Both the Rap industry and the adult film industry are based on fantasy and escapism. Since the word “industry” came to Rap, fans lusted for the Rolls Royces, the wads of cash, the jewelry and the women. In porn, fans lust for the attention, the seemingly easy schedules, the parties and again, the women. But like the Dogg Pound said, everything ain’t always what it seems.
In her early twenties, Julia Bond has garnered quite a name in the adult industry. Betweeen 2005 and 2008, the starlet earned “box cover queen” status with a host of top production companies. As just as Lupe Fiasco and The Game have warned in their lines of work, she’s largely walked away from the fame and money of porn. The Long Beach native is more concerned with hustling these days. Through her free daily YouTube blasts, Bond plans on establishing her official website, mainstream acting and even hints at a career in Rap.
Speaking with HipHopDX, the Hip Hop lover talks about hosting mixtapes, how hustling transcends both industries, and what it was like to be one of the few to meet with Dr. Dre.
HipHopDX: I know that you’re a California girl, born, raised and living there now. Tell me a little bit about your experiences with Rap music and Hip Hop culture, just growing up…
Julia Bond: Honestly, growing up, I kind of had it a little rough. I spent most of the time alone really. So I would always have music on and I would always turn to music when I was sad, when I needed something to get me hyped up, put me in a good mood. It always did the job. It was always very motivating. I was from Long Beach, so I would always listen to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg [click to read] and Nate Dogg and [all of Tha Dogg Pound]. That was around my growing up, my age. As far as early influences though, I’d have to say LL Cool J. Listening to him was a little bit more motivating than the others, because he wasn’t really just talking about “fuck this” or “fuck that;” he was more real, talking about everyday things. I really looked up to him and listened to his music to get me more motivated than anything else really.
DX: How old were you when you started getting into the music like that?
Julia Bond: I’m gonna say probably around 13 or 14. I was into it a younger age [because] I had brothers that were listening to, and they were in and out of the house. That’s what they bumpin’. Also, Eminem. Even though a lot of people hate on him now [laughing], Eminem is actually real, real talented. If you listen to his music, it makes sense. Lil Wayne [click to read] now…I think Lil Wayne and Kanye West these days, they’re definitely changing the game and kind of molding it how they want it and taking it in a whole new direction. They’ve definitely changed it, I think.
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DX: Until a couple years ago, with the exception of Luke’s work or Snoop’s Doggystyle DVD, how much the adult film industry and Hip Hop coincide at times. HipHopDX has been covering the AVN Awards and Expo the last few years, and there are a lot of Hip Hop artists and producers there. Jules Jordan just appeared in Blaq Poet’s video for instance. When you got into the adult industry, were you aware of this?
Julia Bond: Honestly, I didn’t. I was totally oblivious to actually the whole adult [industry]. I’ve always been really open-minded, I’ve always been a very sexual person, but I never really knew that the two kind of collaborated like that. But then as I got into it, and started talking to people more and started doing more movies and meeting new people and obviously seeing that side of the industry, then I, yeah, started getting more informed. [Laughs]
DX: I can tell that your love of Rap goes beyond recognizing Snoop Dogg or Lil Wayne in an airport. What was it like when you were in the industry, encountering some of these people when they were in L.A. or when you’re both at the same party?
Julia Bond: Like I said, once again, growing up, going through the shit I’ve been through…music…I kind of want to do my own thing. I can write, I can sing, and I can rap. Believe it or not, my little white ass can rap. I want to do some stuff in the music industry too. As far as being in the same mixers as them, it’s amazing. I’m doing something right if I can be in the same mix as these people, even though it is an adult industry and maybe an adult party, but to be on the level – and I’m obviously not on the same level as them, but to be acquainted with them and talk to them, it’s motivational. It really is. To see these people and be around them and interact with them.
I’ve met Dr. Dre. That shit was really, really…that shit was off the hook. I actually got really nervous; it’s hard to make me nervous. I’ve never been a [super-fan]. With Dr. Dre, it was [intense]. I was standing next to him, taking pictures, talking. It was crazy shit. [We met] at a concert. What made it a little bit more special is…he’s a very hard person to get a hold of. He’s always on the go. Every time I’ve ever seen him, he’s always been in and out. At concerts, he’s on the stage doing he’s shit [and the next second] he’s out. When he stopped…and his was doing some shit with…who the hell was he doing shit with? I think it was Lil Wayne, if I’m not mistaken. He had just gotten off [the stage], fresh off his shit, and he stopped and talked, and thanked me. For him to take that time out, I respect that, and I feel pretty good that he actually stopped to take time for me.
DX: Not on some cute stuff, but who would you like to meet?
Julia Bond: I haven’t met Russell Simmons. I’d enjoy meeting him just ’cause I think he’s progressed a lot. A lot of people have asked that question, and a lot of people have been like, “What about Puff Daddy?” As far as Puff Daddy goes, I respect him as a businessman, and definitely, definitely doing big things, but I’ve never really been a fan of Puff Daddy‘s music. [Laughs]
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DX: You’re being pretty honest about that.
Julia Bond: Thank you. I’m pretty real.
DX: According to Wikipedia, you put out a mixtape a few years ago called Sex Sells. This is true?
Julia Bond: Um, yeah. Actually, it’s not my music, I just hosted it. Yeah. I’ve done a few actually – I’ve hosted a few.
