Doomtree

Doomtree is a hip hop collective from Minneapolis, United States, active since 2001. It is a US hip hop group made up of Cecil Otter, Dessa, Lazerbeak, Mike Mictlan, P.O.S, Paper Tiger and Sims. The group brings together members with different musical backgrounds and approaches, and its work is shaped by punk influence as well as lyrics that are often introspective and self-deprecating.

Style and activity

Doomtree works as a collective in which emcees perform both solo and together. It is associated with the Minneapolis underground hip hop scene and often appears with fellow Minnesota hip hop label Rhymesayers Entertainment. The group’s music is rooted in hip hop, with a strong connection to punk aesthetics and independent rap culture.

Members and associated work

P.O.S is described as the de facto leader of the group. He releases four albums under the Rhymesayers record label in conjunction with the Doomtree label: Ipecac Neat, Audition, Never Better and We Don't Even Live Here. He also performs with the punk rock group Building Better Bombs.

Sims releases his first full-length album, Lights Out Paris, in 2005, followed by False Hopes 14 and Bad Time Zoo. Dessa releases one of Doomtree’s False Hopes records and is also an accomplished spoken word poet. She performs live with violinist Jessy Greene and releases A Badly Broken Code as her first solo LP, followed by Castor, The Twin, a live-band reworking of material from that album.

Mike Mictlan releases the Doomtree False Hopes records Deity for hire and Deity for Re-hire, and later collaborates with Lazerbeak on Hand Over Fist. Cecil Otter releases Hung Over-seas, a Doomtree False Hopes album, and later Cecil Otter's False Hopes and Rebel Yellow. He is also signed to Strange Famous Records and is a finalist in a national spoken word competition inspired by the 2004 presidential election.

Producers and DJs

Paper Tiger produces for Doomtree emcees, often DJs at group performances and creates graphic design for Doomtree flyers and other visual material. He releases a solo album called Made Like Us.

MK Larada produces many tracks for Doomtree emcees and serves as the group’s resident artist. He releases Break In Two (Music For B People).

Lazerbeak produces for Doomtree emcees and for other Minneapolis hip hop artists, including Toki Wright. He is also the guitarist in the Minnesota indie band The Plastic Constellations and releases a solo album called Legend Recognize Legend.

Turbo Nemesis is the DJ most commonly heard at Doomtree performances.