This album was released on June 11th in 2002. I recently posted a list of my 25 favorite albums of all time on Twitter, and this project landed at number 6. Long time followers will remember when I reviewed this for my Atmosphere marathon in 2016. For those unfamiliar, I used to do this thing where I would review every single project in an artist’s discography. I referred to this activity as a “marathon.” Occasionally people still ask me to do them for certain artists like Mobb Deep or MF DOOM. I remember a couple years ago some guy kept leaving comments under my YouTube videos begging me to do the Black Eyed Peas, which still makes me laugh. I’m not planning on ever doing a marathon again because personally I think this blog is more valuable when I’m telling people about new albums that they would’ve never heard about without me. It’s just really time consuming and I don’t think it’s worth the effort. An unfortunate fact about the marathons I did do is that they’re terrible. I kinda hate everything I wrote prior to 2019. The marathons are super embarrassing to me not only because of the way I used to write and communicate, but also just because I don’t even have the same opinions that I did when I wrote them. I was using a lot of words that I shouldn’t have used, and never will again. If you know you know. With all that said, I don’t think I’m gonna delete them, at least not any time soon, mostly because I’m too lazy to go back and try to erase the abundance of content I published from the internet as a teenager. I also think it’s kinda cool to look back at how terrible they are just to see how much I’ve grown since then. Then again, it’s not really something to brag about because anyone who isn’t way smarter and less embarrassing than they were as a teenager has failed themselves and society. The only marathon I’ll continue working on is the Wu-Tang Clan one. Even that one’s outdated at this point, but I never finished it and I think it would be kinda lame and disappointing for my followers if I didn’t continue working on it. Anyway, when I reviewed God Loves Ugly in 2016, I immediately loved it, but I didn’t really have the skills to explain what exactly made it so amazing to me. I basically just said “this is dope af” and called it a day. However, over the years I’ve grown to love it even more than I initially did, which is how it made it to number 6 in my favorite albums list. One person seemed very confused about how I ranked this above 36 Chambers, and the short answer is that that album has pretty much zero emotional impact for me. Hopefully by the end of this review it’ll make sense as to why I personally hold this album closer to my heart. You may be wondering, “why is he suddenly redoing a review for an album he’s already covered?” That’s a very reasonable question, especially since I’ve never done this before. During one of my most recent listening experiences with this album, I felt the need to tell others about what makes it so brilliant to me. At first I just started a Twitter thread about it, but as this thread grew I realized that I actually had a lot to say, and then I remembered how ineffective my original review was. Focus Hip Hop is turning 10 years old this December, and I’ve been pondering ways to celebrate. I knew I had to do something special, and it clicked for me as I was creating the aforementioned thread. I included a tweet that said something along the lines of “maybe I’ll do a redux review for my blog’s 10 year anniversary,” and then I posted a poll on my instagram story asking people if they wanted that. I’m gonna be honest. I pretty much made up my mind that I was gonna do this about five minutes after posting that poll, before it even got any votes. Thankfully everyone who did actually vote said I should do it, so that just enhanced my desire to go through with it. So here it is; the official, REAL review of God Loves Ugly for the 10 year anniversary of Focus Hip Hop.

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Just to be clear, I’m only gonna be writing about the standard edition of this project, but it should be noted that the two extra songs from the deluxe version are amazing. The album begins with the song Onemosphere, and I still remember the first time I ever heard this song. I remember being really excited by the leap in quality in regards to Ant’s production from the Lucy Ford compilation to this, which was very evident pretty much immediately. This beat is incredible to me. It’s one of the weirdest beats Ant has ever made in my opinion, but probably in the coolest way possible. Earlier this year, a friend of mine named Fick sent a message in the Rap Music Plug Podcast discord server commenting on the loudness of Ant’s snares. It’s not something I ever really noticed until he pointed it out, but he’s absolutely spot on. It seems to be intentional and something that people acknowledge a lot because Ant recently rolled out his own new instagram page, and the username is antturnthatsnaredown. The percussion on this track and album in general is absolutely neck-snapping. I think that’s my first time ever using the term “neck-snapping.” I can’t fathom a more appropriate context for it. These drums hit super hard, and I love them for it. Anyway, Slug’s rapping is flawless to me on this album. He’s literally a perfect rapper on this record in my opinion. There’s nothing I would change about the way he approached things here. His flow, vocal delivery, and most importantly his writing are fucking incredible to me. This is a very dark, serious album in which Slug is absolutely bearing his soul, but he still oozes confidence on the mic.

Can't never be captured, they can toy with my shell
But only after they walk a mile backwards through b-boy hell

The entire first verse is magnificent to me, but my favorite part has got to be the final quatrain. This is just such a cool thing to say in my opinion.

