All The Songs We Never Heard Before

                                                                                                                                                                                            “Never Better” by P.O.S.       

I first saw P.O.S. opening for  fellow Minneapolis duo Atmosphere a few years ago at The Picador in Iowa City. When P.O.S. took the stage, his boyish face and gentle speaking voice made it hard to believe he was going to be any good as a rapper. But as soon as P.O.S. started rapping…whoa. He was a beast, spitting out rhymes with a tough and angry flow that made him sound like he was Chuck D’ s kid brother.

P.O.S. (real name Stefon Alexander, with P.O.S. said to stand for Pissed Off Stef), just released his third album, “Never Better,” and  he’s getting more publicity and critical acclaim than ever before. Add this critic to the list: “Never Better” is a triumph, one of the better hip-hop albums I’ve heard in the last few years. At times, the album reminds me of Nas’ hip-hop classic “Illmatic.”  

Early Nas is a pretty good  comparison to P.O.S. This guy is as much about influencing minds as getting booties shaking on the dance floor. His lyrics are whip-smart and his flow is strong enough to start a revolution. Plus, P.O.S.’s beats are some of the most innovative the rap scene has seen in years. So much so that you can buy an instrumental version of “Never Better” if you want. But I’d go with the real thing. 

Watch the video for P.O.S.’s “Drumroll” below, and hear more from him at his MySpace page.

What do you think of P.O.S.?