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This album was released on June 11th in 2002. This is easily Atmosphere’s most popular and recognizable album. Just like with all of their other albums, I know absolutely nothing about this project other than the fact that it’s remembered as a classic. iTunes had it listed as an “Underground Classic” at one point. It’s one of those albums that I always hear people talking about, but just never got around to listening to. Before I actually listen to it, I just wanna point out how fucking awesome the title is. God Loves Ugly. Just think about that. Ugly people aren’t valued by society. They’re still people tho. They’re still just as human as everyone else. I don’t even really believe in God anymore, but that title is just really dope to me. Anyway, I’m expecting this to be a very good album. I’m hoping that it’ll be my favorite Atmosphere album yet, but I’m not gonna get my hopes up. Every song is produced by Ant.

Track 1: Onemosphere

This album opens up with a gang of kids chanting “You’re so ugly!” and for some reason that shit got me really excited. I think I’m gonna really like this album. Oh my FUCK. This beat is fucking incredible. Wow. The production quality compared to Atmosphere’s previous work is already far superior. This is fucking AWESOME. I’m so excited right now. “Every chapter that I happen to skim appears if it must’ve been written by me or the brothers Grimm / And the moral to the story comes equipped with a sting / Once again I’m picked for the wrong fucking team.” The first verse was dope af. This is so fucking good. There’s no hook. The second verse was great. This song is fucking awesome. Goddamn. I really liked Atmosphere’s older work, but, to be honest, it kinda felt like it was getting stale. I don’t even know what it is about this song… It just feels so refreshing compared to the older shit. Maybe it really is just the production. I don’t know what happened to Ant. It sounds like he spent a day in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber making beats. It’s crazy how much better the production quality is on this track compared to the other stuff. This is crazy. I definitely fuck with this shit. This song is dope af. 5/5

Track 2: The Bass & The Movement

This beat is dope af. The first verse was awesome. “‘Oh my goodness; Sluggo went and flipped his style / I haven’t really heard him act like this in a while‘ / Bullshit; Still broke and I still fake the smile / Blow ahead and download my dick to a file.” This is a really fast paced track, and, as you can see from the line I just quoted, Slug is being an asshole again. This is awesome. “You got no balance combined with no talent / Disgraceful; you can catch a face full of phallus.” FACE FULL OF PHALLUS. He killed this shit. That’s pretty much all I have to say. He just rapped his ass off over a fast paced beat. I like the sample Ant used in between each verse too. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 3: Give Me

This beat is dope af. It’s really crazy how much more polished the production on this album is compared to Atmosphere’s previous work. The first verse was dope. I really fuck with this hook too. This second verse is really dope. “I’m that cat that used to sit in the back and study / Looking for some proof that God loves ugly / Flash forward a decade later in your town / Somehow a good number of y’all got down.” The third verse was great too. Damn. Am I overrating this shit? Nah… I’m not overrating it. I think I’d know if I was overrating this shit. I fuck with this one. This is dope af to me. 5/5

Track 4: Fuck You Lucy

This beat is dope af. Damn… That first verse was awesome. Has Slug ever had a real beef with any other MC? The aggressive delivery in this first verse kinda makes me wanna hear a diss song from him… The way he says “FUCK you” so aggressively just sounds so fuckin’ dope. As you might’ve guessed from the title, this song is basically Slug’s response to a relationship that went sour. “Fuck you Lucy for leaving me / Fuck you Lucy for not needing me / I wanna say ‘fuck you‘ because I still love you / No, I’m not okay, and I don’t know what to do.” This is actually really fuckin’ dope. I don’t usually like songs like this, but this one isn’t really bothering me for some reason. Lemme think… Maybe it’s because he’s mad at her instead of just being sad and feeling sorry for himself. Maybe it’s because he’s just saying “fuck you” to her instead of trying to convince her that he deserves her. Yeah, I think that’s it. He’s not trying to pretend that SHE’S the one who really needs him. He’s just being honest and saying exactly how he feels, and how I assume most people would feel in his position. I think that’s what you’re supposed to do. I think he recognizes that the relationship is over, so now he’s just moving past it and trying to convince himself that he doesn’t care about her. This definitely isn’t one of my favorite songs, but I enjoyed it more than I usually enjoy songs about this kinda shit. This is actually dope to me. I fuck with this. 4/5

Track 5: Hair

Slug’s describing a conversation he had with a woman at a bar. Damn. I just listened to the whole song. I gotta be honest; I wasn’t really sure if I liked this song at first, but the way he told the story kept it interesting. The ending was fuckin’ great. Honestly if it weren’t for that surprise ending I don’t know if I’d like this. I cringed when he said “Her hair smells so good; I gotta have a taste,” but that’s the only line that I’m not really feelin’. This is easily my least favorite song on the album so far, but I still enjoyed it. This is dope to me. 4/5