Every chapter that I happen to skim
Appears as 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 second verse is performed with kind of a melodic delivery, at least for the first eight bars. It sounds really good. I remember playing this song for my friend Casey while we were getting stoned once, and he was like, “he’s actually like that.” Basically he was saying Slug can spit. Needless to say, I was happy that he heard what I heard in Slug. His flow is impeccable here. Not a single syllable is out of place. The song’s dope as fuck. The following track is called The Bass and the Movement, and this is probably one of the first songs I would show people to prove to them that Slug is one of the best rappers to ever touch a microphone. He absolutely slaughtered this track. Before I comment further on Slug’s performance, I should take some time to discuss the production. This is the kind of track where you’re really doing yourself a disservice if you’re not listening with good headphones or speakers. There’s no way you can fully appreciate the intricacies of the instrumental by just playing it from your phone’s built in speakers. That can be said for the majority of music in general, but I think it’s especially true here. The sample of what sounds like a guy grunting as he takes a punch to the stomach is really goddamn cool, and the drum pattern is excellent. I also really like the fun, animated melody of the bass. Lyrically, this is one of the most aggressive tracks on the album, at least in regards to Slug’s competitors in this art form. I absolutely love the way he talks shit about wack rappers.

Give the kid a nipple 'cause he sucks
Take the microphone from his fist, he doesn't know how to clutch
You wanna treat it like a playground?
Well we can joke about your take down
And let your pride get hurt when I tug on your skirt
Like "shut the fuck up, professionals are tryin' to work"
And to the people that don't feel us, fuck 'em
Don't need 'em, can't see 'em, never leave 'em, never loved 'em
Stuff 'em full of dick 'til the hole rips
And let 'em know that's what they get for that ho shit

That’s so fucking hard. Goddamn. I love it. It kinda feels like a throwback to the way Slug rhymed on Headshots: SE7EN, which is probably a top 3 Atmosphere album for me, and sadly the only one I have on vinyl at the moment.

"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
Go ahead and download my dick to a file
Yo, you heard Slug sing his songs about women
Like "he must be a weakling, I know I can fuck with him"
For those who wanna ride, come on, climb aboard
I'ma be an asshole for as long as I'm ignored

The first verse was amazing, and yet the second verse is somehow way better. I just love how fucking disrespectful he is to phony rappers and biters.

You need to park that bitch and get a starter kit
You might as well hire me to come write your shit
At least then nobody'll know who you bit
It won't hurt so much when they don't like your shit
Silly Putty in a puddle of beer
Quit steppin' in my cum and get your gum out your ear
"I heard your new song, son, yo, this your year"
Why don't you run along and tell your girl to bring it here

I remember the following couplet blowing me away the first time I listened to this album…

You got no balance, combined with no talent
Disgraceful, you can catch a face full of phallus

He’s absolutely on fire here. I remember playing this song for one of my friends who really only listens to Hyperpop and melodic Trap or “Rage” music and has pretty much no knowledge of Hip Hop culture. I asked him if he prefers Pac or Biggie once, and his response was “I hate oldhead rap,” which I was a little disgusted by to be completely honest, but I’m sure a lot if not most of the people his age are in the same boat. Anyway, the reason I’m bringing him up is because when I played him this song, he complained about how “esoteric” it is. It was a strange comment to me because this song and album in general are pretty straightforward in my opinion. That’s not to say that the writing is simplistic or elementary, but it’s not really hard to decipher the lyricism. Slug doesn’t overcomplicate his lyricism with big words or ambiguous metaphors, at least not on this album. He just has the ability to communicate very real emotions in a beautiful, poetic way. For example, the line where he says “be quiet if you love the police” is kind of impossible to not understand, but it’s just such an agreeable, relatable sentiment that I can’t help but be in awe of it. I actually don’t know which song I like more between this and the preceding track. They’re both amazing. Track 3 is called Give Me. The beat here is amazing to me, particularly when those horns come in. It makes me think of the Beauty & the Beast world from Kingdom Hearts II. Once again, Slug’s flow is perfection here. I really love how he kinda gives us a glimpse into his philosophy towards the culture of Hip Hop and how he approaches the art.

The first rule is to keep the verse true even if it hurts you
You gotta wear the pain like a stain
Respect the listener, respect the game
Because there's more to gain than some dinner and fame

I think this whole album is pretty much perfectly written, so I might sound like a broken record by the end of this review, but yeah this verse is boiling hot fire. The same goes for the second verse, which has one of my favorite lines on the song.

There ain't no way that I can be happy when I'm half me

This is another example of how he says super profound and relatable shit in a straightforward, easily understood way on this record. However, the third verse is definitely my favorite part of the song.

I've had the pleasure of speaking with some of you
Yeah you, come on now, don't act like you don't know who I'm talking to
After that show when you approached me like you know me
The CD I sold you, the secrets that you told me
On that world you vision, through the layers of tears
The ones you choke and keep hidden when the players are near
I watch you chase it with beer, some frustration and fear
Try to figure out why the hell I came here
Well I don't know either, and I'm not ready to take a breather neither
All I know is I'm still a believer
So you can beat me up or you can beat me off
Pick a side, any side, and let me do my job

The “you can beat me up or you can beat me off” line is so ingenious to me. This exemplifies one thing I really love about Slug, especially in the earlier years of his career; he’s able to say super crude things in such a creative way that it makes it seem sophisticated. Anyway, as far as content goes, I feel like this track is a perfect encapsulation of Slug’s love and appreciation for not only his fans, but the culture in general.

