Dessa Darling becomes Professor Dessa

Photo courtesy of McNally Smith

Dessa Darling, the 27-year-old rising hip hop star and member of the Doomtree crew, is McNally Smith College of Music's latest hire. She'll be an adjunct, which means she'll be a part-time, non-tenure-track instructor. Her focus will be on teaching composition.

An accomplished hip-hop and spoken word poet who has always stayed fiercely independent with her music and writing, Dessa seems like a great candidate for sharing insight on the inner workings and seedy underbelly of the music industry.

Think there might be a rush on her classes?

McNally Smith, if its press release is any guide, does:

"Dessa is an outstanding talent who understands what it takes to be successful in today's music business," said Harry Chalmiers, President of McNally Smith College of Music. "As a touring and recording artist who pays close attention to the business side of music, she has incredible insights into the dynamics of the world of independent music. Her enthusiasm for sharing that knowledge will be a great benefit to McNally Smith students."

(Full disclosure: Jonathan Kaminsky contributed to this post, and his brother worked as an adjunct at McNally Smith this past year.)