:Bryshere Y. Gray

{{Infobox person

| image = Bryshere Y. Gray (26362135321).jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Gray at 2016 PaleyFest

| birth_name = Bryshere Yazuan Gray

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|11|28}}

| birth_place = West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

| nationality = American

| other_names = {{flatlist|

Yazz
Yazz the Greatest}}

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Actor
rapper}}

| years_active = 2011–present

| known_for = {{Plainlist|

Empire as Hakeem Lyon
The New Edition Story as Michael Bivins}}

}}

Bryshere Yazuan Gray (born November 28, 1993),{{cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/2014-12-03/entertainment/56653476_1_eagle-brandon-boykin-andy-cohen-boykin-plays|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150728232625/http://articles.philly.com/2014-12-03/entertainment/56653476_1_eagle-brandon-boykin-andy-cohen-boykin-plays|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 28, 2015|title=Bravo host Andy Cohen loved working with Eagle Boykin|first=Molly|last=Eichel|date=December 3, 2014|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|access-date=October 28, 2015}}{{Cite web|date=2015-01-21|title=Meet Bryshere Gray, The Bad Boy Doing Better On 'Empire'|url=https://www.vibe.com/2015/01/bryshere-gray-yazz-the-greatest-empire-interview|access-date=2021-01-24|website=Vibe|language=en}} also known by the stage name Yazz the Greatest or simply Yazz,{{Cite web|last=Kay|first=Ariel|date=8 January 2015|title=Who Is Hakeem on 'Empire'? Bryshere Gray, aka Yazz the Greatest, Is Conquering TV & Music|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/57298-who-is-hakeem-on-empire-bryshere-gray-aka-yazz-the-greatest-is-conquering-tv-music|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111093432/http://www.bustle.com:80/articles/57298-who-is-hakeem-on-empire-bryshere-gray-aka-yazz-the-greatest-is-conquering-tv-music |archive-date=2015-01-11 |access-date=2021-01-24|website=Bustle|language=en}} is an American actor and rapper, best known for his role as Hakeem Lyon in the Fox primetime musical drama television series Empire. He is also known for his portrayal as Michael Bivins in the 2017 BET miniseries The New Edition Story.

Career

File:Bryshere Y. Gray (cropped).jpg

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.{{cite magazine|url = http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interviews/id.2684/title.empire-state-of-mind-bryshere-gray-talks-hakeem-and-working-with-timbaland| title=Empire State of Mind: Bryshere Gray Talks Hakeem And Working With Timbaland| magazine= HipHopDX | access-date= March 16, 2015}} He also has been the opening act for rappers, such as Fabolous and 2 Chainz.{{cite web|url = http://www.wetpaint.com/tv/articles/2015-01-05-who-plays-hakeem-empire-5| title=Who Plays Hakeem on Empire? 5 Things to Know About Bryshere Gray| publisher= Wetpaint | access-date= March 16, 2015}} His debut single "Respect" was released in 2013.{{Citation|title=Respect - Single by Yazz The Greatest|date=22 March 2013|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/respect-single/625415252|language=en-us|access-date=2021-01-24}} 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.{{cite news|work= Franchise Herald|date=January 31, 2015|access-date=March 16, 2015|title='Empire' TV Series Cast Bryshere Gray And How He Crawled His Way Into The Phenomenal Fox Show Discussed| url=http://www.franchiseherald.com/articles/21332/20150131/empire-tv-series-cast.htm|first=Evelyn|last=Hammond}} In March 2015, it was confirmed that both Smollett and Gray had been signed to Columbia Records as solo artists.{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-empire-music-timberland-jim-beanz-20150311-story.html|last=Kennedy|first=Gerrick D.|

work= Los Angeles Times|date=March 11, 2015|access-date=March 25, 2016|title='Empire' aims to climb music charts as well as TV rankings}} In April 2016, Gray was cast, alongside Elijah Kelley, Luke James, Algee Smith, Keith Powers and Woody McClain, in a BET miniseries about R&B boyband New Edition, which debuted in January 2017. Gray was cast to portray New Edition co-founding member, Michael Bivins.{{cite news|author=|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/bryshere-gray-stars-bets-edition-project-38547136|title=Bryshere Y. Gray Among Stars of BET's New Edition Project|website=ABC News|date=April 20, 2016|agency=Associated Press|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421125733/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/bryshere-gray-stars-bets-edition-project-38547136|archive-date=April 21, 2016|access-date=November 15, 2016}} In April 2018, Gray co-starred, as Tyrell, with Teyana Taylor in Honey: Rise Up and Dance. He also did a collaboration with Zimbabwean rapper, Young Cilla on a track titled Greez 'n Gunz.

