Who is Bryshere Gray? Networth, arrests and more explored as Empire actor charged with assault and battery in Virginia

Bryshere Gray, best known for playing Hakeem Lyon on Empire, has been charged with one misdemeanor count of assault and battery in Chesapeake, Virginia.

According to a report in TMZ, the incident took place on June 13, 2025, at Homewood Suites, when he got involved in an altercation with a private citizen named Dustin “Chosen” Wilkins, a longtime associate of Gray. Wilkins allegedly filed the charges, but the police did not arrest the 31-year-old actor.

Wilkins informed the police that the altercation had broken out between them following an argument. He claimed that Gray charged at him from behind the car, resulting in Wilkins filing a complaint. Gray is due in court on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

Bryshere Gray, also known by his stage names Yazz the Greatest or simply Yazz, is an American actor and rapper born on November 28, 1993, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In addition to acting, he is also a rapper and has been rapping since he was 16, per National Today. He released singles including Homework (2012) and Respect (2013).

Continue to read more about Bryshere Gray’s net worth and his past arrests.

What else do we know about Bryshere Gray?

Bryshere Y. Gray’s full name is Bryshere Yazuan Gray. His mother is Andria Mayberry, an American author and celebrity. She is known for the book, “Before Empire: Raising Bryshere ‘Yazz the Greatest’ Gray.” She got pregnant with Gray when she was a teenager, but was sadly abandoned by his biological father.

Bryshere Gray took to fame after he won a role in Empire but before that he worked as a street performer to make ends meet, in order to support his single mother.

The Fox’s musical drama series aired from 2015 to 2020, and went on to attract a wide viewership. Its success has been reflected in the salaries earned by the cast, including Gray. He reportedly has a net worth of $2 million, per Celebrity Net Worth.

The report indicated that Gray also got the opportunity to perform at music festivals and open for artists such as 2 Chainz and Fabolous. In 2015 he signed with Columbia Records as a solo act. His work credits also include The New Edition Story (2017) and The Starboys.

In 2019, Bryshere Gray married his wife, Candace Jimdar, according to DNB Stories. He was arrested in July 2020 in Arizona after his wife accused him of domestic violence, per a report in Deadline.

In her complaint, she claimed that he strangled her to the point that she was left unconscious. He was reportedly sentenced to spend 10 days in an Arizona county jail and three years of probation, a report in People magazine stated.

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He was later arrested in November 2022 for allegedly violating his probation after he failed to inform his probation officer about multiple encounters with law enforcement, according to a report in TMZ. This included an incident with a woman who reported escalating behavior and concerns for her safety. He was then arrested after a judge issued a warrant.

Bryshere Gray’s recent arrest came in 2024 when he was charged with “trespassing an unoccupied structure or conveyance,” in Hallandale Beach, Florida, per a report in Distractify. He was reportedly booked on July 26, 2024, according to Broward County arrest records. But he was later released after posting a $150 bond.

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