:The Bullitts
{{Short description|British singer-songwriter, producer, and filmmaker (born 1979)}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = The Bullitts
| image =
| caption = Samuel in 2024.
| birth_name = Jeymes Samuel
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1979|7|27}}
| birth_place = London, England
| education =
| occupation = {{flatlist|
- Singer
- songwriter
- record producer
- filmmaker
- director
- film composer
- actor
}}
| children =
| relatives = Seal (brother)
| title =
| television =
| years_active = 1999–present
| works = {{hlist|Discography|production|filmography}}
| agent =
| awards = Full list
| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| label = {{flatlist|
- Kilburn Lane
- Giant Step
- Little League
}}
| instrument = {{flatlist|
- Vocals
- guitar
- piano
}}
| current_member_of =
| past_member_of =
}}
| website = {{URL|www.thebullitts.com/}}
}}
Jeymes Samuel (born 27 July 1979), also known by his stage name The Bullitts, is a British filmmaker, singer-songwriter, music producer and composer. He won the 2021 BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for his feature film directorial debut The Harder They Fall, released in 2021.
Life and career
Samuel initially embarked on a career in filmmaking, having shot his first reels at the age of eight. However he began making music at the age of 13. In the year 2000, he released "When It Rains", his debut single in the form of a 12", under his real name on Giant Step Records. On 1 January 2002, in conjunction with Little League Productions, he released Urban Folk Music: The Prequel. That same year, he contributed background vocals on the song "The Proud", from American rapper Talib Kweli's debut album, Quality. In 2004, he wrote "Serenade", for Icelandic singer Emilíana Torrini's 2005 album Fisherman's Woman. Little League Productions later debuted Samuel's new moniker and released his single "The Bullitts Theme" in 2007.
In 2009, Samuel wrote and co-produced three songs on fellow British singer Mr Hudson's album Straight No Chaser, namely "Straight No Chaser", "Everything Is Broken" (featuring Kid Cudi) and "Time”. In March 2010, he joined a choir called The Purple, The People, The Plastic Eating People. The choir contributed background vocals on the songs "Some Kind of Nature" (featuring Lou Reed) and "Pirate Jet", from the third album by Gorillaz, Plastic Beach (2010).
In 2010, Samuel began uploading "FlixTapes" to YouTube under the pseudonym The Bullitts, named in honour of the 1968 film Bullitt; this was a series of videos in which he added new vocals to his favourite movie and television themes. The first episode, titled "Tales of the Unexpected", was released on 14 November 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdDEgBAlNLc|title=THE BULLITTS & PASSION PIT- TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED – The FlixTape. EPISODE 1|last=TheBullittsTV|date=14 November 2010|via=YouTube}}
"Close Your Eyes", the lead single from his then-upcoming album, premiered in April 2011.{{cite web|last=Cochrane|first=Greg|title=Introducing…The Bullitts|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/12772916|publisher=BBC|access-date=26 April 2011}} The single features narration by American actress Lucy Liu and a verse from American rapper Jay Electronica. Its music video is a re-imagining of the Salvador Dalí and Luis Buñuel film, Un Chien Andalou. In May 2011, the album's second single, "Landspeeder", was released.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/zanelowe/2011/05/hottest_record_-_the_bullitts.html "Hottest Record – The Bullitts – Landspeeder"] 3 May 2011, BBC web site{{cite web|last=NME|title=NME Bullitts article|url=https://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/54091|work=The Bullitts to release debut single featuring Jay Electronica and Lucy Liu – video|publisher=NME|access-date=26 April 2011}} "Landspeeder" was later included on the original motion picture soundtrack to the British 2011 slasher film Demons Never Die.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/demons-never-die-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-mr0003686190 |title=Album Search for "demons never die original motion picture soundtrack" |website=AllMusic |access-date=22 May 2020}}
