Written by: Zabi Ullah
Versatile and full of inspiration, is well-known artist, DaphoDILL, hailing from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She is the youngest, and the most philosophical child, of her other siblings. Aside from that, she also took sign-language, and various sports activities. Soccer being her favorite, and most played sport. Writing poetry was DaphoDILL’s escape. It was her way of expressing her sentiments, and seeing them brought out, as she self-published books, to the world greatly thrilled with its contents. The first book she published was titled, “Colors of Blue, Shades of Black.” “Colors of Blue, Shades of Black”, depicted some of the most sentimental expressions of art, that many have yet to fulfill, in their lifetime. DaphoDILL, creating the books under her real name, Shannon Leeann Dill, set out to express more than what meets the surface. She created art forms, that required deeper level thinking. Her poetry and writing, as well as her books, brought more than what meets the eye, in the transcension of what the world expressed to her, in love, light, passion, divide, fame, fortune, pain, and demise. She created masterpieces of those she loved, and those she didn’t love. She depicted on her self-created book cover, that dimensions of life, are more than what meets they eye.
Above all the things she enjoyed, for Shannon Dill, now popularly known as DaphoDILL, music was the greatest. She had always loved music but hated her name. Ironically now, her name became her personality, and music was her own life’s story, where she put pieces of herself in it, regardless of the beat. This told a story to thousands, that mattered more to her, than any reader or listener.
Rooted motivation
It started when her late grandmother left a word, that the Shannon she used to hate, “Was going to be something, and going to be something.” DaphoDILL’s talent was seen as early as the 2nd grade, when she had already gotten lessons on the piano; along with, singing in the choir. Later, DaphoDILL self taught herself to play the acoustic guitar; meanwhile, she practiced playing the drums. Quite funny for her, that she could not read music, but at a very young age, she could already write and produce various types of it. DaphoDILL excelled in many different forms of art.
As she reflected on the people who waste their talents, she realized that she never wanted to waste her own. With her ability as a poet, and loving the adverse styles, that poetry could be made into, and the diversity amongst different readers and writers, she started to put her poems to music.
Needless to say, all successful people have their own fair share of struggles. Another reason that got her into music, was witnessing her family struggle at a very young age. She knew deep in her heart, that she had to be the one to break that “generational curse”, and produce “generational wealth.”
“It takes one person to step out, and do something different for something to change.”
DaphoDILL, used that struggle as a great motivation to show, what she could do, from what she loves.
Thriving passion
DaphoDILL describes her music as fun. Her music is DaphoDILL herself. It is her life in lyrics, to a really dope beat. She turned her poetry into lyrics, to sum up, all the feelings racing at her. Sharing every little piece, of life’s moments, creating dope art, because music is indeed an art.
Presently, she released a couple of her masterpieces. Those are “All Facts” ft. Zaytoven, “Black Shades and Blue Colors”, “G.A.B. HIGH”, “I’m Rolling Jimmy” and “Misplaced a Misses”. Interestingly enough, she loved sad-rap and pop-rock, and other forms of, rock style genres. These genres and sub-genres, mixed with a little bit of hip-hop. She took her story, and put that rock on different creative style beats, to create the projects that listeners enjoy today.
“Black Shades and Blue Colors”, relating to ”The Black Lives Matter Movement”, in the depiction of how she grew up, surrounded by “racism”, being from Mississippi; going forward into, police brutality, systemic abuse, interracial relationships, and the inequality of how African-American people, and minority groups are treated in “The United States”. “All Facts ft. Zaytoven” talked about the concept of, of a person, knowing who they are, as it correlates to how they see themselves. As the lyrics in “All Facts” go, “Freeze, look in the mirror, do ya dance, shake that ass.” It means don’t argue with anyone, and don’t let someone take you out of your character. “G.A.B. HIGH”, has the type of “Hey, I know you want me, but you can’t have me, because you need to do better, and if you want them you can have them, goodbye there’s the front door” type of vibe. As it stands in accordance with, “I don’t want your man, but he clearly wants me”, and the fact of, “A man wanting a woman, or even another man, but stunting they like”.
“Misplaced a Misses” is simple. The song was about turning a “hoe” into a housewife. As it waved in sound, of wordplay and freestyle trickery. “I’m Rolling Jimmy” was simply put, “Don’t get it twisted, I am hot, and I will take your man”.
DaphoDILL is an artist, you really can’t miss. From her style, to her jagged edges, quirky personality, and ensemble of flowers, her beautiful smile and style, catches the eyes, of most around. DaphoDILL is really a force to be reckon with. You can catch up with her music and life at Instagram, Twitter, Spotify, Apple Music, Tiktok, SoundCloud and Audiomack.
