elementary school he hasn't slowed down with his lyrical grind. In his rare moments of silence these days, if you catch his eyes, you'll notice that this Minneapolis denizen is rapping in his head. For Ali, hip hop doesn't stop when he exits the studio or stage.
Around the turn of the millennium, the world couldn't overlook Ali's talent and drive of his self-produced demo, Rites Of Passage. This rare, cassette-only effort features collections of rhymes, poems, and stories that he wove into his live sets. Now he stands tall alongside Atmosphere as a new breed of hip hop pioneer.