He issued "Weirdo" in July 2011, a short piece starring Jesse Williams.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skG4rjoJ-l0 "The Bullitts – Weirdo"] 8 July 2011, Youtube In it, two young lovers in paper-bag masks spend a day on the streets of London before robbing a newsagents during a declaration of love. For the song "Run and Hide", by Jay Electronica, he directed a film noir in Paris, based around the actress Elisa Lasowski.[http://www.complex.com/music/2011/07/video-the-bullitts-jay-electronica-run-hide-short-film "The Bullitts & Jay Electronica "Run & Hide""] 28 July 2011, Complex web site Samuel played at The Big Chill music festival on 6 August 2011; he was joined onstage by Liu, Electronica and English actor Idris Elba.[http://www.virtualfestivals.com/latest/news/11278 "The Bullitts debut at The Big Chill 2011"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112111341/http://www.virtualfestivals.com/latest/news/11278 |date=12 January 2015 }} 4 August 2011, Virtual Festivals web site
The album's third single, titled "Supercool", was premiered on Lowe's show on 4 October 2011.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/zanelowe/2011/10/hottest_record_-_the_bullitts_1.html "Hottest Record – The Bullitts – Supercool"] 4 October 2011, BBC web site Its accompanying music video featured he dressed as a homeless individual being harassed by someone filming him against his will; during this he bumps into actress Rosario Dawson, and the pair end up having a dance off on the streets of Soho.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSsYwd5REEI&list=UUIrvXVjDoDbAbXc7QvwhthQ&index=1&feature=plcp "The Bullitts – Supercool"] 4 January 2012, Youtube In 2011, he wrote "Wonderful Life", alongside Estelle Swaray, for Swaray's third album All of Me (2012). In late 2012, he was handpicked by Baz Luhrmann and Jay-Z to be Executive Music Consultant for the soundtrack to the film The Great Gatsby (2013).{{cite magazine|last=Ramirez|first=Erika|title=Jay-Z, The Bullitts to Score 'The Great Gatsby'|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/1481163/jay-z-the-bullitts-to-score-the-great-gatsby|magazine=Billboard|access-date=7 April 2013|date=31 December 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1706513/beyonce-back-to-black-great-gatsby-soundtrack.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502001142/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1706513/beyonce-back-to-black-great-gatsby-soundtrack.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 May 2013|title=Beyonce's 'Back To Black' Helps Make 'The Great Gatsby' A Bit 'Darker'|work=MTV News|first1=Jocelyn|last1=Vena|first2=Josh|last2=Horowitz|date=29 April 2013|access-date=30 April 2013}}
In early 2013, Samuel wrote, directed and scored the short film titled They Die By Dawn, with an all star cast that includes Michael K. Williams, Erykah Badu, Isaiah Washington, Jesse Williams and Rosario Dawson. The film is set in Langston, Oklahoma in 1890 and is a gun-slinging, black cowboy western.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-bullitts-merges-country-to-hip-hop-in-they-die-by-dawn-song-premiere-20130322|title=Song Premiere: The Bullitts Merges Country to Hip-Hop in 'They Die By Dawn'|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=22 March 2013|access-date=15 September 2017|archive-date=26 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826193216/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-bullitts-merges-country-to-hip-hop-in-they-die-by-dawn-song-premiere-20130322|url-status=dead}} Samuel's first album under the moniker The Bullitts, is titled They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories... and was released on 9 July 2013. The album was produced entirely by himself and features guest appearances from Jay Electronica, Lucy Liu, Mos Def, Rosario Dawson, Doxi Jones and Tori Amos.{{cite web | title=They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories – Album by The Bullitts | url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/they-die-by-dawn-other-short/id667519801 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030014601/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/they-die-by-dawn-other-short/id667519801 | url-status=dead | archive-date=30 October 2013 | work=iTunes Store | publisher=Apple | access-date=9 July 2013}}
In 2021, he directed and co-wrote The Harder They Fall, a revisionist western starring Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, and RJ Cyler. The film, which was initially titled The Notorious Nine, was in development for several years.{{Cite web|last=Obenson|first=Tambay|date=13 November 2021|title='The Harder They Fall': 6 Other Films to Watch If You Liked Netflix's Black Western|url=https://www.indiewire.com/gallery/the-harder-they-fall-black-westerns-to-watch/|access-date=16 November 2021|website=IndieWire|language=en}}
In 2022, Netflix announced that Samuel will direct the feature film adaptation of Irredeemable and Incorruptible.{{cite web|title=Netflix Producing Irredeemable & Incorruptible Superhero Movie|url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/netflix-irredeemable-incorruptible-superhero-movie/|work=Comicbook.com|first=Aaron|last=Perine|date=17 March 2022|access-date=17 March 2022}} In March 2022, it was announced American musician Kid Cudi would direct a film titled Teddy, which would be executive produced by Samuel, alongside Jay-Z and James Lassiter.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/kid-cudi-diectorial-debut-netflix-teddy-1235211559/|title=Kid Cudi to Write, Direct and Star in Netflix's 'Teddy,' Produced by Jeymes Samuel and Jay-Z|date=22 March 2022}}
Artistry
Samuel is on record saying “As a musician, I've always regarded myself as, at root, a folk musician. My voice and my acoustic guitar.”{{Cite web|url=https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/the-treatment/jeymes-samuel-the-harder-they-fall|title = Director Jeymes Samuel on the often ignored history of Black cowboys|date = 9 November 2021}} There is a cinematic element to his music and he has created a short film to accompany most of his releases.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/the-harder-they-fall-3-reasons-idris-elba-starrer-missed|title = 'The Harder They Fall': 3 reasons why the Idris Elba starrer cannot be missed|date = 2 November 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://bkreader.com/2015/06/15/biz-markie-masta-ace-to-kick-off-summerstage-performances-at-von-king-park-in-bed-stuy/|title = Biz Markie, Masta Ace to Kick off Summerstage Performances at von King Park in Bed-Stuy|date = 15 June 2015}}
In a November 2021 interview, Samuel said “My influences musically go back further than time itself. If I'm outside the house, I'm listening to Wu-Tang Clan and Mobb Deep and Jay-Z and Nas. If I'm inside the house, I'm listening to Crosby, Stills and Nash, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne. So my brain is always cooking everything together in both film and music and drawing from all of my influences, and bringing them into the present.”
Personal life
Samuel's older brother is Henry Samuel, better known as Seal. His mother, Adebisi Ogundeji, is Nigerian, and his father, Francis Samuel, is Afro-Brazilian.{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2013/01/jay-z-the-great-gatsby-score-soundtrack/|title=Jay-Z and Seal's Brother Score 'The Great Gatsby'|date=2 January 2013}}{{Cite web |last=Greiving |first=Tim |date=2024-01-10 |title=Jeymes Samuel is writing — and directing and singing — his own Hollywood gospel |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-01-10/jeymes-samuel-director-writer-composer-jay-z-lakeith-stanfield-interview |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}
Discography
{{Infobox artist discography
| Artist = The Bullitts
| Image =
| Caption =
| Alt =
| Studio = 1
| Live =
| Soundtrack = 3
| EP = 1
| Music videos = 7
| Singles = 9
| Option = 1
| Option name = Mixtapes
}}
The discography of The Bullitts consists of one studio album, three soundtrack album, one extended play (EP), one mixtape and nine singles.
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of albums, with selected information ! scope="col" style="width:12em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Album details |
| scope="row" | They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories...
| |
|---|
=Soundtrack albums=
=EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of extended plays, with selected information ! scope="col" style="width:12em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Album details |
| scope="row" | Supercool
|
|
|---|
=Mixtapes=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of mixtapes, with selected information ! scope="col" style="width:12em;" | Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Album details |
| scope="row" | Urban Folk Music: The Prequel{{efn-ua|name=A}}
|
|
|---|
=Singles=
=Guest appearances=
=Notes=
{{notelist-ua|notes=
{{efn-ua|name=A| as Jeymes Samuel}}
}}
Production discography
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of production (songwriting and arrangement) and sole songwriting credits (excluding guest appearances, interpolations, and samples) |+ ! scope="col" style="width:24em;"| Track(s) ! scope="col" style="width:1em;"| Year ! scope="col"| Credit ! scope="col"| Artist(s) ! scope="col"| Album |
| 12. "Serenade"
|2005 |rowspan="4"|Producer, songwriter |
| 08. "Bullitts Theme"
|2007 | Walk Tall, Kick Ass, Love Music |
| 04. "Straight No Chaser"
|rowspan="3"| 2009 |rowspan="3"|Mr Hudson |rowspan="3"| Straight No Chaser |
| 11. "Everything Is Broken" {{small|(featuring Kid Cudi)}} |
| 13. "Time"
