Today we’d like to introduce you to D.L. Yancey II.
Hi D.L., we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Coming from a musical family, I began singing at a young age and traveled with my cousins in an a-cappella gospel quartet group. However, as I aged I decided to focus on football and left the idea of singing and performing tucked away. In 2002 I left Hampton Roads Va, with the hope to do well in school and a dream to play college football. I think I got more than what I bargained for. Not only did I gain a degree in Nuclear Engineering and a full athletic scholarship from the University of Tennessee (Knoxville), but I also walked away with a beautiful family of my own and lifelong friends.
However, there was one childhood dream I left on the table… walking out of some NFL team’s tunnel on gameday in full uniform. After one CFL camp and one month of a season in Arena Football, I found myself back in Knoxville, stocking books at a local warehouse. It was there where I was able to search and re-discover what mattered most to me in life. I realized behind the lights and excitement of an NFL career, what I truly desired was stability, family, and faith! And as I placed books on shelves I envisioned a new “non-NFL” dream. I read books during my breaks, daydreamed of starting a youth program, hummed tunes, and began to write songs.
At that moment, I determined music and writing would be something I could do for the rest of my life that will satisfy my appetite for learning, creativity, and performing. Over the next two years, I began my engineering career and started to record songs. In 2009, I released my first mixtape “Tha Tiriout” and began performing at different talent exposure events in the city. In 2010, I began to teach myself how to play the guitar, which led to my first self-produced song/single “Mr. Soul”. With the release of that song in 2014, I began to perform at local open mics, birthday parties, coffee shops, and pretty much anywhere possible.
During that same year, I began a youth program titled Math Is Art, which focused on using the arts to teach practical logic and its connection to mathematics. Over the last 8 years, I‘ve been able to bridge my engineering and music professions by creatively presenting messages of inspirational leadership to audiences of all ages. As the founder of DLY2, I combine music and storytelling to connect personal leadership to collective success. My writing creativity spans a variety of art forms including songwriting, inspirational short stories, and children’s literature.
In 2019 I released my debut studio album, “Life Is Love” and most recently was featured on the 2021 Christmas EP “Christmas With Frenz”. Also in 2020, I released my first children’s book “The Adventures of King: “My Red Guitar”. The book is aimed to increase awareness of diversity in STEM, through children’s poetry. All in all, I’ve been blessed to see my bookstore vision blossom into opportunities to partner with a variety of organizations for leadership education and entertainment.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has not been easy. One of the biggest struggles has been balancing the time commitments and seeing the vision clearly enough to trust it. Can I really pursue a career in music and engineering? Am I putting in enough time and doing the right things to achieve the goal? Should I put music aside to focus solely on leadership coaching/mentoring?
These are the questions that often flooded my mind when I would work a 12hr shift and didn’t have the time I desired to invest in crossing items off my to-do lists. That goes for business planning, skill development, social media content creation, networking/marketing, or even just product creation. Knowing what to work on and when to work on it has been the most beautiful struggle.
We’ve been impressed with DLY2, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
From my childhood to now, I’ve always had this connection with “the underdog”. My life story is the epitome of what it means to believe in yourself more than others believe in you. I truly believe I can do anything I put my mind to (within reason), by exploring deep within when others may overlook and doubt.
From my life experiences the brand “Develop and Lead Yourself Too (DLY2)” was birthed, to inspire/encourage others who relate. Through writing, speaking, live music, or coaching I aim to help people/organizations see life from a vantage point that breeds goal achievement. The mission is to activate passion for personal leadership. My motto is “we have one life, why not spend it getting better”.
DLY2 has evolved and settled into an education and entertainment publishing company. Currently, it’s the foundation that supports me as a songwriter, author, performer, speaker, and leadership consultant.
Any big plans?
My ultimate goal is to help connect, inspire, and empower people who believe in the importance of healthy personal leadership. Through songs and books, I intend to help illustrate themes of proper self-care and mental health in the journey of fulfilling purpose in life. Also, through research and consultation, I intend to partner/collaborate with organizations whose missions are aligned.
2022 has great things in store already! In October I’ll be a featured music artist performing at the 2022 Annual Tim Harrell Global Leadership Conference in Chesapeake, Va. I’m also looking forward to my Saturday Night music residency at Davis Wayne’s Restaurant in Ooltewah, TN.
Lastly, I’m extremely excited about the upcoming partnerships with STEM organizations and schools, as I gear up for the release of my newest children’s book coming in February 2023.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theadventuresofking.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dly2
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/DLY2Music
Image Credits
Harlan Breaux, Ayanna Yancey, Karla Held, Elizabeth Sanderson, and Blattner Soundcorps
