Bryshere Y. Gray
| Bryshere Y. Gray | |
|---|---|
| Born |
November 28, 1993 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S |
| Occupation | Actor, rapper |
| Years active | 2013–present |
Bryshere Yazshawn "Yazz" Gray (born November 28, 1993),[1] who uses the stage name Yazz The Greatest,[2] is an American actor and rapper known for his role as Hakeem Lyon in the Fox primetime musical drama television series Empire.
Early life
Gray was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1] At 16 years old, Gray discovered a passion for music after being injured playing football for his high school team and began to use his talent as a street performer to earn money and help his single mother afford their living expenses.[3] His efforts eventually led to a partnership with manager Charlie Mack.[3]
Career
Since 2013, Gray has performed at a variety of music festivals in the Philadelphia area, including Jay Z’s Made in America Festival, The Roots' Picnic Festival, and Power 99FM's Powerhouse concert.[3] He also has been the opening act for rappers such as Fabolous and 2 Chainz.[4] In 2015, Gray began his first acting role as Hakeem Lyon on the Fox drama TV series Empire, with co-stars Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, and Jussie Smollett.[5] In March 2015, it was confirmed that both Smollett and Gray had been signed on with Columbia Records as solo acts.[6]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–present | Empire | Hakeem Lyon | Series regular |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Meet Bryshere Gray, The Bad Boy Doing Better On 'Empire'". VIBE. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Who Is Hakeem on 'Empire'? Bryshere Gray, aka Yazz the Greatest, Is Conquering TV & Music". Bustle.com. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Empire State of Mind: Bryshere Gray Talks Hakeem And Working With Timbaland". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ↑ "Who Plays Hakeem on Empire? 5 Things to Know About Bryshere Gray". Wetpaint. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ↑ Hammond, Evelyn (January 31, 2015). "'Empire' TV Series Cast Bryshere Gray And How He Crawled His Way Into The Phenomenal Fox Show Discussed". Franchise Herald. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ↑ Kennedy, Gerrick (March 11, 2015). "'Empire' aims to climb music charts as well as TV rankings". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 18, 2015.