"Gonna go far, with charisma and skill/Until they put my face on a million dollar bill/Atmosphere, it's just a 10-letter word/Discretion is the name of my cement-feathered bird." Hip-hop trio Atmosphere emerged on the underground scene in the mid-1990s and immediately gained a reputation in their native Minneapolis for their lyrical rhymes. Comprised of Slug on the mic, Ant on production and Mr. Dibbs on the turntables, Atmosphere released their debut album Overcast! in 1998 after rapper Slug (born Sean Dayley) formed the trio.Slug, the son of a white mother and black father, formed the Rhymesayers collective as a teenager with friends Stress (aka Siddiq Ali) and Spawn (aka Derek Turner) before meeting with producer Ant (born Anthony Davis). Under the name Urban Atmosphere, the group collaborated with compatible local groups like the Abstract Pact, MC Musab and Mr. Gene Pool and was soon an underground hip-hop sensation due to Slug's signature heart-on-his-sleeve rhymes and Ant's innovative production. Atmosphere released their sophomore effort Sad Clown Bad Dub II in 2000; the record sold out and is now a sought-after collective for many hip-hop fans. In 2002 Atmosphere released a collection of three EPs titled Lucy Ford-The Atmosphere EP's, which chronicles the relationship of Slug and the (lost) love of his life, his now-ex-girlfriend Lucy Ford.Atmosphere added Mr. Dibbs (formerly of 1200 Hobos) and supported their growing fame with a grueling touring schedule which Ant usually sat out, although Slug often shared the mic with teenage rappers like Eyedea. Atmosphere stripped down to the duo of Slug and Ant for their 2002 release, God Loves Ugly, an 18-song album that contained the radio-ready "Modern Man's Hustle" among other tracks that solidified the hip-hop trio's success as indie rap stars. Atmosphere's fourth album, Seven's Travels, dropped in 2003 and was followed by You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having two years later. In addition to performances at Coachella and Scribble Jam, Atmosphere released a free download, Strictly Leakage, in 2007 and subsequent album When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, a record featuring guest vocals by Tom Waits and Tunde Adebimpe (of TV on the Radio) as well as live tracks in April 2008.