Eminem had to use to his own money to bail his 8 Mile co-star Gerald L. Sanders out of jail after the battle rapper was arrested by police shortly before filming a scene for the 2002 movie.
The Stan hitmaker returned to his native Detroit, Michigan to find real-life rappers who would be able to compete with him in the hip-hop drama, which was loosely based on Eminem's own troubled life and rise to fame.
He cast a number of local Detroit emcees to battle with him in competition scenes in the movie, but Sanders, aka Strike, reveals he almost missed out on the chance to work with Eminem on camera after ending up behind bars.
Sanders, who played the character Lyckety-Splyt onscreen, recalls, "It was funny because I was on the run from the feds (federal agents) at that time. When we pulled up to the (auditions), we actually thought it was the feds. At that time I was in the streets, carrying guns. My manager was like, 'If they try to arrest you, I'll shoot in the air, you run!'
"(Later, after landing the part), Em done bailed me out on my attempted murder case."
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LOL.