If you've got a lot of love to give, but you don't know who to give it to
I'ma turn out the lights of the cigarette, and write a song about you
This one's for you

It’s songs and lines like these that make it clear why “Atmosphere saved my life” is such a common sentiment. Anyway, this is another perfect song to me. I love it. It’s followed by Fuck You Lucy, which is easily one of the best songs ever made to me. I think it’s the best song about heartbreak that I’ve ever heard in my life. It’s an absolutely gut-wrenching track, and I somehow didn’t consider it a highlight when I originally reviewed this record. I think the main reason is probably just because I had never experienced being in love at that point in my life, so I was very naive about how it feels to have a broken heart. It might be the most important song on the album though. The instrumental evokes the image of a tornado destroying everything in its path, and it feels like a metaphor for the feelings conveyed by the MC. As I said on Twitter, in this song Slug perfectly expresses the bitterness and resentment that comes with heartbreak while somehow completely sidestepping any blatant misogyny, which is something that’s almost unheard of in Hip Hop to this day, but especially at the time of this album’s release. It’s really astonishing to me.

She say that she still wants a friendship
She can't live her life without me as a friend
I can't figure out why I give a damn to what she wants
I don't understand the now before the then

Lucy is a recurring character in the Atmosphere discography who kind of plays the role of Slug’s love interest. Her full name is Lucy Ford, which is based on the name Lucifer. If you do some research on the meaning of the name Lucifer and its etymology, it just makes more and more sense in the context of Atmosphere’s catalogue. Anyway, every single verse on this track is incredible to me, but I think my favorite lines are these ones from the first verse…

Ever since I was a young lad with a part-time dad
It was hard to find happiness inside of what I had
I studied my mother, I digested her pain
And vowed no women on my path would have to walk the same

As someone who has watched my mother—a beautiful, angelic spirit—endure an abusive and loveless romance, these lines tore me apart. I feel like I know exactly where Slug is coming from here. It’s one of the most relatable song lyrics I’ve ever heard personally. It also illuminates why there’s a heightened sense of devastation, failure, and self-hatred that accompanies this unsuccessful romantic endeavor. The hook is very straightforward, and it fits perfectly.

Everyone in his life would mistake it as love

This is one of the lines that I would concede is a bit more ambiguous, but I think it’s still pretty easy to interpret a meaning from it. A lot of times ambiguous lyricism kinda just leaves me scratching my head wondering what in the fuck the artist is talking about, and that’s not an issue here. Not that I don’t like that type of writing because I do. However, I don’t think it’s capable of hitting me as viscerally as the more direct alternatives. Anyway, here are my favorite lines from the second verse…

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

These lines really convey the hopelessness and confusion one feels when going through a particularly agonizing heartbreak. The third verse too, man. Every single aspect of this song is just perfect.

Do I sound mad? Well I guess I'm a little pissed
Every action has a point, five points make a fist
You 'close em, you swing 'em, it hurts when it hits
And the truth can be a bitch, but if the boot fits
I got an idea, you should get a tattoo that says "warning,"
That's all, just a warning
So the potential victim can take a left and save breath
And avoid you, sober and upset in the morning
I wanna scream, "Fuck you, Lucy"
But the problem is I love you, Lucy
So instead I'ma finish my drink and have another
While you think about how you used to be my lover

This shit is too fucking good, man. I’m not a drinker at all, but even I resorted to alcohol at one point in my life when I was suffering heartache because I was under the impression that it was a way to cope. Thankfully that was still relatively early on in my life—I was technically still a teenager—and I was able to learn and internalize the fact that alcohol is a depressant that is 100% only going to make me feel worse in the grand scheme of things before I later suffered the most intense heartbreak of my life. Things were already really ugly, but if I started drinking again while going through that I genuinely don’t know if I would be here to write this review. This is some pretty dark territory here, but thankfully the following song, Hair, is much more fun and lighthearted. As a result, it kinda gives listeners breathing room to regroup from the harrowing nature of the preceding track. As kind of a sidebar I wanna mention that this song begins with a clip from another amazing Atmosphere song called Body Pillow, which appeared on a tape called Sad Clown Bad Dub II. The tape was made available to stream on DSPs last year, so definitely check that out too. Body Pillow contains a lot of the same themes that are explored in further detail on this album, so I totally understand why that clip of it was included here, especially to follow up Fuck You Lucy. Anyway, the lighthearted tone of the production is matched perfectly by the whimsical storytelling from Slug on this song. It consists of one long verse in which he describes meeting a woman at a bar and the genesis of a mutual infatuation.

Unwindin', hangin' out at the bar
I wonder if she knows that I'm not really a star
She seems to be impressed with my lack of an ego
And my self-aware style, I like the way that she smiles
She wanna know how I find the words I use
"I don't really know but I can lie if you want me to
Angels sing to me in my sleep
I sold my damaged soul for the magic of speak"
And now she's laughin', she likes the sarcasm
So naturally, I'm askin' if she's got a captain
She says, "a captain? Wait, you mean a man at home?
The answer is no, I came to this bar alone"
Well heavens to Betty, enough about boyfriends already
Just tryin' to keep the conversation heady
'Cause as much as I would love to run and play in the forest
Ain't no way this girl is gonna break into my fortress

One small detail that I really like, but didn’t even really notice until one of my recent listens is the douchy laughs in the background while he’s saying that corny ass shit to this girl. It’s genuinely pretty funny. He just sounds like such a jackass, but the nature of the song makes it more than obvious that it’s intentional. Anyway, I don’t wanna spoil the abrupt conclusion of the song, even though there’s probably a deep meaning that can be interpreted based on the context of the surrounding material and themes of the album. I really love this song though. Due to its more lighthearted tone and subject matter, it doesn’t hit me on as much of an emotional level, but I still think it’s masterfully crafted. It’s followed by the title track, GodLovesUgly, which is definitely my most listened song from the album.

