Doomtree

Hailing from the Minneapolis half of Minnesota's Twin Cities region, hip-hop collective Doomtree spin their MCs' eclectic influences into a highly literate brand of Midwestern rap. Forming gradually as like-minded artists came together, the group consists of rappers P.O.S., Cecil Otter, Dessa, Sims, and Mike Mictlan, along with producers Paper Tiger and Lazerbeak. While the individual members have been putting out albums on their own, Doomtree's self-titled debut was released in 2008 on the collective's eponymous label. The group continued to stay active with its False Hopes series of recordings, and its second official album, No Kings, arrived in 2011. ~ Gregory Heaney