De'Aundre Bonds on Playing Stacey in 'The Wood', Killing His Aunt's Boyfriend (Full Interview)

all right here we go deandre bonds welcome to Vlad TV and thank you for having me yeah I actually want to do this interview like five years ago we quickly ran into each other oh yeah but you know think you had other things going on at the time so it didn't happen then but it's happening now and I think it's actually a better time oh yeah I'm in a better place now yeah man and you know I've seen you in a bunch of newer projects and we'll talk about that gets that but congrats on you know not only having you know parts of legendary movies but also continuing to get don't parts and to keep perfecting your craft Thank You Man I appreciate that I'm getting any for many you know this is my passion yep and I don't see me ever stopping you know that whether it's in front of the camera behind um I have something to do with this no doubt that well let's start from the beginning you grew up in LA yes sir go apart South Central Los Angeles my grouping on like 80th and Avalon on the east side in the salons everybody know probably know about that and I grew up in the Hoover's I went to 52nd Street Elementary went to John Muir Middle School I stayed in Compton for a minute on Atlantic Drive went the way of the Roosevelt so you know I kind of touched every aspect of that lad you know from Compton and Watts Inglewood you know born in st. nila Hospital so and I guess your father left yeah early on my father and my mother had know that their personal issues which caused them to separate however my mother you know raised me and you know she did what she had to do what was the last time you seen your father my foot my father is resting he he passed away in 2005 and the last time I saw him was 2001 probably support in court yeah and for what that's too okay fair enough so you guys didn't really have a relationship not one that I could have that I wanted or that I would love to have had with him have a week I knew my father my father knew me I spent time woody he saw my career progressing and got to enjoy some of that wit me and know that the ports and what I needed for my father I believe in my heart I received at the time I needed it so no I'm sorry for your loss yeah you know there's still a fairly young man yes I know he's outside that you lost your father so early yeah he's in Sodom so you know he just well uh you're the oldest of six children yes I have five sisters and two brothers so I'm actually oldest of eight most of eight was seven siblings plus me okay and I guess your mother had children with I guess six six different well yeah my mother has growing up and the time she grew up in and the area that she grew up in you know it was it was different you know she got issues that she had to you know deal with in a lot of my people a lot of people in general and this time we're dealing with you know it's just the crack epidemic in that time so my mother's struggled with that and you know she didn't live a life that she does now she's been clean and sober for 30 years right then she's uh she's absolutely wonderful now in great hayver yeah you know I didn't start off that way we had to go through a lot of struggles and how do we conquered our part or our whatever we added you know endure we went through it in Concord yeah I have people close to me that grew up with with drug-addicted mothers yeah and you know they described just uh you know coming home the lights are out off you know all your stuff is in the front lawn because you've been evicted and then threw it off sleeping course man other people helping us you know being without living on noodles and you know but you know a lot of people at that time especially my people were going through the same thing so you know it's just supported though the demons that my people had to struggle against you know and the powers that be well yeah I mean you're talking about me because you were born in 76 yeah you're you're ten years old in the middle of the crack epidemic yeah like literally when it's starting to hit LA is when you're a very young man you know I still still a boy at that point not even a teenager and you're growing up in this environment so what was it like you know with all your siblings having different fathers how what was that like exactly well if it was on we were siblings still you know none of the men that my mother associated with at that time what was involved in our life you know I mean and I said of your not really and you notice that's sad and unfortunate however we had one another and that made us a stronger unit you know I mean we that's all we needed was one another and our mother was our rock so it was like it opened my eyes and gave me a more understanding that I had to be the man at earlier because we needed what we needed and I was the only one that was able you know and the oldest to get out there make it happen so I used to pump gas I sold candy and I made ends meet to provide for my family and help my mother in her time when she needed help and my family which any man would do I mean you're the oldest out of well eight kids I guess sir so wouldn't was none of the met none of the fathers around we're becoming the man of the house when you're really not a man yet no that's a very unfair situation for for you know someone that age yeah it is however I was equipped you know God blessed me to be I to do what I needed to do and a lot of my people like I said I'm not the only one that has has had to do this step up at an early age and become or be the man that you know our parents our mothers needed us to be our sisters our siblings needed us you know so you know well I guess at one point you headed up to foster care I was in foster homes group homes that's the at the time I mother decided to check herself in a rehab and get her life right so she can get us you know all back because one of my family members at the time they had found some drugs in his system and they wound up taking us from my mother and she made the conscious decision to get her life right and she got her life Ryder took her maybe a year and maybe two years almost but she got all of us back and she'd been clean and sober ever since and she's a great rock to our family and to our community you know well I've heard horror stories about foster homes yeah how bad was that for you well I was in the foster home it was it was actually it was not as bad as I think it was me and my rebellious and it's not wanting to be there but the people that I was that were responsible for my care I had some exceptional people that really cared about me made sure I was going to school and you know but I still acted out and they whine they wind up having to let me go so I wind up going to a youth center long beach you for me it was a 40-man group home and that was a little more active you know in a first day that to this we fighting it you know everybody running around it's all boys teenagers so a lot of testosterone in young minds so you can imagine well all boys they're coming from broken families absolutely not you know I'm saying so yeah I've had these situations where there there anger and resentment and you know feelings of abandonment and now you're with all the others in the same situation as you it's rough so that was just fighting non-stop not non-stop but a lot a lot but it was also a lot of fun you know when our we got to learn one another you know camaraderie and how to they had field trips and days went on it was it had its ups and down well you're growing up in LA during this time and it's essentially these different areas or a gang areas yeah because you know you were selling candy and hustling that way but were you getting involved in the street [ __ ] at all apps straightforward no you know I had my issues as far as having people you know press me or you know try to get me to become a part of their gang however you know the son that I never did and I never wanted to do I had my dreams at early age I wanted to be in a movie so that was what I was focused