ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THRASHER, APRIL 2012
Doomtree is one of a kind. The Minneapolis-based hip-hop collective is not only an up and coming supergroup made up of longtime friends, but it’s the name of their record label, as well. Each member is successful in their own right, with solo albums, headlining tours and numerous collaborations under their belts. When they get together, magic happens. Comprised of P.O.S., Sims, Dessa, Paper Tiger, Lazerbeak, Mike Mictlan and Cecil Otter, the seven multi-talented artists bring their individual spark to the stage as they merge their styles into once cohesive force. Doomtree’s most recent studio album, No Kings, hit the shelves this November and will no doubt be making some waves in the underground world. I had a chance to catch up with a handful of them to talk false hopes and dreams. –Kyle Eustice
How do you think hip-hop and skateboarding coincide?
Dessa: Cecil is a really talented skateboarder. P.O.S, Paper Tiger, and Sims skate too. There's an obvious overlap of those cultures; maybe in part because there's a palpable drive toward innovation. I think there's a real love for the underdog in both worlds, too.
Sims: Hard to say exactly. I think that they are both movements started by youths as a way around getting into trouble. They both give kids something positive and constructive to do with their time.
Paper Tiger: I got into hip-hop through skateboarding. Aside from all of the mainstream stuff that was on the radio, everything I learned about music and counter culture came from skateboarding. Everything about who I am today is because I grew up skateboarding.
Mictlan: Hip-hop and skateboarding to me have always coincided aesthetically because they are both direct reflections of youth in America attempting to define themselves through their own original styles and innovations.
P.O.S: The same way hip-hop and punk rock do. You find out about one or the other because of skateboarding. Maybe it’s not just hip-hop necessarily. Music and skateboarding always had a deep connection. Nobody can deny that.
Do you skate? If so, what's your favorite trick or spot to ride?
Sims: I mostly push around these days. So my favorite trick at the moment is Ollie up the curb.
Paper Tiger: I used to skate all the time, however I am getting old these days and don’t get out to skate as much as I would like to. My favorite tricks to watch are the stuff that Chris Haslam or Daewon do. Those guys are crazy creative when it comes to tricks and terrain.
Mictlan: Sometimes yes, I am known to get on a skateboard from time to time. I live in Minnesota. We can't skate year round like kids do back home in California so out here we got places like 3rd Lair, which is a dope indoor spot. When I'm in Cali, the Vans Skateparks are cool to check out and of course, Venice Beach. I grew up around the old Venice and just miss the atmosphere that used to be there. My favorite trick would have to be the GnarGnar Olly Whopper. I still haven't landed that yet. Usually getting on the board and making it from one destination to the other is my most fanciest trick I pull off.
P.O.S: I do skate, but not nearly as well. Heel flips and cruising transitions are fun. I bring a skateboard with me on all the tours. Not super heavy into tricks, but I still like to cruise on a nice day.
As a group, what's your song writing process like?
Dessa: For No Kings, all of us sequestered ourselves in a cabin in the woods. We played beats on repeat--all the emcees pacing and mumbling as they wrote their verses. Several days, a lot of booze, and dozens of sandwiches later, we left with the majority of the record demoed.
Sims: This is interesting because it works differently than it does when any if us are in process for solo material. With this album the producers got together a couple times a week for a month or two and made beats together, collaborating on sounds, layout, sequence and all that stuff. Writing the lyrics for the songs basically worked like this: we'd put a beat on loop and people would start to sketch out ideas. When someone came up with either a concept, chorus or start to a verse we'd decide as a group whether or not that was the direction that particular track should take.
Paper Tiger: Typically it starts with a beat. The producers will pass around beats and the MC's will write to them. It is a simple process, but also very personal. However the making of the "No Kings" record was a bit more collaborative, there was much more creation happening as a group.
Mictlan: On this new Doomtree record No Kings, this is the first time we all got together and wrote 11 out of 12 of the songs together over 6 days at a cabin in Northern Wisconsin. What we wrote in those 6 days is what came out and we made the choice ahead of time that we were gonna stand behind whatever we did.
Do you guys ever clash?
Dessa: Working by committee definitely has its challenges--big decisions are hard to make quickly because everyone's opinion has to be solicited and discussed. That said, we've had remarkably few fall-outs. We genuinely like and trust one another, which is probably more than most businesses can say of their workforce.
Sims: Every family has its moments but we know each other well enough and have strong enough relationships that nothing ever gets out of hand.
Paper Tiger: Of course, in any creative field there are levels of differences.
Mictlan: We go back like rocking chairs. We’re like 2 rear flats on a Cadillac. We've been rapping with each other for like 10+ years. When it comes to our music we're all adults. Creating is supposed to fun. At least that's what we always thought.
P.O.S. No not typically. We’ve been bros and sis for 10 years now. We know how to deal with personalities but were family.
Does this lifestyle ever get overwhelming?
Dessa: Yes, it does. But I want very badly to do this well. And I want to share my work. If those objectives entail some compromises, I'm willing to make them so long as I can retain artistic control and personal integrity. Sounds like a Girl Scout, I know. But it's the truth.
Sims: Touring gets hard but what else would I be doing right now?
Paper Tiger: Every lifestyle can get overwhelming, you just take on what you can.
Mictlan: It can be like Groundhog Day at times. You wake up in a different city doing the same thing.
What do you think is the biggest cliche in hip-hop right now?
Dessa: Posturing
Sims: Blog rapper
Paper Tiger: Money
Mictlan: Swagg, duh.
P.O.S. Money.
Several hip-hop collectives like A Tribe Called Quest and Jurassic 5 have broken up completely because they simply couldn't get along. What do you think it takes to make sure that doesn't happen to Doomtree?
Sims: I don't know. Hopefully everyone stays honest with each other and keep the egos in check. We've known each other long enough know better.
Paper Tiger: It's just a simple matter of being there for people when they need you. We are a family first.
Mictlan: We'll have to mean it more. We'll have to walk the talk. We're just going to have to show our elders and our peers exactly what it means to be rappers and honest professionals who inspire people to do it like us, fairly and equally with our friends and our fans.
What are your hopes for Doomtree?
Dessa: Doomtree is a group of artsy friends who chose to make themselves into a family. Although I hope we all achieve glorious worldly success, in some ways, Doomtree is already doing exactly what it is supposed to. Our lives are all better by virtue of the fact that we're connected to each other.
Sims: One hit wonders
Paper Tiger: It would great if I could do this as my full time job for a while, but other than that, I am really excited about how things have been growing over the years.
Mictlan: Over at Doomtree we have a thing called "False Hopes.” Lucky is for suckers. I just hope people keep listening, man and keep on rocking in the free world and that all that jazz. This is our 33rd release as a label. We have a lot more planned for the future and I consider the past ten years the beginning.
P.O.S: That we can continue to make songs and have a place to out them out both as individuals and as a crew.
What's the biggest lesson you've learned about the industry since you got into it?
Dessa: Professionals who've been in the game for decades still improve as players.
Sims: Don't trust whitey.
Paper Tiger: Haters gonna hate.
Mictlan: No kings. Ever. Or in the timeless lyrics of Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest: "Rule #4,080: record company people are shady!"
P.O.S: That’s a good one, Mike [laughs]. Surround yourself with people you trust and will make you work harder.
