From Sway’s Universe: In the first clip, Brother Ali and Prof stopped by Sway in the Morning’s station at the 2014 Soundset Festival. First, Sway decided to cross check the rappers’ knowledge of their home town of Minnesota. Then Ali spoke about cultural appropriation and accepting that as a white person that he is a guest within hip-hop. Prof spoke about his recent joining of Rhymesayers Entertainment and why that was the best move for his career. Additionally, Ali announced that he will be temporarily relocating to Oakland to get his liberal arts degree this summer.

In the second clip, rapper P.O.S. spoke about his kidney transplant and why he did not write music during that time. Also, Slug talked about the history of the Soundset Festival and how it differs from other music festivals.

Finally, in the third clip, Slug, P.O.S., Muja Messiah, Lioness, Metasota, Carnage, Joe Horton, and Mally all came together to deliver one of the sickest Sway in the Morning Cyphers. Round after round each emcee showed why Soundset is the festival to be at.

Check out the premiere of P.O.S’ brand new video “Get Down” feat. Mike Mictlan. Today also marks the release of P.O.S’ 4th album, We Don’t Even Live Here, which is available now.

P.O.S. camp has released the above video, and the following statement:

P.O.S has to cancel his entire fall tour (with the exception of the First Avenue show on 10/26) and he has to postpone future tour plans due to his emergent need to have a kidney transplant. All tour ticket refunds will be available at the point of purchase. More information regarding P.O.S.’ condition will be made available soon. New P.O.S album We Don’t Even Live Here will be released on Monday, 10/22.

We wish P.O.S. the best of luck in getting a new kidney. You can join us in donating to P.O.S. kidney fund here.

Minnesota Public Radio serves up the official full-length album stream for P.O.S. new Rhymesayers LP, We Don’t Even Live Here, dropping October 22nd. You can pre-order the album in various packages via RSE’s Fifth Element shop.

“Get Down” off of P.O.S’ upcoming album We Don’t Even Live Here out October, 22nd.

Minneapolis rapper and Doomtree kingpin, P.O.S has announced a fall tour in support of his upcoming release, We Don’t Even Live Here, coming October 22nd on premier indie-rap label, Rhymesayers Entertainment. Starting the journey in his hometown of Minneapolis, MN October 26 and concluding in Dallas, TX November 18, P.O.S will be bringing recording efforts from his fourth studio album to life via his raucous live show, centered on quick rhyme schemes heavily-laden with anarchist philosophy and break-beat drums from two drummers, backed by a DJ. We Don’t Even Live Here hovers in familiar territory of P.O.S’ signature sound while venturing into a whole new landscape with contributions from Ryan Olson of Gayngs, Boys Noise & Housemeister, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, alongside Doomtree’s full cast of characters and production from Andrew Dawson (Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z).

10.26 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
11.01 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
11.02 – Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge
11.03 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
11.04 – Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop
11.05 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Altar Bar
11.07 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
11.08 – Boston, MA @ Royale
11.09 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
11.10 – Washington, D.C. @ Rock and Roll Hotel
11.11 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
11.13 – Orlando, FL @ The Social
11.14 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
11.15 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
11.16 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Downstairs
11.17 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk
11.18 – Dallas, TX @ The Loft

Check the first video from P.O.S’ upcoming album We Don’t Even Live Here, out 10/23 on Rhymesayers. “Fuck Your Stuff” is the anti-sponsorship video, the message is pretty clear here. Directors: Isaac Gale and David Jensen.

Late last month, Dark Time Sunshine released their sophomore album, ANX. Since then, as Dark Time Sunshine continue their three month, 42-city tour alongside Aesop Rock, acclaim continues to roll in for the album, both from fans, which have viewed DTS’ recent video for “Never Cry Wolf” nearly 30,000 times in the past two weeks, and media, with a recent 89/100 review from OkayPlayer. Today, Dark Time Sunshine is releasing their newest single, “Overlordian,” which features P.O.S.

“Overlordian” is a metaphor-driven affair as Onry Ozzborn and P.O.S trade bars over the song’s three verses, atop Zavala’s sparse, electronic-tinged instrumental as it rises and falls with timely drum-fills. “‘Overlordian’ is a song about having things, taking things, making things that already have an identity yours, and reintroducing them,” explains Onry, somewhat mysteriously. “Having stuff, but explaining that stuff doesn’t matter.”

“Overlordian” features Rhymesayers rapper and Doomtree’s own, P.O.S., a longtime friend and collaborator of Dark Time Sunshine’s, who also just recently announced his own new album, We Don’t Even Live Here. For Dark Time Sunshine, says rapper Onry Ozzborn, P.O.S. was a natural fit for the track, noting a seamless fit, musically. “The song is more ambient,” says Onry, “without any drums until the hook. It seemed like the perfect fit.”

