Enthusiastic hip-hop fans lined up, down, and around the block waiting patiently to pack in to the sold out, all-ages P.O.S. show at Bottom of the Hill. Desperate fans took to panhandling for extra tickets, and countless sneak-in attempts occurred.

The intensely powerful jazz-infused slam poetry of Dessa (the sole female representation in the Doomtree collective) permeated through the walls as eager fans listened in. Dessa wrapped up by serenading the crowd like the true soul musician she is.

Not to be outdone, Grieves and Budo, the latest additions to Rhymesayers, brought the big guns to San Francisco. Infamous beat maker Budo came equipped with brass, bass, guitars, and turntables, spinning, hitting, plucking and mixing on the spot. Meanwhile, Grieves made his way through some of his popular, and also more personal rhymes, even taking a request for “I Ate Your Soul,” a song apparently he “hates doing.” But you did it so well, Grieves. Judging by the audience reaction (and groupie following), it appears that Grieves and Budo have struck gold with their collaboration. The duo’s debut album together, 88 Keys And Counting, will be re-packaged and re-distributed through Rhymesayers Entertainment on March 2nd of this year, with an exclusive Rhymesayers debut album soon to follow.

Behind P.O.S.’s tough exterior lies a clever man with some deeply seeded punk, and post-metal roots. The founder of Doomtree, P.O.S. (real name Stefon Alexander), doesn’t necessarily stand for what you think. He’s cited explanations such as, but not limited to, Pissed Off Stef, Promise of Stress, Promise of Skill, Product of Society, and of course, the obvious. His defiance for authority and sheer disregard for genre expectations was like a breath of fresh air for the sardine-packed room, opening his set with a bold statement from “Let it Rattle”: “They out for presidents to represent them/ You think a president could represent you?” Oh, snap. And the rest was history. P.O.S. had an eclectic audience of seemingly extroverted audience members literally screaming lyric after lyric, making for quite an interactive show that had the whole house bumping ‘til the very last minute.