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Atmosphere Reflects on 30 Years in Hip-Hop 🎤 | SWAY’S UNIVERSE
Jul 29, 2025
Subscribe to Sway’s Universe for exclusive interviews and fresh perspectives on music legends! In this episode of Sway In The Morning, Atmosphere—Slug and Anthony—reflect on their groundbreaking 30-year journey in hip-hop. Join the duo as they share their thoughts on staying true to their underground roots, building a legacy of authenticity, and navigating the ever-changing music industry. From their early days in Minneapolis to becoming one of the longest-lasting groups in hip-hop history, Atmosphere opens up about their creative process, loyalty to each other, and the evolution of their music. They discuss their upcoming album "Gestures," its unique concept, and the joy of embracing their quirky, dad-joke-infused style. Plus, hear them freestyle live in a moment that showcases their undeniable artistry. Don't miss this candid and inspiring conversation with hip-hop royalty. Tune in now and experience the energy, wisdom, and humor of Atmosphere! Watch more and stay connected with Sway’s Universe for the best in music, culture, and exclusive content. #Atmosphere #SwayInTheMorning #HipHop #Gestures #rap #comedycentral #musicvideo #grandmasterflash #atmosphere CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Atmosphere on the Wake Up Show 01:55 - Life Perspective of Atmosphere 05:50 - Atmosphere's Production Choices 06:52 - World Premiere: Atmosphere - "Daily" 15:29 - Felt 2: Tribute to Lisa Bonet 19:38 - New Album ‘Gestures’ Overview 23:58 - World Premiere: ‘Daily’ Insights 24:51 - Toki’s Medallion Discussion 26:55 - Jay from Michigan Call 29:42 - Fan Boundaries Explained 32:46 - Joe from Buffalo Call
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0:00
Yo man, I had to take them back. He have the B. One of the most legendary moments I talk about it. We talk about it all
0:06
the time. It's when these guys come up on the wakeup show and and freestyled. And I
0:11
got Slug here with us right now. Um from a group that I consider iconic when it
0:17
comes to the hip-hop um genre, especially when it comes to where we all came from. We were we were underground,
0:24
right? What they considered underground. And to me, underground doesn't mean that you're not being seen or you're not
0:30
being heard. It's just you're not you don't necessarily play the games it take to become mainstream. You're not aiming
0:37
for a target. You know, people are coming to you as the target. And there's groups like um there there are people
0:44
like, let's say, a Tech9 um um a movement like the hieroglyphics,
0:49
you know, um more recently people like Currency, you know, these folks who stay on the road. We looking at Lar Russell
0:56
do it now in Northern California. These blueprints were already laid out, these templates of success, especially for
1:02
artists who aren't maybe signed to a major label. Um, and these guys, man, I've had a
1:09
chance to be a part of their career in the sense that we've always supported their music on
1:14
the wakeup show. We've had some really milestone moments as well that we've shared on the wakeup show and outside of
1:21
the wakeup show coming to Minneapolis and Sadique over here from Rhymesers. These guys receiving us and accepting us
1:29
and allowing us to come and host this amazing that I wasn't doing festivals
1:34
until we start doing sound set. I know, right? I didn't y'all didn't, you know, I you know, and these guys allowed us to
1:42
come and and and pollinate what it is we do and combine what it is we do with what they do in this beautiful world
1:48
that they created in Minneapolis and the surrounding areas and the people they've touched through their music since over the days of
1:55
Overcast and and back in 1997, all of these different things that they've been
2:00
able to do. And man, I'm really happy when I saw their name come up like, yo, atmosphere want to come on the show. Oh
2:07
[ __ ] really? I haven't seen these dudes since we went fishing on Lake Minnetonka
2:13
or something. These dudes took me fishing. He be I'm
2:19
for They didn't know what the [ __ ] they were doing either. It was crazy.
2:24
Still though, we got my man Anthony is here. We got Slug here. Give it up for Atmosphere.
2:32
Man, how y'all man y'all always look the same. How y'all do that? Y'all look like y'all should have been extras in the
2:38
like John Travolta movie. How y'all? You like that? Still working
2:44
on that. Yeah. Y'all could do like indie film like y'all fit the bill. That's what we're here for.
2:50
Yeah. That's I mean, isn't that the the goal? Everybody like let's all just do one. In fact, this is we're living in one big
2:57
indie film right now. You feel me? like where everything is taking twists and turns that you didn't see coming because
3:03
we got no budget so we got to make it up as we go along. That's right, man. But y'all still don't got no budget like Sadique.
3:10
Hey, as long as I don't have a speaking part, we're good.
3:16
But what is life for you, bro? Like what is life for atmosphere now? We're talking 30 years in the game, bro. Like
3:23
you you know there's kids that weren't there when you were first in the game. You know what I mean? there was families that weren't there when you first came
3:30
in the game. Like we we we have to start talking about what is life like for the hip-hop artists. You guys aren't just
3:37
limited to hip-hop, but for the artist 30 years later, how things you ain't got that same necessarily yearning because
3:44
you've kind of reached a lot of your goals. You're not struggling as much, right? What is life like for you now?