Minneapolis-bred rapper, producer, hardcore musician, punk philosopher and co-founder of the hip hop collective Doomtree, P.O.S. is gearing up to release his upcoming full length We Don’t Even Live Here on Rhymesayers October 23rd. The LP, which comes three years after his well received LP, Never Better, finds the rapper with one foot still firmly planted in his punk heritage (he grew up listening to Minor Threat and Refused and has been in punk and hardcore bands since the late ’90s) and another boldly striding into unconventional songmanship. It’s a tight, bombastic record that builds on P.O.S.’s penchant for grinding beats and radical-leaning lyrics while incorporating futuristic synth that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Berlin nightclub. We Don’t Even Live Here is influenced by P.O.S.’s work with Gayngs and Marijuana Death Squad as well as musings into enlightened anarchist ideology. The album is literally and metaphorically centered on doing things differently. Fueled by anti-establishment fury, which has always been part of P.O.S’s outlook, the release acknowledges that the boat for social change has already set sail and this is the music for those already having fun aboard. P.O.S. has tapped collaborators including German DJ’s Boyz Noise & Housemeister, Gayngs’ Ryan Olson, Innerpartysystem’s Patric Russe, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon (who lends his shapeshifting vocals to the heartfelt bear-hug of an anthem “Where We Land”) and P.O.S.’ trusted Doomtree co-conspirators Lazerbeak, Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan and Sims. Andrew Dawson (Kanye West, Jay Z and Lil Wayne) provides stellar production work throughout. The raw vigor and resistance to categorization of this album positions itself to make a great impact on artists and listeners across genre lines and stand as a landmark recording for the future. POS raises the roof while razing the temple.

Tracklist:
1. Bumper
2. Fuck Your Stuff
3. Where We Land
4. Wanted Wasted
5. They Can’t Come
6. Lockpicks, Knives, Bricks and Bats
7. Arrow to the Action – Fire In The Hole
8. Get Down
9. All of It
10. We Don’t Even Live Here (Weird Friends)
11. Piano Hits

A new video from the super talented DESSA from DOOMTREE. From the album A Badly Broken Code available now on Doomtree Records. Directed by Maria Juranic. Directory of Photography: Geoff George. Video Produced by Scott Ferril. Buy the album: HERE – ITUNES - AMAZON - BANDCAMP. Follow Dessa online via TWITTER – MYSPACE

Earlier this summer Minneapolis born rapper P.O.S. hit up the Flushing Meadows Skate Park in Queens, NY to perform some of his hits off of Never Better.

Doomtree Tour Dates:
11/4 – Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep
11/5 – Denver, CO – Marquis Theare
11/6 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court (AA)
11/6 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge (21+)
11/7 – Austin, TX – Waterloo Park – Fun Fun Fun Fest*
11/8 – Seattle, WA – Neumo’s
11/9 – Vancouver, BC – Biltmore Cabaret
11/10 – Portland, OR – Berbati’s Pan
11/12 – San Francisco, CA – Slim’s
11/13 – Los Angeles, CA – Roxy Theatre
11/16 – Austin, TX – Red 7
11/17 – Denton, TX – Hailey’s
11/19 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s
11/20 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
11/21 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
11/22 – Virginia Beach, VA – The Jewish Mother
11/23 – Washington, DC – DC9
11/24 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
11/26 – Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory
11/27 – Cambridge, MA – Middle East
11/28 – Portland, ME – Space
11/30 – Montreal, QC – Il Motore
12/1 – Toronto, ON – Sneaky Dee’s
12/2 – Pontiac, MI – The Pike Room at Crofoot Ballroom
12/3 – Chicago, IL – The Bottom Lounge
12/4 – Grinnell, IA – Gardner Lounge (Grinnell)
12/5 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon

Aesop Rock just gave us the heads up on a new track from Dark Time Sunshine, whom you might know from their “BelieveYouMe” free EP last year. This comes from the group’s new LP, Vessel, dropping April 20th. And yes, Aes is rhyming….

Dark Time Sunshine + P.O.S. + PeeGee 13 + DJ Zone + Aesop Rock – “Primor” (MP3)

Rhymesayers Entertainment is throwing together this year’s Soundset festival Sunday May 30th at Canterbury Park in Minneapolis, MN. Huge lineup this year is headlined by Atmosphere, Redman & Method Man, Brother Ali, Hieroglyphics, Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Souls Of Mischief, Casual, Pep Love, P.O.S., Freeway & Jake One, Murs, Cage, Eyedea & Abilities, Wiz Khalifa, Bus Driver, DJ Rob Swift, People Under The Stairs, Yelawolf, DJ Revolution, and many more. [Source: RSE]

The first thing you’ll notice if you’re new to P.O.S. is the lack of DJ Premier copying or DJ Toomp biting beats.  P.O.S. grew up on punk and hip-hop, and influxes his beats with hard hitting drums, live band recordings and fuzzed out riffs.  What’s great about this all is that he manages to do it while avoiding comparisons to anything resembling the rap-rock mess that arrived in the late 90′s.  The first two tracks, “Let it Rattle” and “Drum Roll” are appropriately titled and start the album hurtling into live, rapid motion.

