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Freestyling with "Empire" Star Bryshere Y. Gray

Freestyling with "Empire" Star Bryshere Y. Gray

7:33·By Gemma G
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About this video

Actor, musician, and all-around renaissance man Bryshere Y. Gray pays a visit to the YH Studio to give us the lowdown on his role as Hakeem Lyon on the hit Fox series "Empire", which also happens to be his first-ever acting gig! He tells us about the vibe on set, plus he gives us a taste of some of his freestyling skills, culminating in the sure-to-be hit single "Nikki So Quikki"!

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Young Hollywood

Yeah. I try. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Uh no, you gotta put your no, put your back, put your back into it. Okay. Do you go? Uh and pose. What?

Bryshere Y. Gray

I wanna reign over my empire like Cs. I wanna walk over water and die like Gs.

Young Hollywood

That's it right there. I like you a lot already. Hey. Like you. We've already started rapping and it's a song called Nikki So Quickie. Give me a Nikki. Or a Quickie. What? I was gonna say I bet you're very smooth because I read your Twitter and you're a poet. I'm gonna quote you. Are you ready?

Bryshere Y. Gray

Yep.

Young Hollywood

Um do something your future self will thank you for. Yeah. What have you done that your future self will thank you for? Lately.

Bryshere Y. Gray

Staying on a workout regimen.

Young Hollywood

I saw that! I saw that on your Instagram you're jogging. Where are you going and how far are you going?

Bryshere Y. Gray

And I can't tell you exactly where cause that's my spot. Yeah, I can't tell you where.

Young Hollywood

Do you think I'm gonna show up there?

Bryshere Y. Gray

No. But yeah, that's what I do every morning. You know I try to stay fit.

Young Hollywood

Okay. Um taste your words before you spit them out. You know, think before you speak. Sometimes you may say some things and it can hurt somebody, you know, really bad and you don't you don't wanna be a bully. People in the club so hot that she ready to pop. The first episode was called the Outspoken King. Which I think could be you maybe. Maybe. Who in your opinion is sort of like the King of Rap? Like the what?

Bryshere Y. Gray

Black Thought.

Young Hollywood

Yeah. To me. Black Thought. Yeah, why?

Bryshere Y. Gray

He he just can handle his own, you know, in front of arenas, in front of thousands of people and just stay in one spot and give you straight bars. Just just bars.

Young Hollywood

Um you're not a bad rapper. You're not a bad freestyler. You said you were gonna teach me. Yeah. Okay. Nicki, Nicki, Nicki. Give me a little clap or something. I need a beat. Oh, you're the beat. You're the beat. Yeah, you should come on now. Let's juice it up a little bit in here. Ah. Yo. My name Nicki. I work on TV. I work on TV. Don't hate me when you see me. Oh, yeah. My name Nicki. Yeah. Nicki. Yeah. Nicki. Sure is. Yeah. There we go. There we go. That's called that's called Nicki So Quickie. Nicki So Number one, I can see it. It's gonna happen. You are gonna be performing at the Billboard Music Awards. So excited.

Bryshere Y. Gray

Me and Jesse and Estelle will bless the stage.

Young Hollywood

Are you nervous about this performance or no? You don't get nervous.

Bryshere Y. Gray

No. No. I'm excited to bless the stage and set it on fire.

Young Hollywood

What are you singing?

Bryshere Y. Gray

I can't tell you. This is a surprise for the world.

Young Hollywood

Does it include drip or drop or a drip, drip, drip.

Bryshere Y. Gray

I don't know. Maybe. Water dropping. Water running. Maybe.

Young Hollywood

Is it true that you had not really acted that much before you got this role?

Bryshere Y. Gray

Yeah, this is my first acting role and it's crazy because my first scene was getting whooped. Getting beat by the broom. You know, a great message to kids. Don't disrespect your parents. And I was glad. I was happy to be a part of that.

Young Hollywood

But look how you turned it around. By the end of season one, you're making out with Naomi Campbell, so things came a long way for you. You have some pretty sick guest stars. Sick. Like who? I mean, you had I mean, Snoop was pretty cool.

