Click HERE to purchase this album.

This album was released on… Um… Well, I can’t find the original release date… I only have the year. It was originally released in 1999. However, it was rereleased on January 4th in 2005. Wikipedia has this labeled as a compilation album for some reason. I’m not really sure why. I don’t really know anything about this album, but that could be said about almost every Atmosphere project. All I know is that the cover is fuckin’ awesome. Look. Look at that.

I love that cover. My sister doesn’t like it. She’s trippin’ tho. Anyway, this album is long as shit, so I better stop wasting time and listen to it as quickly as I can.

Track 1: Sep Seven Game Show Theme

Alright, it’s starting now. Yes. This shit is awesome. The beat is great. Slug fuckin’ killed that first verse. His flow on this track is awesome. “I should be honest ’cause even my outer conscience / Knows the odds of blowing up are equal to people waking up from sleeping.” Slug is just all over this track. His flow is crazy. It really seems like it’d be difficult to stop this guy from rapping. I’m sure if the beat never ended he would just rap until he passed out or something. “Here’s your tape; give me my cash back for them wack tracks, and that’s that.” This song is awesome. I definitely fuck with this one. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 2: Round & Round

This hook isn’t bad. The beat’s dope af. “I never had the skills that it took to sell weed / I was too generous; too understanding of your needs / As far as school, I lacked the motivation for the occupation preparation / Guess I’ll never catch that bacon.” This dude is just so good at putting words together. “Every man’s a faggot, and all women are sluts.” The hook is actually pretty underwhelming compared to the verses. That doesn’t matter tho. He’s rhymin’ like a motherfucker on this shit. I didn’t really enjoy this track quite as much as the previous, but I still think it’s a very good song. It’s dope. 4/5

Track 3: Tracksmart Feat. Mr. Gene Poole

This Mr. Gene Poole guy is goin’ in on the first verse. He sounds like he’s about 16 years old. He’s spittin’ tho. His verse was dope. The second verse from Slug was dope af. “I never break a sweat when a fake steps / Instead I break that snake’s neck, and take his rep / Half the time half of ’em don’t catch the rhymes / They need they friends with to show ’em how we wax behinds.” He killed that shit. Oh. Goddamn. Mr. Gene Poole’s goin’ the fuck in right now. “I stick two fingers through his nostrils and a thumb through his mouth, and swing em’ like a bowling ball / Make him strike the fuck out / Take a hook and stab it through his back, and curve it around his spine / And throw em out by the lili pads, and wait for a hit on my line.” He snapped on this shit. Slug came through with another dope verse at the end, but, to be honest, I kinda think Mr. Gene Poole had the best verse. He really went the fuck off on that third verse. They were both spittin’ their asses off tho. I definitely fuck with this one. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 4: Choking On The Wishbone

This beat is dope af. The first verse was great. It sounds like Slug is rapping about the life of a struggle rapper. The hook is dope. Slug’s flow and rhyme schemes on this track are fantastic. I don’t really have anything to say about this track. It’s really good, but it doesn’t stand out that much from the others. I mean, it does, but not in a way that makes me have anything new to say. He’s still spittin’ his ass off. I really fuck with this song. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 5: The Jackpot / Swept Away

This beat isn’t bad. The first verse was dope. I’m not in love with this sample they used for the hook. It’s fine tho I guess. The second verse was great. The way he’s rapping kinda reminds me of Eminem. He sounds really goofy—in a cool way tho—but his lyrics are kinda fucked up. “I’ve got this pet peeve that I only let out to eat / Poked hole on the top of the jar so he can breathe / And when he’s old enough I will set him free and let him breed / Teach his kids how to build bombs and shoot speed.” The third verse is dope af. “Thank you for making me, creating me, sedating me, taking me, appreciating me, embracing me, abrasively tasting me, and waiting patiently / I promise to pay you back on the day we’re free.” I really fuck with this song. The hook kinda sucks and the beat wasn’t that great, but Slug killed this shit. The Jackpot is really dope. I think Swept Away is starting now. This beat isn’t amazing or anything, but I think I like it more than the previous one. Lyrically, Swept Away is just about Slug thirstin’ over some chick who’s sweeping I sidewalk or something. It’s not really that interesting to me lyrically, but I think he did it well. It’s just not really my cup of tea. It was cool tho. I take back what I said about this beat being better than the beat for The Jackpot tho. This beat got old real quickly. I’m not feelin’ the beat. It’s wack to me. The song’s… Nah. I’m not really feelin’ Swept Away. So, The Jackpot is dope to me, and Swept Away is wack… Overall, it’s a decent track. I liked half of it, and disliked the other half. It’s okay. 3/5

Track 6: At It Again

OOOoooh shit… This beat is dope af. GodDAMN. YO, seriously Ant did a— OOOOOHH SHIT. YOOO. This beat is fucking amazing. Okay, it just ended. Well, I’m not gonna rate this one, but GODDAMN that beat was fuckin’ crazy. This shit is dope af.

