Bryshere Gray Net Worth

What is Bryshere Gray's Net Worth?

Bryshere Gray is an American actor and rapper who has a net worth of $100 thousand.

Bryshere Gray is best known for playing Hakeem Lyon on the Fox musical drama series "Empire." Also known by the stage name Yazz the Greatest, Gray became one of the breakout stars of the show when it premiered in 2015. His character, the youngest son of Lucious and Cookie Lyon, combined Gray's acting ability with his real-life background as a rapper and performer.

Bryshere Gray also played Michael Bivins in the BET miniseries "The New Edition Story" and appeared in films including "Canal Street," "Honey: Rise Up and Dance," and "Sprinter." His career has been marked by a rapid rise through "Empire," followed by legal problems, personal struggles, and periods away from the spotlight.

Early Life

Bryshere Yazuan Gray was born on November 28, 1993, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up in West Philadelphia and attended Overbrook High School. Before acting, Gray focused on music and performed under the name Yazz the Greatest.

He began building a local reputation in Philadelphia through performances, YouTube videos, and appearances at concerts and festivals. Before becoming famous, he reportedly worked at Pizza Hut and used some of his earnings to help pay for early music projects. His rap career eventually opened the door to acting when he auditioned for a new Fox drama about a hip-hop family empire.

"Empire"

Gray's breakthrough came in 2015 when he was cast as Hakeem Lyon on "Empire." The series was created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong and starred Terrence Howard as music mogul Lucious Lyon and Taraji P. Henson as Cookie Lyon. Hakeem was the youngest Lyon son, a talented but immature rapper trying to prove himself inside the family's record-label dynasty.

"Empire" became an immediate ratings hit and one of the most talked-about shows on television. Gray's music background made him a natural fit for the role, and he performed a number of songs as part of the show's soundtrack. His character's songs, rivalries, romances, and family conflicts helped make him one of the show's central figures.

Gray remained with "Empire" for the show's full run from 2015 to 2020. The series gave him the kind of visibility that very few first-time television actors receive and briefly made him one of the most recognizable young actor-rappers in the industry.

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Other Acting and Music Work

Outside of "Empire," Bryshere Gray's most important role was Michael Bivins in the 2017 BET miniseries "The New Edition Story." The project was a major success for BET and told the story of the R&B group New Edition and its members' later careers. Playing Bivins allowed Gray to work in another music-centered acting role and showed that he could portray a real-life performer rather than only a fictional rapper.

He also appeared in the 2018 films "Canal Street," "Honey: Rise Up and Dance," and "Sprinter." His post-"Empire" screen career slowed significantly, but he continued to be associated with music, independent projects, and reality-TV development.

Legal Issues and Mental Health

In 2020, Bryshere Gray was arrested in Arizona after a domestic-violence incident involving his then-wife. He later pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault and was sentenced to 10 days in jail and three years of probation. He was also ordered to participate in domestic-violence treatment.

In June 2025, Gray was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery in Chesapeake, Virginia, after an alleged altercation with an associate, Dustin "Chosen" Wilkins. Wilkins publicly said that Gray was dealing with mental-health struggles and that he wanted Gray to receive help rather than remain in jail. Gray's family also released a statement saying the incident involved his safety and health, not a payment dispute. The charge was later dismissed after Wilkins asked the court to drop it.

Personal Life

Bryshere Gray has generally kept his personal life more private than his "Empire" fame would suggest. His legal issues and reported mental-health struggles have become part of his public story, but friends and family members have also described him as someone working through serious personal challenges.

Gray's career remains defined by the remarkable speed of his rise. He went from a young Philadelphia rapper with limited acting experience to a starring role on one of the biggest network shows of the 2010s. Whether he returns to major television or focuses on smaller projects, his role as Hakeem Lyon remains one of the most memorable music-driven television performances of that era.

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