My Own Devices

One of my greatest musical discoveries in the past decade is the hip-hop crew Doomtree. I've a long history with hip-hop, but my appreciation had grown stagnant into the 2000s. Doomtree brought a freshness and relatability that had been absent.

If you didn't already know, this collection of essays is written by Dessa, who makes up 1/7 of the Doomtree crew. And that's ultimately why I read this book. But even if you've never heard of Dessa, or Doomtree, or could care less about hip-hop, My Own Devices can be an enjoyable read if you like thought-provoking essays. In fact, not being overly familiar with the cast might actually make this collection more enjoyable.

Why do I say that? Because I like Doomtree. But a great number of these essays revolve around Dessa's romantic relationship with another member of Doomtree. She never says who it is, she just refers to him as X. She does describe him as a black man, so that's a clue. Who could it be?

Why all the mystery? I don't know. Either don't make it completely obvious, or just be honest. Anyway...

Dessa is madly, deeply in love with “X”. She cannot get over him. And these essays about her “senseless love” are wonderful on their own. But learning that “X” is actually kind of an asshole makes his presence in Doomtree less enjoyable. Paired with the needless mystery, this collection left a bitter taste in my mouth for the music, and that's not something I was hoping to get out of this book.

Taking my feelings for Doomtree and its members out of the equation, My Own Devices shows a talented, intelligent, and playful individual at work. Dessa puts these traits on display throughout. I wish there was more of this, less of her lovesickness, but maybe that's for a future book.

Overall, I enjoyed reading these essays. Despite my aversion to the bitter truths of “X”, I did learn something from it: even the most brilliant people can be “stupid with love.” That was honestly a revelation. I truly hope Dessa can get over her feelings for “X”. And I hope that “X” can view the women who allow him into their lives with more respect. And maybe if the crew mends some of these hurts, we the fans can finally get a new album.

My favorite was the math essay. Dessa is a very compelling writer (and I really dug that one album I bought once: “Paper Planes” maybe?) I picked this up because one of my podcasts was talking about the last essay on fixing romantic obsession/heartbreak with neuroscience? I won't tell you if it worked but I do recommend Dessa's writing in wtv form it happens in.