on you know how to get there how to achieve this I had no idea so in the meantime anything between time you keep me away from the gangs and drugs I sold candy so I used to catch the bus from my home on 80th in Avalon downtown Hollywood and that's how a hustle and that's how ultimately met my agent trying to sell her some candy so it was like I was on the right path and I got one of my dreams answered because I was doing the right thing he's not GAD leaning no gang banging and trying to ride and take [ __ ] from other people you know I'm go get it myself that's just how I felt all wrong I mean that's a very strong will right there because you know what you were making selling candy dudes was probably flipping that making that know 20 minutes $150 a day selling candy from 13 6 17 individual agent and I'm at my age you know and at that point did you have any acting experience at all no I never had any acting classes or I was just something that I always wanted to do when I had a passion to do it and just growing up you know I mean like experiencing the things that I had to it your early age and my life it I was equipped with the D motions and you know that what you need to express you know oneself as an actor so I been through all that [ __ ] so it's like well I guess the 13 you were to play how can you play I guess a drug addict Detroit yeah in a play in a player teenage drug addict and you know it was my first experience and I loved it everybody afterwards was clapping and giving me money in I just I got bit by that bug and it was like you know I could see it happening right so at that point you're like all right this is how I'm here you know but all this extra [ __ ] I have a television strapped into this issue okay so I guess a bunch of interesting stuff happened while you were selling candy apart from actually meeting your agent yeah what else I'm matter everybody man from whoo Martin Lawrence to pot man I made to pot man so he catch Scarface selling candy a sharp rock oh my goodness ice cube man who ever was somebody at that time and being his son being in Hollywood and just you know that I ran up and down Sunset Boulevard that was my that was where all the money would a comedy stored oh so that's why frequent eat that so I've met a lot of people when I you know had some inspiring experiences and some you know negative ones as well however yeah at the right time that's very inspirational yes sir you know like just shows the more than Lawrence and I was out in front of the Comedy Store and this was like a sixteen and uh I see Martin coming I got about 20 20 maybe $40 worth the caddie left and I'm like I'm excited because every time you see somebody famous a musician an actor you just know they're gonna help you out you know so Ron came he didn't want no candy but he bought gave me $100 like Mary Shelley candy but thank you and you know I was like oh I'm good oh you know that no more so I'm sitting out there about five minutes later the bouncer comes out I'm thinking oh man I gotta go if I tell him get up out of here and he actually invited me in so I'm tripping him drive me in sat me down gave me a 7-up in the back while Martin's performing on the stage more incenting it invited me in and then I was just so ecstatic man tonight and the brother performed I watched him perform and afterwards when he was done he told everybody smile little funny-looking boy back there little Kenny said yeah I'll go out there get him he got and I had a line of people man and I didn't have enough candy I solo so far they were just giving me money I was like oh and I was just one of the most inspirational experiences that I had with one of my own you know my my childhood heroes you know I mean I grew up on Martin growing into there to experience that type of you Thank You Martin man I love you brother man one of the most inspirational people in my life man thank you I appreciate you so you have an agent and you start getting some TV roles that's how I started right there sir my first role was selfish sunset with every Spears it was a speaking part and this was actually my first audition I ever went on my I got a bookie and man it was just a wonderful experience the most money I ever made in no time so I was like yes this is it for me okay so what happened after that TV appearance well you know I started a book chills from the hood that was my first movie I was your first movie yeah November I see I watch it at the theaters yeah yeah it's a cult classic rusty Cundieff an executive produced by Spike Lee and you know I've had a lot of people in there it's a cult classic if you say as you say yeah a lot of people love this movie I mean you didn't see like black horror films coming out during that time really at all except you know I mean you see what Jordan Peele is doing yeah yeah yeah yeah back tales in the hood was back then yes okay ain't no sunset pork get on the bus a book I just started booking movies man like lock down three stripes you know I did the wood the wood Kate yeah the wood was the wood kind of your big wood that was the one that was one of the ones they'd like helped me more people recognize the character I played Stacey from the wood and any other movie that man just like they literally called me Stacey stay some stuff like I might as well I think I am I'm gonna change my name is Stacey well let me just have some classic parts in it yeah you know my brothers come to go [ __ ] you up yeah show up yeah absolutely and it was a that's how I was back in in that time in that area you know and you know a lot of people either live through that or had the chance to experience that you know like the generation now they recognize me and I you know is I'm till my 20 20 year olds they like you know me yeah you know me and Stacey from a movie that's the movie about 20 review yeah absolutely hoped yeah that was a great woman it just uh you know I guess it sort of showed how you could be enemies with someone one day and friends with over the next day and you know it just shows that someone it was part like growing up being a older brother you know you not gonna be able to keep your sister from every man yeah I mean one day you know so you would wanted to be somebody that genuinely appreciate you she cares for her so my character seen that and little Mike in Big Mike you know where he played he was little my but I called you big my and so you got that's kind of how I'm feared on for that me having a little sister I would want somebody that really appreciated her like little my show he really liked mom the Malinda Williams character so you know that's all it was Alisha yeah well I mean here you are and you know you started doing a bunch of movies you know me you'd mention sunset part else you'd get on the bus the word and then there's also three strikes three strikes DJ poop yeah yeah DJ poo you know who co-wrote Friday absolute lot down here masterpiece shout out real-life so me here you are someone who didn't come up as a trained actor but now you're getting all these roles and you're working with some of the finest minds in Hollywood the Spike Lee's and so forth what was that really like at that time and it was unbelievable it was like I was actually achieving what I set out to do and experiencing it you know in a way that I didn't imagine I would like you know with all the like big names and these big people that I grew up admiring you know I mean now I'm working with and it was just like man unbelievable but it was also inspirational you know me I got a little cocky at that time being young I'm you know making some money I'm traveling and I'm I'm feeling myself and you know I had a low you know how to be sat down and brought back down the earth so I had some issue well I mean you're getting these roles but I mean safe to say you were being typecast oh yeah a tough guy yeah you know the street guy yeah I think it's safe to say that me however you know that's what a that's what you see that's what you paying me and that's what y'all admire we keep loving typecast and you [ __ ] it do you think that you know as you're getting these types of roles and you're becoming known for these types of roles you start adopting these characters into your own personal life you know how to puck you say manifest yeah you know how to pop plated juice and I feel like he kept that Bishop character going on going on I've heard that before from from a lot of people do you think that you were started taking a life imitating art yeah I think it's a lot of truth in that as far as with anybody not only just actors just in any part of your life whatever you you know I mean it's like when I did three strikes I got shot and ass three strikes my character did however after I did that movie in reality I want to get shot three times and one of them was in my ass the bully and it was kind of like him then I did like them and I in that in that movie the character a play one of he wound up going to prison for defending his life well he was wrongly convicted but he wanted of having to stab my wife was in prison to defend his his life and then when reality my wanted going to prison for manslaughter so it happened after that I want to talk about all that a little more in depth what you said you know as you were building up and getting all these roles you said I thought I was Tupac man I felt like I was thug life that I was basically on top of the world I wasn't is that so you were feel like to pocket that time no at that time to pockets who everybody was loving the fact who was speaking for my generation the things that we couldn't say or we didn't know how to say it and you know I was feeling like I was a dud you know me I'm not the same you say that and I wasn't no gang member none but I feel like you know it's like there was this new generation and they not gangbang with like housing remember we was houses or Tigers and when we was coming up working gang members but we got something like yes so that's it I felt like that yeah I mean I'm feeling myself at that time I was not I was young I was naive I wasn't as knowledgeable about myself as I am now you know and I didn't have too many people to guide you to look up to for guidance or for direction you know because I really had a gang people that was just around me for you know the negative reasons you know one for the positive you know really cuz I genuinely love me a chosen few were but for the most part so remarried at that time I got married afterwards after I went to UM I got married in a County Jail to the County Jail yeah okay so was that after more the shooting or know what a shooting happened before okay so let's talk about that so I guess you're about to start shooting lockdown yes so you know and a couple days before I view well it wasn't a couple day before it was a few months before if he was before yeah he'd get shot are you shot can you talk about what happened I was uh just had my uncle house I guess he said the wrong place at the wrong time guys rolled by threw up some gang signs I was standing in the front yard I didn't throw no gang sign back up he left she went as later they came back got out chased me down he shot him just a completely red does this neighborhood situation that was a posh were at that time I my communion sauce into our lighting a lot of people got shot it wasn't doing nothing man you know I mean it's sad but it's true you don't have to bang you could just be in the wrong place and you know area and they think you from that gang because you're in that area or you could be just standing house somewhere the bus stop or you know people buy by and nobody looking for trouble so it's like I just was a victim where'd you get hit I got here two times in my leg one time in my thigh bullet went out and kind of got stuck in my own my ass and he came out about 13 years later so you ever basically got a bullet in you for 13 years yeah yeah and it pushed it was came I hope they say the doctor told me it's gonna come out one day they don't know wind but anything foreign in your body your body tends to you know try to get it out it's straight and that was the basic idea and that was the first time you got shot yes sir okay so you got rushed to the hospital where should a hospital but but it wasn't life-threatening no I got out the same day thank God okay did you ever go back the area again you know my uncle's you know that's it I don't blame you so then you get shot and you you're doing locked out yeah and I had to go home sit and let him know you know I just got shot so I had a lip and I'll kind of work through that and got the job done but there was a you know and because this kind of leads me into to one of the scenes locked out I guess there was a situation that happened with your wife as far as what well I guess you were you pled guilty to battery of a spouse that wasn't my wife oh that was no girlfriend that was something when I was 17 okay yeah you talk about that at all well I mean I just had a girlfriend we lived together at guitar and I came home with some phone numbers in my pocket she found him God got mad and we got into an argument and I wind up getting accused put my hands on her and some other [ __ ] that wasn't true and I had to plead no contest in order to get everything taken care of dis my live-in girlfriend we got shared apartment together got my name tattooed on her and I had my her name tattooed on me just some you know boys [ __ ] going on that's wrong well uh lockdown how to rape scene mmm that you were in mm-hmm and I guess you don't want to do it the rape scene yeah no I do not want to do it I that's one of the worst things I ever did and I wish I could go back and take it back you know anybody you know I was acting I'm an actor at the time and the director you know said I need you to do this man you know and like [ __ ] it come on man it's just get it out the way I guess he cried I cried literally like cuz I felt like ice I didn't feel right you know I mean just something that wasn't spiritually right about that [ __ ] not to see what it needed to be in the movie for what you know I wasn't the writer of the movie and I agreed I was on the contract yeah I guess there's an actor you can't just start changing the screen I can't not what she saw yeah well yet I was wanted to you know you were you were doing films just a little bit after Tupac I guess was was doing Jules get a little bit after were you running into Tupac at all on the acting side of things only one time after I met him on Sunset I ran into him at the premiere Sunset Park which he had a song on the soundtrack hard til I die and I met him at the premiere and he was just a wonderful person man that was one of my my idols I mean if I could say that I'm not supposed to have I was hot he's one of my mentors someone I looked up to and I'm are oh man I mean imagine what Tupac could have done acting-wise had he stayed you know on this planet because I I had heard about who told me but someone told me that he was actually had been cast for Will Smith's role in Independence Day Wow yeah not unbelievable the brother had limitless jolly like him then he died and Will Smith there to get the role then that was a role that took Will Smith you know in to turn him into a movie star he was a TV star already bull yeah he took off great oh yeah I just interviewed Bill Duke Wow and he talked about how him and Tupac were meeting and talking about doing film projects cuz he's a director as well absolutely you need a deep cover and deep have you actually met Tupac when he was alive yes you did yes what was the inner internationals like he wanted to this is not just not too long before his death he wanted to work on some films together ha and he talked about his belief systems you know he talked about our community he talked about this country in the world he he was a brilliant young man and courageous in a lot of ways okay so you want to work on films with you okay so so Park would have been in a magazine wrong because we Michael B Jordan basically I mean even later yeah he's like in a class all by yourself always had and he's just so