3:51
I mean, you you nailed it. You know, uh here's the thing. the difference I guess and I can only speak on behalf of myself
3:58
but with um with my situation when I wanted
4:04
to get heard it was a lot of it was just fueled by wanting to get heard
4:09
and so that still exists. Okay. And so the the the feeling of trying to be seen or heard or have
4:16
something to say, oh, I thought of a funny oneliner and I could say it to my friends, but if I could say it to more
4:23
people, that would be fly. You know what I mean? That that feeling of of wanting to have I don't want to say spotlight on
4:29
you, but to have people's attention. I was a class clown as a kid, and this is just a a version of that. whatever it
4:37
was I was chasing, whatever void I was trying to fill, then that void still exists and and likely will forever. You
4:43
know, now the thing that changes is your life. So the things that you write about when you're authentic with what you're doing, you you what you write about is
4:50
going to evolve just like your life is going to evolve. What what this man over here creates is going to evolve just like he as a human
4:56
being has evolved, you know? And so I I feel like that's that's one of the fortunate things in hovering
5:04
near the surface is that we're allowed and accepted as just coming to work is who we are. We don't have to really
5:11
do a whole lot of acting. Yeah. In this movie, we can kind of just, you know, we just portrayed ourselves and
5:16
and and and so far so good. We ain't been fired yet, you know. So yeah, that's dope, man. You feel the
5:22
same way? Exactly the same. Yeah. Do you mind if I say an you introduce yourself as Anthony?
5:27
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Either way. Yeah. Yeah. I go either way. Yeah. It's all good, man. I appreciate you. Yeah. Yeah.
5:32
No, but ever since I was, you know, 13 years old, I've been wanted to be heard and it's hasn't changed a bit. So, just
5:39
like him. The same thing, you know. It's just the the uh intensity is a little different nowadays, you know. It's just
5:45
diff. It just has a different a little different, you know. Um, you guys have been working together
5:51
this long and you you've always been like the producer slash DJ.
5:58
Yeah. And I don't know, Heather, can you think of a, you know, a group that just just
6:04
use I mean, you guys have a certain loyalty towards each other. Like, how often do y'all as a group go out and use
6:10
other producers? None. Right. There's been a couple songs back in the day, but for the most part,
6:17
yeah, I did. in the in the very early days when we weren't quite even sure yet what this was.
6:23
I was just trying to rap. And so I was rapping anything and everything. And so there were a few
6:29
songs in the very beginning that were produced by other friends. You know what I'm saying? And uh but but once once we established what we
6:36
were, we knew that our chemistry worked, you know, that for for whatever you want
6:42
to call it, our art together, it it worked. It it it it fit. And so we
6:48
just kind of kept going. They kept going. Atmosphere is here, man. And we talking about the new
6:54
upcoming album. It's called Gestures. Uh which is world premiering. Um we were we world premiering the new single.
7:02
As far as I know. Sure, why not? It's called Daily. Slay a play and then he'll get a call.
7:08
Somebody said, "Nobody told me." Hey, man. I'm not going to say no to that. Okay. Well, we got Sadique right here,
7:13
the king of rhymesers. Come on, man. Get in the camera, bro. Come on, man. Come on, man.
7:20
Yo, PB, move the camera on him. Dude, you can't escape this. Just say hi, bro. Just break the mold, man. Bro,
7:26
Heather's handing you the mic. You going to tell Heather Vo? Damn, this guy, man. See, this is why I wanted to uh stay in
7:33
the other room. Well, bro, listen. I know. I get it. They tell me this all
7:39
the time, right? I I don't like to receive accolades and that sort of thing. I I don't dislike it, but it
7:45
makes me awkward. Right. You have done when people talk about hip hop and its
7:53
impact, right? And we mentioned labels. We mentioned Cash Money, right? You take
8:00
it back. We mentioned Ruthless Records, right? Bad Boy, Death Jam, all of these
8:05
labels we mentioned. Um, it's time that people mention rhymeers, bro.
8:13
Bro, you've you've had and if you don't know, Google it, look it up.
8:20
When did Rhyme Slayer start? Technically, we say 95.
8:26
1995. 90 92 93. Do the math on that. 30 years.
8:31
Yeah. Yeah. This year is our official 30-y year anniversary. When you think of rock uh
8:39
what I was say rockefeller rock yeah when you think of these labels that are
8:45
really no that have dismantled you have figured out quicker than others
8:51
utilizing artists that are tremendously authentic um and I don't know if any of them reach
8:57
the kind of charting mainstream success that we tend to celebrate in this
9:03
business I celebrate longevity And I I cate um when somebody creates a
9:09
fortitude, a foundation that sustains and lasts without the spotlight,
9:15
you know what I mean? Yeah. I mean, it's a lot. I mean, to do anything for I mean, y'all Yeah.
9:20
to do anything for that long is an achievement. Yeah. So, it's an achievement. I'll take that.
9:26
Take that. I'll take that. And you survived it, man. It's been a lot of from MP3 file sharing to
9:32
streaming. Business has changed. Business has changed a lot. in those 30 years and now you got catalog that could
9:38
sustain your business. You guys are great at merch and great at touring. Yep.
9:43
Right. Salute to you, brother. That's you over there struggling, man. Get that
9:49
dude some water. You're amazing, homie. Okay. You got an
9:55
amazing daughter. We always talk daughter stories, you know, the whole night.
