Hip hop duo Atmosphere on a quarter-century of hustle
- Text by Huck HQ / Nick McGregor
- Photography by Beth Saravo
#34 – Atmosphere
Hip hop’s true DIY spirit might be best personified by Minneapolis, Minnesota, duo Atmosphere. Long accustomed to being ignored by the bicoastal hip hop power structure, MC Sean ‘Slug’ Daley and DJ/producer Anthony ‘Ant’ Davis founded a record label (Rhymesayers Entertainment) in 1995, a festival (Soundset) in 1997, and a record store (Fifth Element) in 1999 – all before any of their albums broke big. How does Slug feel about a quarter century in the hip hop game?
“I make no apologies for the fact that I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing half the time. A lot of shit is outside my control, and I’m okay with that. That is a breath of fresh air as an artist. I appreciate the fact that my fans don’t expect me to be extra cool all the time. People allow me the room to be the idiot, or the inspiration, or just the exhausted person that I’m going to be. I’m an artist, but another part of me is a small business owner and an A&R guy. All of these things make up the shit that I write about. No matter who I am at any given moment, I can be that – as long as I’m not an asshole. The only time people get mad is when you treat them like shit. But I can’t remember the last time I treated somebody like shit. That sounds arrogant, but I mean it: you don’t have to treat people like shit unless you’re trying to.”
This is just a short excerpt from Huck’s Fiftieth Special, a collection of fifty personal stories from fifty inspiring lives.
Grab a copy now to read all fifty stories in full. Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss another issue.
You might like
Grainy, yearning memories of Europe’s ’90s free rave heyday
Never Alone — A new photobook from Cheyenne Clementi and Valentina Morandi presents pictures they made over seven years while touring the continent as part of the Tekno Mobil Squad soundsystem crew. It archives parties, people and a lifestyle largely consigned to the past.
Written by: Isaac Muk
As Hanoi’s nightlife faces raids & repression, its underground scene modulates
Spaces Between the Beats — Tensions between nightlife and authorities have grown in recent times, as police target venues and their patrons with increasingly frequent drug testing and searches. With clubs becoming hostile spaces as a result, Hanoi’s electronic music community is finding new spaces and forms of expression, reports Martin Guttridge-Hewitt.
Written by: Martin Guttridge-Hewitt
American Football: The One With The Feelings
Many moons — The Midwest emo architects transformed a college experiment into a coming-of-age soundtrack. 25 years on, their latest iteration sees them bottle the same magic for the ups and downs of middle life.
Written by: Tracy Kawalik
Joe James: “I will never be absent in my children’s lives because I know it doesn’t feel nice”
Hard Feelings — As the silky MC prepares to release his debut album ‘The Ends Never Ends’, he joins our column on fatherhood and masculinity to discuss leaving his childhood home at 16, the manosphere and his risk-embracing approach to life.
Written by: Robert Kazandjian
Analogue Appreciation: mary in the junkyard
Role Model Hermit — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. Today, it’s art rock fabulists mary in the junkyard.
Written by: mary in the junkyard
Kibo’s compendium of Kwengletarianism
Kwengletaria:Ragamyff — As UK rap’s latest prodigious MC announces his most ambitious project to date, Rob Kazandjian spends time with Kibo in a north London pub to chat about his rise, as well as the inspirations and ideologies underpinning his music.
Written by: Robert Kazandjian