Track 7: The Stick Up Feat. Eyedea

The only thing that I know about Eyedea is that he isn’t alive and that he was signed to Rhymesayers. Okay, it’s starting now. Eyedea’s on the first verse. That’s a cool name for a rapper. Underground MCs always pick the best stage names. Eyedea has a really dope voice. He sounds great on this shit. His verse was dope. Woah. Damn. Slug’s verse was dope too. The song just ended tho. This is a really short track. It’s only 1 minute and 28 seconds long. I kinda like the short length tho. It kinda helps this song stand out. I mean, the Eyedea feature already made the song stand out, but the length is another unique feature. Anyway, I fuck with this song. I don’t think it’s the greatest shit I’ve ever heard in my life, but it’s good. Ant did his thing on the beat, and Eyedea & Slug both did a great job with the verses. This is dope to me. 4/5

Track 8: Lyle Lovette

This intro is kinda… dumb… I mean, I guess it’s fine. It’s just hard for me to take it seriously when he says “tits n’ butts.” Oh no… I don’t think I’m gonna like this song… “Bitches be creamin’ for this eight inch demon / And when you hear me screamin, I’m about to free the semen.” No. No. I’m not feelin’ this song. I mean, I think it’s a well written song, but I just can’t get behind this content. “‘Cause I’m a freak; I like the girls with tattoos / I once got busy in a Burger King drive through / I take ’em two at a time; make ’em both say my name / Ain’t never had three, but best believe that I’m game.” This kinda shit just doesn’t interest me at all. I have no desire to hear about how one of Slug’s girls “dyes her pubic hair blue.” I don’t even really even like this beat that much. It sounds like a Hip Hop version of a porno soundtrack. I’m really not feelin’ this shit… The only good thing about this song is Slug’s flow. “The only ones I don’t do is those under eighteen, or at least I keep that shit a secret, if you know what I mean.” Oh, HELL nah. This shit is fuckin’ wack. Shit, Slug apparently KNEW how wack this shit was when he made it, which must’ve been why he defended it by saying it’s “just a joke” towards the end of the track. Just because it’s a joke doesn’t mean it’s a good song tho. I didn’t enjoy this shit. This is wack af to me. 1/5

Track 9: Higher Living

This beat is cool. The first verse was dope. At first I thought he was gonna be rapping about nothing but sex again, but that fortunately isn’t the case. The second verse wasn’t bad. I’m enjoying this song, but I don’t feel like he’s really killin’ like he usually does. Well actually, he did kinda kill that last verse. Never mind. He went in on this shit—particularly the third verse. I fuck with this song. It’s not the best track on the album, but I really enjoyed it. The beat was nice, and Slug did a great job spittin’ too. This is dope. 4/5

Track 10: To The Break Of Sean

This beat is dope af. Damn. That first verse was awesome. It sounded like a voicemail that Slug left for his mama, but in the form of a Rap verse. “Yo Ma, people are starting to support the music / Self-esteem getting a little boosted / Me and Derek, we made a record; a lot of our friends bought it / RSE, we built a label, and heads caught it.” The first verse was dope af. Oh shit. That was the only verse. There’s an interlude in which he yells at his son, and then there’s an outro. This song has kind of a weird structure. There’s only one short verse, but the song doesn’t feel incomplete. I think one more verse would’ve been nice, but I still really enjoyed the song. The beat was great, and so was the verse. I fuck with this one. This is dope. 4/5

Track 11: Deer Wolf

This beat is dope. The first verse was pretty good. The hook’s alright. I like the way Ant incorporated that sample of a William Blake poem tho. The second verse was really dope. The third verse was great. It just ended. This is just another good song. I fuck with it, but there’s not really much to say. The hook wasn’t bad, but I think it could’ve been better. The verses were very good. Slug’s flow was great, and of course he was rhymin’ like a motherfucker. I fuck with this song. This is dope to me. 4/5

