Dessa

A former member of Medida, Dessa Darling fused her poetry skills with singing and rapping long prior to her invitation to join Twin Cities hip-hop collective Doomtree. Now a teacher at Minneapolis’ McNally Smith College Of Music in its innovative hip-hop scholarship program, she’s also contributed her singing voice to hooks and in the all-girl a cappella group The Boy Sopranos. In 2009, she released a book of poetry, Spiral Bound, showcasing her roots as a spoken-word poet. But in Doomtree, Dessa has proven her prowess as a rapper, spinning tales of jilted love and bittersweet reflections, as well as the occasional rapid-fire boom-bap track. Her latest, Castor, The Twin, compiles new arrangements of her previously released material, as well as a new song, “The Beekeeper.”

Updated 09/28/2011