Saturday, day 2 of my multi-stage Doomtree diatribe.
Today I want to look a little farther back in the canon and celebrate what was one of the first major outing for Doomtree, namely the first official album for P.O.S. - the curiously titled 'Ipecac Neat'. Released in 2004, the album was one of the first official records put out under the Doomtree banner and stands as some of P.O.S.'s best work, made all the more impressive by the fact that he was only 22 at the time.
The Promise Of Stress (or Piece Of $#!% depending on his mood, born Stefan Alexander) is a lifelong Minneapolis native, having grown up here and attending Hopkins High School, where he met fellow crew members MK Larada, Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan and Lazerbeak. Initially averse to rap and hip hop in general, in wasn't until a punk outfit he was playing with did a one-off gig as a rap-parody that the wheels turned in his head. Following the example of his friend Mike, P.O.S. took to rapping like a duck to water. He quickly became one of the best young MCs on the scene. For particular proof, track down a copy of his now-defunct group Cenospecies' first and only album - it's a fascinating look into the talented rapper's early work. His signature style is there, just not fully formed (it's a great piece of local history, if you can ever find it). When he began writing and rapping with eventual Doomtree crew member Cecil Otter they recorded and released a series of EPs, all under the title of False Hopes, not unlike, say, Nine Inch Nails' method for titling each release another in a series of Halos (Halo I, Halo II, etc.) These Eps, (False Hopes, False Hopes Mega! and Cecil Otter's first solo foray, Hungover Seas) quickly established them as rising stars on the scene. When P.O.S. released his first full album there was no question about his talent and the potential that lay within.
The album, Ipecac Neat, is titled as such because P.O.S. wanted to conjure the image of "mental vomit" of which he identified his rapping - loose and free associating, yet personal and revelatory. Well played, sir. The album is definitely all those things and more. As an introduction to the astounding canon of material that would ensue, Ipecac Neat could serve as a primer for neophytes. Like any artist who is crafting their first album, P.O.S. drew upon the series of False Hopes eps for a couple choice cuts in addition to freshly penned (at the time) material. In particular the opener, Gimme Gunshots, is a fantastic illustration of personality contained within. The slower sections of verses show P.O.S.'s sly sense of humor and wit, cracking jokes and making winking references to the late Notorious B.I.G., even singing a bit, even if only in jest. When he switches up the rhyme scheme and tempo in the chorus we see his deft word play and knack for hooks - phrases fly by like shots and you can hardly decipher them before you're trying to catch the next line. I, personally, was hooked and blown away by the personal yet universal appeal of 'That One', an amazingly insightful song about the effects romantic entanglements. Just the opening lines had me enthralled when I first heard it "Gimme a pen, a pad, a couch, a blanket, pillow and I'm out - I wrote this thing from 31st to Clinton foaming at the mouth, can I sleep in your den?" Those little details make his story telling very real and beleivable. The song is a heartbreaker, with P.O.S. spitting rhymes about suicide by cop and the moving refrain "I'm not waving, I'm drowning".
The whole album holds up as you listen through. 'Music For Shoplifting' is a speedy but sparse tune that makes a case for minimalism in hip hop. By crafting a beat around a broken kick-snare combo and putting just a hint of flamenco guitar on top, P.O.S.'s wit and wordplay get a chance to really shine through what is other wise a sonically dense album. Favorite line: "I'm not trying to save hip hop, I'm just trying to save my baby cousin from Jermaine Dupri". 'I Play The Matador' creates its energy and momentum seemingly out of thin air just from the beat, all snapping guitar licks and popping drums. The closer to the album, the personal 'Duct Tape', gives an even closer look into P.O.S.'s childhood and what he went through that made him who he is. The tales of home drama clearly made an impact but it gave birth to the passion on display here. Culled from an earlier ep, I'm guessing it was a natural choice for inclusion on the album. It's a moving, vivid piece of music that is quite affecting.
On a whole this is a fantastic album. I think, though, that part of the genius on display comes from the fact that P.O.S. had so much to prove when he was making it. Now, with three fantastic and varied records under his belt and all the critical adoration one could hope for, he may not have the same drive to prove his worth. On Ipecac Neat he had that desperation, the hunger of a young artist with the fire inside him. It's still there now, of course - he's tearing up the scene here and abroad, not only with solo sets and the Doomtree crew, but also with hardcore bands Building Better Bombs and Marijuana Deathsquads. He was also a highlight of the phenomenon that is Gayngs' album Relayted. all these cats are making huge waves at SXSW this year, so if you're not there, start with this amazing album and get acquainted quick, before you miss out.
Today I want to look a little farther back in the canon and celebrate what was one of the first major outing for Doomtree, namely the first official album for P.O.S. - the curiously titled 'Ipecac Neat'. Released in 2004, the album was one of the first official records put out under the Doomtree banner and stands as some of P.O.S.'s best work, made all the more impressive by the fact that he was only 22 at the time.
The Promise Of Stress (or Piece Of $#!% depending on his mood, born Stefan Alexander) is a lifelong Minneapolis native, having grown up here and attending Hopkins High School, where he met fellow crew members MK Larada, Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan and Lazerbeak. Initially averse to rap and hip hop in general, in wasn't until a punk outfit he was playing with did a one-off gig as a rap-parody that the wheels turned in his head. Following the example of his friend Mike, P.O.S. took to rapping like a duck to water. He quickly became one of the best young MCs on the scene. For particular proof, track down a copy of his now-defunct group Cenospecies' first and only album - it's a fascinating look into the talented rapper's early work. His signature style is there, just not fully formed (it's a great piece of local history, if you can ever find it). When he began writing and rapping with eventual Doomtree crew member Cecil Otter they recorded and released a series of EPs, all under the title of False Hopes, not unlike, say, Nine Inch Nails' method for titling each release another in a series of Halos (Halo I, Halo II, etc.) These Eps, (False Hopes, False Hopes Mega! and Cecil Otter's first solo foray, Hungover Seas) quickly established them as rising stars on the scene. When P.O.S. released his first full album there was no question about his talent and the potential that lay within.