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This shit is fucking amazing. I love the piano-driven instrumental from Ant here. It’s got a very melancholic, yet catchy melody. I remember this song being played during one of Dead End Hip Hop’s “Odd Fridays” shows, and some guy in the comment section was like “Yo, what is this beat? Why is there a piano? This is weird.” That’s not what he said verbatim, but that’s pretty much how I remember it. Why was he acting like incorporating pianos into a Hip Hop beat is unheard of? I thought it was funny because it’s not like it’s a super experimental, weird, or even inaccessible beat at all, but that’s neither here nor there. Anyway, the writing throughout this entire song is nothing short of pure brilliance in my opinion. From the very first couplet Slug is spilling his heart out over this beat.

I wear my scars like the rings on a pimp
I live life like the captain of a sinking ship

That’s one of the best opening lyrics I’ve ever heard to a rap song. Pretty much every lyric on this song is a quotable line to me.

Oh mom, I promise I'm gonna be large
Some day I'ma stop tryna borrow your car
Gonna go far with charisma and skill
Until they put my face on the million dollar bill

These lines kinda highlight an attitude that permeates the entire record in my opinion. Even though life is kicking his ass, he never really loses confidence. Maybe he loses hope, but he always seems to know his own value, which I personally find inspiring as someone who struggles with feelings of worthless and low self esteem. I guess if I had the songwriting and rapping skills that he had I probably would be the same way. Anyway, the second verse on this song might just be the best one on the whole album. I love the way it begins.

Once upon a time in Minneapolis, yo
I damn near had to steal the show
I stepped on the stage, "who is it?"
"My name's Slug, I've come to kill a couple minutes"
And what's up with the way that everybody gathers around
Each other, so they can steal each other's sound
If it's all about getting down with the get down
How long I gotta wait for these fools to sit down?

Pretty much every line in this verse is better than the last to me. I really love the line about how nobody sees tears when you’re standing in the storm. That’s so fire. This is my favorite part of the song though…

When the soldiers started runnin' short on rations
I began tappin' the egg to spark the hatchin'
Make it happen, and take this captain to the gallows
I keep steering us into an area that's shallow
Talking to my shadow, he advised me not to worry
Said, I should plant my tree and let it rise out of the fury
So give me some light, a little love and some liquid
I'ma 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

This is probably my favorite part of the album to rap along to. I just love the way it flows. I feel like these lines really emphasize the primary message of the album. Even though others may see him as ugly, he never loses sight of his own value and basically is confident that he’s not a worthless, unlovable waste of space that has nothing to contribute to society. That’s my interpretation at least, and a mindset I aspire to achieve. The song’s incredible. Track 7 is called A Song About a Friend, and it was immediately one of my favorite tracks on my first listen of the album. I absolutely love the dark, melodic, kind of creepy production. The bass that comes in once the verse starts is a subtle detail that really adds a lot in my opinion. Once again, Slug’s writing is just beautiful to me.

I've got a sickness, it feels like love
It's not contagious, take off the gloves
Drop your defenses, apply a coat of perfect
I'll form the sentences, you try to interpret
It'd all be so simple if I was rich
But I'm not, so I compensate with thought
I got a lot of nothin' that you need to know
You would think he wasn't aware of the glow

I feel like as this album progresses, the ambiguity kind of ramps up. It’s never completely ineffable at any point, but I feel like this isn’t the kinda stuff I could’ve fully appreciated at the age I first heard it. Nowadays my brain is at least fully developed.

Stole the city, I still feel helpless
Baited the hook, and caught me a selfish
I'm gonna gut it, clean it, cook it, feed it to a she
And see if I can get her to need me

Even though there are lines like this, which employ advanced literary techniques resulting in the requirement of a certain level of comprehension skills for optimal enjoyment, there are also straightforward lines that are very direct and easy to connect with…

I thought it was supposed to get easier when you worked harder

I actually can’t decide which verse on this track is my favorite. Each one is jam packed with lines that leave me in awe for completely different reasons.

Lend me a piece of your superiority
I feel alone on this mission, I'm wishin' there was more of me
A pair of me, apparently I'm a parasite caught inside a paradox
A paradise, a parody
The hair police have got what you need
For you to get over me and move on with Godspeed
I'd let it all go and break eggs for a livin'
If I wasn't so conditioned to just take what I'm given

The hook is stellar to me, not because it’s particularly catchy or anything. I just think the lyrics are fascinating. I also appreciate how the final verse is formatted completely differently from the first two.