10:00
Yeah, boy. Them daughters probably. But like you Sway, I I I can understand where Sadiq is coming from cuz you like you mentioned we do it for
10:07
Sway. But but I think and you guys can probably attest to you don't set out necessarily looking for anything in
10:13
return. You you with your friends, your friends vibing with you. Yo, it's dope. What you doing? You should get in the
10:18
studio. It just comes from this natural place. We watch the videos. We saw Run DMC. We saw Latifah. We saw, you know,
10:27
we grew up watching all of this stuff. And so you I definitely wasn't thinking where I'm going to be 30 years from now.
10:34
I'm like, yo, if we could just get to the boys club or the YMCA and rock this show next Saturday, it's going to be
10:40
crazy. You know, like you don't think about it. So it's when people giving you and they remembering certain things, it
10:47
it has to be strange. It's overwhelming because you remember when you started a lot of times you just kind of didn't you
10:53
dreamed of things, but you just didn't kind of know how all of it was going to happen. And with that being said, I'm
10:58
wondering with you guys, you know, did you ever worry about your audience growing with you? Because we we're now
11:06
talking about I'm not the same person I was 5 years ago, you know, but you
11:11
you're putting out work, you're putting out you're one I'm wondering if people will receive it this way. Um, do you
11:16
worry about that or think about sometimes when you are approaching music um at this at this point
11:22
when approaching it uh from the creative space? And uh I really don't think about
11:27
a whole lot other than trying to have an effect on this person right here. Okay. If I can make him laugh or make him
11:35
flinch or something, you know what I'm saying? If I got if I could put something in there that will affect him, then I trust it. If that's if that makes
11:43
sense. Cuz it's already gone through it's gone through my filter. And at the end of the day, you know, I I believe
11:49
you probably could drive yourself crazy trying to think about how other people are going to accept what you're doing,
11:56
you know, and and and I think that craziness is probably important and and and and and usable at a certain point in
12:03
your life, but at this stage, I don't need any more crazy ever again. You know what I mean? I I like
12:09
somebody somebody brought up one of the callers said Virgo season or something like that. like it's it's just it's
12:14
approaching and I'm trying to get crazy out of my world. You know what I mean? So it it's so nah when I make music it's
12:21
just kind of for myself and then for him and then if it passes his test then
12:27
whatever anybody else thinks of it is theirs cuz I've already been through it. I've been I've had fans become haters,
12:33
haters become fans. I've been through all of that and I know what it feels like. Yeah. Cool. I'm with it. I've already embraced
12:39
that, you know, and so now I just need to make sure I don't make him a hater.
12:46
As long as as long as long as as long as I don't turn into a hater. As long as I
12:52
get that. Yeah, that makes total sense. Pretty good. That makes total sense. Yeah. For you, the same thing.
12:57
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's exactly the same. uh in some ways, you know, I
13:03
was I've spent a lot of years like when when are we going to get when are we going to get the uh the big explosion or
13:10
whatever, you know what I mean? Sure. And then um and it just doesn't quite happen. But in some ways it has and then
13:16
you look back and you're like, "Oh, I did this, this, and this." It's just like that's when you But
13:23
that's age, right? I'm in my 50s now. So it's like you slow down and like man
13:28
I don't even know what's what was the point of all that [ __ ] Yeah. You know what I mean? Like it's like so
13:33
that's that's the beautiful thing about aging, man. Yeah. It's pretty pretty wild. The wisdom too, man. And just
13:40
letting [ __ ] go, right? All right, man. We going we dad rapping right now.
13:47
He said he said explosion. And I was like, our explosion was like if you throw a M80 inside of a storage
13:53
container and close the lid and you know what I mean? Like and that's kind of that's a forever vibe for us, you know?
13:59
It's like 30 years is a very long time to work with the same person. And
14:05
I when I think of my heroes, many of my heroes didn't even get to claim that.
14:11
You know what I mean? It's like they've all Many of them are still working, but they're not with the same rapper or the
14:16
same DJ, you know? And so that I know is a blessing and I'm grateful for that. And and and so when we work together,
14:23
that part right there shines so bright and and and and you know, we get along
14:28
as people. Yeah. You know, but we also make room for each other when we disagree. You know,
14:34
I think we got to do new list instead of the hottest rapper of the time, you
14:40
know, the the longest group last like who's the top 10 longest lasting groups.
14:46
M and hip-hop an atmosphere would have to be on that list 100%.
14:52
Who's been around 30? That cool though. Like 30.
14:59
You can't say not a lot. Soul Mischa Mis Cypress Hill. Cypress Hill.
15:05
Uh Freestyle Fellowship. Still rocking. Sway and Tech. Uh
15:10
oh. How long the locks hat? Let's not the locks. I don't know if it's 30 yet. I think it's got to be
15:16
30 since 30 W Wu Tang Clan. Wuang Clan. Yeah.
15:22
Yeah. So, congratulations. You shout out. You made you made the top 10 list. The longest lasting groups ever in hip hop.
15:29
Wow. You know, I was thinking about I remember about 10 years ago you guys
15:35
did that uh I want to say was it called Felt to the Tribute to Lisa Bonet project, right?