unbelievable so a situation happened with your aunt's boyfriend yeah you talk about that well you know I got into an altercation found that was unprovoked by myself with my aunt's boyfriend at in 2001 I just booked a movie got hired by Denzel Washington to play in that's wanna fish I was having I was excited you know I'm two weeks away from you know filming basically and I go to Monte house always check on my family give him you know little money and this day her boyfriend I guess he was having a bad time his life and I pull it up and playing loud music trigger something any he came and he attack and with no words and nothing just I defended myself couldn't win and windup pulling the knife I'm just getting stabbing him one time and he died stayed there trying to help him wait a foot a meal and and exhaust his life I ended up getting convicted went to trial got manslaughter the jury found me guilty of manslaughter push so so he attacks you and you pull out a knife self-defense then he basically runs into the night well no he didn't write into a knife when I pull it up and he was attacking me and I'm trying to defend myself I couldn't get him you know me so I ran in the house and I grabbed a knife came back out he came at me again and this time when he approached me and he swung I I stuck stacked and not stuck at night father he got hit in the chest and he knocked me down again he was standing over me and about he started you know he didn't know he was stabbed I didn't even know he was starting said I seen him I looked up and I seen a line on his chest and I seen him you know he was walking around and he started grabbing it gagging shaking then he turned around and I walked up to him and he sat down I told him I'd he grabbed a water hose I try to run water on him and call it a meal answer my card a man they call it a brother died in my arms breakfast guess you were holding him yeah I was holding when he passed and he passed in my arms and I guess you were saying please don't die of Corey from breathing I thought it was a night I really literally thought I was dreaming but it was not a dream so so you're already realizing what what it just happened yeah and the gravity of it it started to hit you right yeah the police show up any last kind of clarity I was cause they get him and they trying to work on him put him in an ambulance I'm still sitting there they take off with him and next the police can't know when the police come did you think to run at that point no no police came they arrested the arrest Jesus came and picked me up put me in handcuffs because other people were saying as you know there was more people to hear I always ended like a state of shock I was not really even there I was it was just unbelievable and I couldn't believe what was happening so you get arrested they get charged a charge you get a lawyer first I get out of China yes you bail out no I didn't bail out oh there's way again no arguable now I had no bail why's that well because it was on the first the first time I had over no bill you want to get a bill after you go to trial in the rainy and then it gave me like a million in some big or I don't have a million in summer you got that 100,000 yeah well I am Haddad at that time right you know I mean I studied up in jail when I fought my case for a year and a lot of my mind but did you get a real lawyer I got a real attorney okay well I just didn't bail out okay and with the offer you plea deals along the way they offered me a plea deal I didn't take it look what did they originally charge you with first-degree premeditated murder because they said I went in the house and by me going in the house that was premeditated even though it was in the heat of a physical altercation okay that was they knew that I mean when I was in the police station the first thing they told me you're not gonna do forever that's what they told you say you're gonna do some time I was like man well you know it is what it is is for I was willing you know I have to pay for my actions you know no matter if it's in the heat of the moment or not yeah if something happening go ask out it I mean had you done jail time before they're not like prison time not real jobs or jail time it's like the little issue that I have with my first girlfriend overnight yeah there was a nothing sir agent so now you're facing some actual like very yeah you get a lawyer and you spend a year in the county yeah fighting this case right before the trial what do they offer you as a plea deal 12 years 12 years 11 years plus one for the weapon 12 years manslaughter man but you turned down turned you know why I guess I don't know I can't answer that question god I guess didn't want me to type no deals make no deals okay so you take it to trial took it to trial and it gets to the jury and the jury actually finds you guilty of manslaughter oh yes not not guilty on first-degree not guilty on second-degree guilty on the lesser charge yes thought it means that someone died but you didn't plan to kill wasn't someone just malice or forethought premeditation right it was you knew he got him or I drunk driving in a slot absolutely well if someone dies if you're drunk driving you didn't plan to kill him but your actions caused the death so therefore you held accountable how did you feel they told you 10 years well actually I mean well first you're found guilty and then the sentencing comes later right when they when they said not guilty on first-degree murder not guilty on second-degree murder I felt relief okay because I knew that my intention wasn't murder I didn't go there looking to kill nobody however I did you know I wanted to be held responsible and I knew if I got manslaughter God willing I don't get first a sudden because that's life also first and second is both like both like thank you not getting out period I when I heard manslaughter I was thankful because I still have a opportunity you know me and so the judge dismissed the jury didn't allow him to sentence me because by law I was supposed to be found if I was found guilty my sentence was to be handed down by the jury not the judge cuz I had a trial and the judge dismissed my jury and he gave me the maximum attention oh the jury had had given you a lower set was they the max they could have gave me was seven years why did the judge see that why do the judges and do all the [ __ ] they do to us in court so you think it was personal - it was always it's always personal when is when it was a young black man in court and even one that's clearly I said to society doing movies that the judge may have seen and all that zero wrote a letter on behalf of me right um John Luessenhop the director of lockdown and takers he came and spoke on my behalf as a character witness my mother my community my people my community neighbors on the church pastors people that know me okay I had so many people it was not one and when I say this I mean not one person in that courtroom that was against me not even from the victim's family because the mother knew me I mean my character my person the victim's mother and no one was in there to say you know no no no not one were there any witnesses though the test the last witnesses they're testifying they all testified on my behalf okay and I rather still give you go to Maximus anything how did you feel when you heard the judge say ten years well he said me that when you're 10 plus 1 is 11 with 85% my family start crying and everybody um but I did not just I felt like man I got it do this let me go do this and that's it I felt relief and I felt grateful and thankful that you know God gave me mercy and I mercy home and sorted and knew the truth and it was it was revealed okay so then you go from County to the penitentiary in enchantra and you're how old at the time 25 very young men yes 25 years old you now go to the penitentiary but you're not a typical inmate like everybody knows who you are you're you're a movie star were you putting PC you know why is that I never felt I need who won't protect me other than God Almighty I lost