She's still in my dreams, she steals all my dreams
Angel, spread your wings, angel, spread your wings
Tryin' to comprehend, I'm still tryin' to comprehend
Can't even be friends, it's a song about a friend

I have a memory of playing this song in the car, and I got the sense that my sister, who was driving, found the instrumental annoying, especially by the time we got towards the end of the track. Personally, this is one of my favorite beats that Ant has ever made. Not only because it just sounds really goddamn great to me, but also because of the dark atmosphere Ant was able to establish. That pun genuinely was not intended, but I’d still like to call attention to it. Anyway, the following track is called Flesh, and it features I Self Devine, who is the sole guest on the record. Speaking of I Self Devine, he put out his last album in 2022, and it was good, so definitely check that out if you get a chance. The song Hades in particular is my favorite. Anyway, this shit is fire. It’s definitely one of the less emotionally charged songs on the album. The chemistry between Slug & I Self Devine makes for a really fun collaboration. The way they’re going back and forth with each other is pretty mesmerizing. Their flows are exquisite. This comparison I’m about to make may leave some of you scratching your heads, but I personally thought I Self Devine’s vocal delivery kinda sounded like Ill Bill a little bit. This song also kinda reminds me of Fatboi Sharif‘s The Cure for Amoxicillin, which is another comparison that may confuse readers. I just feel like the manner in which the artists go back and forth with their performances is similar. I feel like I Self Devine’s imagery is more outlandish than that of Slug.

Bob Show murderous
Insane verbalist
Slit throats, kill women and children
Feminine, weak type, ho with a leash
Beat a brother down in the middle of the street
With police watchin', full of various toxins
Sicker than a slave when he's boxed in
I bring Glocks in, C4 with the clocks in
Toward your function
And bubble out your luncheon

The last verses that they each spit are definitely my favorite part of the song. I feel like I Self Devine’s performance on this track kind of inspired Slug to approach his flow differently than usual.

The face card, mimic of an action
Figure, embedded in the trash can
Last stand on an ocean of sweat
On a path to the sun, how close can you get?
Must be high off the cost of livin'
The life of rhythm, get lost in the vision
Toss that fish in a lake of snakes
Self & Slug came and caught the brakes

This is one of the most energetic, uptempo songs on the project, and it’s a break from the intensity and anguish that defines this record. I think it’s dope as fuck personally. Track 9 is called Saves the Day, and it’s definitely one of the less awe-inspiring tracks for me. I have a lot of tiny little nitpicks with this one. I still think the rapping is really great, but I just unfortunately don’t love the instrumental quite as much as most of the others. Don’t get me wrong; it’s still a pretty good beat. It’s just relatively unremarkable to me. The first verse from Slug is of course really great.

I dip my brush into the "what" I've wept for
And wonder out loud as I can, how long I've slept for
I should rob a pet store, let the dogs wild
I should close all the schools just to make the kids smile
Seize the limit, let the sky be the moment
Put the key to the ignition, I'ma ride these donuts
And when it breaks, lock the door, walk away
Won't be nothin' else to talk about, nothin' else to say

I like the lyrics in the hook, but I just think it lasts too long, at least the first time it’s performed. It’s only two lines that he keeps repeating, so it gets a little tedious after a while. Even though this track doesn’t feel as magnificent as pretty much every other song from a songwriting and production standpoint, I still think the lyricism is pretty interesting, so it’s able to hold my attention enough. It’s a good song. The following track is another major highlight entitled Lovelife. I remember that on my first listen of this album I was starting to find the barrage of romance-related content a little tiresome, so I was relieved to discover that this song is not about Slug’s love life. In hindsight, I think I was trippin’, and that the romantic subject matter is one of the facets of this album that contributes to its status as their magnum opus. However, as I mentioned before, I hadn’t really experienced romance at any point before hearing this, so I didn’t have much interest in that kinda lyricism. Anyway, the instrumental here is kind of chill, although the percussion is of course as hard-hitting as ever. It’s kind of somber, and perhaps a little sad, but not everyone may perceive it as such. The message of this track is “love life;” in other words, have gratitude for all the beautiful aspects of life—even if you’re “down on your dick,” as the kids say—because we’re only here temporarily. The way Slug raps about passing away is just absolutely enchanting to me.

Individually wrapped, placed in neat little rows
Becoming a piece of everything that grows
Some numbers, a name, to indicate you played the game
Came empty handed and left the same
A soul is a soul and a shell is a shell
The border in between is full of everything you felt
Some cling to a cross 'cause they're tired and lost
They leave it up to the weather to measure the cost
And every time I look within I recognize the darkness
Familiar to the image of the artist
Staring at the bathroom mirror in a stranger's apartment
Can't remember her name, don't remember how I got here
But here I am, thinking about death again
Humbles out the stress, helps the breath get in
I need to check my friends as well as my next of kin
To let 'em all know I love 'em all until the end

The second verse is just as if not more beautiful to me. Slug just comes off like a really content, well-adjusted individual who’s learned acceptance in this song, which may be a funny thing to say considering some of the content explored on other tracks.