Bryshere Y. Gray

Snoop was cool. Every day is fun, a great experience. Terrence and Taraji are the most like lively. They bring everything.

Young Hollywood

Do they? What is the vibe like on set?

Bryshere Y. Gray

Loud.

Young Hollywood

Is it?

Bryshere Y. Gray

It's loud, it's energetic. It's a great spirit. You know, we all love each other. So, it's great energy.

Young Hollywood

What's the dream? What do you dream about?

Bryshere Y. Gray

I dream about, you know, making sure my family is happy that if I have kids that they got a solidified foundation.

Young Hollywood

You're already thinking about kids?

Bryshere Y. Gray

Yeah. You got to. You gotta make sure your generation of family is straight, you know, when you leave. And I just wanna I wanna inspire kids to follow their dreams.

Young Hollywood

Craziest fan experience you've had so far? I saw something on your Instagram, it was a video and people were just like holding up their phones and trying to get a shot of you and it must be kinda surreal.

Bryshere Y. Gray

I call them supporters. They're family. You guys are family. Not not fans. I know you get a little excited if you see me cause I'm on your TV and you see me and it's like, is he really? But it's okay. It's okay. You know, just come keep giving me love and I'm gonna keep accepting it and give it right back.

Young Hollywood

I'm gonna go back to my my game. What game is this?

Bryshere Y. Gray

The titles. Titles. Our dancing days. Okay.

Young Hollywood

Jesse was in here. He taught me a move. Remember when Tz was like, So I creep. Yeah, that's the dance. He taught me the creep. Was the creep? Stand up. It was like I try. Yeah. Yeah. Come on, you can do it. Put your back into it. Okay. Yeah, that's good enough. And pose. What? I wanna have your life based on Instagram. You hashtagged Young Hollywood. LA Nights. With some girl, I think, Ariana somebody. Oh. And Justin someone. That's cool. Just a fun night?

Bryshere Y. Gray

Just a fun night.

Young Hollywood

Cause you hashtagged Young Hollywood. Were you giving us a shout out?

Bryshere Y. Gray

Yes. Hollywood. Shout out to LA.

Young Hollywood

And then very last but not least, now that you just said that. The last episode was called Who Am I? Who do you think you are?

Bryshere Y. Gray

The voice of a young millennials. That's me. The poet. The rapper. The activist. The king. The prince. Keep going. Astronaut. Maybe an alien.

Young Hollywood

I wouldn't be surprised. Yeah. It was great having you here. Congrats on all your success.

Bryshere Y. Gray

Thanks.

Young Hollywood

Can't wait for season two.

Bryshere Y. Gray

Season two.

Timestamps are approximate — click one to jump the player.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

  • Justin Bieber

    Mentioned as part of a fun night

  • Ariana Grande

    Mentioned as part of a fun night

  • Naomi Campbell

    Co-starred with Bryshere in Empire

  • Snoop

    Guest star on Empire

  • Terrence Howard

    Co-star on Empire

  • Taraji P. Henson

    Co-star on Empire

  • Black Thought

    Considered King of Rap by Bryshere

  • Jesse Smolett

    Co-star on Empire, taught a dance move

  • Estelle

    Will perform with Bryshere and Jesse at Billboard Music Awards

FAQ

What role does Bryshere Y. Gray play on "Empire"?+
Bryshere Y. Gray plays the role of Hakeem Lyon on the hit Fox series "Empire".
Was "Empire" Bryshere Y. Gray's first acting role?+
Yes, "Empire" was Bryshere Y. Gray's first-ever acting gig.
Who does Bryshere Y. Gray consider the King of Rap?+
Bryshere Y. Gray considers Black Thought to be the King of Rap.
What is the vibe like on the set of "Empire"?+
The set of "Empire" is described as loud, energetic, and full of great spirit, with everyone loving each other.
What is Bryshere Y. Gray's philosophy on fans?+
Bryshere Y. Gray refers to his fans as "supporters" and "family," not just fans.
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