DESDAMONA is an international, award-winning artist; who has taken her distinct lyrics, sound and artistic stylings to audiences from Minnesota to Hawaii, from Puerto Rico to Germany; gracing some of Hip Hop and poetry’s most illustrious stages. ALONGSIDE: Desdamona has had the pleasure of opening up for distinguished artists including Wyclef Jean, GURU, Bahamadia, Zap Mama, Black Uhuru/Sly & Robbie, Saul Williams, Ursula Rucker and Rhymesayers Artists. She has also shared the stage with other influential Hip Hop artists including Canada’s Eternia and bgirl Rockafella. COMMUNITY: Desdamona has worked in over 200 schools throughout the Midwest, conducting workshops and as artist in residence, working with more than 10,000 students in public, private and alternative schools as well as colleges and universities. She has also worked in residencies and workshops in Stillwater Prison, Shakopee Prison, Red Wing Juvenile Facility and the Juvenile Detention Center in Minneapolis MN. EVENTS & TOURS: Desdamona is one of the founders of B Girl Be, the first international festival, which celebrates women in Hip Hop. She was a featured performer at the We B*Girlz Festival in Berlin, Germany (2008), the SheRock Festival (2008), and was a Minnesota Music Awards featured performer (2005). Desdamona won the award for Best Spoken Word Artist from the MN Music Awards five consecutive years. Desdamona was a featured artist on the SummerJam Tour (2007) with legendary, Grammy Award winning artists Sly & Robbie. She and beatbox partner Carnage (as Ill Chemistry) also headlined The 2nd Nature Tour (2008). PROJECTS: Desdamona released her first formal product The Ledge, in 2005. With production from Sly & Robbie, the project was well received and combined Des’s potent poetry and fierce hip hop delivery with a mix of heavy, world- influenced beats. The Ledge also introduced Desdamona’s fans to her singing, with her singing the hooks and a full songs on the album. In 2007, Des released The Source. Recorded more organically, with all live instrumentation, The Source offered a whole new feel to Desdamona’s sound, while her lyrics and delivery were as powerful as ever. The Source was a success with fans, as well as college radio. It ranked as high as number 10 on the Hip Hop charts. Desdamona's latest release, "Inkling" is a collection of poetry/spoken word spanning the years 1997-2008. This project is unlike her previous offerings in that there is no musical accompaniment except for one experimental track (track 16) that uses breath and other sounds as a sounscape behind the poem, "Rhythm's Heart".