my only protector so that's how I feel that's how I felt in I knew that so it's like man if I'm gonna go through this I gotta go do it I don't want to be around a gang of you know people that got the type of jacket some people would see this is pedophile dirty cops who don't know that deal with the real okay so what was that experience like here you are 25 years old in penitentiary and you probably feel like right here--like tested like no handle no people approach me try to see if I was real you know pushover and I handled my business you know any man would nobody pushed me over I can tell you that did you have a group of people did you [ __ ] I mean certain people that I chose but I associated with not know I never paid no long like for for protection or none of that if it was somebody that I felt was a comeback compatible as far as character while meeting I chose you know I associated with chosen few however you know you have people to come out of from wherever that may be from you know and try to test you as a man that happens right you know that happened and I participate but you know because I have to when it's my people I didn't Adam you know I'm a man even more for the dire issues with me you can take care you know what are you the worst thing experienced or saw or went through during those 10 years the worst experience that I saw or went through [ __ ] the whole experience II just being in prison and away from your family and away from you know your ability to provide for your family right but I mean prison is a very violent place here's why we find it amazing I never seen those I never seen anything sexually like my food you know razor nah no that [ __ ] is they'd be putting extras on that man in this nighttime there's too many brothers up in here and people that don't couldn't [ __ ] like that you know and then you got to me [ __ ] willingly giving up ass you know if you get caught doing that [ __ ] - that's yo ass no literally because to me me [ __ ] gonna want to see that my folks don't want to be around that so you know as a violence wise on the scene a lot of people get stabbed on ASIMO [ __ ] get killed up in here so right in front of you so I've seen you know things you know in the county jail especially yeah I mean what does that like when you're it means for a human being to be good at that level of savagery where people are getting killed in front of you people getting stabbed in front of you like like that I thought in unbeli is barbaric it's like it's sad it's so much more that can be done like you know these people that have to go to prison I have to do time can benefit from you know you know you know you know real rehabilitation of wait and just to throw people in cages you know and just say [ __ ] them basically you know you know it's terrible well you got your jaw broken it was like now my jaw broke yeah it's just a fight you know when really a fighter was somebody dope thing you know they were smart did you know some little [ __ ] know how to get at you and he got at me in the most intelligent way you could could've I would've knew he was coming he would have never broken my jaw and guarantee you that when you said that prison has the top anything you'd only try to make me worse hmm that's basically the US prison system for you well at that time when I said that was that with street gangs media I'm not sure yeah well at that time it was probably 2005 and I was on you know going through a lot gray lived actually grass Grayland Grantley and that's who said that that's what did that he will well maybe at that time I thought that way however okay well at that time yeah make me worse you know because I wasn't I wasn't receptive enough to open up myself and utilize that time to make me better you know I mean so I was I was thinking and I was I was bitter instead of saying you know and then one day my eyes open a lot touch my heart my mind and even feel some things to me in the spiritual and in the physical and you know I made the conscious decision to to go with them myself and learn you know what my purpose he is truly and and I've discovered that she became Muslim in prison I'm not Muslim no no I'm not I just I know why and it's not neither here and what there's for it I don't want to speak concerning my we live I just know who I am no I mean how frustrating was it like damn I was about to do a movie with Denzel I probably would have booked a whole bunch of other movies you're surrounded by people who don't even have you know even a small part of the potential that you have this is why I'm saying you're in there and it's like you know there's so many brothers and people in there to have so much potential some of the why most intelligent strong and wisest men that I've met more in prison and that's the truth but then the sad part is just they're trying to never let them out because they know the power that these people have and the effect that they can have on their community so yes so it's brilliant and and the probably the most potential is in prison yeah those are my best friends have done substantial prison sucks I feel you all that so you get out after 10 years or 11 years I get nine years seven ones 22 days okay so now you're 35 years old yes sir getting out you list a whole decade what year was this when you got out 2011 okay yeah you get out 2011 2001 to 2011 what change in the world being away for 10 years like as you step outside no cellphones now just the style do you you know the music has changed the music the cars everything it was just so fast it was you know I was used to you know a lot more that was a slow pace you know me yeah I remember I interviewed little D from Oakland and he did a 20 26 years in prison mmm she's crying it was the crack king of Oakland at 18 mm-hmm I got with to the airport emailing I did that Airport and seeing all these people moving around on the cell phones if you just seen the expression on my face I was in another world man like I was the look the look that was on me was like a person that you just let out of a cave I mean that's how long I had been gone like when I seen all these peoples on their iPhones with a hairnet on texting and bumping into each other man it freaked me out man because because it was so these people with moving so fast all right and then in prison you got to be kind man you got to say excuse me if you bump into somebody man you you know you got to say excuse me you got a you got a you know because it's a respect thing so when I see you know you people bumping each other with the air now I don't we're not a freak and I'm like man what this is crazy he said that was the biggest shock to him so you know that is absolutely wanting to shocker because you have to be really know cautious alert or where your surroundings respectful in prison because you know one wrong action or one slip-up can cost you know a lot of people they lie so people are respectful working here and you know slope you think before they speak mommy and before they do but I'll hear a lot of people know anything phones I don't see you don't people invade your space you know I mean it's no such thing as you know just courteousness I guess you could say and respect how are you well I guess before you went in when you did lock down one of your co-stars Lloyd Avery in a second he played you played the guy who killed Ricky and boys in the hood yeah he ended up killing two people and then went to Pelican Bay and then got killed by his cellmate yeah were you guys close I was I knew Louie Davy I we grew up in LA so I used to see him at the Venice Beach sometimes you know and I knowing from his working boys in the hood you know we wind up working together on lockdown that was the first time I had office opportunity to really get to knowing and meeting and he was a wonderful brother man he was down to earth he was cool called him La Douce rest in peace you know you know yeah maybe he was a good brother so you get out and now you start getting adjusted back to society mm-hmm but you're you know and I remember I think I