15:40
And as you know, we lost Malcolm, you know, um, Malcolm Jamal Warner and to me
15:47
that it made me go back and, you know, looking at his work and just things that were affiliated and that came to mind,
15:55
you know, and I don't know, man. Can y'all reflect on that project and Fel 2 project?
16:01
Yeah, that's actually turning 20. That's 20 now. 20 years. Okay. Wow. Um, you know, it's
16:07
it's interesting that you aligned that with Malcolm Jamal Warner
16:13
just now because, you know, when I think about the impact, I've been reflecting a little here and and when I think about
16:19
the impact that he had on us when we were younger with the way he dressed and talked, he he brought um that culture
16:26
into our houses on a prime time and and granted he was acting. He was a child actor. he was kind of going where he's
16:32
told to go and doing what he's told to do. But there was still something about in his in his his his his clothing and
16:39
the way he carried himself that spoke to us similarly to, you know, uh
16:47
Fresh Prince of Belair, but but even before that, you know what I mean? Like he was there first and it's and so so
16:52
Felt too actually sounds like that era to me. You listen to the the R&B kind of vibes
16:58
that are on that record, you know what I'm saying? the like like like you know behind his back I refer to that as the
17:04
SOS band record. You know what I'm saying? It's like I I I and so so to to to me that's I mean that's that's really
17:11
special. Nonetheless, thinking about the making of that record, it was crazy cuz it's me and Merc and and this man with a
17:16
fourtrack demoing in a hotel room here in Los Angeles trying to come up with songs for this and Buster Rhymes was
17:23
staying in the same hotel as us at the time. So we're we're over here four tracking a record that we think nobody's going to hear next to one of the biggest
17:30
rappers in the world like staying in the same hotel. So we would see him out front or Spliff Star would be out front,
17:36
you know what I mean? So it was it was a crazy time for us. Exciting. And just being in LA and hanging out with Merc
17:42
uh was was so special and that in that era for me, you know, I was I was I wasn't that young.
17:49
Yeah. Unfortunately, I was in my early 30s, but I was young in the mind cuz I
17:54
hadn't experienced a whole lot yet. So, I was just out here just kind of whing, you like, "Oh my gosh, this is so fun
17:59
and partying and kicking it." And it was I I I can look back on those times now with a lot of I can embrace that and
18:06
just be like, "Hey, that was a that was a great experience. That was a good time to be alive, you know." And now you made a classic, you know,
18:12
project because of it, right? At least for me, like a personally for me, I love Yeah. I I I had a an amazing
18:20
time with that and it was one of those weird things where I actually I was just talking about it too and it was like I
18:26
got that was the sound that sounds like what my internal what I sound like inside. You know what I mean? And I was
18:32
able I'm all of it's me when I make music. It's all me. But that was the closest
18:39
I've ever felt to oh this is this is mine. These guys are just there.
18:44
You know what I mean? That's that's how I felt. That's how you feel to say that just
18:49
a little character in a video game. We were we were just a couple of flute players. But but but cuz normally I'm just the
18:57
background, you know what I mean? That's in that time and just how I felt. You were you were an army brat. What's
19:02
your what's your story, man? Yeah. Yeah. I grew up in the military. My dad was in the army. Yeah. Yeah.
19:07
So I moved around all the time and Yeah. I asked you this because y'all music doesn't have it's not regionalized to
19:15
me, you know. Well, it's also because we're in Minneapolis and so we're influenced by
19:20
the the rest of the country. So New York and LA to us are equally great and
19:25
influential. Okay. I think. Right. All right. Um man, we got atmosphere here, man. I'm loving this conversation.
19:32
Um it's beautiful, bro.
19:38
We had Will I Am and Taboo sitting on them same seats last week and we get to reflect. We don't The beautiful thing we
19:44
reflect on the past because we can't believe, you know, in many cases, damn, we still doing what we love.
19:50
Y, right, but everybody still doing it at their best, right? And so when I look at
19:56
this new project, Gestures, right, I want to know what what what's, you know, I've heard three songs so far,
20:03
right? And uh I'm I'm curious to what what is tell me about this project.
20:08
What's the motivation? You know, what's the direction before our world premiere this song?
20:14
You want you want to I'll go first. Okay. So, for me, the title kind of says it all. Gestures.
20:21
You know, but it's spelled with justest, meaning the jester. Uh okay. And so it's like the moves of a or the the moves of
20:28
a jester or the the the the way a jester carries themsself or however and and a lot of that just kind of
20:34
speaks to, you know, looking through my my catalog or or thinking about the music that I've made. One of the um one
20:42
of the parts of what I do that my audience seems to not like so much is my corny dad joke stuff. And so I'm leaning
20:49
into it cuz it's my job to challenge the the listeners, you know, and so
20:54
there's serious material on here, but there's but everything has a tongue and cheekness to it because I'm making sure
21:02
people remember like I've been on this dad joke [ __ ] since the beginning, since I was five. You know what I'm saying?
21:07
Like I like puns and and corny punchlines and and playing with words and and all that. I've always loved all
21:13
that. And so for me, the the fact that this project even exists is it's like
21:19
I'm trolling. Uhhuh. But I'm not cuz this these are real songs to me. I'm not, you know, I'm not messing around. You know what I'm
21:25
saying? Like and and I'm coming to the table with what I got. But but I also know that in a way I'm I'm kind of
21:31
leaning into a lot of the vibe and and feeling of of of of having a good time.
