You Can't Imagine How Much They Spent on Booze

Last Thursday's Atmosphere listening party at the Kitty Cat Klub was novel, if not unprecedented, for being an invite-only event focused on a local group. Partaking of the open bar, members of the Rhymesayers and Doomtree hip-hop collectives mingled with a broad cross-section of local industry and media. "This album is going to be huge," said Ross Raihala of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, as You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having (due October 4) played over the speakers. (This is the studio album, not the promised live one.) The real news came during a Q&A with rapper Slug and mustachioed producer Ant. Ant, who has never toured with Atmosphere before, will hit the road this fall as DJ for the group, doing half a set with Slug before the MC's live backing band comes out. "I'm going to buy a house, motherfucker," said Ant. "He could get fired after a week," said Slug.