Let no tears to fall from none of y'all
Just remember it all, the beauty as well as the flaws
L-O-V-E L-I-F-E
Here lies Sean, finally free
And as I look across the sea, I smile at the sun
While it feeds the weeds the nutrition they need
The people still breathe, the city still bleeds
I'ma love it to death and keep planting my seeds
I'ma love it to death and keep an eye on the seeds
I'll be in love 'til I'm dead, I keep reaching the seeds
I'll give all I got left just to teach you to read
Love life to the death and keep planting my seeds

The stance Slug takes on this track is really admirable, at least in my opinion. I feel like ever since my third and final stay in a psychiatric ward I’ve been at a point in life where I can relate to it. This is a really life affirming track to me. It’s very special. It’s followed by Breathing, which isn’t really a highlight to me on this album, but I still really like it. I think the vibrant production is really fun, and it honestly boosts my mood every time I hear it. It just sounds like a happy ass beat. I agree with a lot of the sentiments expressed by Slug throughout this track too. The first verse is really nice.

I stay upset with all the puppets
Submerged in the drama 'cause they love it
They beckon all the pain, and then they complain
Why would you chase away the sun if you don't want the rain?
I never asked for the world, just a portion
Tryna make a good soldier out of daddy's little orphan
But management called down, demanded that we turned the sound down
And with that, I suggest we start the countdown
(Simplistic spiral) and work your way backwards
'Til all the bastards collapse and choke on their last words
And I'll be back when it's happy hour
So just pour me another and ignore me, my brother

The hook isn’t particularly great to me, but it serves its purpose well enough. The second verse is nice too.

The youth want truth, well thank god
Tryin' to keep it movin' while you're sittin' in the same spot
Been in this cage for a long time
Coverin' this page with the wrong rhymes
Got a strong mind, I got a weak will
I've got bad nerves, and I can't keep still
But I stay humble, so when the meek take the planet
I can get a little piece with my name on it
The only problem is by then I probably won't want it
I'm in the backyard praying and hoping for the comet

The writing here isn’t as memorable as it is on almost every other track, which is why I didn’t discuss this one as much, but it’s still better than the type of lyricism offered by the overwhelming majority of other rappers. It’s a dope song. Track 12 is called Vampires, and it was my favorite song on the album when I wrote my original review. I haven’t decided if it’s been overtaken, but I’m still kinda leaning towards it being the best one. It definitely has one of the best, catchiest beats on the album. This is definitely my favorite track sonically. Okay, I just listened to it again. Yeah, this is my favorite track still. This shit is fucking incredible. That beat is amazing. The melody is an absolute earworm, and the snares are loud as fuck. This track also has some of my favorite opening lines of any rap song.

I do believe in monsters, I call them officers
I know enough to know to keep an eye on how I talk to you
Some of y'all are peace
But even one too many is still a decent number for the breeding of the beast

His flow is absolutely stunning to me on this track. He makes it sound so effortless. I remember not really having any idea of what this song is about when I listened to it as a teenager, but these days I interpret it as a commentary on capitalism.

She lurks in the alleys with her own reality
Allegiance, honor, keep it all in the family
Consumes the young, blind, deaf, and the dumb
Drains the vein and puts them under the thumb
She's on the television, celebrate status quo
Energy, push mute on the remote control
Break the beats, shatter the measure to pieces
All I've left is the breath and the will to prove the thesis

Another thing I remember about my first time hearing this song is that I was I guess a little alarmed by the somewhat ghastly diction and phrasing in the hook.

This country's a vampire, she eats her kids
Let's hide the bodies under the bridge

I feel like it just supports the capitalism interpretation. That’s obviously not the only way to view the song though. Really any exploitative system or institution could be considered the “vampire.” You could even just view it through the lens of social media and clout-chasing. There are endless possibilities. Anyway, every verse here is phenomenal, and I’m thankful that there are three of them.

Through the mud of the evening she trudges
The name, the blood is tainted with traces of loveless
From up above, truth watches in bewilderment
Contemplating how he isn't really feeling it
Just another chapter of another moving picture
Another after thought looking for a new elixir
But if she goes even when she has to climb
Out the window, out of sight, out of mind

The song’s amazing to me, and like I said it’s probably my favorite track. I may convince myself otherwise by the time I’m done writing this review, but I doubt it. Anyway, it’s followed by A Girl Named Hope. I assumed that this was another instance of me failing to pick up on the concept of a song in my original review, but to my surprise when I went back to read what I said it looked like I actually did get it. I’m glad because it would’ve been kind of embarrassing in hindsight since the title is kinda like shouting it from the rooftops. I still didn’t expect myself to really notice what Slug was doing here though. As the title obviously indicates, Slug is personifying his false hope as an abusive romantic partner.

Gave it a fraction of all I had to give
I guess I hold a grudge 'cause you still got my rib
With your beautiful eyes, unscrupulous lies
Now watch the circus clown run around in circles and try
Seems like all I get to eat is hope
Girl, if we got along better we'd be dope

This is a relatively short song on this album, but I still think they knocked the concept out of the park. The sample that Ant incorporated between the two verses is crazy. It sounds so bizarre, but in the coolest way possible. It’s just such an unexpected moment for me. I think it’s really awesome. The final quatrain of the last verse, which is performed in a melodic delivery to match the instrumental, contains the most grim imagery in the song.

