P.O.’d as an M.O.

>> Rapper P.O.S. proves that punk rock and rap are closer than you think

by LATEEF MARTIN

Rap-rock hybrids are nothing new, and haven’t been since Run DMC’s jam with Aerosmith and Public Enemy’s with Anthrax, but a blend of punk’s abrasion and hip hop’s precision is something worth mentioning. Enter Minneapolis MC/producer Stefon Alexander, aka P.O.S.—short for Pissed Off Stef, Product of Society, Promise of Stress or Promise of Skill, depending on the day. Aproduct of the Midwestern punk scene, he’s taken his hybrid sound even further on his sophomore release of last year’s Audition, which is crammed full of distorted guitar, jackhammer bass, live drums, samples, strings and a lot of screaming. Atmosphere’s Slug supplies a “fuck you” or two to the mix to boot. The Mirror made a call to explore the DIY M.O. of P.O.S.

Mirror: How did P.O.S. come to be?

P.O.S.: When I was 14, I got the name, but I wasn’t really rapping at the time. I’d freestyle with my friends, and used P.O.S. because it was the only nickname I had at the time. Rapping at that point was a lot more of a hobby.

M: Ever heard of the documentary Afro-Punk: The Rock’ n’ Roll Nigger Experience?

P.O.S.: Yeah, I’m, actually pretty good friends with the director James Spooner, and Matt Davis [the late singer/guitarist of Ten Grand] was a friend of mine.

M: The parallels the interviewees drew between hip hop and punk were enlightening. The two have a lot more in common than differences. Tracks of yours like “Half- Cocked Concepts” prove that throwing punk in the mix works.

P.O.S.: Yeah, that’s what I grew up on, so that’s still my focus.

M: Hip hop and rap come in many forms these days, but we haven’t heard much about hip hop and punk merging. The Beastie Boys, for example, come from a punk background. Do you think we’ll hear more artists making the merge?

P.O.S.: I’m sure you will. I feel like there are definitely good representations from people who come from a punk rock or indie rock background making hip hop. They’re influenced by the sound, but still stay hip hop.

M: Who’ve you been checking out these days?

P.O.S.: I guess these days I’ve been working a lot. I have new stuff. I’ve been listening mostly to what everybody in Doomtree’s been working on. Sims, Mictlan, Dessa, Cecil Otter.

M: You founded the band Doomtree, and that also has a punk background.

P.O.S.: We’ve been making music together since junior high. We keep growing up and keep making music, usually a mix of stuff we’re listening to. It’s not even a conscious thing, it just works out that way.

M: What’s the main difference between your album and live show?

P.O.S.: It varies. This time out, we have a drummer and a bass player. It’d be good to try something different each tour. But the songs are the same, just a lot more intense. The whole point of a show is to make your audience feel welcome, and if you can’t make them feel welcome, challenge them.

With Gym Class Heroes and RX Bandits
at le National on Saturday, March 10, 9 p.m., $20