Dessa
Encyclopedia
Dessa is a spoken word artist, author
, and MC from Minneapolis, MN
. She is best known as a member of the Doomtree
Hip-Hop Collective.
, where she earned a B.A. in Philosophy.
Before becoming an artist full-time, Dessa was a technical writer for a medical manufacturer.
team. Her poetry was brought to the attention of MC Yoni, with whom she would go on to form the group Medida (along with Omaur Bliss, and producer Ronin), her first foray into hip-hop. Yoni would be instrumental in shaping her understanding of hip-hop history, and later on would also be the first to introduce Dessa to the music of the Doomtree collective, who unbeknownst to her lived in the house next door.
was released in 2005, which despite being only 15 minutes long was still listed as one of the top local albums of the year by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Between 2005 and 2008, Dessa has appeared on numerous Doomtree
albums, as a guest to the other emcees' solo work, as well as on the full-crew releases.
In the meantime, she completed and released a book of creative non-fiction titled "Spiral Bound" at the 4th annual Doomtree
Blowout.
Her solo full length LP, A Badly Broken Code
, was released January 19, 2010. The first singles from this album are "Dixon's Girl" and "The Chaconne." A Badly Broken Code displays Dessa's talents as a singer, rapper, and lyricist within the fifteen tracks, and features production from Paper Tiger, Lazerbeak, Cecil Otter, MK Larada, and Big Jess. The album art for A Badly Broken Code was designed by Doomtree’s MK Larada.
Dessa is currently working on a new album that is to be released through Doomtree records early 2012.
group, with frequent collaborator Jessy Greene, Aby Wolf, and others.
Dessa also teaches at the Institute of Production and Recording and the McNally Smith College of Music
.
In 2009, Dessa's first published Spiral Bound with Doomtree Press, a seventy-page collection of fiction and poetry that is said to contain several moments of sublime clarity.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and MC from Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. She is best known as a member of the Doomtree
Doomtree
Doomtree is a hip hop collective based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Members of Doomtree bring various bases of knowledge and musical backgrounds together to create alternative-influenced rap and hip-hop music. Nearly as prominent as the influence of hip-hop in their music is that of punk, and their...
Hip-Hop Collective.
Education
She went to Southwest High School. She attended the University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, where she earned a B.A. in Philosophy.
Before becoming an artist full-time, Dessa was a technical writer for a medical manufacturer.
Entering music
Dessa started out writing spoken-word poetry. A friend eventually convinced her to join the Minnesota slam poetrySlam poetry
A poetry slam is a competition at which poets read or recite original work. These performances are then judged on a numeric scale by previously selected members of the audience.-History:...
team. Her poetry was brought to the attention of MC Yoni, with whom she would go on to form the group Medida (along with Omaur Bliss, and producer Ronin), her first foray into hip-hop. Yoni would be instrumental in shaping her understanding of hip-hop history, and later on would also be the first to introduce Dessa to the music of the Doomtree collective, who unbeknownst to her lived in the house next door.
Doomtree
Initially drawn to their raw aesthetics and unique sound, she forged a friendship with the crew. Soon after, she started dating P.O.S; and though they eventually ended their relationship, she was asked nonetheless to join the collective, and did so. Her False Hopes EPFalse Hopes (dessa album)
False Hopes is the debut from Minneapolis crew Doomtree member Dessa.-Track listing:...
was released in 2005, which despite being only 15 minutes long was still listed as one of the top local albums of the year by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Between 2005 and 2008, Dessa has appeared on numerous Doomtree
Doomtree
Doomtree is a hip hop collective based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Members of Doomtree bring various bases of knowledge and musical backgrounds together to create alternative-influenced rap and hip-hop music. Nearly as prominent as the influence of hip-hop in their music is that of punk, and their...
albums, as a guest to the other emcees' solo work, as well as on the full-crew releases.
In the meantime, she completed and released a book of creative non-fiction titled "Spiral Bound" at the 4th annual Doomtree
Doomtree
Doomtree is a hip hop collective based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Members of Doomtree bring various bases of knowledge and musical backgrounds together to create alternative-influenced rap and hip-hop music. Nearly as prominent as the influence of hip-hop in their music is that of punk, and their...
Blowout.
Her solo full length LP, A Badly Broken Code
A Badly Broken Code
A Badly Broken Code is the debut LP album by rapper/singer/poet Dessa, a member of the Doomtree collective. The album's title comes from a line in the poem "Nostalgia" by American poet Billy Collins.- Reception :...
, was released January 19, 2010. The first singles from this album are "Dixon's Girl" and "The Chaconne." A Badly Broken Code displays Dessa's talents as a singer, rapper, and lyricist within the fifteen tracks, and features production from Paper Tiger, Lazerbeak, Cecil Otter, MK Larada, and Big Jess. The album art for A Badly Broken Code was designed by Doomtree’s MK Larada.
Dessa is currently working on a new album that is to be released through Doomtree records early 2012.
Other projects
Dessa is also a founding member of The Boy Sopranos, an almost all-female a cappellaA cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group, with frequent collaborator Jessy Greene, Aby Wolf, and others.
Dessa also teaches at the Institute of Production and Recording and the McNally Smith College of Music
McNally Smith College of Music
McNally Smith College of Music is a contemporary for-profit music college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. McNally Smith offers a range of diplomas, associate's degrees, and bachelor's degrees in the areas of music business; performance in guitar, bass, drums, voice, keyboard, brass...
.
In 2009, Dessa's first published Spiral Bound with Doomtree Press, a seventy-page collection of fiction and poetry that is said to contain several moments of sublime clarity.
Discography
- False HopesFalse Hopes (dessa album)False Hopes is the debut from Minneapolis crew Doomtree member Dessa.-Track listing:...
(2005, Doomtree Records) - A Badly Broken CodeA Badly Broken CodeA Badly Broken Code is the debut LP album by rapper/singer/poet Dessa, a member of the Doomtree collective. The album's title comes from a line in the poem "Nostalgia" by American poet Billy Collins.- Reception :...
(2010, Doomtree Records) - Castor, The TwinCastor, The TwinCastor, The Twin is an 11 track project that features radical rearrangements of previously released Dessa songs. The final track on the album 'The Beekeeper' is an advance single from Dessa’s next full-length, due 2012....
(2011, Doomtree Records)
Guest appearances
- "No Sweat" and "Faded High" on GAYNGSGayngsGayngs is a Midwest indie band with a 1980s soft rock-inspired sound. Founded by Ryan Olson, the group consists of over 25 musicians, including Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Rhymesayers rapper P.O.S, Har Mar Superstar and members of Solid Gold and The Rosebuds....
' RELAYTED
- "Low Light Low Life" on P.O.S' Never Better (album)Never Better (album)Never Better is the third full-length album from Minneapolis punk-inspired hip hop artist P.O.S The first single, "Goodbye" was released in Mid-December, 2008. The second single, "Drumroll " was released Mid-January on iTunes and Amazon.com...
- "Palace" and "And The Camera" on Paper Tiger's debut full length "Made Like Us." Also appears on the song "Speedmetal" on Paper Tiger's "False Hopes" EP
- "Bound" on Lazerbeak's debut full length "Legend Recognize Legend"
- "This Bridge is Burning for You" on p-teK's "Oh! What a Miracle!" LP