21:37
And and I am having a good time. And I want to make sure that I represent that because a lot of my early years are seen through a lens of negativity and
21:44
brooding and upset and you know who is this angry 29year-old drunk in the bar.
21:49
You know what I mean? Nah, that's not me. Now you know I'm I'm goofy. You know what I mean? And so it's time to kind of
21:55
lean into that in my own way. It's liberating to be goofy when you haven't been your whole life.
22:01
You probably wanted to be, you know, you're brave enough to be goofy. Goofy on the inside,
22:07
hard shell on the outside, just waiting for somebody to crack it open so you could, you know, fall down. Yeah.
22:12
Yeah. I ain't mad at that. What about you, man? Um, you know, this this this was one of
22:18
those records that he really quarterbacked a lot. So, it was like one beat at a time. It
22:23
was like the first one, literally the first one. He was like, "Yeah, let's just set it off, whatever." And just did
22:30
it in order. And he was like, "Hey, I'm in the mood for something like eight." And that was kind of interesting and
22:35
challenging and it made me kind of proud of myself that I actually had something that fit what he was asking for,
22:42
you know. Granted, we had to work through a couple things here and there considering we have a lot of songs on
22:47
here. Yeah. Y'all got a lot. What like 26? Yeah. This is ridiculous. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. How many? We got a lot.
22:53
26 that happening. A lot of dad jokes. All right. Yeah. So, it was just exploring all the
23:00
sounds I can too, you know, just really try. How do you make 26 songs halfway interesting?
23:05
I don't know. I don't know if we succeeded, but we had fun trying. Oh, no. We killed it. No, we killed it. We did a great job.
23:11
And and and and I and I and I want to I want to lay lay on what he just said right here, you know, uh we wrote the
23:17
album in order um because that was one of the challenges that we wanted to present oursel with. And so what you
23:23
hear that sequence, that's the sequence we created it. And but then that way we were able to go, hey,
23:29
so coming from this song, where should we go next? You know what I mean? And then and that allowed me to like stare at the music that he's showing me and
23:35
go, "Okay, here's where I'd like to go next. How's the story work? And how does this how does the arc work?" You know, and then it's all alphabetized
23:41
after that. No, the whole thing alphabetized. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The whole thing. That's why there's 26 is because 26 letters.
23:47
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Cuz I'm I'm [ __ ] corny, bro. I'm out here just doing the I'm just out here just
23:54
doing the most out here right now, man. Clever. All right. We're going to do this world premiere. We'll come back. I
23:59
know Tracy got a question. We got a couple of callers. Atmosphere is here. This is hip hop royalty. 888742.
24:07
The new song is called Daily. Oh, you about to play that one? Yeah. Oh, that is a world premiere. Who gave
24:13
you that one? It's me. Let's go. Run it. Run it. Yeah. This one's called Daily.
24:18
Okay. Here it is. Shade 45. Brand new by Atmosphere.
24:24
You got it first right here on on Shade 45. Sway in the morning with Heather B and Tracy G is called Daily the new
24:32
album. The upcoming album Gestures. What? When does the album come out?
24:37
September. September. September 19th. Yep.
24:43
Okay. I know this. I'm like the feds, bro. I really ask questions. I know the answers to I'm just going to see if you lie to
24:48
me. All right. Um 8887423345. Kind of. Let's go to Minneapolis. Tammy
24:54
Liberty is on the line. What up, Tammy? What up, Tammy? Hey, I got to say before you guys say
25:00
anything, I have to shout out to Heather B and JTG. I didn't get a chance to last time I called.
25:05
Thank you. I love you. Love you, too. Yes. Okay, now go ahead. Your turn.
25:12
Oh my goodness. Uh, atmosphere. Okay, this is a story I got to tell and I need
25:17
to know if Toki's medallion needs to be fixed. So, I made a medallion that was
25:24
given to Toki, right? Way back. I don't even know the year. It's a rhymeers logo
25:30
and it had to be used the smallest bead. It was the first medallion I ever beaded. Um, and I've been wondering does
25:38
it need to be fixed, guys? Okay, so Tammy, I don't know.
25:45
However, I want to take this opportunity to say yes.
25:53
Right. I don't know. I don't know. But but I if you want I can I can I can uh
25:58
I can contact Toki and then maybe post his answer in my Instagram stories.
26:08
Okay. So then I'd have to pay attention to my Instagram which I'm okay with. I don't mind. I Yeah.
26:14
Don't mean to trouble you Tammy if it's not too much to ask. Otherwise, you know, here here's here's
26:21
the thing though. like, you know, maybe don't worry about it. You did you you did your part already and you you push
26:27
that that energy forward and and and now push it to somebody else if you got the time to consider what you're asking me.
26:34
You know what I mean? Like just kind of keep it moving. Like Toki's good. He's good. You're good. You know?
26:39
Uh yeah, I know all that. I don't worry. Okay. All right. Oh [ __ ] Well, we want
26:45
to thank you for calling you a super citizen. Away in the morning. She was worried about the bees. She didn't know if they were going to fix it.
26:50
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No. Um Jay in Michigan. What up Jay? What up though? Hey. Hey. Just checking in with my
26:58
family. This is Jay and Anna, Michigan. What's up? What's up, man? We got atmosphere in here.