met you maybe a couple of years after you got out mm-hmm and I think I you know I approached you and I could tell you were kind of distrustful mm-hmm Oh me was that part of the adjustment I'm still I mean probably not of you if that's the way you feel it was you're not personal just how I am I'm still kind of like that you know I mean I don't like to invade people's face too much and you know I'm very like you know I'm a respectful person you know that's key with me yeah I don't trust too many people you know that if I don't know him I guess you could say yeah fair enough I didn't take it personally yeah you know it was like okay you guys wonder the interview now let's go keep it moving yeah sure at what point after you get out he started getting movie roles again the first when I first got out I say my book was only in hours I was the first audition I went on I started working right away I did Rizzoli and Isles and I began to squash I can you know Ryan Gosling yeah get right back into it yeah I got right back into it you have an agent at that point I did you know when I read you know okay absolutely so Hollywood kind of started to embrace you again I guess you could say that yeah yeah okay so you start you start doing you do Gangster Squad yeah did Imperial dreams hero dream they do dope dope yes sir where I guess you kind of pick the stasi character we we like a little remake reboot of Stacy he a little older now yeah you know he's working at the school and you know he's not gonna bang it was a reboot basically yeah updated version of the wood that's what dope is yeah it was a cool movie where yeah well a saffron I'm like you have it yeah and they had a positive I think a positive message any you know yeah zoe zoe kravitz yeah yeah Matt was a cool it was a cool indie indie film that really I think resonated with a lot of people yeah for real Williams exactly Pharrell will executive producing and then you do another film with the guy from Star Wars yeah in pure that's his real dreams okay sorry I forgot named John boyega yeah was that done before Star Wars you right wrong sure is great actor wonderful actor shows British right British yeah man what his talent is you know something to look out for for shirt it's amazing how these British actors come over to America you know like the e dress elbows of the world don't even know they're British until their years later later yeah man you know this is where it said as far as you know the land of opportunity and people feel that if you can get it if you can make it over here in American films you know in Hollywood you can you got it everywhere and they stay home they doing a thing man yeah yeah they taking our jobs I have to go over here well you know I remember I talked to wood Harris you know who worked with the address on on the wire yeah yeah and he just explained to me how over there theater is more ingrained into the culture they deserve the roles because there are obviously great actors it's better not just great they often better because my theory on it is that they they grow up with Shakespeare from day one right so they grew up with a poetry in in their in their life that we don't so these guys come in doing theater from like elementary school like yeah it's never done theater and I'll you I need to do and that's probably where they get a set you know if you got more practice and something more you know you gonna be you can be better at it I never thought and I never had the desire but now I'm to do theater I don't know why not because it's live I guess scarier yeah it's got more about this you know tis here and you I really don't see that but it on there you got the people out there I think it'll be a challenge I wanted I'm gonna do that well and then you booked my favorite show on television snow for John Singleton a big brother so how long ago did you book that role odd book that role actually March 19 this year this year on my birthday I read for John on my birthday you know I've said this the freeway Ricky Ross and I'm like I know this is gonna piss you off cuz he has his own issues with snowfall and John John Singleton cos the story is I guess loosely based on on Freeway Ricky mm-hmm but I told freeway straight up I'm like this is my favorite show on television right now like powerful my favorite show on television you know fall I know this is good annoy you what I say this have you washed it off never never never what I'm not really in the fairy tales okay first of all because the story as someone who's watched it it was watched every episode it is clearly the Ricky Ross story based on the I'm not saying okay exactly did you write you probably right but it's all the way to the there's a whole Nicaraguan contra with a with a DEA agent you know like the whole but based on all the conversations you and I have had together this is so why should you use to probably did like snow fall is just brilliant the way he's put together once again with with another British actor hang the lead and once again damson yeah so you booked this role have you had you actually met with singleton before well I own I met singleton a couple of times in my career early on you know just going going through the same going for auditions he came down actually I met him the first time on the side of the wood okay and I was filming the scene where I was at the school and I was about to beat the dude up for touching on my sister and John was up there and he introduced himself to me and I was just shocking and all and he was like man you're a great actor because and he was watching us perform and I was the first time I met him you know we never had a chance to do nothing our um work at that moment in time because I went to prison after that right I mean singleton was boys in the hood quick justice baby boy higher learning shaft rosewood fast and furious too yeah so I interviewed Isaiah John okay yeah those all who's else no absolutely Yeah right exactly yeah one of the main characters and we talked about snowfall the similarities with boys in the hood and he kind of explained to me which which makes a lot of sense that and you know what I've watched the first episode of snowfall I got that boys in the hood feel from it like with the way the cameras were panning and the look and feel of it yeah like I felt like this was a continuation of boys in the hood in a way right well actually this would be if anything this will be like a pre boys in hood because this is before crack you know this is before people had bars on their windows and before the neighborhoods are really bad you know so if anything boys and hood would have been you know after snowfall you know when it comes to time timewise you know time era huh snowfall was almost like a prequel to boys in the hood see what I'm saying mm-hmm like it was set right before boys you know the boys the hood happened era yeah you know cuz that's you could see it yeah that's when crack was first hitting LA and everything else like that and it was just so the show was so well done and you could just feel Singleton's you know fingerprints all over it or the way the shots look and the way it feels you know cuz I mean think about the number of movie stars the singleton made just from boys in the hood alone Ice Cube's roll Cuba Gooding went on to win the Oscar year-long Nia Long Morris Chestnut Harold Perrineau puck Therese tire is yeah exactly she's like he was a springboard to a lot of a Larkin chick well he's one of the greatest man ever that I met and ingenuine like really he grew up in LA so yeah he had a he had a love and appreciation for our culture because he grew up in a me to a point I'm pretty sure he suffered that that's on to pretty short years so he knew about it so that's why he could connect and deliver these movies poetic justice boys in the hood and it was all based but loosely on Los Angeles some aspect yeah so he that shows how much he loved his his city and we loved him okay so you get booked for that show yes sorry what's the character that you play because it's a new characters