Smollett creates empire of his own
NEW YORK Jussie Smollett marked a breakthrough in 2015 when the TV series Empire debuted, launching his career after working in the industry for years, earning Emmy and Grammy nominations, and even getting a record deal with Columbia Records.
The anticipation had built around Smollett and his fame, with fans constantly wondering when he would release music apart from his Jamal Lyon persona.
But the songs never came, and Smollett said he had to break away from the Sony label to finally have his voice heard.
Last week, Smollett finally put out his debut album, Sum of My Music, releasing the 10-track set independently on his own label, Music of Sound.
Smollett, 34, talks about his music and performing at Prince’s nightclub in Minneapolis while he filmed The Mighty Ducks more than 25 years ago.
Q When you released the song F.U.W., and its music video last year, that was on Columbia ...
A Was it really, though? They put their name on it, but was it really?
Q You tell me.
A I paid for everything ... There’s no bad feelings at all ... ( but) I got no support over there. The good thing is that my ego is strong enough that I’m just like, “If you’re not (feeling) me, I just want to go.” And that’s with any situation — whether it’s a business relationship, an intimate relationship, a friend, whatever.
Q The album opens with the personal song Insecurities — what was it like writing and recording that?
A It kind of like talks about the good things I hear people say about me, and the bad things I hear people say about me. And it’s just how you let that affect you. I just always go back to first season (of Empire). I remember hearing that the network had a meeting with my reps on how to handle my sexuality. And I’m just like, “What the (heck)? Like, why the (heck) y’all meeting about that (nonsense) and I’m not on that call?” And furthermore, “Why do we have to have a meeting about that?”
Q How do you feel like you’ve grown since Empire premièred?
A I want to say that I believe in myself a little bit more. I think that after the first season, if I’m being honest, my self-esteem kind of did a dive ... I had been myself my whole life but I wasn’t used to ... the scrutiny that came with fame and that came with being a part of a phenomenon like Empire, but also being a part of a phenomenon that is Jamal Lyon ... He’s a groundbreaking character and I was kind of thrust out there ... And everybody had these expectations of what I should be, how I should be, who I should be seen with, what I should be doing, who was I dating, who was I (sleeping with).
Q You starred in 1992’s
The Mighty Ducks — what goes through your head when you think about that moment in your life??
A That was four months in the freezing cold in Minneapolis. One thing that sticks in my mind specifically is I remember going to Prince’s nightclub that he had, and performing there when I was nine years old.
Q Was Prince there?
A I don’t think so.
Q Well, you never know with him.
A You never know ... And then honestly I remember over the last years how, whenever Mighty Ducks would show on the television, I knew that ... six weeks later I was about to get a $400 check, my residuals. And I’d be calling up SAG with my broke (self ) being like, “Uh, run that check, run that check.” Those are the days when I had $17 in my account and I had to find $3 to deposit, so I could take a $20 out.