Jussie Smollett Making Feature Directorial Debut With ‘B-Boy Blues’

Anthony D'Alessandro and Amanda N'Duka
·2 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: The former Empire star is directing B-Boy Blues, an adaptation of James Earl Hardy’s best-selling 1994 book and will produce through his newly launched SuperMassive Movies.

B-Boy Blues follows the tumultuous relationship between Mitchell Crawford, a 27-year old journalist, and Raheim Rivers, a 21-year old bicycle messenger and B-boy (banjee boy). They meet in a gay bar in Greenwich Village in the summer of 1993. The B-boy hangs out on street corners, cool and menacing. Raheim is the third B-boy in Mitchell’s life, but underneath the former’s tough exterior, Raheim is smart and talented and a loving parent to his five-year-old son. But Raheim has a violent streak. B-Boy Blues spawned a series that has sold millions worldwide and remains a staple within the black LGBTQ+/Same Gender Loving community.

The film goes into production in New York City on Oct. 17. SuperMassive Movies, is a subsidiary of Jussie Smollett’s already-formed Story Worthy Pictures banner. The film as well as SuperMassive is financed by Cleveland based Radio Broadcast investor, Tom Wilson, with the production label funding independent, micro-budgeted projects from LGBTQ+, women and filmmakers of color. Smollett will also serve as a producer alongside Hardy, Wilson, Frank Gatson, Sampson McCormick and Madia Hill Scott. Smollett is repped by UTA.

Smollett is a 5x NACCP Image Award winner including a win for Best Supporting Actor on Empire, and he’s a Daytime Emmy nominated producer of the digital drama series Giants. Smollett previously directed two episodes of Empire, “What Is Done” and “Fair Terms”.

Smollett continues to face numerous legal challenges and cases stemming from the alleged January 2019 “hate crime” attack in Chicago. After a police investigation seemingly revealed all was not as Smollett reported, the matter turned into one of sharp-elbowed civic politics with the Empire star at the center. With charges initially dropped, new indictments, and unsuccessful appeals, the matter has since evolved into numerous lawsuits with a special prosecutor appointed to reevaluate the core case and the conduct of local prosecutors. Following grand jury proceedings earlier this year, Smollett last month filed to have charges against him dropped yet again.

Dominic Patten contributed to this report.

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