Jussie Smollett Case: "Empire" Execs Doubt Alleged Attack Was Over Salary

BYAron A.6.2K Views
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Jussie Smollett attends the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's 60th Anniversary Opening Night Gala Benefit at New York City Center on November 28, 2018 in New York City.
New reports claim Jussie was frustrated over the reception of his debut album.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson claimed Jussie Smollett staged his own attack to get a pay raise but the executives at Empire aren't buying it, according to TMZEmpire sources claim they never even heard whispers of Smollett's frustration about his salary at the show and if there were, he never mentioned it.

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Jussie Smollett was reportedly making $125K per episode which is on par with his co-star Bryshere Y. Gray. Taraji P. Henson and Terrance Howard reportedly make $250K per episode. The actor was in the midst of a long-term contract with Empire but he nor his reps ever inquired about it.

However, other sources claim that Jussie Smollett's motive for allegedly staging his own attack was the release of upcoming music. Smollett was dissatisfied with the reception of his album and he became more and more stressed after over the debut of new music.

Smollett's fate on Empire is still up in the air, despite his contractual agreements. Last week, it was revealed that he was cut from the final episodes of Empire season 5 in order to "avoid further disruption on the set." A few days later, it was reported that Smollett's character, Jamal Lyon, could be re-cast in upcoming seasons of the show. 

Smollett was charged with felony disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report which carries a maximum 3-5 year sentence. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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