Atmosphere

Hip-hop has always been one of my true loves. The problem is, most "commoners" can't audibly separate hip-hop from rap, thus shoveling us fans into one category. In all actuality, they are two very opposite ends of the spectrum. While most mainstream rap artists rhyme about how many cars, women, houses, money etc. they have, hip-hop artists speak truth about real life problems, triumphs, tragedies and other things that you and I can easily relate to.

Read more on the evening after the jump!

Austin's Fun Fun Fun Fest first attracted our attention last year with an enticing sophomore lineup that included several indie treats. Given the festival's prime location in Waterloo Park and late fall weather (read: not blazingly hot like ACL), we'd already decided that we would be in attendance at this year's edition; now that we've taken a peek at the artists on the bill, FFFFest has leaped to the top of our can't-miss list. The 2008 lineup, released today by Austinist, includes such diverse acts as Clipse, the National, Bad Brains, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Annuals, Dengue Fever, Atmosphere, Grupo Fantasma, and Dan Deacon.

Fun Fun Fun Fest is set to take place on Saturday, November 8 and Sunday, November 9 at Austin's Waterloo Park. Two-day passes cost $59.99 and will go on sale soon.

View the full Fun Fun Fun Fest lineup after the jump

Minnesota hip-hop group Atmosphere will embark on a U.S. tour this fall to plug their new album When Life Gives You Lemons, Paint That Shit Gold. The duo, made up of lyricist Sean “Slug” Daley and beat master Anthony “Ant” Davis, has continued to impress crowds throughout the nation. Joining them on their tour are Abstract Rude, Blueprint and DJ Rare Groove. The first leg of the tour, appropriately named the “Paint The Nation Tour,” has been announced, and so far features quite a sporadic array of cities in its path.

Check out the dates after the jump

Slug

Ant

Ever wake up in a reggae/Swedish folk-singer-songwriter/hip-hop/Southern rock sort of mood? Us too!

Doughnut: Atmosphere - Crewed Up
Eggs: Jens Lekman - A Postcard to Nina
Cereal: My Morning Jacket - Wordless Chorus
Toast: Jah Roots - Good Highs

Gotta love Atmosphere! Slug and Co. come hard with these here party tracks, and feature a fine host of guests to them him do so. Who said we should stop listening to hip-hop?

And like a true playa plaaaayaaaaa, he has his ENTIRE EP available as a free download at http://www.rhymesayers.com/atmosphere. What a guy.

PS - Check out the track 'Domestic Dog.' It's for all tha laaaadies (as if you would expect anything less from Slug)!