Track 6: GodLovesUgly

This beat is dope af. The first verse was great. I just finished listening to the whole song. I don’t really have anything interesting to say. The song is dope af. The second and third verses were great. The hook is very simplistic, but it was still good. That’s pretty much all I have to say. I don’t have any problems with this track. I love the beat, and the verses from Slug were all very dope. “Give me some light, a little love and some liquid / Ima creep through the night and put a plug in the spigot / And when the water grows, and the dam starts to overflow / I’ll float atop the flood holdin’ on to my ugly.” I really fuck with this song. This is dope af to me. The music video was pretty cool too. 5/5

Track 7: A Song About A Friend

This beat is awesome. This is probably my favorite beat on the album so far. The first verse was dope. I think he’s rapping about a girl. I’m not really sure what the girl is supposed to represent tho. “I’m standin’ at the bottom of the steps / And if I tilt my head a little I can look up her dress / And I’m willin’ to bet that she’d move if she knew / So Ima tap her on the shoulder; Ima give her a clue.” The hook is dope. The second verse was great. I’m still not exactly sure what he’s talking about tho… Maybe the woman he’s rapping about is a metaphor for Hip Hop. He seemed to be rapping about himself as an artist more on the second verse. “A pro and he greets a new soul he’d like to meet / Showed you the beating of the artery he keeps on the end of his sleeve / As he pretends he can breathe.” I really enjoyed this song even if I was kinda confused by the content. This is honestly one of my favorite songs from the album so far. I REALLY love with beat. This is dope af to me. 5/5

Track 8: Flesh Feat. I Self Devine

I’ve heard of I Self Devine before, but I’ve never actually listened to any of his music. I’m just gonna assume that he’s dope af since he’s signed to Rhymesayers. I’m not in love with this hook. It’s not terrible tho. The beat’s not bad. Slug’s flow on the first verse was dope. Oh I guess he’s tradin’ bars with I Self Devine. This is dope. I just listened to the whole song. It’s pretty good. I don’t really have much to say tho. There’s not really much to discuss. It’s just Slug and I Self Devine rappin’ their asses off. This is probably the most lighthearted song on the album so far. I fuck with this. This is dope to me. 4/5

Track 9: Saves The Day

This beat is dope. I just finished the first verse. This is dope so far. I just don’t really have much to say. This track isn’t very different from anything else on this album. It kinda just feels like more of the same. That’s not really a bad thing tho. It just doesn’t really give me much to talk about. I’m enjoying it tho. The second verse was nice. The third verse was good too. Yeah I don’t really have anything to say about this one. It’s just another good song. I fuck with this one. This is dope to me. 4/5

Track 10: Lovelife

This beat is dope af. I wasn’t really that impressed by it at first, but once the strings come in it actually sounds really good. Oh thank God. I thought this was gonna be a love song, but it’s not. It’s a song about how people need to enjoy their lives. Yeah, it’s kind of cheesy, and it’s not the most original message, but I guess it’s just nice to have a song like this since pretty much every other track has been really negative and depressing. I’m just really happy that this isn’t a love song. I was REALLY fuckin’ worried about that. I’m just really not in the mood to hear music that I don’t like. I actually really enjoyed this one tho. This is dope af to me. 5/5

Track 11: Breathing

Oh God. This beat is so fucking good. Oh my God you guys… I’m so tired… I love this beat tho. It sounds happy. Dog, I’m ’bout to pass out for real. I’m so tired. Why the hell is this review taking me so long? It’s been like 3 fuckin’ days. This is probably the best album I’ve heard from Atmosphere so far, but I keep getting distracted. Okay. FOCUS. The first verse was dope. This song just sounds really happy. Not in a corny way tho. I love the production. The hook is cool. The second verse was dope. I really like this song. I don’t really have anything super interesting to say about it. I think Ant did a fantastic job with this song. This is dope af. 5/5

Track 12: Vampires

Hmm… I guess if I go to sleep in an hour I’ll be up early enough to finish this review before 1 PM, which is when I usually post my shit. Oh yeah, sorry for not posting any reviews today. I don’t really have an excuse or anything. I’ve just been getting distracted a lot. Anyway, this beat is dope af. I’m really impressed by how much Ant’s improved. It’s crazy how much better the production on this album is compared to the other stuff. I know I’ve said that a lot already, but it’s just really crazy to me. It’s not even that the production was bad on the other stuff. This is just way better. I just said “Oh hell yeeessss” really loudly. I kinda hope no one heard me. I just really love how Slug started this first verse. “I do believe in monsters; I call them officers / I know enough to know to keep an eye on how I talk to them / Some of y’all are peace, but even one too many is still a decent number for the breeding of a beast.” I really liked his delivery when he said that shit. I don’t even know why. I guess it’s because he’s talking about some messed up stuff, and he sounds so calm when he says it. This song is fucking awesome. I feel like I’m too tired to explain why tho. Fuuuck. Slug just sounds so good over this beat. Ant & Slug work really fuckin’ well with each other. I guess that’s probably obvious at this point. The first verse was dope af. I love the morbid lyricism on the hook too. “This country’s a vampire; she eats her kids / Let’s hide the bodies under the bridge.” The second and third verses were great. I think this might actually be one of my favorite songs on the album so far. This song is dope af. 5/5

