Today we’d like to introduce you to Dillon Maurer. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Hailing from Jacksonville, FL via Ann Arbor, Michigan, Dillon has been a staple in the Atlanta indy Hiphop scene since 2005. He’s a rapper, beatmaker, DJ & chef – and you’ve never heard of him.
Dillon has worked with legends like Chuck D, Diamond D & Dres from Black Sheep; and modern day hip hop heroes like Homeboy Sandman, Blu, Skyzoo & Supa Dave West. His one-man live show is stuff of legend: a turntable, a projector, crudely overdubbed episodes of Beverly Hills 90210 & a panini press are just a part of his arsenal. You can also expect a visit from his alter-ego, LOBSTERDAMUS. And maybe some Super Nintendo action.
Dillon also runs a boutique record label called FULL PLATE that he started in 2013 with his partner in rhyme, Paten Locke (RIP). So far, FULL PLATE has over 20 releases on vinyl, CD, cassette & digital. The label focuses on underground/Indy Hiphop + instrumental music. Their releases can be found online and in record stores worldwide.
Aside from the music, Dillon hosts & chefs up a quarterly vegan dinner party/record sale called ‘Plates and Crates’ featuring a rotating selection of ATL’s finest selectors; playing strictly vinyl. Though it’s taken an extended hiatus due to COVID, it has long been an Atlanta underground dining hit. You never know who you’ll be eating, drinking & record shopping with at Plates & Crates!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been one hell of a ride. Everyday, I wake up and feel like I’m just getting started. There are infinite challenges that we all face as artists: trying to get your voice heard, funding, balancing personal & work life, etc. but by far the greatest challenge I’ve had to face was losing my partner, Paten Locke to cancer in the summer of 2019. We started our label, FULL PLATE together and have been music comrades for decades. To lose Paten and have to continue on alone – as well as release his dense catalog of unreleased music – is and will forever be a beautiful struggle that I am honored to take on.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a writer/rapper first. DJ second. Cook third. Beatmaker fourth. Hiphop to the core. I’ve been rapping & DJing since I was 12 years old and I’m way too old to ever change now. I’m probably most known for the way I intertwine food & comedy into my music and also my live performances. I make & serve vegetarian panini whenever I rap live and also, I’m my own DJ so it can get interesting. If you’re lucky enough, LOBSTERDAMUS may even make an appearance…
And yet – the music I make is true school Hiphop (90’s style so to speak) through and through.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Simply to exist as an artist is to take a risk. To never compromise your art & integrity no matter what. To sacrifice so much for your dreams and your vision. It’s ALL one giant risk. If you don’t take it, you’ll never know what you’re truly capable of as an artist.
Contact Info:
- Email: FullPlateFam@gmail.com
- Website: DillonMaurer.net
- Instagram: @DillonMaurer
- Facebook: @DillonMaurerMusic
- Twitter: @DillonMaurer
- Youtube: @FullPlateFam
- SoundCloud: @Full-Plate
Image Credits
Shawne H. Bailey
