Mi Vida Local | Its Hip Hop

Last October, Atmosphere’s Slug and Ant released their ninth studio album, Mi Vida Local. In support of the LP, the Minneapolis, Minnesota duo have released a handful of videos that play to themes of aging, death, alienation, and finding the good around despite so much bad news.

Atmosphere now drops “Stopwatch,” shot in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the video’s opening, producer Ant lays down a haunting, piano-driven introduction to the song before quickly picking up the pace in both tempo and ambiance. As the clock ticks, a man and his son are shown in a small café among a group of other customers. After a quick conversation with his son, the two quickly get up from their seats in a blaze and B-Boy dance across the room in a stick-up fashion. It’s a robbery, as the two take cash and abruptly end calls for help, ahead of escaping with the loot.

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The pair eventually make its way to a van to escape. They change their clothes as Slug’s “If you don’t stop then you won’t get caught,” plays in conjunction. After almost getting stopped by the police, they use their breakin’ talent to dance their way to freedom once again.

Then, the true nature of their theft is brought to light. As the video rounds, the young boy leaves a pile of money for a sick, dying woman under her arm at a hospital and a message, “help me,” written in red on her hand. Perhaps it is his mom, and the father’s partner.

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As noted in a recent conversation between Slug and Ambrosia For Heads, Mi Vida Local, 2014’s Southsiders, 2016’s Fishing Blues, and videos like “Stopwatch,” are drenched thematically in ideas of life, death, and mortality. As Slug stated, “They’re all my ‘get comfy with the idea of death’ trilogy [albums]. These LPs also focus on family, loss, and challenging times.” Slug states, “Just in case anybody ever wanted to put them together, there’s a connection, a stream that runs through all three of them.” Mi Vida Local, is Atmosphere’s conclusion to that philosophical journey on wax.

Under the lens of their album trilogy, the imagery of the man and his son breakin’ for money to pay for the health and well-being of another is powerful and poignant. Some dancers leave a hat for donations to support themselves and those around them. These two in the video are not in a position where waiting for generosity will cut.

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AFH TV features a 2018 interview with Slug. We are currently offering free 30-day trials.