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Anti-gangsta hip-hop group fast-talks its way to Eugene.

Article Excerpt
Byline: Serena Markstrom The Register-Guard

POP NOTES

The two creative forces behind the hip-hop group Atmosphere may be named after common Northwest pests, but Slug and Ant come all the way from Minneapolis. On Wednesday, they will bring their fast-talking, lyrically complex show to the McDonald Theatre, 1010 Willamette St.

Almost 10 years ago, Slug (Sean Daley) started working with producer Ant (Anthony Davis) when he and a few others founded, as a news bio describes it, an "underground hip-hop clique dedicated to freestyling." Their focus then, as it is now: clever lyrics and "anti-gangsta" positivity.

In 1998, Atmosphere released its debut album, "Overcast!" The latest release, "You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having," came out at the end of last year. The two-disc set is a throwback to the pair's original influences, including early LL Cool J and Run DMC.

Ant usually doesn't perform live, so Slug often brings young rappers such as the teenage Eyedea with him on tour.

His special guest for the Eugene show is Psalm One, a rapper whose bio says she never likes to sit in one place for very long. Despite that, she still managed to get a degree in chemistry from the University of Illinois.

The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16.50 in advance or $20 at the door.

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