This week saw the release of the video for 'Never Better', the single taken from the album of the same name, released earlier this year. The third album from the Rhymesayers signed, Minnesotan hip hop marvel P.O.S, proved a huge success on the underground hip hop scene across the globe.With an album that represents his best work to date, leading to tours across the US - including the Warped Tour - supporting bands like Bouncing Souls, and relentlessly releasing some of the best hip hop I've heard in the past couple of years, alongside some of my other favourite rappers in the collaborative collective Doomtree.
With such success since the release of 'Never Better' and the Doomtree, 'False Hopes', album, it seemed high time P.O.S took some time to come out to the UK; bringing his good friend and fellow Doomtree member Paper Tiger along with him. Well here at Style43 we're always ready and willing to hang out with our favourite rappers. This is what went down..
Doomtree, Doomtree, Doomtree... that's probably all you're going to hear from us for the next couple of months, well at least until "False Hopes 15" is released anyway. That is a bit of a way off though and if you're anything like us, you need something now.
Well luckily for us there are people like 2DopeBoyz, who scour the virtual ether for exclusives and the like, to keep our insatiable appetites under control for at least a little while longer. Last week it was the Felt boys, this week it's Doomtree's turn.
Wings and teeth, people, wings and teeth. ... 
A month or so ago, we put up a little article about the album from BK-One and Benzilla (who produced that ill I Self Devine/Brother Ali joint, "Officer Down"), "Rádio Do Canibal", along with a free download of one of the tracks, "Here I Am". Well the album was released the other day and I can report that it as fresh and innovative as the hype made it sound.
Easily making it into my top five albums of the year, the sheer amount of research and effort that obviously went into the making of this project is amazing.
If you remember, I was talking about how BK-One has spent a lot of time travelling round the world, particularly Central and Southern America, and from that he had gathered enough ideas and influences to create a base of beats, for the vocal skills of a whole host of emcees and singers. 
At last! I know we're not the only ones who have been clamouring for the UK to be blessed with a visit from one (or all) of the Doomtree crew, and now it seems as though our cries have not been in vain. Last week P.O.S announced he would be embarking on a European tour this Autumn and the UK will be getting him for no less than nine dates. 
P.O.S returns with “Never Better”, the follow up to 2006’s critically acclaimed “Audition”. Written mostly in a moving car, P.O.S raps at full clip to ride rolling drums and revving distortion. There’s an urgency that he keeps in careful check, and then unleashes for spring-loaded verses that represent his best work.
“Never Better” enters a room like a bombshell with a black eye, badass, noisy, and impossible to ignore. Feedback and relentless drum rolls are only occasionally tempered by sung choruses and clean, chiming guitar lines.
With an unlikely punk rock past and an ever growing loyal hip hop fan base, P.O.S proves he is a rapper with range, a real musician and an unstoppable performer. Don’t mistake “Never Better” for some hybrid or some contrived crossover project because for P.O.S, genres are as they ever were: permeable. 
