Minnesota’s Twin Cities sit 150 miles from the state’s southeastern tip. When combined, the state capitol of St. Paul and its neighbor to the west, Minneapolis, create the 13th-most populated area in the nation. The two so often are linked — by the likes of baseball’s hometown Twins, the upcoming 2008 Republican National Convention, and everything in between — that distinguishing between the two cities is a matter best left to the locals. To them, the differences are obvious and rife with competition.

Ask to see an example of Minnesota’s distinct seasons, and a St. Paul resident will point you in the direction of Como Zoo and Conservatory — whereas the same question in Minneapolis will send you to its Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary. If taxicab small talk turns to culture in St. Paul, the driver could tell you that the city has the second-highest per capita number of higher education facilities in the U.S. In Minneapolis, the same conversation would clarify that only New York has more live theaters. On their own, Minneapolis and St. Paul each would represent an oasis along US-61. But this truly is a tale of two cities best told as one, and together they morph into a singular destination and home to more than 3.5 million residents.

Tucked amongst all those proud Twin Cities locals dead-set on an either-or mentality, Sean Daley embodies the duality of his hometowns. At times, he’s just Sean, a 35 year-old former record store employee who still enjoys popping into the legendary Electric Fetus to pick up the new Black Mountain release and stroke his chin amongst the elitist clientele. At other times he’s Slug, the hip-hop hipster turned million-selling frontman of the world-renowned duo Atmosphere.

When Chicago Innerview gets him on the phone in mid-February, he’s a bit of both. “My girlfriend says I’m bipolar,” he explains.

The self-proclaimed media whore who used to “talk to anybody with a blog and a microphone,” is in the midst of an interview blitz in anticipation of the April 22 release of Atmosphere’s sixth LP, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. It’s a record that comes closely on the heels of December’s critically acclaimed straight-to-download Strictly Leakage. And while that 2007 album was given away for free on the Internet, his Rhymesayers label (of which he helps run) has opted not to distribute promotional copies of When Life Gives You Lemons to prevent such online leakage before the CD hits the shelves.

It’s this pattern of conflicting ideas that best defines Slug. He has blamed the Internet for deluding rap’s talent pool, but takes full advantage of its capabilities. He turns multi-meaning phrases with the best of them, but will accompany his soon-to-drop album with a children’s book to clear up any confusion about the moral of the album. He’s embarking on a “more selective” approach to interviews, but still fits in between four to six hours of them a day. And while his DJ, Ant, has been conducting more interviews with Slug’s blessing, the frontman knows he should get the lion’s share of the media attention because “VH1 might snatch Ant up for a pop-culture show if he does too many — because he’s funny as fuck,” Slug says. It’s a point in Slug’s career where he’s no longer interested in “basic bio bullshit,” but wouldn’t totally shy away from doing that sort of thing again if a big enough audience came calling.

“I’ve been doing this shit for too long to keep saying ‘I listened to KRS-One as a kid,’” Slug tells Chicago Innerview. “I’m at a point where I’m kind of like ‘Fuck it. Either you know who I am or you don’t.’ I don’t expect everybody to know who I am, but I don’t really get excited about explaining my backstory. I don’t even have a backstory. So it’s not like MTV even would have much to explain in a big stupid bio piece.” But what if the media conglomerate did come calling with bio questions in tow? “I’m not an idiot, man,” he said. “I’d have to consider it. I’d just hope they didn’t strip me down to the basics.”

It’s this dual personality that has keyed Slug’s decade-long rise from underground MC to headlining act and record label executive. Yet, while some performers assume a calculated on-stage persona that sharply contrasts with their offstage vibe, Slug’s genius lies in his authenticity. Seemingly effortlessly, he’s found a home with two historically picky audiences that very rarely cross-pollinate: rap and indie rock. In doing so, Atmosphere has brought their beats and rhymes everywhere from the hipster-heavy CMJ Music Marathon to the punk-fused Warped Tour. It’s how the duo’s eight sold-out shows at Minneapolis’ traditionally rock ’n’ roll 7th Street Entry were able to break The Replacements’ 19 year record of playing five consecutive gigs there.

“[Slug] has always been smooth,” said Electric Fetus manager Bob Fuchs of his former employee from more than a decade ago. “He’s always been like that. He was great with dealing with people. He could talk to anyone. It’s no surprise that he’s got such great flow and appeal on stage. He always was aware of his surroundings and of what was going on. Whether that was helping people find music they might like, or popping up like a ghost and catching kids in the back trying to bust a disc. He was so smooth.”

His gift for gab wasn’t lost on the Minnesota Public Radio show “The Current”. Three days before the release date of When Life Gives You Lemons, the broadcast outlet will feature another of its “Facebook Series” panel discussions with the Atmosphere frontman alongside fellow hip hop heavyweight Chuck D of Public Enemy. The event comes less than six months after Slug participated in another hometown discussion event called “Making Music”. And although MPR’s host Mary Lucia declined to be interviewed about the upcoming event, Slug was more than happy to break down his decision to join in the “validation game” of being a journalist.

“I didn’t even know it was going to be so close to the record,” he confessed. “When I was younger, I didn’t really get how to play the media game. I was just going around jumping through hoops and talking all sorts of shit. But now, as I get older and a bit calmer, I know how to handle it and not let it overwhelm me and actually be a part of it from both ends. I don’t think being in the media is really about getting records early or whatever, but more about being told that you’re important enough to get records sent to you early or to have an artist agree to an interview. I can see it from both sides.”

Slug’s growing awareness of his conflicting lifestyle has helped the performer grow into much more than just another MC with product to hawk. In promotion of his upcoming album, he and Ant have also become YouTube mini-celebrities due to a series of viral video shorts. He also hopes to get another shot at writing his next children’s book at some point in the future.

But for now, he’s got enough on his plate as Slug the MC, Slug the label exec, and Sean Daley the Twin Cities resident.

Chicago Innerview Magazine, April 2008