P.O.S.

"Stand Up (Let's Get Murdered)"

With politicized songs like "Bleeding Hearts Club" and "A Teddy Bear and a Tazer" in his catalog, it's not hard to guess that this Minnesota MC's handle stands for Pissed Off Stef (as opposed to "Pralines? Oh Sweet!" or "Pretty Ole Sissyface"). But, like the rap daddy of socially conscious lit-wit, Chuck D, our man P.O.S. packs his angst with the full force of punk to create the vibrant drive of an anthem. So, set to poking brass samples and dense beats that wouldn't be out of place in a Bomb Squad mix, P.O.S.'s rhetoric comes fast and thick: "We're talking about the most hated machine of all times/ They're playing games with most of our lives/ But in November who had the patience to stand in line?" No one. Hang on. Two minutes into a song geared to have you hating Bush, and P.O.S. sets us up by posing an opposing view. Real O'Reilly fair-and-balanced shit. After making sport of "burning the Patriot Act," P.O.S. relishes poking holes at lazy men who talk cheaply and do nothing. Besides, P.O.S. likes his job and his rights. "I'm patriotic like a fox/ I hung my flag high." And now I start to wonder. Is P.O.S. the Toby Keith of hip-hop? Does he mean "fox" with a little "f" or a big one?

You can hear this song on Audition (Rhymesayers). And P.O.S. can be found Feb. 15 at The Fire, as part of the Northern Liberties Winter Music Fest. Complete schedule at www.iourecords.com/ thefire/shows.html.