Dessa: Doomseed
Josh Naber w/ Dessa
In an industry overwhelmed by new participants flooding the scene every other week it can be hard to stand out. With their punk rock aesthetic, thought provoking lyricism, and high energy style, DIY heroes Doomtree manage to pull it off. MC and Vocalist Dessa took a break from a busy SXSW schedule to tell Rhymehouse about big plans, double edged swords and being honest.
Rhymehouse: First off, what can you tell us about 2008? Anythingset in stone, or other goals you're hoping to accomplish?
Dessa: For 2008, Doomtree has some big goals. Although Ican't provide exact dates, we're releasing the first official full-length to include the talents of all nine members. Also, I am releasing a solo album a little later in the year.
RH: What inspired you to become an MC? I know you write some short fiction and poetry, did that come first?
Dessa: Minneapolis artists inspired me to really pursue a career in rap music. I wrote essays and recited poetry before becoming an emcee. The Doomtree crew inparticular provided an aesthetic that seemed like one I could participate in authentically.
RH: Your crew, Doomtree, is fast becoming regarded as a great live act. Is that something you guys put a lot of time into practicing, or is it more of a natural chemistry?
Dessa: On our good nights, Doomtree is a hybrid of a revival and a train wreck. We don't, and probably couldn't, plan our best moments. We're lucky enough to have a couple of very charismatic performers and a lot of love for one another. I think that's what attracts the show-goers who like us.
RH: As solo artists and as a crew you are gathering quite a following, particularly on the internet. Do you regard downloading as a valuable promotional tool, or spit in the eye?
Dessa: It's a double-edged sword, this internet thing. It helps build notoriety, but it makes it very hard to get paid. I'd say that as a beginner, the attention helps, but as careers mature, the electronic transmission of music can be a hindrance. As I grow older, the idea of trying to raise a family as a musician seems nearly impossible. I wonder, "If people don't pay for music anymore, will I have to decide between having children and pursuing a career in music?" Maybe.
RH: Has being an artist in Minnesota's thriving scene been helpful due to local support, or has it made things harder because there's so much competition?
Dessa: So far, I've been grateful to be in such an active and collaborative scene. I think that part of being satisfied by a career in the arts is learning how to react to the machinations of one's own ego. If it makes you sad or threatened to see amazing artists, it's going to be a tough run in this business.
RH: It seems that you guys appeared almost over night. Is it surreal to go from being relatively unknown to doing shows with legendary artists like Wu-Tang Clan?? How has that experience effected you?
Dessa: Doomtree has been around since 2000 (although I wasn't involved for some years after that). I think the group has been patient and deliberate; for us the ascent has been slow and steady. We've got a long way to go and although we're grateful for the success so for, we're eager to work 2008 into an important year.
RH: You wear a lot of hats...MC, poet, writer, singer....do you have specific influences for each facet of your art, or do the lines blurred? Can you name some of your influences?
Dessa: I definitely have my favorite artists in each genre. As I continue in my own art, I'm finding that my primary task is to write, rap, and sing as honestly as I can. That may mean nodding to an influence, but it must also mean resisting the impulse to fit in to the existing world of literature and hip hop. I'm goofy, and academic, and depressive. I'm trying to learn to make art that is true to all of those things.
RH: Do you think woman's place in mainstream HipHop has become marginalized by A. the fact that many women use ghostwriters, and B. the almost exclusively limited subjects of sex and materialism? Do you think there's a correlation between the subject matter and the fact that most ghostwriters are men?
Dessa: I wrote a blog on this that might answer the question most directly. (It's the one called Bitches and Hos). Click Here for Blog.
RH: There seems to be a trend lately, especially among indie artists, of people saying they don't listen to much HipHop any more. This is seen as negative and disrespectful by some, and positive due to the diversity it seems to provoke by others. Which school of thought do you fall under and why?
Dessa: I know that national sales numbers are falling for rap music. Beyond that, I know only what I see at shows and at the merch table. I think people are still listening to rap music although they're buying it less. Whatever the case, I understand my job to make good, honest product and hope that some of the many potential listeners are willing to support it.
You Can Listen/Visit Dessa at These Following Sites:
http://www.myspace.com/dessadarling
http://www.myspace.com/doomtree
