Meet DeAndre Perryman Perryman | Former American Idol Finalist now CEO of Sounz Gud Entertainment

We had the good fortune of connecting with DeAndre Perryman Perryman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi DeAndre Perryman, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
My name is DeAndre Perryman. I am from a small town in the Midwest called East Saint Louis Illinois. I wanted to pursue a Creative Career because I’ve always noticed my niche for creating skits and playing out scenes in movies. As a kid, my grandmother would throw fashion shows and concerts and I would always love the creativeness that everyone put in their thought process to make the shows as real and as heart felt as possible. It was the feeling for me!!!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Born on June 12th in 1980. I’m from a small town in the midwest called E. St. Louis, Illinois. I grow up in a home where every Sunday was church, Every Wednesday was bible study, and every Thursday was choir rehearsal. We didn’t have much, but we had each other and that was pretty big for me.

Growing up in ESTL, we didn’t have many resources and outlets to make it big, so it was all just dreams. We relied on our family, community and church. My Grandmother, Nancy Levels, had a niche for fashion and music and my Grandpa was in the church, So I decided to do both.

As time progressed, I joined the school (Clark Middle School ’92-’95) choir and started competing in competitions. That started everyone to talk about me and want to hear me sing. At the time, I had no idea that I could really sing. My teachers saw it before I did. All I knew was I became addicted to the sound. I tried the drums, I’ve even tried playing the flute, but nothing was better than me using my Voice to get the Job Done!!! I became a music head, listening to the radio 24 hrs a day. I mimicked every song I heard on the radio. Even the ones my butt couldn’t even hit. I challenged myself, every chance I got, in order to be ready anytime someone would ask me to sing. My Favorite songs to sing, at that time, were Luther Vandross’s “A House Is Not A Home”, H-Town’s “Emotions”, and Subway’s “This Little Game We Play”. On the Gospel end, my favorites to sing were “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” and “The Lord’s Prayer”. Those were my signature songs.

I started to perform weekly on the city community channel, where I got noticed by a manager and promoter named DJ Lonnie Bee. Turned out, he was one of the Biggest DJ’s in our city. (R.I.P.) He recorded my very first song and that really lit the fire under my kettle. Once I heard what I could do on wax, I became so excited. That little singing I was doing on that community channel became a straight Performance with dancers and wardrobes. I, then, connected with a friend by the name of James “BJ Rich”. He introduced me to his, then, Trio group and made me the fourth member. My choir experience paid off when it came to harmonizing, but being in a quartet was something AMAZING!!!! Once the guys graduated High School, the group split. I Was The youngest and had two more years left. That’s when I met Dancer/Manager/Barber Delbert “Allen” Jackson. He took what I had and maxed it all the way out. I had Dancers, Background singers, a DJ, and wardrobe. I started performing at stadiums and opening for acts like Nelly and the St. Lunatics, Brandy, Sam Salter and Master P/No Limit (’98).

My life took a major turn, after a horrible car accident that left me losing consciousness and regaining it, all to see myself running away from the accident and jumping back into my body for control. That experience made me look at my life more seriously. I took a break from music and focused on my life and health. Getting back on track was easy once I met Singer/Songwriter and mother of my oldest son, Jamika Smith. We wrote a song one night, performed it the next night at a competition, won, then got signed less than a month later. With the assistance of Vanita Thompson and Anne Jones as management, and Loren Hammond as the A&R, New York was the next phase in my life.

Living in the Big Apple from 1999-2001, I had some amazing times. Loren would take us around to the different venues where we became regular sit-in singers, like the Village Underground with the Legendary “Ron Grant” and Cheryl Pepsii Riley, There, we got to perform for Musiq Soulchild, Eric Roberson, and MTV Studios. I got a chance to experience TRL with Carson Daily, the Queen Latifah Show, and the Apollo. It was a very exonerating moment for me. It was very expensive to live for sure so I had to get a job to maintain. I started working in the World Trade Center. I was Promoted to work on the 88th floor in September 2001. My partner had a bad intuition, flew back home to E St Louis, then refused to come back to New York. I flew back to get her, but she just wouldn’t leave. I ended up missing my flight back to New York and a few days later, 9/11 happened. That Shook My World. So I Married my Partner. I felt like she was used as a vessel to save my life. We had a son (Dre Jr aka LYRIC).

2002, I tried out for St Louis Idol and won a guaranteed audition for American Idol, but I was cut before I opened my mouth. I Turned around and made Top 24 two years later.

As Time progressed, I got involved with Rasheem Kilo Pugh, writer on Lauren Hill’s “Miseducation of Lauren” album. He became my mentor and reintroduced me to the lawyer I had when I lived in New York (Maury Winkler). Wheels started turning and I landed a few movie placements. I signed with E-One Entertainment in 2014 and released my first album “Lock Dat Down”. Once I left E-One, I went underground and utilized what I learned in the game and started my own Publishing and Entertainment company Sounz Gud Entertainment/DSTLOU Publishing and moved to Atlanta Georgia, where I grounded myself and sprouted… Currently, I’m working on my 3rd Album called Rewrite My Wrongs. I have a Songwriting Deal with Sony/ATV, a TV network deal with North 85 TV, a distribution Deal through AOIR Distribution, and a slew of artists on the roster like Murdock the blues man, Kioyko, Pon Pariah, Loyaal, and others. The Best Is Yet To Come!!!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend came to visit me in ATL for a week (Sun-Sat), the first stop would be Sunday Brunch at King Of Diamonds with my home girl Madison Shannon Kelly, Akinyele, and The Red Sample Band. Gotta start off right with some fun, food, and entertainment. Monday, we would go to an open mic night with Villeboy Cas, Pimpin Ken and the Hip Hop Fraternity Family. Tuesday, we would do $2 Tuesdays at the Ubar n Camp Creek. Wednesday, we would chill at the crib n barbeque. We would go to a networking party with Jay n the Hype Magazine family On Thursday. Friday would be a Pool or Water Park with family day. Saturday would be preparations to go home. But every night we would be in the studio cooking up HEAT🔥🔥🔥

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wanna give a huge shoutout to my boy Murdock. He sings the blues and plays the harmonica. We have been friends for about 4yrs now and I swear it feels like forever. So many things have transpired and we have come a long way. This brother has remained exactly the same and have never switched up on me. Very talented and under rated. He deserves time to shine

Website: www.Aoirdistribution.com

Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/dperryman6

Linkedin: https://www.LinkedIn.com/sounzgudent

Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/dreperryman6

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/deandreperrymanband

Youtube: https://www.YouTube.com/sounzgudent

Image Credits
Brandon B-Sharp Barnard Jamon Hancock DeAndre Perryman Melanie Cromartie Murdock Cromartie