Atmosphere: Then and Now

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]O[/dropcap]ver the years, Atmosphere has released eight studio albums and at least 10 EPs. Several side projects also exist such as Felt and Deep Puddle Dynamics. Slug has appeared on innumerable hip-hop albums as well including artists such as KRS-One, Logic, Berner, Aesop Rock, The Grouch, Brother Ali and Evidence. CULTURE put together some of the most significant milestones in Atmosphere’s history.

1970 – Sept. 6, producer Anthony Davis (Ant) is born. He would eventually follow in his father’s footsteps and learn to DJ.

1972 – Sept. 7, Sean Michael Daley is born. Sean eventually adopts his father Craig Daley’s nickname “Sluggo” and later shortens it to Slug.

1980s  – At Washburn High School, young Daley befriends several other fellow rappers and forms a hip-hop collective that focuses mostly on breakdancing and freestyling.

1989 – Shy young Slug initially sees himself as a background DJ for other artists. He eventually starts rapping and partners up with Derek Turner (Spawn) and producer Ant to form Urban Atmosphere, which they shorten to Atmosphere.

1995 – Slug co-founded Rhymesayers Entertainment with Ant, Musab Saad (Sab the Artist) and Brent Sayers (Siddiq).

1997 – Aug. 5, Atmosphere released its debut independent album Overcast! by Rhymesayers Entertainment. It generated the single “Scapegoat” which helped define the sound of Atmosphere. Spawn quits the group after the first album.

2001 – Feb. 1, Three of Atmosphere’s EPs, Ford One, Ford Two and Lucy, are released as an LP called Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EPs.

2002 – June 11, Atmosphere releases God Loves Ugly, and the single “Modern Man’s Hustle” becomes one of the duo’s most successful singles, peaking at #18 on Billboard’s US Hot Rap Songs chart.

Dec. 10, Slug’s side project Felt, a duo he formed with Murs, releases its debut album Felt: A Tribute to Christina Ricci. Felt would go on to release two more albums in between Atmosphere projects.

2003 – Sept. 23, The album Seven’s Travels is the group’s third full-length, but the duo decides to release it on Epitaph Records, a punk rock label typically known for bands like Rancid and NOFX.

2004 – Atmosphere hires a live band with a guitar section in order to perform certain songs.

2005 – May 6, By popular demand, Atmosphere’s 1999 album Headshots Se7en is finally reissued on CD, and fans cite it as the album that solidified the group’s sound.

Oct. 22, You Can’t Imagine How Much Fun We’re Having peaks at #1 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.

2008 – May 10, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold peaks at number one on the Billboard Tastemakers chart with help from Tom Waits. The album proves to attract a larger, more mainstream fanbase. Its single “You” charts on the Billboard US Alternative Songs chart.

2011 – April 12, The Family Sign is released, marking Atmosphere’s sixth studio album.

2013 – April 20, Demosexual 7” is released on vinyl, secretly recorded by Atmosphere.

2014 – May 24, the album Southsiders peaks at number one on the Billboard Tastemakers chart.

2016 – Sept. 3, Fishing Blues peaks at number one on Billboard Independent Albums chart.

Dec. 9, Frida Kahlo vs. Ezra Pound EP is released.

2017 – Aug. 7, Atmosphere kicked off the “Welcome to California” tour beginning at The Fillmore in San Francisco.

2018 – March 5, Atmosphere’s “Welcome to Canada” tour kicks off with Evidence and will visit at least 10 Canadian cities. After that, Atmosphere will continue with U.S. tour dates.

May 25, Atmosphere will join 311, Steel Pulse, Iration, Alpha Blondy, Stephen Marley, Slightly Stoopid, Brother Ali, Mike Love and more for the California Roots Music & Arts Festival in Monterey, California.