And that's the sound that a dog will make when he's just been hit by a car
And that's the tone that hits close to home when the cocaine outlives the star
And that's the noise that disrupts the boys when the cue ball smacks its goal
And these are the words that disturb your earth when I walk away with your hope

This track is outstanding to me. I don’t really see that much discussion about this album in general these days, which likely can be attributed to the bubble I’m in, but if I had to guess I would say that this is also probably one of the least talked about songs on the record by people in the know just because it’s so short. I could be totally wrong about that though. I think it’s just as fantastic as anything else you can find on this LP. It’s followed by the GodLovesUgly Reprise, which I think I deleted from my library the first time I downloaded this album. I kind of get why I did that because one could argue that it’s not essential. However, I listen to it every time I play the album these days because I still like it to some extent, and I just want to hear the whole album the way it was intentionally presented. The melody of the instrumental is kind of unsettling to me. The lyrics have the same effect to be honest.

We can make sure you have fun
Yes we can, yes we shall, yes we will
We can make sure you have pain
Yes we can, yes we shall, yes we will
We can make sure you have hell
Yes we can, yes we shall, yes we will
We can make sure you have life
Yes we can, yes we shall, yes we will

The juxtaposition of fun/pain and hell/life is very cool, and you could probably get some very interesting ideas of what it means in relation to the rest of the album if you think hard enough about it. I have to admit that this review is running a little long, so I’m not gonna try to ramble too much about random interpretations that I pulled out of my ass. I love that Slug always gives me something to think about though, even when he’s saying so little. The following track is another one of the biggest songs on the project, Modern Man’s Hustle, which I believe was the lead single.

I think this is another track that I didn’t consider a highlight the first time I reviewed this album unless I’m mistaken. I remember being a little disappointed by the beat switch. Not because I thought the second beat was bad, but just because I adored the first part of the instrumental so much that I wanted it to be the entire song. I have to admit that I still slightly prefer the first part of this beat just because it sounds so haunting to me. I was really thrown off by the beat switch because to me it seemed like it completely changed in tone. The first beat is fucking creepy. It sounds scary as shit, and I loved how the lyricism matched it.

The first time I met the devil was at a Motel 6
She left hell to spend a weekend on Earth just for kicks
Sexy little bitch, shorter than expected, about 5 foot 5
Big and thick in the breast and thighs
Beautiful, dark eyes, a strong stare
Large lips, soft hands, and long hair
I said "I'll make you smile for the simple fact I'm good at it
I'll make you smile just so I can sit and look at it"

I was hooked. The beat switch occurs after these lines, and it thankfully has grown on me immensely now that I’m used to it. Both parts of this instrumental are pretty incredible. The second verse is great of course.

Little baby doll, she doesn't know what to say to y'all
The patience is short, and of course the pride is way too tall
Break it all, smash the past like it was made of glass
Ain't no other way to make it last
It hurts to watch Lucy lucid dream
I've had the pleasure of seeing our hero kick and scream
And when she calms down I'll turn the sound down
And put my arms around the little lost and found

The melody of the hook is actually pretty catchy, even if Slug isn’t putting in much effort to sing it particularly well. His vocal delivery doesn’t sound bad at all though. My favorite part of the song lyrically is the final verse. Particularly the closing lines, which I feel like are actually very sweet.

So let the snow fall, it's coming down
She doesn't want to understand why I still come around
She looks at the mirror, she don't see what I see
She holds no history of how precious she be
Lay your head on my chest, speak of the stress
Kick your feet up and rest before we clean up the nest
I hate to see you upset, it cramps the position
And if you didn't know, you better listen

I really love this shit. It’s another perfect song to me. I love both parts of the beat now, and the writing is of course flawless to me. The song’s incredible. It’s followed by One of a Kind. According to Genius, the clip at the beginning is taken from a live Sage Francis show, which is pretty cool. I could never really tell that it was him, but I guess it makes sense. Sidebar: Genius is sadly lacking in quality content for this album both in regards to accurate lyrics as well as well thought out and researched annotations. I guess that’s kind of the norm for Genius, but you would think that an album like this would get the proper treatment. Anyway, this is definitely another one of the most fun tracks on the album. The lyrical content isn’t as grave as that of a lot of the other tracks, and Slug is talking a lot of shit.

Poker face, let me hold my place
The namesake is Slug, but you? You can call me Stoker Ace
Open invitation to catch today's ejaculation
All across the front of your pretty little apron
This goes to those that want a mouth full of Sean's load
Thanks for starting now, you're barking down the wrong road
Sacrifice plays a part in grabbing mics
From now to the afterlife, I'll continue passion-like
I love this fucking whore with all my heart
And ain't nobody gonna stop me from doing my part
It gave me life, it saved me life, it raised me right
So slide, shoulder slide, and please hand over that mic

I love when Slug talks shit about how nobody is a better rapper than him. He’s just really goddamn good at it, and very convincing. The whole premise of this track is that Slug is “one of a kind” as the title indicates.

Who am I? One of a kind, send 'em one at a time
You're all the same, only separate by kick snares and names
And some of y'all even share the same names
So fuck you and your lies, baby, show no shame

My favorite part of the song is probably the way the last verse ends. That shit is so fucking hard to me.

