Meet Desmond “dezzmanx” Thompson | Artist & Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Desmond “dezzmanx” Thompson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Desmond “DezzManX”, let’s talk legacy – what do you want yours to be?
I want my legacy to be that I inspired people to believe in themselves and their creative sides, to hope, and to overcome even seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their lives.
I’d like to leave behind facets of my energy and of my mentality, especially the parts that can help the world grow in some way. Say for example I have a realization about how to process an emotion more optimally after going through any particular high-stress event that others may not have experienced, then I’ll want to share that with the world as best as possible through my creative outlets. Butterfly effecting people that may never even know my name.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I make digital illustrations, logos, album covers, traditional art such as painting, and hip hop and similar genres of music. I’ve also dabble in photography and video editing. What sets me apart is that I lean into my multiple creative focuses and I am currently working to better combine them, instead of picking just one. Many fear they’ll never accomplish anything if they never focus on only one thing, but happens when you focus on only one thing from multiple angles and skills? You get me. I’m excited to find new ways to incorporate my music with my artwork thematically.
Granted, I didn’t start off with this resolve. I was actually somewhat scattered and too sporadic with my creativity, but I’m not one to easily give up on things that I love. Dogged in that nature. Took a long time to get here, and I have further still to go, but this is the path I chose with honor. Along the way, I’ve learned life is going to tell you how to live it if you listen close enough. It’s like a good video game loading screen: usually you’ll see some hints about how to play.
Overall, my goal is to showcase my consciousness in creative ways so that if there are people out there that relate to these ideas of mine, maybe they’ll feel a little less alone in this exsistence. This world has inspired me so much, I aim to return the favor.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have zero idea. I’ve been in Greensboro for close to 5 years. It’s been a very isolating experience for a variety of reasons. Most places around here bore me. It almost feels like if you’re not from the area, then it’s kinda pointless to be here. Especially when there’s Winston, Durham, Charlotte, Raleigh, etc.
I feel like there’s a very low threshold for uniqueness in this city.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Big shoutout to the universe! Wouldn’t be here without it. Shoutout to Charmaine for being an amazing friend, and helping me stay in growth mindset. Shoutout to pops! I know he’d get a kick out of this. Also, big shoutout to the cousin Tony. He was the one in the family that really inspired me to draw really early on. Shoutout to my family in general while I’m at it! Love y’all!
I’d also like to thank Comic legends Stan Lee and Akira Toriyama, any musician that puts the art and integrity first, the concept of stories, everyone who’s been keeping an eye on me, and lastly myself. I’m proud of what I’ve become and what I’ve yet to be.

Website: https://www.behance.net/DezzManX#

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dezzmanx/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DezzManXZ

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DezzmanX