Track 13: A Girl Named Hope

This beat is dope. He’s obviously using a woman as a metaphor for hope in this song. He does that a lot. He always uses women as metaphors. The first verse was dope. Woah… What the fuck? This sample that Ant flipped for the hook… It sounds completely out of place at first, but it… It just works. I guess I just wasn’t really expecting that. It’s ’cause this beat sounds kinda sad and dark, but the sample doesn’t at all, so it’s a little jarring at first. I’m gonna have to hear that shit again before I can decide whether or not I like it. The second verse was dope. Okay, the song just ended. Lemme hear this shit… Hmm. You know, this sample actually sounds REALLY fuckin’ good. What song is that from? I might have to check the original song out. Let’s see… It’s from a song called Four Walls by Eddie Holman. I’m listening to it right now. Damn. This is a really dope song. This dude can sing his fuckin’ ass off. I think it sounds even better in this Atmosphere song tho. It just comes outta nowhere, but once your mind adjusts to it it’s really fuckin’ dope. That might actually be my favorite part of this song. It’s just so weird. It’s really dope tho. I definitely fuck with this song. It’s dope af. 5/5

Track 14: GodLovesUgly Reprise

Okay, I’m probably gonna go to sleep after this song. Uh oh… Nnnnnnah. Nah. I’m not feelin’ this shit. I like the production, but these vocals just sound kinda… Bad. They don’t sound very good to me at all. Oh what the hell? It just ended… This is more of an interlude than an actual song. Slug doesn’t rap on it at all. I don’t completely hate this, but it’s not something I’d wanna hear more than once. I like the beat tho. Should I rate this? Nah, I guess I won’t since it isn’t really a full song. Damn. They got lucky I guess. The one track that I don’t like is an interlude. Whatever.

Track 15: Modern Man’s Hustle

You know what? I’m NOT gonna go to sleep now. I only have 3 more tracks left. I’m just gonna go ahead and finish this shit now. Okay, this song is starting now. Yes. Jesus Christ. Seriously, Ant really put his ass into this album. This beat is fucking fantastic. Slug did his thing on the first verse. The hook isn’t bad. I think Slug’s personifying Hip Hop as a woman. Again, it’s not the most original concept, but he’s just doing it really well. He’s basically saying that Hip Hop is being abused and mistreated by commercial rappers. I fuck with this song. It’s not one of my favorites, but I still enjoyed it. The beat switched up after the first verse, which was a little disappointing for me. I think the first beat was MUCH better than the second one. It’s still a good song tho. This is dope to me. 4/5

Track 16: One Of A Kind

This beat is dope as hell. I love Slug’s aggressive flow on this first verse. This is awesome. The first verse was fantastic. The hook is dope af too. This is one of the more hard hitting tracks on the album. He killed that second verse. “I still say fuck a major label ’til it limps / Put your deal up on a table and we’ll show you who’s the pimp / There is no sympathy for the careless / Fuck the extra credit and fuck the demerits / Class dismissed.” This is just a really dope song. I don’t have any problems with it. This is dope af to me. 5/5

Track 17: Blamegame

This beat is dope af. It sounds kinda familiar… Maybe it samples a song that I’ve heard before. The first verse was dope. The hook isn’t bad. The second verse was great. “I ain’t goin’ nowhere;, I’m still here, right here / Same spot that I stood when you first woke up / The same guy that grabbed the mic and made your girl wanna fuck / The same MC still runnin’ on an empty tank of luck.” I don’t really have anything to say about this song. It’s just a dope beat with two great verses from Slug and a decent hook. I don’t have any problems with it. I don’t think it’s a super amazing song or anything, but I still really enjoyed it. It’s dope. 4/5

Track 18: Shrapnel

This is another phenomenal beat. Ant fuckin’ killed this whole album. I love Slug’s calm delivery on this first verse. The hook is dope. The second verse was dope af. This is just another fantastic song. I think this was a great way to end the album. I love the calmer, more toned down production and delivery from Slug. I don’t see what’s not to like about this track. This is dope af to me. 5/5

Final Thoughts:

This album is amazing. It’s definitely my favorite Atmosphere project so far. I know I kept bringing this up while I was listening to the album, but the production… It’s just really surprising how much better it was on this project. Ant seriously stepped it up for this one. I guess the main reason this project is remembered as a classic is because it was one of the first times a rapper was really open about his emotions. I’ve seen a lot of different people describe this as one of the first “emo” Rap albums. I guess the reason that it didn’t particularly stand out that much to me is because I didn’t really start getting into Hip Hop until like 2011 or 2012. “Emo” Hip Hop is pretty standard these days. The reason I love this album so much personally is because it’s just a very consistent project. There isn’t a single song on here that I wasn’t really feelin’ aside from that GodLovesUgly Reprise, which felt more like an interlude than an actual song. I don’t see any consistent flaws in this project. I love this album. It’s dope af to me.

Favorite Song: Vampires

Least Favorite Song: Hair

Verdict:

92%

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