DX: How was that experience for you? Let’s talk about some of these that you’ve hosted…
Julia Bond: The Sex Sells one, that was a while back; that was a couple years ago. Honestly, I love just being into something. I kind of find myself as an entrepreneur now. I had my 15 minutes of fame. I built my name. I got that bubbling, but now I want to do more. That’s why I look up to Kanye West and Lil Wayne. Kanye used to do radio, deejaying, producing, rapping. There’s proof that you can do more than just one thing and that’s what I’m trying to do. So when I did the movies, and then I started hosting clubs and feature dancing and doing mix CDs, it makes things real good. It gets me driven. I can do more than just the star side of [the industry]. I can go behind it now, and I want to do my own stuff now. I want to be the one behind the cameras, recruiting people, signing contracts. I want to be that bitch that’s doing everything, not just one thing. [Laughs]
DX: In your line of work, same as in Hip Hop, you have to hustle. Talk to me a little bit about that hustle…
Julia Bond: When I went into the industry, I was 18 – freshly 18. Like I said, I’ve always been very open, but it’s different. A lot of times, people are like, “Oh you’re a porn star? That’s awesome. You get to fuck for a living.” Pardon my language. But it’s not all what it [appears]. Yeah, there are good times, but there are a lot of hard times. You have to be a strong-assed person, male or female, to go into this industry. You can’t just go into this industry ’cause you like to fuck. You get judged. You get criticized. You can lose friends. You can lose family. You gotta go into this with a strong mind; you can’t be no weak bitch, and just go in there ’cause you think you’re cute and you can fuck. That’s not how it works. You deal with people: producers, actors, actresses – you’ve got to deal with all this stuff, and you’ve got to deal with all of this knowing that. You’ve got to hustle.
Anybody can have sex on film. Me, myself, it was kind of overwhelming because I did it. The [money started increasing with my popularity]. People were asking for me and the buzz was around. It was overwhelming and it kind of put pressure on me. Now that I have this, I want to keep this. I don’t want to just go down hill. I started slacking for a while. I was doing two or three scenes a day. I was getting tired and I felt worn out. I was young, and I didn’t want to do that. So I took a step back and that’s why I’m coming back in to do something else, to hustle, like you said. There’s so much I can do.
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I have great fans. My fans support me. I mentioned that if I wanted to do mainstream or singing, they all support me. That’s why I’ve been doing this stuff on YouTube [click here], because I want them to see the real me, so they can get the feel for that, outside of porn. Obviously there’s going to be some sexy stuff, but I want them to be like, “Damn. She’s a real bitch. She’s funny. We like to watch her – even outside of porn,” so therefore they can continue to follow me even outside of porn.
DX: When you said “step back,” you’ve taken a break from acting?
Julia Bond: I haven’t starred in a film in a while. I’m gonna be working on my X-Rated site, an official Julia Bond site. There will be the X-Rated stuff on there, but I’m saving everything exclusively for that. So if anybody wants to see new stuff, there has not been anything new, I’m going to say, since last year, maybe even a year.
I want to get my name trademarked. I should have done it a long time ago, but once again, I’m learning. Now that I have my head on my shoulders correctly and I’m seeing clearer, there’s so much I can do. I can shut a lot of people down because people are using me, my pictures and my name for so much shit. I’m like, “Wait a minute. You guys are making more money than I am here.” I’m just trying to get everything cleared out. I want to test all my waters; I don’t want to let any of these opportunities pass me by, ’cause there’s so much I could be doing.
DX: We talk about it a lot in Hip Hop. How has the Internet helped and hurt the adult industry?
Julia Bond: You know what? I’ve never really had an issue with any of that. Hearing people talk about it, the Internet definitely took over. You can go to free stuff and watch free clips. Sometimes that’s all people need. “I just saw this clip, why am I going to go spend 60 or 40 or 50 dollars on a movie when I can just watch these free clips?” That can be a bit of a conflict if we’re out here trying to market ourselves and sell shit and people [aren’t buying]. I’m surprised honestly, that things are actually selling, as far as DVDs and [magazines], because you can get anything on the Internet now – especially porn.
DX: Hip Hop-minded readers seeing your pictorials for the first time may recognize some similarity in your tattoos to Eve or DaBrat’s. What do your paw-print tattoos mean to you?
Julia Bond: Like I said, I was crazy. I still am. I’ve toned down a bit. Growing up, I was always in the streets. I was always running around. Honestly, nothing really has meaning on my body. My tattoos are always, “I want this,” so I went and got it. I’ve always been the one getting my friends to go get piercings and tattoos. I’ve always been an instigator. My paw-prints, honestly, I was young. I’m gonna say I was like 15, maybe even 14. I just wanted ’em. In a way, I regret them. But in a way, it is my trademark, so I can’t really complain. I know that Eve [click to read] has them. But for myself, being in the adult industry, that’s how people recognize me.
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DX: What sorts of things do you like to do with your free time these days?
Julia Bond: I like to write. I’m very crafty; I actually want to buy a sewing machine. [Laughs] I want to, ’cause I want to have my own clothing line. I’m always brainstorming. Whether I’m listening to the radio; I like the beats. I like to write shit in my head.
DX: Let’s finish where we started. What’s your favorite Hip Hop album?
Julia Bond: I like [Dr. Dre‘s] The Chronic. It always gets me pumped. When I get upset, I like to listen to shit I know all the words to, so I can get into it and get crazy and listen. As far as now, I always have Lil Wayne in my car, whether I’ve burnt a CD, or [my collection] of his old shit, new shit. I like Tha Carter III [click to read], that’s always in my car. I like Lil Kim too – her old, old album, Notorious K.I.M. I like that stuff.
