B-Sides: Oh Dessa!

Can’tstoplisteningtoDessa! The only woman in the highly acclaimed underground hip hop collective, Doomtree, Dessa brings a literary beauty to hypnotic rhythms that left me (re)examining the super old and super problematic feminist consensus that hip hop, even what comes from woman artists, is too caught up with rampant sexism to see outside that bubble. Conscious hip hop, thy name is woman!

Evoking comparisons to Lauryn Hill and Ani DiFranco (I don’t understand Ani lovers in the same way I will never understand those who love Dave Matthews. Is there a password I need?), Dessa flows and sings to create an unmistakeable sound that lingers … and lingers … with hard-hitting, impression-making lyrical slams that awe you.

A published writer as well, Dessa’s collection of various essays and poems (Spiral Bound) is also getting buzz.
Her first full-length record, A Badly Broken Code, released in January is the source of numerous powerful tracks that showcase her specific talents independent of the crew. Take a listen …

Doomtree’s eclectic style and influences are surely a breeding ground for innovative hip hop that’s grown oh so tired of misogyny and the antiquated stereotypes that continue to fuel its mainstream counterpart (Yes, Lil’ Wayne I get all your sexual puns!). A grassroots hip hop collective that fuses a punk philosophy with various musical and artistic elements, Doomtree and  Dessa are making waves.