Mr.Julian Leonard Dakari Shabazz was born Julian Leonard Dillard on March 24, 1968 to the late Moses Jackson Dillard and to Mary L. Chappelle (Dillard) Byrd in Clinton, SC. He attended Clinton Elementary and Bell Street Middle School and while attending Clinton High School he formed the rap group- The Awesome Crew with Derrick Robinson. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1986.
After high school, he attended Benedict College where he was a member of the B.C. Players and Student Government Association president. As president, he was a founding member of the Improvement Movement and instituted sweeping reforms including restructuring student Homecoming expenses and creating the recreation department’s annual Tiger Fest.
He graduated in 1990 and earned a master’s degree in parks and recreation administration from Indiana University. He was pursuing a doctorate of education in sports management from the United States Sports Academy.
A defining moment in his life occurred in 1986. Known in the rap music world as Daddy D., Julian and his group The Awesome Crew released the single “Bad.”
Julian worked for several years as the Bookmobile librarian at the Laurens County Public Library. He was a motivational speaker, rap artist, professor and librarian. and an author of nine books: Black Stars of Professional Writing, Roar of the Tigers, How to be a Player and Dolemite: The Story of Rudy Ray Moore.
He was an active member of the Kemetic Institute in Columbia.
He grew up a member of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church and is survived by four children Rassoull, Cleopatra, Nigel and Khalil, his mother Mary and brother David.
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