S. Samuel
With the Academy Awards just a month away, Hollywood actor De'Aundre Bonds recently hit up SOHH to give the inside scoop on a few upcoming film and music projects.
Bonds, who was released last year after serving a decade behind bars on a manslaughter conviction, spoke on making a return to the entertainment industry.
“I recently came back out here in this game. As far as prison is concerned, I was definitely dealing with reality. Thank God for family. I’m happy to have family, friends and people that support me and my work ethic. I learned a lot doing time and now I’m not playing games because life ain’t a game. So for anyone out there playing those games, remember that every game comes to an end These motherf*ckers is rapping man. Stop acting and be serious. If you gonna do it — do it. If you gonna kill, then kill. If you gonna die then die. All that other sh*t, a n*gga don’t wanna hear. How you gonna rap and have beef?! That’s some stupid sh*t! Never. Ever. If a [rap beef] happen to me, y’all would never hear about it.” (SOHH)
Bonds told SOHH to expect the unexpected in Gangster Squad, an upcoming movie co-starring Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn.
“I was fortunate to have gotten right up out of incarceration and right into a movie with Sean Penn called Gangster Squad. Whatever you are expecting this movie to be, it’s something different. It’s on a whole ‘nother level. I can’t tell you too much about it, but it’ll be out later this year around October. When I auditioned, I didn’t know who was in it, I just went for it. After I got the role was when I found out Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Anthony Mackie and a bunch of other people are in it. Man, this movie has so many people that I admire as actors.” (SOHH)
On the music end, De’Aundre said managing your own brand may be a better option than searching for a deal.
“It ain’t like I’m out here trying to get deals, I love music and I ain’t trippin’ off nothing else. Hell naw I don’t want no motherf*ckin’ record deal. Why get record deals when you can just be your own record label by f*ckin’ with that internet? Be your own record deal instead of giving yourself over to be signed.” (SOHH)
He also described working on his Real Life mixtape as a labor of love.
“The music is another way of expressing myself, I do it for the love of it. To be able to express myself musically is a dream come true. Everything is true in my music, nothing fake. I talk about my life experiences. As far as production and collaborations, I wanna work with my people, man. Real people that ain’t playing out here: I don’t care what your name is. If the beat love me and I love the beat, let’s do it.” (SOHH)
Check out some music from Bonds below:
