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Stefon Leron Alexander[1] (born August 18, 1981),[2] better known by his stage name P.O.S, is an American hip hop artist from Minneapolis. He has been a member of groups such as Doomtree,[3] Building Better Bombs,[3] Gayngs,[3] Marijuana Deathsquads,[3] Cenospecies,[4] Four Fists,[5] and Shredders.[5]

P.O.S
P.O.S performing in 2009
Background information
Birth name	Stefon Leron Alexander[1]
Also known as	P.O.S. Emily Bloodmobile LeRon
Born	(1981-08-18) August 18, 1981 (age 41)[2] Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop hardcore punk
Occupation(s)	Rapper multi-instrumentalist singer record producer
Instrument(s)	Sampler guitar bass guitar keyboards drums
Years active	2001–2020
Labels	Doomtree Records Rhymesayers Entertainment
Website	www.doomtree.net/pos/

Early life

P.O.S was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[6] He attended Hopkins High School, though he did not reside in Hopkins.[7]

Career

Early career

Before entering hip hop, P.O.S was in the punk rock bands named Degenerates and Om.[8]

In 2001, P.O.S, rapper Syst, and DJ Anomaly formed a short-lived hip hop group Cenospecies.[4] The group released a studio album, Indefinition, in 2002.[4] The group won the award for "Best Band to Break Up in the Past 12 Months" in the year-end issue of City Pages.[4]

Doomtree

In 2001, P.O.S and MK Larada formed a hip hop collective Doomtree.[9] The group has released three studio albums: Doomtree (2008),[10] No Kings (2011),[11] and All Hands (2015).[12]

Solo

P.O.S released his debut solo studio album, Ipecac Neat, on Doomtree Records in 2004.[13] His second studio album, Audition, was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2006.[14]

In 2009, P.O.S released his third studio album, Never Better, on Rhymesayers Entertainment.[15] It peaked at number 106 on the Billboard 200 chart.[16]

His fourth studio album, We Don't Even Live Here, was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2012.[17] It peaked at number 47 on the Billboard 200 chart.[18] A version of the album remixed by Marijuana Deathsquads, titled WDELH/MDS/RMX, was released a year later.[19]

In 2017, P.O.S released his fifth studio album, Chill, Dummy, on Doomtree Records.[20]

Side projects

P.O.S is a vocalist and guitarist in the punk band Building Better Bombs.[21] The group released a studio album, Freak Out Squares, on Init Records in 2007.[21]

He is a member of Minneapolis indie supergroup Gayngs.[22] The group's first studio album, Relayted, was released on Jagjaguwar in 2010.[22]

Marijuana Deathsquads was formed after Building Better Bombs went on hiatus.[23] Consisting of rotating members, the group released the first studio album, Crazy Master, in 2011.[24]

P.O.S is also a member of hardcore punk band Wharf Rats along with Chris 2, Chachi Darin, and Wade MacNeil.[25]

He is one half of Four Fists along with Astronautalis.[26] The duo's first studio album, titled 6666, was released in 2018.[26]

He is a member of Shredders along with Sims, Lazerbeak, and Paper Tiger.[27] The group has released two studio albums: Dangerous Jumps (2017)[27] and Great Hits (2019).[27]

Style and influences

In a 2010 interview with Punknews.org, P.O.S listed Minor Threat, Operation Ivy, Black Flag, Rancid, Metallica, and Michael Jackson as some of the first musicians he loved.[28] Hip hop-wise, he cited Mos Def, Company Flow, Atmosphere, and Aesop Rock as important influences.[28]

Personal life

In 2012, P.O.S had to cancel his national tour due to health concerns.[29] In a video posted to YouTube, P.O.S said failing kidneys are to blame for the cancellation, saying, "everyone keeps telling me, including my doctors, that I have to take care of my health first."[30] In 2014, he received a kidney transplant.[31]

Controversies

In June 2020 P.O.S released a statement regarding allegations of sexual assault and abuse by his touring DJ. In response to this, multiple women came forward accusing P.O.S himself of a history of manipulation and emotional abuse.[32] In July 2020 P.O.S responded to these allegations and announced that he was stepping away from music.[33]

Recognition

P.O.S has been honored with two stars on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue,[34] recognizing performers that have played sold-out shows or have otherwise demonstrated a major contribution to the culture at the venue.[35] P.O.S has one star for his solo work, and the Doomtree collective also has one.[34]

Discography

Studio albums

• Indefinition (2002) (with Syst and DJ Anomaly, as Cenospecies)
• Ipecac Neat (2004)
• Audition (2006)
• Freak Out Squares (2007) (with Ryan Olson, et al., as Building Better Bombs)
• Never Better (2009)
• We Don't Even Live Here (2012)
• Chill, Dummy (2017)

Remix albums

• WDELH/MDS/RMX (2013)

EPs

• Falsehopes (2002) (with Cecil Otter)
• False Hopes Mega! (2003) (with Cecil Otter)
• This Is a Gang. All We Need Is a Name (2006) (with Ryan Olson, et al., as Building Better Bombs)
• Wharf Rats (2011) (with Chris 2, Wade MacNeil, and Chachi Darin, as Wharf Rats)