Track 12: Molly Cool

Oh God… This chick is rapping through a voicemail with no beat. The verse itself isn’t bad at all, but I definitely would’ve rather heard her spit it on an actual song. I hope the whole track isn’t like this… Oh shit. As soon as she stops the song actually starts. This beat is dope af. He’s rapping about a girl named… Well… You know… Molly Cool. Molly Cool is this girl who he fucked and wants to be in a relationship with, but he doesn’t really know her. Every time he sees her in person he ends up smashing, but that’s as far as it goes between them. I don’t think this is the kinda song I’d normally like, but the way he delivered it as a story kept it from getting boring. I actually really enjoyed this one. It’s a shame that the intro with that girl rapping through the phone lasted so long. That kinda ruined this shit for me. Well, it didn’t COMPLETELY ruin this shit for me. I’m still gonna come back to this. It definitely takes away from the track tho. I’m gonna have to edit that shit out with GarageBand. Anyway, I fuck with this song. This is dope. 4/5

Track 13: Dungeons & Dragons Feat. Sab The Artist

This track opens up with another voicemail intro, but it’s not as awkward ’cause the actual beat comes in a few seconds after it starts, and it doesn’t last as long. I didn’t mind this one. This beat is really dope. The first verse from Slug was great. Sab’s goin’ in now. His verse was dope. I don’t think he’s as good of an MC as Slug, but he still did a very good job. The final verse from Slug was dope af. I really fuck with this one. The beat was really dope, and every verse was great. This is dope af to me. 5/5

Track 14: Anterlude

I’m assuming this is just gonna be a short instrumental track. Yup. I just listened to the whole thing. It was cool I guess. It’s not something I’d listen to again, but it wasn’t bad.

Track 15: Advanced Communications

Hmm… This beat is really weird… The makeshift percussion kinda sounds like what you would hear if you pulled a Band-Aid off of your ear. Nah. That was a bad simile. I mean, it does KINDA sound like that… As you can tell I’m having a really hard time describing it. I like it tho. It’s different. Oh shit. Okay. Slug just spit a really dope verse, and then the beat switched up. I guess that was just the intro. Oh FUCK yes. This is awesome. I love the way the production evolves on this track. This new beat is great. The second verse was dope. “Maybe I should feed ’em line like trout / Put my rhymes in they mouth / That’s what I’m about.” I definitely fuck with this song. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 16: A Tall Seven & Seven

Ooooh lord… This beat is fucking insane. YOOO. This is fucking awesome. Slug’s directly addressing his childhood friend who became an alcoholic. “Had I known that you’d a grown into a full-blown example of how to act like an asshole / I never would have introduced you to booze and skipping school / ‘Cause right now, I feel responsible to find an answer.” This is so fucking dope. Damn. The song just ended… This one is only 2 minutes long. It’s so awesome tho. “You can take it as concern / Or you can see it as your ego getting burned / Either way, tonight, yo, one of us is gonna learn.” I definitely fuck with this one. The beat from Ant was awesome, and the verse from Slug was fantastic. The whole concept of this song is just really cool. I definitely fuck with this one. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 17: 3.2 Red Dog

This beat is cool. I just listened to the whole song. It’s dope. Basically, Slug just went to a party to see a girl that he’s thirstin’ over, and he’s bein’ a fuckin’ asshole to everyone there. “Driftin’ in and out of conversations I know nothing about / Fuck your topics; I didn’t come to see you / But, yo, I’m here; might as well make the worst of this warm shitty beer / And I’m nursin’ it, and cursin’ it / I’m sick of it, but still grippin’ it, and sippin’ it / Hopin’ it’ll dull the pain of the sight of your lips flippin’ shit.” This is another really short song. It’s just one verse. It was REALLY fuckin’ entertaining tho. I really enjoyed this one. This is dope af to me. 5/5

Track 18: The Abusing Of The Rib

This beat is really dope. Hmmm… I’m not exactly sure what Slug’s rapping about right now… If I had to guess from the title, I’d say it’s about… Domestic abuse? Maybe… I don’t know… Or maybe it’s not exactly domestic abuse. Maybe not her boyfriend or husband, but I think he’s definitely rapping about a woman who’s been abused by someone. “I wanna follow the footprints across my lover’s stomach / I wanna call out her name before I plummet / I wish I had a map of the terrain so I could step around the landmines / Avoid the beasts under the bed that bring the bad times.” The first verse was dope af. I’m also really feelin’ this dark, almost sad sounding production. This hook is awesome too. I usually don’t like love songs, but this song is fucking awesome. I really only like love songs when they’re kinda sad. “I’ve seen a lot, but not quite as much as her / To top it off, the memory and her imagination blurred / But I know she’s been put through hell, I can feel it / And I know she’s touched heaven as well, tryin to steal it.” Honestly this song is fucking amazing. It’s gonna be REALLY fucking hard to pick a favorite song from this album. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 19: Write Now (Multiples No. 4)