The same shit yesterday was like today
Only difference is I trust even less of what you say
But all in all, I still make the noise
I still break the toys, I still hate your voice
I still say fuck a major label 'til it limps
Put your deal up on our 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

The way he delivers these lines with so much disrespect just enhances it even further. The song is hard as fuck. I think it’s amazing. The penultimate track is called Blamegame. I don’t remember exactly what I said about this one in my original review, but if I had to guess I’d say I probably didn’t appreciate it as much as I do now just because of the kind of Reggae inspired instrumental. I don’t know why this was the case, but I think I held the belief that most Hip Hop beats in that style sound too similar. However, as a grown ass man I can see that this is an incredibly well crafted and enjoyable instrumental. I love it. The hard hitting drums keep my head moving. The title of this song is kind of used the same way that the Lovelife title was utilized. He says to “blame it all on the game” here. Slug absolutely slaughtered this shit too, man. He was absolutely snappin’ on this shit. He was talkin’ his shit. To this day his bars have me making absurd exclamations.

I claim this region, two hundred-mile radius
Twin Cities' flavors, Rhymesayers got the tastiest
And you can hate me—it's part of the territory
As long as you know it's impossible to ignore me
From middle fingers to hugs, tofu to the drugs
The fight's fists, might as well just take pictures of Slug
And live out your own life to the fullest
Why you starin' at my feet when you're standin' in this bullshit?
You could never learn how to ride a bike without balance
So what's the point of trying to grab the mic without talents
Go get your brakes looked at, you fucking fake hood rat
Wanna be the basement's greatest? Too late, already took that

That is so goddamn hard to me. I love it. The second verse is just as amazing, and wraps the song up perfectly.

Why go to serve tall talk?
Anyone that calls "fall off" can suck my balls off
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

This verse also contains a line where he claims to be “a simplistic intricate,” which I feel reinforces my comments about the straightforward, yet profound nature of his lyricism. Anyway, this is another incredible song that I’ve only grown to love even more over the years. The closing track is entitled Shrapnel. I love this shit. This song’s got another one of my favorite instrumentals that Slug has ever made. I love how ominous it sounds. The lyricism, flow, vocal delivery, and overall execution of the rapping is nothing short of pure brilliance in my opinion.

All the power to the people who dig potholes
Placed me in a glass case full of lost treasures and fossils
Got a right to be hostile, my love is gettin' gang raped
By an army full of money hungry crocodiles
Quantity is up, market in a flood
But the party over here has never steered through so much love
I'll take the laughter, but I'd rather have the women
Who am I kidding? I'll be content with whatever I'm given
Work for food, rent, sex, money or water
I don't know what else that you have to offer
Your first born daughter? No need, already got her
She came to the set hungry, and left hot and bothered

The dark production might lead one to expect more melancholic lyricism about frustrations with life’s failures, but the tone of the lyricism is much more aggressive and angry than depressive.

Maybe once in awhile I find a reason to smile
But most the time it's spent deep in denial
It's all make believe, I want the cake to eat
But this lake's too deep, tryin' to stand on two feet
Wonderin' about the thunder runnin' through this blood
I try to keep my cool, but the hat fits too snug
Studied the love, took my degree
Shoved it into a bottle, chucked it into the sea

After the hook is performed a second time, there’s a bizarre instrumental interlude that I find pretty interesting. I’m not sure what inspired the decision to include this or if it has any significance other than sounding cool. I fuck with it though. The hook and original beat eventually come back in, and towards the very end of the track some female vocals subtly appear. Then, after the beat cuts off, the last thing we’re left with is the reversed audio of what sounds like a little girl saying “I am not ugly.” This is a perfect outro to me. This is a beautiful album, and I can’t imagine how they could’ve wrapped it up more perfectly. The song’s dope as fuck.

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^{Before I say anything, I just wanna thank you guys for reading if you’ve gotten this far. Not only this review, but just my blog in general. Again, it’s turning 10 years old in December, and I’m honored to have been around this long with a group of supportive followers that care enough about my thoughts to read something as long as this. This shit was very time consuming, but it was incredibly fun. This might actually be one of the most fun things I’ve done all year. This is a very special album to me. It’s respected in Hip Hop for being considered one of the first “emo Rap” albums ever made. What’s crazy to me is that it’s still arguably the best one. It’s definitely top two for me, and its only competition is another Rhymesayers release. Slug is one of my favorite rappers of all time, and this album is a big reason why. I personally think that Headshots: SE7EN has a lot of the best rapping Slug has ever done from a technical standpoint, but this is his most focused, fleshed out, cohesive, and well-executed record in my opinion. I also happen to think that these are the best beats Ant ever made, especially up to this point in their careers. That’s not to say that he didn’t have a lot of fire material after this because he definitely did. However, I think this is the most consistently amazing batch. This is really a perfectly written album to me, and Ant provided the perfect backdrop for Slug to bear his soul to the world. There’s not a single skippable moment here. Damn near every track is absolutely incredible to me. It doesn’t get much better than this for me. The fact that it’s such a long project just makes it even more impressive in my opinion. It’s not like they just cooked up a quick, short collection of fire songs. They really locked in and made a very ambitious concept come to life in the best way possible. I can’t praise this enough. If you’ve never heard it, please do yourself a favor and give it a listen. If you have heard it, do yourself a favor and listen to it again. Then leave a comment telling me what you think, not only of the album, but of this review as well. Also, please consider sharing this review because in my humble opinion, this is the best thing I’ve ever written. Thanks again for reading.}

Favorite Song: Vampires
Least Favorite Song: Saves the Day

97

Watch the video below for more thoughts on this album.