Defiant Jussie Smollett Returns To Concert Stage

The Associated Press reports:

Jussie Smollett was blunt, emotional and defiantly determined Saturday night at a Southern California concert some urged him not to play, telling the crowd before singing a note that he had to go on with the show because he couldn’t let his attackers win.

“The most important thing I can say is ’thank you so much, and I’m OK,” said the “Empire” actor and R&B singer from the stage at the Troubadour in West Hollywood in his first public appearance since he reported to police in Chicago on Tuesday that two masked men had assaulted him and put a rope around his neck while using homophobic and racial slurs.

“I had to be here tonight, y’all. I couldn’t let those (expletives) win,” he said to screams and cheers from the packed room of about 400 people. “I will always stand for love. I will only stand for love.”