new character his name is Scully his name is good and he's a um coming out in season three of snowfall and you know just he's a real real Wow exciting vibrant person you know I'm gonna show out okay so you get booked for that role yes and how much is singleton actually working on this day to day he's working every day so every day you know okay it's exactly produced by him about in but there's an actual director and yeah you have guest directors to come in however these he like he's the brains you know I've got it executive producer it's his ideas you know okay so you booked it in March and now you're working with singleton everyday yes sir do you guys do the whole season complete it oh no we doing on my monk my role is a reoccurring role so like now we just I was able to work with him on the season three first episode that's when we shot how we got more more episodes native so here you are you're working with one of your heroes once again and you're you're working on an incredible TV projects you know which is really up your alley anyways an LA guy and then you hear about the stroke yeah did did you was there anything about John Singleton leading up to this well you know did he seem healthy and everything you know being happy excited man normal everything was fine but then you get you get the news about well first he's had a heart attack yes I heard you had I get the news that he was in hospital and he had a stroke that's what I heard and so I was like I was devastated however I was hopeful at the same time because I'm like okay I know people that have had strokes and they come out of it yeah so my my thoughts were just you know sending positive prayers and energy and hoping for Josh recovery well then I remember surah GP Hansen and Tyrese they take a picture of the hospital with John he's kind of smiling doesn't quite seem fully there but at least he's conscious yes it appears so you're okay he's gonna pull out of it yeah and then you hear he goes into a coma again and then and then you hear that the family actually takes him off mm-hmm and it just happened so fast you got that still like not on fully on a grips with you know this understanding this you know I mean it's to it cuz you know just was with my brother you know he was talking to me and looking we eat and we having lunch here in my trailer you know reminisce and you're talking about you know this character that he's created that he knew growing up Scully you know I mean just to be working with somebody is prolific and wonderful with John Singleton and he's doing it man it was a blessing and a dream come true when he hurts me there's something that you know I hate that happen man I mean 51 years old that is not very old at all was it yeah that's eight years yeah it's it's an actual tragedy and I'm sure the condolences go out to his family his children yeah I was looking forward to another Tupac movie that he directed he actually directed that's what I've you know you know you know I always felt the one that came out was uh it was cool but it wasn't what it potentially could do it always was hoping that maybe he would come back circle back around I'm pretty sure - yeah absolutely yes unfortunately that rest of peace who's John Singleton right thank you sorry movies to your family thank you love know well you weren't a Crenshaw shirt right now yes sir you know Lipsy though pleasure a chance to meet the brother man when I loved buddy and it felt like I know when cuz his his past and affecting me more than I would have believed you know it's crazy man all it's saying like it didn't want Nipsey John and you know I'm just like I'm kind of messed up right now yeah I think it affected everybody really badly especially everyone in LA you know where it actually happened when you know most of us have come in contact with him in some way you know like I interviewed him but we also would run into each other sometimes not a yg video sad or sometimes you know in the mall in Inglewood you just randomly run into him and he was always real and you you he was a part of his community really you know loving and care for his people and we all know that everybody on now know that even more you know because I could see what he was doing however and that's just a tragic situation and [ __ ] hate that [ __ ] happen man I mean when you look at that whole situation did you ever see the tape the video yeah I saw the home I watched it once and couldn't good again I didn't watch it yeah when you look at you know Noah's been convicted yet but Eric Holder should because is the one that's been arrested for it and you look at that whole situation of how it happened and allegedly nipsey called him a snitch and he went came back and got a gun a situation like that that happened so you know and you went through your own situation when somebody got killed they're a completely different situation no relation to it but the one one thing in common is that someone lost their life and it seems in both situations it didn't need to happen something that could have been talked out you know tempers could have you know didn't need to go where they are and you look at how quickly things escalating people die well what are your thoughts about that well my talks about that as far as my situation is concerned not quite your situation cuz I don't want to come I'm not comparing your situation Aziz no I don't know I don't have no thoughts about the other situation because I don't know nothing about it and I can't go based off just my senior something you know I can't if I don't have facts and I can't I can't come to an absolute answer I can't make no judgment concerning that or speak on it yeah but it's sad it's sad and you know and you've been to prison and I've interviewed a lot of people that have been to president and it's always the same story of how a split second situation will completely not not only changed your life but change the lives of other people change my as a families and you know I just hope that that people could take this this you know this nipsey situation say you know don't let things escalate try to de-escalate situations whenever you can you know because of the ramifications yeah I think we can do better as you know in every aspect of life that's what we supposed to strive to do anyway you know I mean because no one is perfect however you know I think we could do better to deescalate a lot of situations think at yourself is it really worth it what are the consequences and you know move accordingly and you're not trying to do that every day especially now I'm 43 so I'm more in tune with why I am and I'm more you know at a slower pace in my walk you know I rarely walking drink water I mean yeah well I guess after you got out you got arrested again I had to do 20 months yeah I did 20 months what was it for carrying a knife not a concealed carry the knife carrying a knife oh my head yeah but I wasn't supposed to and I wasn't on parole didn't have no what no violet it was nothing I wanted on parole anything they gave me 20 they gave me 21 months so what you just got pulled over they found a felony I was walking down the street I was in like a bad environment a neighborhood so I keep a little protection for myself because of who I am and it was nighttime what was like evening time and the police just rolled up on me search me found a knife resting me you know I wind up getting charged with a ex-con carrying a concealed Dirk or dagger and they gave me that's that's a real charge ex-con with a dagger with a Dirk or dagger yes sir okay I'm sorry to laugh but it just no it's just that I mean if you got a gun I got it like no but but no just even if you have if you're ex-con and you have a knife or you need kind of weapon you can be charged for that pepper spray anything I mean all that all that they got all they got laws for that I didn't know it at the time you I thought yeah by me being off parole I had a right to carry but but also you have a knife it's not it's not a gun and I'm not using it I'm not hurt nobody threatening nobody you