Jussie Smollett Bags First Post-Jail Project, Set To Make Directorial Debut

Jussie Smollett has made his first notable achievement following his alleged hate crime deception that led to his jail time. The "Empire" actor was accused of staging a false hate attack against himself in Chicago in January 2019.

This eventually led him to be arraigned last December and sentenced to jail this March. However, he was released on bond and has secured a new project, and is set to mark his directing debut.

Variety recently reported that Smollett's directing debut "B-Boy Blues" has officially been selected by BET+, and it will premiere on the streaming platform on June 9, ahead of Pride Month.

In addition to bringing the movie star on board, Mona Scott-Young and her Monami Entertainment will be taking charge of production. Young was also helpful in the success of the deal with BET+.   

The movie is an adaptation of James Earl Hardy's book, and it features Timothy Richardson, Ledisi, Brandee Evans, Heather B, Marquise Vilson, Jabari Redd, Broderick Hunter, and Thomas Mackie.

BET+'s Devin Griffin issued a statement regarding the project, saying, "Through our content slate, we are intentional about representing the fullness of the Black experience, including that of the LGBTQ+ community." He added:

"'B-Boy Blues' is an artful, heart-rending film about the complexity of love – something we can all relate to."

The film was not only directed by Smollett, but he also wrote the script with the novelist Hardy. Furthermore, the California-born actor financed the movie with Tom Wilson, a Cleveland-based radio broadcast investor.

"B-Boy Blues," "a clash of class and culture," made its debut last year at the 2021 American Black Film Festival, and it bagged the Narrative Feature Fan Favorite Award.

Speaking of being "a clash of class and culture," the independent movie centers on Mitchell Crawford, a well-read journalist falling in love with Raheim Rivers, a Harlem-native bike messenger.

Young was thrilled to collaborate with Smollett to create better exposure for the masterpiece as she described it as a "beautifully bold, funny heartwarming bro-mance." She added:

"Falling head over heels and fighting for love are universal emotions and experiences, and we are so grateful to BET+ for shining a powerful spotlight on the still seriously underrepresented black LGBTQ+ community and bringing this impactful love story to an even greater audience."

The good news comes after Smollett spent six days in the Cook County Jail, where he reportedly survived on only ice water without food.

The Blast shared that his lawyer Nenye Uche made the shocking revelation, saying "The Mighty Ducks" star refused food while in custody.

A Newsweek correspondent also noted that Uche saw his client about to shed tears when he heard about his imminent prison release.

The reaction was new to the attorney as he stated that Smollett had always had a strong front. However, the multi-faceted artist admitted to his lawyer that he had "nearly lost hope in our constitutional system."

Following his release, Uche released a statement on Smollett's behalf, emphasizing his client being charged for the same crime twice as he referred to the false hate crime case in 2019 and the eventual conviction this year.

The skilled musician released a new song, "Thank You God," stressing his innocence of all charges against him regarding the 2019 hate crime he allegedly staged.

According to The Blast, the jury previously found him guilty of five out of six counts of disorderly conduct for filing false police reports.

Earlier this March, he was sentenced to pay a fine of $25,000 and a $120,106 restitution fee to the City of Chicago following his false racist and homophobic attack.

Regarding the alleged assault, it was reported that Smollett claimed to be a victim of a hateful attack by two men in 2019.

Shortly after the incident, two brothers confessed that the 39-year-old paid them to stage the ruse, hoping it would improve his acting career.  

Smollett was eventually prosecuted and imprisoned but was released after paying a $150,000 "personal recognizance bond." His appeal is still pending, but he decided to assert his innocence in a six-minute-long R&B single.

The track shows his appreciation to God for making his enemies known to him. He also insisted on his guiltlessness by calling out the police for accusing him of staging the attack despite his guilty sentence.