While the album has its louder tendencies it can hit on the soft spot as well.  “Purexed”, “Optimist (We Are Not for Them)” and “Never Better” allow P.O.S. voice to shine over what is almost surprisingly melodic beats.  It makes for a good change of pace to the hardened fury of both his rhymes and the production on some of the rest of the album.

“Purexed”, along with “Goodbye” are two of the album’s sure-fire standouts.  Both songs are assertions of individuality and ideals, as P.O.S. puts it, “Yeah we do our own damn thing, we dont blink at what tomorrow might bring.” “Goodbye” has P.O.S. expressing his many frustrations wanting to live life one way, but fighting the limitations as lays down, “So many lives in so many lines waitin’, theres only so much time so many die patient.”

“Been Afraid” is a solid track that conjures up a fog soaked dock at midnight, with heavy production for a dark story of domestic abuse. Meanwhile, “Low Light Low Life” is a solid piece of boom bap that would be home to any MC and is almost begging for a NYC team-up.  He showcases his rhymes on “Get Smokes”, a beat that is almost absent, yet not necessary.

Yet again, a Minnesota MC shows he’s capable of rhyming on the same stage with anyone from NYC, Atlanta or LA.  P.O.S has shown three years is too long of an absence for someone of his talents.  It will be interesting to see after taking a more rock oriented approach on this album than his last, how he will follow up Never Better. – Dane Johnson

     With an album cover that evokes painful memories of the Asian horror flick of the same name, P.O.S’s Audition can be a bit morbid at times, such as on “The Kill In Me”, where he requests “You can’t cut surgically with a shaky hand / and honestly my nerves are shot again / so let me treat you like a doll and snap your neck in my hands.” But that’s just the rockstar in him. As a member of the band Doomtree, P.O.S. does intertwine live guitars and drums into the production from time to time, but it never feels like “rock-rap” or a bad mash-up, just very well put together hip-hop music. “Half Cooked Concepts”, for instance, is an abrasive introduction to the man, which might turn off listeners at first, thanks to it’s heavy guitars and screamed hook. But P.O.S. quickly follows up with “De La Souls”, a more grounded audition that further explores his personality, paying homage to “I Am, I Be”, from the group the song was named after. 

     But P.O.S. really kicks it into high gear when he’s got something on his mind. The politically charged “Stand Up (Let’s Get Murdered)” attacks the Bush administration with poignant social commentary, as he notes “We’re talking about the most hated machine of all time / they’re playing a game with most of our lives / But in November who had the patience to stand in line?” He takes things down to a local level on “Safety In Speed”, where takes on “Hollywood, DC”, attacking Governor Jesse Ventura, and other actors turned politicians such as Reagan and Schwartzenegger. Meanwhile, his rage really gets burning on “Paul Kersey To Jack Kimball”, where he takes a lyrical, Death Wish style revenge on an assumed drunk driver or hit and run killer of a loved one. This angry, almost Eminem-esque side of P.O.S. rears its head on the album’s last track, “Audition Mantra”, a wonderfully constructed anthem that crescendos both musically and lyrically just as the album ends. The passion put into his delivery and lyrics really drives his points home. 

     But it’s not all angsta rap, P.O.S. sews it all together with several straight-forward, honest hip-hop songs, making this one very well balanced meal. He collaborates on two tracks with Slug, first “Bush League Psyche-Out Stuff “, where the two trade humorous verses over a mellow, jazzy beat. Again, on “Bleeding Hearts Club” - a track more aimed at the female fan base - which lifts a hook from DeBarge’s classic “I Like It”. “Teddy Bear and A Tazor” finds him over another meaty Lazerbeak track, which midway through finds it chopped and screwed, moving P.O.S. into a ridiculous double time delivery.

     Audition, is just that; P.O.S.’s official audition to the already established Rhymesayers audience, and the rest of the world. While his cryptic song titles and edgy production style may turn off fans looking for plain old boom-bap, or rather, thuggity-club tracks, anyone open to well thought-out, solidly produced, and most of all, original, hip-hop music, will dig this. It remains to be seen if this will be received as the second coming of Atmosphere, but just as he laments on “Audition Mantra”, he “ain’t like every other motherfucker with a mic”.