Today we’d like to introduce you to Darius Southerland.
Hi Darius, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was raised in East Nashville by a resilient single mother during a time when the neighborhood faced significant economic and social challenges. My formative years were further shaped by the early absence of my father due to substance abuse. Over time, I chose forgiveness, though his later passing from cancer left me navigating the complex grief of missing a bond we never fully shared. Ultimately, overcoming these early adversities instilled in me a profound inner strength, a strong work ethic, and the intelligence to move forward and succeed. I was the youngest of six children. Four boys and two girls.
I wanted to finish high school but unfortunately I didn’t. I dropped out in the 9th grade to help my mom with the bills. I was a little too young for a job, so I started selling drugs. My mom didn’t agree with me dropping out, but she still accepted the cash. After my brother got murdered, I decided to walk away from streets. I was 19 at the time. Plus, I had a son. So, it made sense for me to change my life. It also allowed me to spend more time with my career, which was music, specifically rapping. It was my therapy. My filming journey started after I lost everything. No money, no house, I didn’t have nothing. I break It all down in my latest book (A boy To A King) which is all platforms (Amazon, Walmart, Apple, Google Play, Barnes and noble, and many more)
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When you’re chosen, it’s not going to be easy. I’ve been betrayed by friends and family. At times, I feel I even betrayed myself just by staying around people longer than I should have. My love for them, and the desire to see them win, blinded me to their lack of care for me. I didn’t pay attention because I didn’t think I had to. But I soon realized that no matter how much you cherish a person, sometimes you have to walk away—especially for your own health. Stress is real, and some people will lead you straight to your grave and act like they had nothing to do with it. After my brother was killed, I became a completely new person. He was shot nine times at the age of 26.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about “King D Son Films”?
KingDSon Films, was created in Nashville In, 2013) without any knowledge of knowing how to run a company. I took many losses in the beginning. There were several times I wanted to give up, especially during the early stages of my career. I spent thousands of dollars and never received a penny back. Around that time, I became very frustrated. But after a while, that hurt turned into wisdom. I started thinking more like a businessman. I invested in books, set up meetings, and even went to film school, graduating in 2017.
Shortly after receiving my certification, I wrote a feature film called “Blemish” which was released 2021 and now streaming on Tubi. It was also nominated for movie of the year in 2023 “SEA AWARDS”.
I’ve learned to embrace the journey. I also learned that nothing is ever going to always fall in your favor. In order to be successful, you’re going to have to feel some pain.
My goal is to not only put myself in a great position but also the people I’ve worked with.
I recently completed a new feature film, called (Without Warning) Thriller/Drama. It will be released very soon!
The book I mentioned earlier (A boy To A King) is about my life; and my connection with God.
Plus, I have a cartoon show called (The Petty Family) very funny. It’s available on YouTube. I’m relaunching the show this fall 2026, we found a way to make it even more interesting and entertaining. So, this fall be on the look out for all new episodes. But in the meantime you can still enjoy the content we have now.
“King D Son Films” helps with producing your project, If you have a story that you want to turn into a film, we provide those services. If you need help with writing a script, we also help with those services as well.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
When I invested in my first movie, I had no idea what I was doing. I cast most of my friends from the neighborhood, and there was no structure. We had a script, but we mostly freestyled. It wasn’t a professional set—people were drinking and smoking, and we even had real guns on set without permits. After spending $3,000, I hated the footage, trashed it, and never released it.
Two months later, I planned another movie. There were still ‘hood activities’ going on, but this time I tried to make sure we followed the script. After nine months of filming, I still didn’t like the footage, so I trashed that project too. That mistake cost me $5,000.
That’s when I realized I was the problem. I wasn’t hiring the right camera crews or professional actors, and I blamed myself for allowing it to keep happening. I was upset, but I needed that struggle and those losses to force me to grow up.
Now, I handle things differently. I pay professionals to be on set. I audit a camera crew’s portfolio before hiring them, rather than just booking anyone with a camera. No drugs are allowed on my set unless they are part of the script. Basically, I run my business like a boss. My vocabulary has changed in meetings, and I focus entirely on my future, not on who I’m trying to please. If you don’t like me, that’s fine. I’m mature enough to know that not everyone will like you, but their opinions can’t stop my blessings. I’m grateful for it all.”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkingdson?igsh=d3lmYXF5Zjd5OHB1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18ujqkq6vu/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@kingdsonfilms6530?si=ntRd2VQYzBVFh7oj