Singles

• "Half Cocked Concepts" (2005)
• "Bleeding Hearts Club" (2006)
• "P.O.S Is Ruining My Life" (2006)
• "Goodbye" (2009)
• "Drumroll (We're All Thirsty)" (2009)
• "Optimist (We Are Not for Them)" (2009)
• "Purexed" (2009)
• "Crack a Window" (2011) (with Big Cats!; split 7-inch with William Elliott Whitmore)
• "Bumper" (2012)
• "Fuck Your Stuff" (2012)
• "Sleepdrone/Superposition" (2016)
• "Wave" (2016)
• "Wearing a Bear" (2016)
• "Woof" (2016)
• "Lanes" (2016)

Guest appearances

• Heiruspecs – "Commonwealth" from Small Steps (2002)
• Negative One – "Pressure" from Less Is More (2004)
• Mel Gibson and the Pants – "Shark Sandwich" from A Mannequin American (2004)
• Ernie Rhodes – "Solid" from The Orbital Effect (2005)
• Sims – "No Homeowners" from Lights Out Paris (2005)
• Mel Gibson and the Pants – "Collars Popped and Loaded" from W/ Guitar (2005)
• Word for Word – "Elevata Music" from Twin Cites or Bust (2006)
• The Awesome Snakes – "P.O.S. vs. Awesome Snakes" from Venom (2006)
• Minus the Bear – "Drilling (P.O.S Redo)" from Interpretaciones del Oso (2007)
• Astronautalis – "The Story of My Life" from Pomegranate (2008)
• The Gigantics – "Mr. Anaya" from Die Already (2008)
• Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak – "Shux" from Hand Over Fist (2008)
• Cecil Otter – "Traveling Dunktank" from Rebel Yellow (2008)
• BK-One with Benzilla – "A Day's Work" from Radio Do Canibal (2009)
• The Returners – "I Promise" from Break Up Your Make Up (2009)
• Prof & St. Paul Slim – "Broadcasting" from Recession Music (2009)
• Approach – "Leads (Hard to Find)" from SweetKnuckleJunction (Season 1) (2010)
• The Let Go – "Nightfall" from Morning Comes (2010)
• Grieves – "War for the Crippled" from The Confessions of Mr. Modest (2010)
• Kristoff Krane – "Don't Mean a Thing" from Picking Flowers Next to Roadkill (2010)
• B. Dolan – "Fall of T.R.O.Y." from Fallen House, Sunken City (2010)
• Dark Time Sunshine – "Primor" from Vessel (2010)
• Dez & Nobs – "Underbelly" from Rocky Dennis (2010)
• Gayngs – "No Sweat" from Relayted (2010)
• Muja Messiah – "Dear God" from M-16's (2010)
• Mod Sun – "Keep It Movin'" from The Hippy Hop EP (2010)
• Sims – "Too Much" from Bad Time Zoo (2011)
• Open Mike Eagle – "Why Pianos Break" from Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes (2011)
• Astronautalis – "This Is Our Science" from This Is Our Science (2011)
• K. – "No Goons" from Raphood & Authenticity (Blackened Reissue) (2011)
• Scroobius Pip – "Let 'Em Come" from Distraction Pieces (2011)
• Spyder Baybie Rawdog and 2% Muck – "Knockin' at Your Door" and "Let Me Know" from Now That's What I Call Raw Vol. 2: Poornigraphy (2011)
• Dark Time Sunshine – "Overlordian" from Anx (2012)
• Mike Mictlan – "Syke!" and "Let Me Know" from Snaxxx (2012)
• Showyousuck – "Hotline Miami" from Dude Bro (2013)
• Busdriver – "Go Hard or Go Homogenous" from Perfect Hair deluxe edition (2014)
• Toki Wright & Big Cats! – "Heal" from Pangaea (2014)
• Koo Koo Kanga Roo – "Shake It Well" from Whoopty Whoop (2014)
• Play Date – "Ninja Pajamas" from We All Shine (2015)
• Sean Anonymous + Dimitry Killstorm – "Big Bang" from Better Days (2015)
• Cavanaugh – "Typecast" from Time and Materials (2015)
• Greg Grease – "On a Limb" from Born to Lurk, Forced to Work (2015)
• Onry Ozzborn – "Turmoil" from Duo (2016)
• Red Pill – "Fuck Your Ambition" from Instinctive Drowning (2016)
• Sadistik – "Molecules" from Altars (2017)
• YYY – "Here Today" from A Tribute to the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (2017)
• Joey Van Phillips – "Broken Arrow" from Punch Bowl (2017)
• Cas One vs. Figure – "Never Stop Running" from So Our Egos Don't Kill Us (2017)
• Ultra Suede – "What It Is" from Ultra Suede (2018)
• Transit22 – "Against the Wind" from Dark Day // Good Morning (2019)
• Infidelix – "Six Days Six Nights" from #ripme (2019)
• Dwynell Roland – "Motions" from Weird Captions (2019)
• Ceschi – "Incesticide" from Sans Soleil (2019)

See also

• Underground hip hop
• Twin Cities hip hop

References

External links

• P.O.S at Doomtree
• P.O.S at Rhymesayers Entertainment
• P.O.S discography at Discogs

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