Jussie Smollett’s life is about to imitate his art. The Empire star has signed a record deal with Columbia Records. Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon on Empire, showcases his singing skills on a weekly basis and can definitely sing. Smollett revealed his record deal to Entertainment Weekly.
“There will be a Jussie Smollett album. I signed to Columbia,” he said. “So, darling [laughs], I’m label mates with Beyoncé and Adele and Barbra Streisand.”
Smollett also went on to discuss how he’s dealing with his newfound fame.
“The other day I went to Whole Foods and bought some chewable vitamin C and got mobbed by, like, 15 girls,” he said. “I kind of feel like how Michael Jackson must have felt after Thriller was out and he had to come out with Bad. Here we are through the first season and we’re five months out until we start the second season, and I’m like, ‘What the hell are y’all gonna do next?’ Because it’s going to be very difficult to top this season.”
Smollett is hoping to work with Timbaland and Terrence Howard on his album. Who knew Howard had music-production skills?
“It’s going to be a whole different thing,” he said. “Now the Empire family will still have something to do with it. I would love for Terrence to come and oversee the production of all of the music. And I would love for Timbaland to come on, and Jim Beanz. We’ve all talked and they’re all down to work on it.”