Atmosphere

Call it what you want. Atmosphere is hip-hop.

Not some touchy-feely shit, but beats and rhymes for the b-boys and -girls. However, that doesn't mean that the two-man crew's emcee Slug doesn't have a point to prove.

As arguably the most-revered person in underground hip-hop, Slug must deal with fans who dissect every last lyric, beat and action. That dynamic allows him to get closer with those who appreciate his music, yet push them further away if the hero they have grown to know through CDs, vinyl, tapes and mp3s doesn't live up to their high expectations.

And now Atmosphere wants to let everyone know that Slug and his producer Ant don't really care what people think because God Loves Ugly, the third major album from the duo, combines the essential elements, the intense production of Overcast! and the introspection of Lucy Ford.

The title track embodies all of these qualities, along with the hard snares Ant used so heavily in the past and the emotional lyrics of Slug. "Been paying dues for a decade-plus/ Before that I was just another face on the bus/ Tappin' my foot to the beat of the radio/ dreamin' 'bout the money, the mic and the ladies," he reflects. And a ridiculous piano loop sample tops off the cut.

This theme of finally reaching goals dominates his thoughts as Slug finds himself on the verge of blowing up. "Give Me" elaborates exactly what he wants from his life of hip-hop. Yet even while keeping it serious, he still manages to slip in funny one-liners without the slightest pause, like "You can beat me up or you can beat me off" and "From the cradle to the grave, the Pampers to the Depends."

Everything about God Loves Ugly tells it like it is based on experience. "F*@k You Lucy" gets deep into another one of Slug's inner struggles, expressed through metaphor. Each word resonates with the passion that has allowed so many people to relate to the genuine emotion and feeling behind the emceeing.

And definitely one thing that listeners have seen from Atmosphere is the never-ending abundance of personification of themes as women. "A Girl Named Hope" takes it there once again, though it still maintains originality and the listener's desire to interpret the song's meaning.

Always devoid of wasteful guest appearances, only the Micranots' I-Self teams up on "Flesh" for a reunion. Self used to live in Slug's home city of Minneapolis and contributed heavily to the first Rhymesayers official release, Dynospectrum.

While that compilation set things off for Rhymesayers, God Loves Ugly continues the consistency of Atmosphere with a happy medium of music.

Slug and Ant don't care what you call it -- just as long as you know their names.