27:04
So, listen. I just tuned in late. I'm like, let me check in and see what's going on. I'm 45 and I heard this. I'm
27:11
like, I actually like this. You little hard on the RS. I never like that, but I actually like you, dude.
27:17
Hey, like for real. Hey, I'll take that. I'll take that. I'll I'll take that. Wait, hold up
27:23
though. I gotta bring it back to the heart on the RS because, you know, you got to understand, uh, growing up in Minneapolis without having any real um,
27:31
especially as a younger child, not having the ability to connect with a hip-hop community at large, we had to
27:37
take what we could get. And a lot of that was New York rap. And so, I spent
27:43
the first half of my life saying New York and not hitting my RS, right? And
27:48
then when I realized that I had been been been code switching like that, I was like, "Nah, I gotta put the R back in." And so now I probably
27:54
overcompensate by hitting the R way too hard. And it's it's just what it is.
28:00
It's just what it is. But I Yo, the fact that you even notice, my man, I want to hug you. I want to hug your face, B. The
28:07
fact that you even notice that I hit my artist makes me really appreciate you, bro. Call him your brother with a hard R.
28:13
Hey, my brother. You are you are elevating the game,
28:19
dude. Like, I appreciate that. I appreciate you saying that, man. We appreciate you, Jay. Hey, Jay,
28:25
follow the new project, too, man. These guys put Oh, yeah. I'm going to I'm going to Absolutely.
28:30
But how many albums y'all do now? Like, okay, never mind. This is our 26th album.
28:36
Yeah. So, that's that's the that's the cute part of the 26 songs in the album. 26 album. 26 songs.
28:43
I'm trying to be like Kendrick. He be doing all kinds of work. He He just works too. He does too much stuff on
28:48
there. I love it. And I want to do too much stuff. There you go. I love that. All right, Jay. You uh you a citizen.
28:54
Explain it. I'm glad that the younger artist like a Kendrick is inspiration for you.
29:01
Oh, they make me feel old. It's like, oh my gosh, he did what? And
29:06
the thing that's that's so fresh is and me and Anthony have talked about this is like when you when you see the kids now,
29:11
the younger kids for real. So they rap along with Kendrick and and they get the ability to do all this
29:18
extra stuff at the age of seven. So just imagine what this is going to be when they're 17. So important.
29:24
You know what I'm saying? It's like it's like it's like it's like when you have somebody like him in the spotlight doing the extra stuff with the art
29:31
specifically, but also just his his dexterity, his his abilities, his breath control. The kids
29:38
learned that and that's that's what we're looking forward to coming. You know what I mean? And I'm I'm here for it, you know?
29:44
There you go, man. Tracy G is uh in the New York office. Trigger, you want to jump in? Absolutely. Hey, I mean, congratulations
29:51
on this project, but congratulations on being in such a long-term relationship
29:57
because usually when we're giving a big round of applause for 30 years, romance
30:02
has to be involved. But that's not the case for y'all. And not only is it a long-term working relationship you guys
30:08
have, but I think about the long-term relationship you have with your fans. Obviously you guys are gaining new fans
30:14
on the daily but as we speak about the changes in the industry there's also a
30:20
change in um the way you know we have parasocial relationships that fans are
30:26
experiencing because they have so much access from all of these different platforms and I'm wondering if you think
30:32
fan boundaries have been harder to maintain in like recent years especially
30:39
because you know slug your lyrics um invites so many of your flaws, your pains, your personal life. So I I wonder
30:47
how that your relationship with your fans has changed. That's a great question. Thank you for
30:53
asking that. I think that the the the first thing that comes to mind for me is that I I think about how in the earlier
31:00
years I was intentionally very very accessible. And so if you came to a
31:05
show, it was easy to meet me. I would be at the merch table. I would be at the bar. I would be sitting on the stage
31:11
talking to people just trying to connect and trying to you know create a
31:16
relationship with people and as the years have gone by either due to age or
31:21
experience I've just become more and more reclusive if that's the right word. I still try to put effort into
31:28
connecting with fans. I'll go out front before the show and I'll meet like the people who show up early just as kind of
31:34
like a way to thank them for for showing up before doors and and to making sure they get to catch all the support acts
31:39
and whatnot. And I hold conversations with them out front and it's, you know, it's always embraced. People are always
31:46
kind of like, "Oh, this is this is this is interesting." saying they'll ask the good questions or or sometimes the the same questions, but the bottom line is I
31:54
now am in control and and very intentional about how accessible I am.
31:59
And that I think does come from not just age, but a little bit of experience because there's been times where I've
32:05
been put into positions with fans where I feel like I'm not safe right now. And if I'm not
32:12
safe right now, this fan ain't safe right now either. You know what I'm saying? Like something bad could happen. this person is is too aggressive or what
32:19
have you, you know? And so I don't want to be the dude with a security guard. Like that doesn't even fit me. You know
32:26
what I mean? But and so so I'm just very intentional. I'm very, you know, I'm I'm
32:31
a Virgo with it. All right. And that ain't got a kind of look. Nobody's really going to approach him if
32:36
they don't come correct. Like if that you're the nicest dude on the planet, but if he ain't smiling, it don't you
32:42
might not sure what to make of it. Yeah. Show what to make of it. It's too ambiguous. All right. Um, listen.
