Written by | Ray Cornelius
I had the distinct pleasure of attending a private listening session with “Empire” stars Jussie Smollett and Bryshere Y. Gray aka Yazz Friday night at the Suite Food Lounge Restaurant in downtown Atlanta. The multi-talented actors stopped through the ATL as part of a promotional tour for the show’s hot new soundtrack, which is currently #1 on the Billboard charts.
The event was presented by Atlanta’s premiere radio station, V-103 and was hosted by Big Tigger. Prior to the function, the stars autographed CDs at the DTLR store for throngs of fans at the Stonecrest Mall. From the looks of several Facebook pics, the mall was sheer pandemonium as thousands gathered, eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of their favorite TV characters. The project, which is under the musical supervision of Timbaland, features the hit singles, “What Is Love with V. Bozeman,” “Drip Drop,” “You’re So Beautiful,” “Good Enough” and “Conqueror with Estelle.”
Smollett and Gray play musical siblings (Jamal and Hakeem Lyons) on “Empire” who are both vying for their superstar father’s attention as well as his coveted throne. During the Q&A session, Tigger talked to the guys about how their lives and careers have changed since the show’s debut in January. They both chatted about the “blessing” of working with their television parents, Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, who they affectionately referred to as “Mom and Dad.” They also expressed much gratitude towards the musical veterans that have appeared on the show including Gladys Knight, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige and Patti Labelle.
When asked what was their favorite episode of the first season, they both agreed it was “Unto the Breach” which includes the now famous “elevator scene” where their other acting brother Trai Byers (Andre Lyons) unravels. The very emotional scene ends with them all singing the classic hit song, “Lean On Me.” While the two stars remained tight lipped about what fans can expect in season two, they did reveal that Denzel Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Common and possibly Mariah Carey, will be making appearances. They also said to look for the show to return in September.
Check out more photos and videos from the Q&A session below including Yazz performing “Drip Drop”
Big Tigger with Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall
Media mavens Kia Kelliebrew and April Love
Actor Carl Payne
“Empire” fan holding up the soundtrack
Yazz and Jussie greeting the fans
Yazz performing a little bit of “Drip Drop”
Jussie recently signed a record deal with Columbia Records
Jussie waving to fans
Jussie and Yazz were both pursuing musical careers before the show
Yazz, Jussie and Big Tigger
The Brothers Lyons
Photo Credits: RayCornelius.com