What the hell? There was a third Multiples? How did I miss that shit? Oh. I guess there was a remix to the Multiples Reprise. I’ll have to check that out after I finish this review. This beat is dope af. The movie sample at the beginning of this track made me sad. I don’t know what movie that was from. All I know is that the guy who lost his pen was a fuckin’ dick. Anyway, this song is dope as hell. He’s just rapping about… Well, rapping. He’s focusing on writing utensils tho. He’s basically saying he’s that he’s the best writer ever. “Can I use a ball point just to make my small point? / Are these mechanical joints anything like hollow points? / Old fashioned number two and I need that shit quick and steady, but that’s assuming I ain’t chewed off the eraser tip already.” It’s just a great verse over a dope beat. This is another fantastic song. I definitely fuck with this. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 20: I Wish Those Cats At Fobia Would Give Me Some Free Shoes

Oh my fuck. This beat is fucking incredible. DOG. This beat is so fuckin’ dope. I love this shit. Slug’s flow on this bitch is crazy. This hook is awesome. “I drive for a living, but I take the bus to work / Auditioned for the role of Jesus, got the part of ‘Jerk‘ / Armed with a walkman and a fake grin in a basement / Mind state when I think of how simple it could all be.” This is just a really lighthearted track. I fuck with this one. I don’t have anything interesting to say about it. I really liked the bouncy production, the fast paced flow, and the goofy lyrics. This is dope af to me. 5/5

Track 21: Heart

This beat is dope. Slug’s rhymin’ about how he got into Hip Hop. “It started off rather basic / Just some small scale dabblin’ confined to the basement / Never knew I’d grow into this full time user.” The first verse was dope. The hook is cool. The second verse was pretty good. I’m not really enjoying this song quite as much as the others, but it’s still very good. It just ended. The third verse was pretty good. I don’t really have anything else to say about this one. It’s just another good song. This is dope to me. 4/5

Track +: Multiples (Reprise) [Remix]

This song appeared on a bonus disk that came with the 2005 re-release of this album. I’m not reviewing that disk because… Well… I don’t know. It has 10 songs on it. I didn’t feel like reviewing 31 songs. I may come back and edit this review with the other tracks after I finish the Atmosphere Marathon, but for now I think I’m just gonna do this one track. Okay, it’s starting now. This beat is dope. Oh. Never mind. I guess that was just an intro. The real beat’s comin’ on now. Oh shit… This beat is dope af. OH SHIT. This beat is fucking crazy. Slug’s rapping about all the fucked up people that he used to know. “I can’t forget about that big kid, Gino / Fucking diesel; do damn near anything for a c-note / His older sister talked his twisted ass into killing Steve’s girl so she could get with Steve faster.” This is awesome. “Cynthia wanted to travel, drive around the country / Left the city on a journey, came back with a junkie / He used to beat her; if it wasn’t physical it was mental / He didn’t leave her until she tried to stab him with a pencil.” That’s pretty much what this whole song is. He’s just listing a gang of fucked up people and talking about what they did. I don’t have any problems with this song. I really enjoyed this one. This is dope af. 5/5

Final Thoughts:

This album is great. I liked it slightly less than the first album, but it’s still a very great album. The first half was cool, but they really started blowing me away towards the end of this project. The production and subject matter just got way more intriguing on the second half for me. I don’t know if that’s the case for most people tho. Maybe it’s just me. Objectively, this album is way too long, but honestly I still enjoyed almost all of what was on this project. It probably helped that a lot of the songs were pretty short too. This isn’t listed under the “Studio albums” section on the Wikipedia page for Atmosphere’s discography. I’m really glad I didn’t skip it tho. It’s almost as good as their first album, and there’s more than enough solid material here. I’m glad I listened to this. I definitely fuck with this one. It’s a very dope album.

Favorite Song: The Abusing Of The Rib

Least Favorite Song: Lyle Lovette

Verdict:

86%

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