32:48
8887423345. Joe is a huge fan. He's from Buffalo.
32:54
Joe's been on hold for a long time. Joe, you ready? Yo, what up, Joe? You hear me?
33:00
Go ahead. Oh, hey, before I before I get started, I'm a first- time caller. We got a first time. We got one, baby.
33:10
Thank you. Thank you. Welcome to the new LP gestures. Go for it.
33:15
Um, I just want to start by saying a plug and I just want to let y'all know I've been listening to you guys like
33:21
over 10 years now. I love y'all music like so much, man. It got me through so much. Especially my dad cuz Yeah. I
33:28
don't know if you remember back in 2023, you came to the ballroom in Buffalo and
33:34
you were outside talking to the fans and my dad came up to you like, "Yo, you got me through 911 with your music."
33:40
I just don't know if you remember that though. That does feel familiar to me. Uh,
33:46
how is your dad now? Oh, he's doing all right. Tell him I said Yeah, we we at work right now, so Oh,
33:52
I'll tell him. I'll show him the uh conversation we had today later. Okay. Okay. Wow, that's great, man. Uh,
33:59
is any anything else, Joel? Is that the question? Does he remember?
34:04
Um, honestly, that's pretty much it cuz I just want to make this short and quick. I'm at work right now, so you
34:10
know. Well, I think that's the biggest compliment when someone says your your art has helped me through so much in my
34:16
life. That's a huge compliment, right? Well, for for for his father and and and and and what he said to me, like that is
34:24
the biggest compliment, you know, because we're all connected. I and I'm not going to get too deep into it. Look,
34:29
my wife's therapist. I'm just going to say the T-word once, but the trauma, the unseen trauma specifically that every
34:35
single person has connects us actually on some, you know, we hold that in. We
34:40
hide it. We we we we facade. We make up. We we do whatever. And then we get out here and get along socially.
34:46
And so when you have all these different types of traumas interacting with each other, if you could find a way to
34:51
actually connect them in a positive way, like that is how you vibrate higher.
34:57
Like I heard you talking about, you know, I mean, it's like that's one of the ways that you could take whatever it was that knocked you down and use it to
35:04
like help you vibrate higher. And that's a big part of what I've been doing my whole life likely, you know, without
35:09
even fully always being aware of it. But filling that void, filling my cup by
35:14
trying to get people to laugh at my jokes or whatever, that's if that connects with you and and and somehow
35:20
your pain is allowing you to connect with this joke that I'm cracking to cover mine, like that's that's you know,
35:26
now we're we're in this together. That's right, Joe. Man, I appreciate you, man. Get your money today. Hug your
35:32
dad for us, man. I got one thing. catch one thing real quick. Go for it, brother.
35:37
God looked ugly. Yeah, man. That's the second album. God loves Ugly. I I appreciate that, Joe.
35:43
That was back in 2002. What did that 2002? 2002. God Loves Ugly. That one too
35:49
catapulted y'all. I feel like was that one was that was definitely the one that put us from
35:57
uh selling records out the trunk to selling records in the record stores. You know what I mean? And so once once
36:04
that happened, this was still in an era where once you got your stuff in the stores, now it's your job to go to the city because you get to the city and you
36:11
play for 40 people, 100 people, and those people will go to the store with their friends and be like, "Oh,
36:16
this is the group, blah, blah." So So it's almost like the the show used to be a uh a form of advertisement for the
36:24
record. You would go play the show, hope they buy the shirt, whatever. But now you know my records in stores because
36:29
this this industry was fueled by CD sales and and vinyl sales. So everything was about that.
36:34
Now records are almost like flyers to come to my show. You know what I'm saying? It's like it's like it's like
36:40
the show is the big thing for everybody because cuz music's streaming and and and you for $10.99 or whatever you get
36:47
to stream everything. You know what I mean? And so now that those records that are on the streamers are incentivizing people to go to the
36:54
show hopefully. You know what I mean? It's like it's it's a different game. It's a different game. Joe, thanks for your call. Hug your dad for us to tell
37:00
you. Full circle moment, right? Full circle moment. And both you and your dad are citizens, bro. In the morning. Much love.
37:06
All right, man. I know we got to go. Lord Sirius coming up next. But uh
37:14
I'm going to try something. Okay. We done had some of the most milestone
37:19
moments on the wakeup show with these guys. Man, I want to continue the tradition. Yo, John, drop a beat on
37:26
them. Let's see what happened, man. You knew it was going to happen, fools. Welcome to the Valley of the Hiatus.
37:32
Yo, you going to rhyme with me, right? We're going to go back and forth. We're going to split. Let's not go. I'll spit a eight then pass it to you, sway. And
37:38
then you can come through and ruin my day by spitting that hottest first that you contain inside of the brain. Insane
37:45
in the mem head. I left 10 dead. If 10 step, it doesn't matter. Got no rep to ruin. I come through. I keep pursuing
37:51
this music. showing you that you can also do it. Just make sure you feel like fluid. Moving around the rocks in the
37:57
bed of the river. When I grab the microphone from the head, I deliver. It's that freestyle. Wow, it's so early.
