For the Warped Tour this summer, there is sure to be the usual congregation of shaggy haired teens; wearing tight jeans despite the 100 degree weather. This event, located at Desert Breeze Skate Park, will be hosting an array of underground artists, but nothing will come close to the shocker of the evening: rap group Atmosphere.

As an indie listener myself, I once imagined a world where gangsters and scenesters could walk hand in hand, singing "We Are the World." Maybe my dreams will never come true, but at last, rap and emo have made nice with each other. This seemingly unlikely paradox is the "straight up" truth.

Once upon a time there was the Slug and the Ant. This is not the beginning of any ordinary fairy tale, but rather the mystique that makes up Atmosphere. Slug, otherwise know as Sean Daley, is the MC, and behind his rhymes are the beats of Ant-hony Davis. Growing up in the "hard streets" of Minneapolis, Atmosphere is considered the first emo rap to have mainstream credibility.

The subtle, but powerful lyrics of Daley paint a portrait of a rather insecure 30 year old, searching for acceptance and love. Unlike most mainstream rap, the use of live instruments gives this group a softer edge as opposed to the heavy, synthesized bass of most rap songs. Their sound ranges from percussion to funk and even jazz. Atmosphere's newest album Seven's Travels is an indie wonder, bordering on massive success. This CD is all Daley: the struggles, the triumphs, and the regrets.

Atmosphere is far "realer" than any of the rappers out today. Daley used to be caught up in the rapper ego and dreamed of being a super star. However, now a much wiser and older rapper, he's content with where he stands in life. Having a seven year old son, the importance of family and being a good role model is at the uptmost importance to him.

"What I want to extend to them [kids] is that this is their community and they have complete control over where it goes. I don't want to be that cheesy guy who's saying "Go Vote" but honestly I am that cheesy guy...I feel like I'm very aware with the songs I write now," said Daley in Filter magazine.

However, this does not mean that this rapper is a pansy and crys himself to sleep every night. Growing up in a broken home, Daley has had his share of heartache and emotional strife. He is not angry, but rather critical of our society. He feels ashamed for the slew of irresponsible rappers and believes that people should do their best to be role models for the youth.

With a girlfriend, a son, and two loving parents, people would think Daley has the perfect life. However, during childhood (and still to this day), Daley considers himself ugly, yet manages to put his life in perspective. His strong faith allows him to recognize the fortunes he has in his life and pass his knowledge to others.

With Atmosphere's first hit "Trying to Find a Balance", listeners were introduced to a more edgy, political rap. Although rappers are known for rhyming about the streets in their society, Atmosphere focuses more on what media culture has done to our society.

In their song "National Disgrace" Daley pledges allegiance to "Budweiser and free drugs, peace to Rick James, Anna Nicole Smith, Bill Clinton, and Motley Crue, and anyone else who has ever utilized their 15 minutes of fame to realize their true dreams of being an absolute jerk off."

With their tongue and cheek sense of humor, Atmosphere is faintly reminsicint of the classic tunes in School House Rock. Not only is the music catchy and energetic, it educates and teaches adolescents about the ignorance of American society. And everybody could use that reality check.

"What's next for me is to learn how to take my stories and make them more that just something that the little heartbroken emo boy can relate to but to actually put things in these stories that might be insprining enough to get somebody else to do something, anything, "said Daley.

So...after the moshing has subsided and the human robots have run out of batteries comes a new evolution in scenes. It will be up to the teens whether or not to open up their minds (and their hearts) to the world of emo rap.