Jussie Smollett Makes Directorial Debut With ‘B-Boy Blues’

Jussie Smollett is still in a legal battle with the Chicago Police Department after he was accused of staging a hate crime. However, the former Empire star and singer is still moving forward with his career. The 38-year-old is reportedly making his dictatorial debut with the adaptation of the James Earl Hardy novel, B-Boy Blues.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie will go into production on October 17 in New York City. The outlet also reports Smollett’s SuperMassive Movies, an ancillary label of his Story Worthy Pictures banner, will produce. Per the company, SuperMassive has raised ‘mid-seven figures’ in a partnership with Cleveland-based investor Tom Wilson to finance small-budget films from minority filmmakers.”

James Earl Hardy, the author of the 1994 book, will also produce. B-Boy Blues follows the lives of Black queer men in New York City, offering a humorous, sexy and authentic look at different segments of the community.

RELATED: Jussie Smollett Pleads Not Guilty To New Charges In Hate Crime Hoax Case

Jussie Smollett was hospitalized briefly after an alleged racist and homophobic attack on January 29, 2019 near his apartment in Chicago. Initially, authorities investigated the matter as a hate crime, but eventually their suspicions turned to Smollett, believing he staged the incident. He was charged with 16 felony counts, but eventually all charges were dropped by Foxx’s office. 

However, in February 2020, special prosecutor Dan Webb said in a statement that Smollett was charged with “making four separate false reports to Chicago Police Department officers related to his false claims that he was the victim of a hate crime, knowing that he was not the victim of a crime.” As a result, the 38-year-old will face six counts of disorderly conduct. 

Jussie Smollett continues to maintain his innocence.