ARTIST STORY

POSTMEN.

The bass line keeps things relaxed, the chorus sticks, and the rap has something to say. With Postmen, these three elements reinforce one another. In the late nineties, the Rotterdam-based group created music that fit on the radio without ever losing its own rhythm. Documents became their most famous calling card, but behind that record lies a longer story of musicians, changing lineups, and a sound that continues to live on.

4 MIN READ WORDS BY SJELF.

IMAGE CREDIT: Ron van Rutten / Wikiportrait via Wikimedia Commons · Remon Stotijn, TT Festival Assen, 2012 · CC BY 3.0 · Responsively cropped.

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ROTTERDAM AS A STARTING POINT.

In 1993, Remon Stotijn, known as The Anonymous Mis, and Gus Bear, alias G-Boah, started Postmen. Michael Parkinson, who performed as Shyrock or Rollarocka and was later known as Maikal X, completed the original core. Stotijn produced and rapped, Parkinson brought vocals and rap, and Bear contributed his background as a drummer and DJ. Additional musicians joined them on stage.

That combination is essential. The drums provide the rapper with a foundation, while the bass and guitar leave room for a different kind of movement. Hip hop and reggae don't just meet in a chorus: together, they define how a track breathes. You can get caught up in the melody and only notice on the next listen how much is happening underneath that perceived simplicity.

DOCUMENTS OPENS THE DOOR.

In 1998, Documents was released. "Cocktail," "U Wait," "Renaissance," and "Crisis" made the group known to a wide audience. The tracks are instantly accessible, yet they sound like parts of the same world. Raps sit alongside sung passages; warmth and earnestness fit within a single arrangement. It is precisely that balance that makes the debut more than just a collection of singles.

"Renaissance," featuring the vocal group Dignity, is a great place to start. Listen to how the chorus opens up the space that the verses prepare. The voices add something to the rhythm without overpowering it. For those who know Postmen mainly from a casual radio hit, the entire album reveals how carefully the atmosphere is maintained.

FURTHER DEVELOPING THE GROOVE.

On 2001’s Revival and 2003’s Era, Postmen further developed that language. The massive attention surrounding their debut was not repeated to the same extent, but the group continued to explore within their blend of rap and roots reggae. In addition to solid passages, Era also finds room for piano and strings. The music does not always have to be the same color to remain recognizable.

After these first three albums, the members moved on separately. Stotijn released music under the name Postman, including Green, Postman, and Apples & Oranges. Parkinson developed his own work as Maikal X. While those names belong to the same history, those records are not albums by the original Postmen lineup.

A SOUND THAT KEEPS TRAVELING.

In 2012, Stotijn and Parkinson reunited under the name Postmen, with Alyssa Stotijn as a new voice. The reissue of Documents in 2013 brought their initial period back into the spotlight. By now, Remon and Alyssa carry the group; on 2024’s Royals, that collaboration takes on a compact new form.

In this way, Postmen is also a story about continuity. Lineups and names change, while the interest in the connection between hip hop and reggae remains. You don’t have to hold the later music up against the debut like it’s a contest. What’s more interesting is what carries through over the years: a low pulse, space for vocals, and the confidence that a message can be carried by a relaxed groove.

ONE THING YOU DIDN’T KNOW.

The name Postmen refers to "African Postman" by Burning Spear. The reggae influence was present in the name itself before Documents introduced the group to a large Dutch audience.

THE FACTS

FORMED1993 · Rotterdam, The Netherlands

MEMBERSOriginal core: Remon Stotijn, Michael Parkinson, and Gus Bear. Later members include Alyssa Stotijn.

ICONIC MOMENT1998 · The breakthrough with Documents.

ESSENTIAL DISCOGRAPHY

The studio albums under the name Postmen. The separate Postman records and the anniversary edition of Documents are not listed here as new Postmen studio albums.