Though Slug and Ant may sound like Pixar characters, they are, in fact, the stage names of Sean Daley and Anthony Davis, who perform as prolific Minneapolis hip-hop group Atmosphere.
For more than two decades, the duo has worn pain, struggle, and anti-establishment vibes on their sleeves, all the while producing raps and beats that embrace their individual anxieties and shared resilience. However, on 2019’s Whenever, the two evolved their hip-hop ethos and put the importance of taking agency of their emotional output. OK, that might sound heavy, but these underground greats managed to expertly shout out everyone’s favorite Seinfeld character in a song that is otherwise a plea for existential clarity.
“I pack the stands with stanzas/ My stans go bananas, it’s a bona fide bonanza/ Word to Jason Alexander/ Cus D’Amato of the culture, coulda cussed out Costanza,” featured rapper Murs masterfully delivers on the record’s title track just before declaring: “Fuck Trump and fuck cancer.” We second all of that. The Lioness, Nikki Jean, and DJ Keezy are also on the bill.
Doors open at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at Saint Andrew's Hall; 431 E. Congress St., Detroit; 313-961-8961; saintandrewsdetroit.com. Tickets are $27.50.
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