38:04
I hope they can hear me out in New Jersey. Maybe back in Albuquerque or Minneapolis. Shout out to my man Birdie
38:10
and everybody else. I go for self. Doesn't really matter. Put me on a shelf. I'll wait till the
38:17
next time you grab it to hear it. I come through crisp and clear. you atmosphere it will hear it is bam and they say god
38:24
damn that rapper's great I'd let them masturbate to all these lyrics but they have to wait before they bust they nuts
38:30
I come through slug runs a muck like a duck running out of steam never that it's the dream the wet one my head's
38:36
done waiting trying to find a spot to sit maybe stand up and throw your hands up like you know the answer and you in
38:42
the back of the class looking at everybody cuz you showing your ass making jokes for them to laugh at making
38:48
sure that they can feel it all the way Back back to first half to the worst has yet to come. I left them numb when I
38:54
grabbed the microphone and I split them like a rectum.
39:00
Wait a second. I catch my breath and then I come from the left making sure that they can feel me. Five fingers of
39:06
death. No, not really. Just me grabbing a mic in the morning making sure that they can hear me when these other [ __ ] yawning. Wiping eye boogers out
39:12
my eye. I took it to a new high. Making sure I put it in the sugar that you got up in your coffee. I had too much
39:20
coffee. I couldn't help it. I love it. What the hell? It's Sean with no shell
39:26
toes. I still come through with elbows. Making sure that all the [ __ ] ops say hell no. Oh, what the hell though, bro?
39:33
I just want to let go and hop back in a car and get back on the freeway while I freestyle. I'mma keep going till I'm
39:40
finally scenile and laying in a Yeah, hospice. [ __ ] it. I'll be in a hospice.
39:46
Watch this. I'm in the office making sure that I got this. Girls, I got them locked. Kasanova, are you D? Are you
39:51
serious right now? I come through, I'm clearing my throat, making sure that they can hear it. Hope it's not a hoax.
39:57
It's not a joke. It's just everything that I can do to make sure I provoke more than smoke. Making sure that it's more than the mirror's crisp and
40:03
clearest atmosphere. Making sure that you hear us. Thank you for listening. Sway in the morning. Heather B, every PB
40:12
my man. All these people getting down and I'm trying to have fun and make sure that my head spins around in circles
40:17
like a [ __ ] turtle from the rain that's purple. I come through like I don't even know. It just rhymed so I
40:24
said it and that [ __ ] landed on time. So what the [ __ ] do I got to keep going
40:29
on? Keep flowing. Come on. Keep flowing. I be knowing how to let it keep going
40:35
like my nose be growing. Pinocchio and all that other [ __ ] I come equipped making sure that they can hit it like a
40:41
cigarette. But that shit's expensive as [ __ ] How the hell you smoking cigarettes? You might as well just duck
40:46
and hide. Maybe sit somewhere I don't even know. I'm just trying to keep an even flow like Eddie better coming off
40:54
of the header. Instead of I come through and make sure that it's better. I'm not wearing a sweater, it's a sweatshirt. I
40:59
come through, you get hurt. Yo, [ __ ] you. I just want to make sure that I can come through and have fun in the morning
41:04
out in Los Angeles. Godamn. I handle this like a spatula flipping pancakes back in Minneapolis.
41:18
[Applause] Y
41:24
slud. His name is Slug. That was That was [ __ ] entrapment.
41:30
Y'all are the fry rob. I told you. And then he going to come in at the end
41:35
with two whack boys. Swag. Slug. I heard you. I heard you. Yeah.
41:41
Show him love. Hug. Slug. I heard you. Get out. Boo. Yo, citizens, what you just witnessed
41:48
there is the true craft of freestyling off the top of the head. So when you start asking me, "Well, what is a
41:54
freestyle?" Watch this man and he's demonstrating. You see him coming up
41:59
with these words on the spot in real time. That's what it is. My man Slug off
42:05
the top, man. Man, you Damn, bro. you, man. You don't slow down, bro. We've been doing this [ __ ] for years, man. That was
42:12
amazing. That was fun. I don't know if it was amazing. I'm not going to go back and listen to it. Okay, I will.
42:19
I, you know, it's like the wakeup show freestyle YouTube. Uh, it's popular.
42:24
People hit it, but I will not watch it. People will send it to me once in a while like, "Hey, have you seen this?" Like, of course I've seen this [ __ ] I
42:30
was there. But but it's like but it's like one of those things where you you don't always want to go back and look at your at your you know baby pictures is
42:38
cool. I don't want to see pictures of myself when I was 16 ever. I'm cool on that. You know what I
42:43
mean? Like Yeah. Yeah. Cuz those pants were horrible. Yeah. But but listen, those bars were right. They were nice, man. You did
42:48
great. You don't got to look back at it. And you did some monumental legendary things freestyling in the past, man. We
42:56
listen. They come up to me like I did it, you know, because you was on the wake up show. for you an idea what rest
43:01
and power they come up to me bro so it's uh it's amazing man give it up for atmosphere man come on man we world
43:09
premiered the new song daily and we'll be playing it daily all right give it up for my man
43:15
Sadique we love you brother thank you for having us thank thank you so much it's a pleasure to be here as
43:20
always we're grateful and I can't wait to come back anytime brother this your platform
43:25
atmosphere in the
#Urban & Hip-Hop