Atherton No Threat

Atherton is a hip-hop emcee from Ottawa who threads a fine needle between absurdity and more sobering themes in his music as well as his live shows. For further proof, check out the man's third official release, No Threat, which you can find on his Bandcamp.

A track like "No Threat" is just that, at first. Atherton is like a ninja on the mic, reminding me of Brother Ali and Atmosphere with his ability to shine up dark issues with a catchy beat and relatively harmless wordplay. He's got a unique flow and this production still sounds fresh even after a dozen listens.

For me, hip-hop is only as strong as its message, which makes "No Threat" much more dangerous than a lot of the competition.