'Empire's' Jussie Smollett, Trai Byers and Bryshere 'Yazz' Gray Cover June Issue of ESSENCE

The fictional Lyon brothers of hit TV show Empire, Andre, Jamal and Hakeem are expanding their kingdom this month to now include ESSENCE’s cover with a photoshoot so hot, we needed four (that’s right, four!) covers.Speaking with the actors behind everyone’s new favorite show, ESSENCE’s West Coast Editor Regina R. Robertson learned more reasons to love the Lyon men.For example, Jussie Smollet, 32, when hearing about the show Lee Daniels was creating, took a long shot and reached out to him in a non-traditional way.