Personal life

Bryshere Gray was born and raised in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His mother, Andria Mayberry, became pregnant when she was a teenager, and, in the absence of his father, raised Gray as a single mother. When he was five years old, he was diagnosed with ADHD. Later on, Gray played football at Overbrook High School, but switched to studying music after being injured on the field at the age of 16 years. He began to use his talents as a street performer to earn money and help his mother afford their various expenses. He also worked at Pizza Hut, where he used the money he earned to finance his first music video, before being fired from the company for, allegedly, writing music while at work. His perseverance eventually led to a partnership with manager Charlie Mack. Gray told Cosmopolitan in February 2015 that his estranged father had reached-out to him when he became "popular", but stated that he needed "time" and to "grow some more" before taking any steps towards building a relationship with his father. He has a sister named Brianna.

On July 13, 2020, Gray was arrested by police in Goodyear, Arizona, following a domestic violence incident with his wife that culminated in a barricade situation with police. Gray was subsequently charged with aggravated assault, domestic violence and disorderly conduct and sentenced to 10 days in jail and 3 years probation following the attack on his wife on May 24, 2021.

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"\| Notes
2015–2020 \| Empire \| Hakeem Lyon \| Main cast
2016 \| Celebrity Name Game \| Himself \|
2017 \| The New Edition Story \| Michael Bivins \| Miniseries; main cast
2017 \|Lip Sync Battle \| Himself \| Episode: "Bryshere Gray vs. Rumer Willis"
2018 \| Honey: Rise Up and Dance \| Tyrell \| Direct to video
2018 \| Sprinter \| Marcus Brick \|
2019 \|Canal Street \| Kholi Styles \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable"| Notes

2015–2020

| Empire

| Hakeem Lyon

| Main cast

2016

| Celebrity Name Game

| Himself

2017

| The New Edition Story

| Michael Bivins

| Miniseries; main cast

2017

|Lip Sync Battle

| Himself

| Episode: "Bryshere Gray vs. Rumer Willis"

2018

| Honey: Rise Up and Dance

| Tyrell

| Direct to video

2018

| Sprinter

| Marcus Brick

2019

|Canal Street

| Kholi Styles

Discography

=Singles=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"\| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"\| Year ! scope="col" colspan="3"\| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Albums
scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"\| US {{cite magazine\|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3AEmpire%20Cast&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A367&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=Empire%20Cast\|title=Empire Cast – Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=November 14, 2016}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"\| US R&B/HH {{cite magazine\|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3AEmpire%20Cast&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A367&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=Empire%20Cast\|title=Empire Cast – Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=November 14, 2016}} ! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"\| US R&B {{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/empire-cast/chart-history/hsi/\|title=Empire Cast – Chart History (Hot R&B Songs)\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=June 21, 2024}}
scope="row"\| "Respect" \| 2013 \| — \|\| — \|\| — \| {{nonalbum}}
scope="row"\| "No Apologies" (featuring Jussie Smollett) \| rowspan="3"\| 2015 \| 123 \|\| 44 \|\| — \| rowspan="3"\|Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1
scope="row"\| "Drip Drop" (featuring Serayah) \| 114 \|\| 37 \|\| —
scope="row"\| "You're So Beautiful" (Jussie Smollett featuring Yazz) \| 47 \|\| 19 \|\| 10
scope="row"\| "Chasing the Sky" (Terrence Howard featuring Jussie Smollett and Yazz) \| rowspan="2"\| 2016 \| — \|\| — \|\| 24 \| rowspan="2"\| Empire: Original Soundtrack Season 2 Volume 2
scope="row"\| "Good People" (Jussie Smollett featuring Yazz) \| — \|\| — \|\| 20

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"| Year

! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Albums

scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| US
{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3AEmpire%20Cast&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A367&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=Empire%20Cast|title=Empire Cast – Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 14, 2016}}

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| US
R&B/HH
{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0]=ts_chart_artistname%3AEmpire%20Cast&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A367&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=Empire%20Cast|title=Empire Cast – Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 14, 2016}}

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| US
R&B
{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/empire-cast/chart-history/hsi/|title=Empire Cast – Chart History (Hot R&B Songs)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 21, 2024}}

scope="row"| "Respect"

| 2013

| — || — || —

| {{nonalbum}}

scope="row"| "No Apologies"
(featuring Jussie Smollett)

| rowspan="3"| 2015

| 123 || 44 || —

| rowspan="3"|Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1

scope="row"| "Drip Drop"
(featuring Serayah)

| 114 || 37 || —

scope="row"| "You're So Beautiful"
(Jussie Smollett featuring Yazz)

| 47 || 19 || 10

scope="row"| "Chasing the Sky"
(Terrence Howard featuring Jussie Smollett and Yazz)

| rowspan="2"| 2016

| — || — || 24

| rowspan="2"| Empire: Original Soundtrack Season 2 Volume 2

scope="row"| "Good People"
(Jussie Smollett featuring Yazz)

| — || — || 20

Awards and nominations

=BET Awards=

2018: Best Actor: Empire (Nominated)

=NAACP Image Awards=

2016 NAACP Image Awards: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Empire (Nominated)
2016: Outstanding New Artist (Nominated)

=Teen Choice Awards=

2015: Choice TV: Breakout Star: Empire (Nominated)
2015: Choice TV: Chemistry: Empire (Nominated)
2015: Choice Music: Song From a Movie or TV Show: "You're So Beautiful" with Jussie Smollett (Nominated)