Interview w/ Slug

Being able to work on this website is something I don't take for granted. I've been doing this for about six and a half months now, and I'm constantly trying to keep progressing. It's really gratifying whenever I see this site get noticed, so if you're a reader, much love to you. And, subsequently, the more the site gets noticed, the more unique opportunities I have to try out new things.

However, while I'm not able to do everything I want to with Midwest Broadcast (Though that will hopefully start to change soon), I have my second creative outlet, The Badger Herald, to help me out. Through them, I recently conducted my first interview, somewhat ironically with Slug of Atmosphere. The article was published today in the paper, as they are performing here in Madison tomorrow. Follow the link below to read the interview, and hear what he has to say about Lemons, working on new material, touring in Europe, and Barack Obama. It will be worth it, I promise.

Interview with Slug via The Badger Herald

The entire article is at the link above, and you should definitely check it out, but the following quotes are parts of the interview that couldn't quite make it into the newspaper version for a variety of reasons. Slug briefly discussed working on new material, the differences between American and European fans, and some other political thoughts.

Lemons was released about six months ago. Have you and Ant been working on any new material since then?

Slug: We’ve just been conceptualizing what we want to do next. And we’ve got some ideas for where we want to go, but we’ve been on tour this whole time. I generally don’t allow us to work on music when we’re on the road. I don’t like the way being on tour influences any music being made.

So, specifically, how do European hip-hop fans compare to Americans?

Slug: Actually I kind of see it the way I saw the Midwest for a long time. In Iowa City, in Minneapolis, in Saint Louis, Missouri, in Milwaukee, the kids that loved rap loved it extra much, because of the fact that it wasn’t ours. We knew we were taking part in something that was special to us. We didn’t necessarily grow up to it, but we were trying to dive in to it. When I grew up, I was all about not just rap, but DJing and graffiti and breakdancing. I tried to do everything, because, to me, that’s what you’re supposed to do if you love hip-hop. And Europe was kind of the same way. Whereas you might go to New York or LA and the breakdancers don’t even break to rap music, the rappers don’t even have DJs, and the DJs don’t even care, they spin house. In Minneapolis, much like in Europe, much like in Saint Paul, where you’re from, much like a lot of smaller towns, the audience really influences the scene and the culture very much, and in Europe it’s been like that for a long time. And I’ve just now started to see kids from other background start to show up to the concerts.

What do you think about the growing connection between hip-hop and politics?

Slug: I think it’s the same growing connection that’s happening between politics and youth. The youth have this budding connection with politics that’s just carrying over to hip-hop.