know so what's the issue but it was because of my prior of my path okay that they they can utilize that against you in the future so you go back was it in County or did you actually God do that went to prison I did twenty-one how did you feel being back in prison for that was worth it it won't work charge I was disgusting disgusted sick like I couldn't believe but I was like I'm not gonna play with these people I rather take this deal then go to trial for having a concealed durka dagger nobody there no victim no and they somehow give me seven years you know that's we were facing was about 14 years for the 14 years but I know everything it was fine for the past and tool for the Asian that's how they do you man it's really ought to get out in court yeah no I mean I interviewed Kerry Layton who got shot next to nipsey and after doing 26 years well they were they're trying to violate his probation and give him life again yes and you know I did the interview would I think it'd raise enough noise that they finally just drop the charge lesson thanks out for that yeah they would have they really do do that to a lot of people and get away with that yeah well the gang affiliation dad right there is a really scary type of rule cuz you're in a car with someone you don't know what gang they happen to be in you get pulled over okay he's in a gang you're you're not supposed to be associating with a gang member you've just violated back inside [ __ ] and then you know or you just move back home to the only family you know and there happens to be gang members in the family from you and then boom you violate again yeah it's it's a it's a really set of [ __ ] up laws overall that's really kind of designed to have a revolving door to keep people inside that's how I look at it it is it is that one Harvard you know we just have to be more aware of the system it's a system you know in a [ __ ] circumvented system unless you're aware that the system is against you and how to circumvent you know you know I just like I said I think before I do now I'm sober spiritually mentally you know physically and uh I'm real cause I got a son you know a five-year-old son and I want to be in his life I love raising so I'm responsible you know I have to be like absolutely responsible now so I'm not making no errors not taking no losses no more so there was a video of you crying [Music] what exactly was that about well at that point of my this is before I went did the 20 months okay so in this time of my life man I was struggling with alcohol addiction it was kind of heavy in my life you know actually the 20 months would allow me to get so I've been sober for three years almost three years now so that allowed me to you know jump start and they get back and you know and tomorrow to myself and I was that was a cry for help bro I was going through a lot at that time you know just in my life man you know well my family with my you know my my living situation my finances my parole I just had so much stress and people were just coming at me and I was just like really like trying to tell [ __ ] to leave me alone man bag you know I mean once I let him off with a asum a piece of mind you know I Nigam dude and you know was my crying out for help they don't know how to do it and that now that I see that I realized that's what it was you know it was just I needed some help anyone got it unfortunately it took 20 more months of my life yeah yeah I got it now got it yes sir oh man look it sounds like you're on the straight and narrow yes this point sounds like you're taking being a father you know serious yes you know which is something eating it to experience yourself you know I do you know you get to break that cycle yes I mean you know I don't I don't know I'm playing my dad because he was my rock he you know the time that I did spend with him I needed that that the love and that wisdom that he shared with me so you know I don't know nothing against you you know I love him I miss him now I'm gonna be better though i'ma beat him you know I'm gonna do better than my dad did and and hopefully my son will be greater and better than I am and that's how I've won that's how we should all want that's the goal yes that's the goal for your kids to surpass what you did yes sir you know because you helped them get get to that first step absolutely you know they get to the rest of the steps man we'll listen you know an incredible story and you know with the you know the tragedies you just kind of consistently see the triumphs along the way you know because it'd be very easy for you to do your 10 years and then never touch Hollywood again and just say you know [ __ ] it and go you know could go do whatever but you came back and pursued your dreams and you're doing with like films of the star of Star Wars and you know you're doing you know films like dope and yes you know doing films with Sean Penn and this is post ten years yes sorry you know and I think that that's incredible because a lot of people once they they get into the prison system that's it did they just go right back mm-hm you know and although you did do a small stretch going back I don't see that as it was six years afterwards yeah six years after and it was really it just seems like a freak accident it was just just something stupid yeah you know my but this week on that we are like real really the reason that I could I could say that I made it and adored that because I wanted something greater for myself because I knew that wasn't my intention I wasn't supposed to be in prison I didn't mean that was not my wielding for somebody to lose their life you know I mean so I didn't belong anyway so I was gonna do everything in my power to make it out of here and I wasn't gonna be the same that I was before I went by because I wasn't going to allow that to happen so with that being understood by me and striving and wanting to get back to my dream into my life and to produce a family and has something that was my motivation and when I got out and God permitted me you know I I didn't hold nothing against myself you know I mean I just know we works in progress man and I understand that yeah that's why you know I got it no I'm not done I just started man like really yeah this is the new media this one I am supposed to be right now well I mean as an actor man you can keep doing this into your 80s I mean you know like like I said I just interviewed Bill Duke he's 76 years old and he's still he's still doing you know films like right now he's working on a film as we speak you do you know predator predator commando commando really covered actually Jackson Jackson all that car while speaking action Jackson this my brother is a judge we got a movie we're doing right now okay you know I mean and my other brother we're working on a documentary and no food like a full reality show okay for diabetics okay you know I dig it yes I like it Melissa Maddie Andre Vaughn's man like I said I'm a big fan and at the end of the day you're already sitting on a body of work as timeless and our cult classics you know from the wood you know the tailor hood a lot of very dope films man and you're still doing it you're still getting roles you still still doing your thing man so I'm just looking forward to what else you got coming up man I mean I think you have a lot you I do man you're gonna be surprised you know I got some music out there too it's checking out on Facebook I mean Instagram DeAndre bond DEA you in d-r-e Bo and es and I just want to give a shout-out to my family my brother's a dank oncoming traffic you know my brother pop man something Marty nothing cried to enrich you know how we do it man my brother action let's make this Wow happy you already know bro action Jackson hey thank you flat man I appreciate that thank you for coming through till next time yeah sorry boss man peace

Channel: djvlad

Views: 358,898

Keywords: VladTV, DJ Vlad, Interview, Hip-Hop, Rap, News, Gossip, Rumors, Drama, De'Aundre Bonds

Id: O1V87NIIt2o

Length: 82min 54sec (4974 seconds)

Published: Thu May 30 2019