An Inspired Chat with Dzon 711 of Louisville Kentucky

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Dzon 711. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Dzon , thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
I’d say integrity for sure. Don’t get me wrong — intelligence and energy are super important, especially in this business — but integrity is what really holds everything together. I’m building something small but real with my label, Dzign Collective, and when it’s just you and a couple people putting in the work, trust means everything. Like, I don’t have a big team or a bunch of employees — it’s literally me handling most of it. I’ve got my photographer Nailah, who runs her own thing called Nvision Creation here in Louisville, and my god-sister Lanaedra, who’s basically my A&R, stylist, and manager all in one. We’re figuring it out together.

So for me, integrity is about how you show up for people and how you carry yourself when nobody’s watching. It’s easy to get caught up in the image side of things, but I care more about being real, staying grounded, and keeping good energy around me. That’s what’s gonna make this label and this journey last — not just talent or hard work, but doing it the right way with people who believe in you the same way you believe in them.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Yeah, for sure. My name’s Deon Henry, but I go by Dzon — or @dzon711 online. I’m a rapper, singer, and songwriter from Louisville, Kentucky. I started taking music seriously around late 2023, and it’s been a crazy ride since then. Everything I do is independent through my own label, Dzign Collective Music Label. It’s small right now — really just me running things — no big team, just passion, creativity, and a lot of late nights.

What makes it special is that it’s all built from the ground up, with genuine love for what I do and the people who help me make it happen. My photographer, Nailah, runs her own business called Nvision Creation here in Louisville, and my god-sister, Lanaedra, handles pretty much everything else — A&R, styling, creative direction, and keeping me balanced through it all. We’re figuring it out together and learning as we grow.

Right now, I’m mainly focused on myself as an artist — building my sound, my name, and my brand to the biggest level possible. Once I reach that point, then I want to use Dzign Collective to bring other creatives in and give them opportunities too. I released my project DEEVILLE in 2024, which really set the tone for what I want to do musically. I’m still small, but I’m proud of that — because everything that’s happening is real, earned, and completely mine.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
Honestly, my family taught me the most about work — especially after my mom passed. That was a real turning point in my life. Watching my siblings go hard for themselves and for me showed me what strength really looks like. We didn’t have a choice but to keep moving and make something out of what we had. That kind of energy sticks with you forever.

It made me realize that work isn’t just about chasing success — it’s about showing up, even when it’s hard, and doing it with love and purpose. That’s how I approach my music and my label now. Every song, every move, every late night — it all comes from that same drive my family showed me when things got tough.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yeah, honestly, I almost gave up not too long ago — like four months ago. I didn’t have a job, my streams were down, and I hadn’t dropped anything new in a while. I just wasn’t feeling creative at all, and it really had me questioning if I was meant to keep doing this. I was struggling — mentally, financially, everything. It felt like all the work I’d been putting in wasn’t paying off.

But fast forward a little bit, and things started to turn around. My song “Wife” off my DEEVILLE mixtape got picked up for a playlist on Spotify, and that boosted my monthly listeners. Around the same time, I landed a great job that helped me get back on my feet. Now I’m here doing this interview, making new music, expanding my sound and my brand, my bills are paid, and I’m fed — which means a lot when you know what it’s like to have nothing.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yeah, I’d say yes — to an extent. The public version of me is definitely real, but it’s just one side of who I am. What people see online or in my music is me being creative, confident, and expressive, but there’s a lot that happens behind the scenes that people don’t always see.

I’m human — I go through stuff, I have off days, I doubt myself sometimes. But I think that balance is what makes me, me. I try to keep it as authentic as possible, even when I’m presenting my brand or promoting my music, because I never want to feel like I’m playing a character. Dzon is a part of who I am, but Deon is still right there underneath it all.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m definitely doing what I was born to do. Music’s been a part of my life since I was a kid. I grew up singing in choir, and my dad had a strong musical background too, so it’s always been around me. It wasn’t something I was told to do — it’s just something that came natural.

In high school, I was freestyling with my friends all the time, just having fun, but looking back, that’s where I really started finding my sound and realizing this is what I’m meant to do. Music always felt like home to me — like even when everything else in life was uncertain, that was the one thing that made sense.

Same with Dzign Collective Music Label — nobody told me to start a label. I did that because I wanted to build something that’s mine, from the ground up. I’m focused on myself right now, getting my sound and my brand to the next level, but the long-term goal is to use what I’m building to help other creators too. I want Dzign Collective to be a space for creative freedom and ownership, the kind of thing I wish I had when I first started.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Dzon711 & Dzign Collective Music Label, Keyshawn Riley, Deon Henry

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