Jussie Smollett is speaking out about the homophobic and racist attack he suffered in Chicago.
Jussie Smollett is speaking out about the homophobic and racist attack he suffered in Chicago.
The 35-year-old actor and singer took the stage at The Troubadour in Los Angeles on Saturday night for a performance that was scheduled prior to the attack, and during his set, told fans he wanted to clear up certain details he said were wrongly reported.
"There's a lot of stuff that's been said about me that is absolutely not true," Smollett said before speaking out about his injuries. "I was bruised but my ribs were not cracked. They were not broken."
"I went to the doctor immediately. Frank Gatson drove me, I was not hospitalized," he added. "Both my doctors in L.A. and Chicago cleared me to perform, but said to take care, obviously."
Smollett also stressed that he fought back against his attackers.
"And above all I fought the f**k back," he concluded, before joking, "I'm the gay Tupac."
Earlier in the night, Smollett emotionally thanked his fans for coming to his show.
"I'm not fully healed yet, but I'm going to," he said. " And I'm gonna stand strong with y'all, and I had to be here tonight. It sounds powerful but I couldn't let those mother f**kers win."
On Monday, Chicago Police Department spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi tweeted that police were still reviewing security footage, and haven't identified the persons of interest they shared photos of last week.
As previously reported, a source told ET that Smollett was walking around Chicago early last Tuesday morning when two men started yelling racial and homophobic slurs at him, before repeatedly hitting him. The men then poured a substance on him (believed to be bleach), according to the source, and one of the attackers put a rope around his neck. Smollett was then taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Smollett broke his silence about the attack last Friday with a statement.
"My body is strong, but my soul is stronger," the statement read. "More importantly, I want to say thank you. The outpouring of love and support from my village has meant more than I will ever be able to truly put into words."
"I am working with authorities and have been 100 percent factual and consistent on every level," he continued. "Despite my frustrations and deep concern with certain inaccuracies and misrepresentations that have been spread, I still believe that justice will be served."
For more on the attack, watch the video below:
-- Reporting by Joseph Corral
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