|Songwriter |
| 08. "Mr. Grin"
| 2011 |rowspan="8"|Producer, songwriter |
| 10. "Wonderful Life" {{small|(co-produced by Wonda)}} | 2012 |
| {{TBA|All tracks}}
|rowspan="1"| 2013 |rowspan="1"| The Bullitts |They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories... |
| 06. "Dinner at Tiffany's" {{small|(featuring Charlotte Gainsbourg)}} |rowspan="2"| 2020 |rowspan="2"|Jay Electronica |rowspan="2"| Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn) |
| 16. "10,000 Lotus Petals" |
| {{TBA|All tracks}}
|2021 | Various artists |
| {{TBA|All tracks}}
|rowspan="2"| 2024 |rowspan="2"| Jeymes Samuel |
| {{TBA|All tracks}} |
Filmography
= Films =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
! rowspan="2" scope="col"| Title ! rowspan="2" scope="col"| Year ! colspan="5" scope="col"| Credited as ! rowspan="2" scope="col"| Studio ! rowspan="2" scope="col" class="unsortable"| Notes |
| Writer
! Director ! Producer ! Composer ! Actor |
|---|
| scope=row | They Die by Dawn{{Cite web|url=https://globalgrind.com/4071414/erykah-badus-film-streaming-on-tidal-they-die-by-dawn-they-die-by-dawn/|title = Erykah Badu's Film "They die by Dawn" is Exclusively Streaming on Tidal Right Now|date = 8 April 2015}}
| rowspan="2"| 2013 | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Film Village Corporation | Short film |
| scope=row | The Great Gatsby
| {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | Village Roadshow Pictures / Red Wagon Entertainment | Executive music consultant |
| scope=row | JAY-Z: Legacy{{Cite web|url=https://wdmv362radio.com/jay-z-legacy-starring-susan-sarandon-ron-perlman-jesse-williams-short-film/|title = Jay Z "Legacy" Starring Susan Sarandon, Ron Perlman, Jesse Williams! (Short Film)|date = 22 December 2017}}
| 2017 | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | rowspan="1"| Little Minx Films | Short film |
| scope=row | Arctic Dogs
| 2019 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | AMBI Media Group / AIC Studios / Assemblage Entertainment / Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures | Executive music producer |
| scope=row | The Harder They Fall
| rowspan="1"|2021 | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | Netflix / Overbrook Entertainment | Feature film debut |
| scope=row | The Book of Clarence
| rowspan="1"| 2023 | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | TriStar Pictures / Legendary Pictures / Westbrook Studios | |
| scope=row | Teddy
| rowspan="1"| 2025 | {{no}} | {{no}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{no}} | Netflix / Bron Studios / Mad Solar | |
=Music videos=
;As lead artist
;As featured artist
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of music videos as a featured artist, showing year released and directors ! scope="col" style="width:18em;" | Title ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Director(s) |
| scope="row"| "Run and Hide" (Jay Electronica featuring The Bullitts) | 2011 | Jeymes Samuel{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2011/07/video-the-bullitts-jay-electronica-run-hide-short-film|title = Video: The Bullitts & Jay Electronica "Run & Hide" (Short Film)|website = Complex Networks}} |
|---|
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.thebullitts.com/}}
- {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0001967085|label=The Bullitts}}
- {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000330073|label=Jeymes Samuel}}
- {{Discogs artist | artist=3077847-Bullitts-The | name=The Bullitts}}
- {{Discogs artist | artist=104709-Jeymes-Samuel | name=Jeymes Samuel}}
- {{IMDb name|5029795}}
- {{MusicBrainz artist | id=468513cf-1053-4753-8218-47f59d3e8378 | name=The Bullitts}}
- {{MusicBrainz artist | id=51cae821-87eb-4fdb-8932-e97e72e8d1f6 | name=Jeymes Samuel}}
- [http://www.theydiebydawn.com/ They Die By Dawn]
{{BAFTA Outstanding Debut Award}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bullitts, The}}
Category:21st-century Black British male singers
Category:21st-century British male singers
Category:21st-century English composers
Category:21st-century English male musicians
Category:Alternative R&B musicians
Category:Alternative hip-hop musicians
Category:British alternative rock musicians
Category:British hip-hop singers
Category:British film score composers
Category:British male film score composers
Category:British male songwriters
Category:Composers from London
Category:English male singer-songwriters
Category:English people of Brazilian descent
Category:English people of Nigerian descent
Category:English people of Yoruba descent
Category:English pop musicians
Category:English record producers
Category:English singer-songwriters