Following new revelations that a young girl may have fabricated a hate crime, former Empire star Jussie Smollett defended himself against a sly dig from social media influencer Derrick Jaxn.
The actor's latest controversy stemmed from a comment made by the popular relationship guru.
The Atlanta-based author commented on the recent news of a Virginia teen who claimed to be attacked, held down and have her locs cut by several white peers. Jaxn suggested Amari Allen, a student at Immanuel Christian School in Fairfax, Virginia, where the wife of Vice-President Mike Pence works, was inspired by Smollett.
"Jussie really is a trendsetter," Jaxn wrote underneath a Shade Room post.
Almost instantly, the 36-year-old actor responded with a lengthy rebuke.
"With all due respect brother, y'all can clown me all you want but my story has actually never changed and I haven't lied about a thing," Smollett wrote."Y'all can continue to be misinformed, internalized sheep, who believe what actual proven liars feed you or you can read the actual docs. Either way, I'mma be alright. I know me and what happened. You don't. So carry on. All love."
In February, Smollett alleged two MAGA hat-wearing men accosted him on a winter morning in Chicago. The men, later identified as two former extras on the show Empire, tied a rope around Smollett's neck, poured bleach on him and hurled racial and homophobic slurs at him. The drama played out over the course of several months resulting in — what authorities believed — to be a fabricated incident.
The singer and actor's comment did get a three-word retort from Jaxn in the form of "Justice for Jussie."
