Minneapolis-based hip hop group Atmosphere brought the weather down with them when they performed at Ram’s Head, Live! this past Saturday night. The duo, comprised of rapper Slug and producer Ant, are on tour promoting their latest album, Southsiders, which was released this past May. Luckily, Atmosphere, who credit much of their success to their commitment to touring, brought enough energy to heat the whole concert venue.
Over the past 20 years, the indie rap icons have single-handedly put Minneapolis on the hip hop map and built their independent record label, Rhymesayers, into a major entertainment group with premier artists. The group brought a troupe of rhymers from their label to open for them.
Minnesota native, Dem Atlas (stylized ‘deM atlaS’), started off the show. The crowd was still arriving as the lesser-known emcee took the stage, but this did not bother Atlas. The rapper jumped on stage, black dreads waving in all directions, and delivered his high-paced, intricately lyrical flow. The 20-year-old artist performed tracks from his 2013 debut EP Charle Brwn, an album that has received praise for its West Coast-influenced production and style. A major theme of Atlas’s work is the bipolar split personality of his onstage personae, ‘Dem’ and ‘Atlas’. Although the crowd wasn’t familiar with the young artist’s work, they responded positively to his vivacity and his lyrical content.
The next act was Minnesota rapper Prof, another artist signed to Rhymesayers. The controversial rapper is perhaps best known for instigating a Twitter feud with John Stamos when he alluded to the Full House star as a pedophile earlier this year. In the music world, Prof is known for his grungy, profane musical content, a style that has been referred to as “trash rap.” The Baltimore crowd seemed skeptical of the obscure rapper at first, but he won the fans over with his witty banter and resounding punchline rap. Prof performed a variety of songs from his scattered discography, including a few unreleased tracks. Despite the initial doubts, the 30-year-old artist had the audience hanging on his every word by the end of his set.
The crowd was restless with anticipation by the time Atmosphere finally arrived on stage. Atmosphere is known to give very interactive performances and are great at engaging their audience. Their Ram’s Head set was no exception. From the moment that Slug bounced onto the stage, he was talking to and engaging with the audience.
Slug, also known as Sean Daley, is the better-known half of the duo and he writes and raps the group’s lyrics. Ant, Anthony Davis, handles the group’s production and serves as the touring DJ for the group. Production is an integral part of hip-hop, particularly today with the heavy fusion of genres in the contemporary music scene.
Slug got the entire audience rolling with him and he hit on a number of topics, ranging from the City of Baltimore, to espousing his philosophical views. The group has been touring for a long time, and it shows. Daley’s boyish features have faded and been replaced with a burgeoning beer belly, but one thing the duo has not lost is its fire.
The pair performed a wide array of songs spanning their storied career, including both selections from their latest release, as well as some of their more notable hits.
Slug is renowned for his visceral and introspective lyrical content, musical traits that often don’t mesh well with live performances. Ant’s up-tempo beats, however, combined with the group’s overall energy, overcame this. Atmosphere performed their classic bangers, including the ultimate hangover ode, “Sunshine,” as well as the soulful “Yesterday.”
After Atmosphere performed their set, Slug spoke to the audience for a few minutes. He promoted the encouraging message of remaining true to yourself and your passion, even in the face of great adversity, in order to accomplish your dreams. The artist then surprised the audience by bringing both Dem Atlas and Prof back on stage for an encore. The rappers performed a ten-minute freestyle over a track that Ant produced on the spot. The exhilarated crowd erupted when the duo exited the stage, knowing that they had just witnessed indie rap at its finest.
