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The Bullitts

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The Bullitts
Born
Jeymes Samuel

(1979-07-27) 27 July 1979 (age 45)
London, England
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • filmmaker
  • director
  • film composer
  • actor
Years active1999–present
Works
RelativesSeal (brother)
AwardsFull list
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
Labels
Websitewww.thebullitts.com

Jeymes Samuel (born 27 July 1979), also known by his stage name The Bullitts, is a British singer-songwriter, music producer and filmmaker. His debut album, They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories..., was issued in 2013. The Harder They Fall, released in 2021, was his feature film directorial debut, which won him the 2021 BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.

Life and career

[edit]

Samuel initially embarked on a career in filmmaking, having shot his first reels at the age of eight. However he began making music at the age of 13. In the year 2000, he released "When It Rains", his debut single in the form of a 12", under his real name on Giant Step Records. On 1 January 2002, in conjunction with Little League Productions, he released Urban Folk Music: The Prequel. That same year, he contributed background vocals on the song "The Proud", from American rapper Talib Kweli's debut album, Quality. In 2004, he wrote "Serenade", for Icelandic singer Emilíana Torrini's 2005 album Fisherman's Woman. Little League Productions later debuted Samuel's new moniker and released his single "The Bullitts Theme" in 2007.

In 2009, Samuel wrote and co-produced three songs on fellow British singer Mr Hudson's album Straight No Chaser, namely "Straight No Chaser", "Everything Is Broken" (featuring Kid Cudi) and "Time”. In March 2010, he joined a choir called The Purple, The People, The Plastic Eating People. The choir contributed background vocals on the songs "Some Kind of Nature" (featuring Lou Reed) and "Pirate Jet", from the third album by Gorillaz, Plastic Beach (2010).

In 2010, Samuel began uploading "FlixTapes" to YouTube under the pseudonym The Bullitts, named in honour of the 1968 film Bullitt; this was a series of videos in which he added new vocals to his favourite movie and television themes. The first episode, titled "Tales of the Unexpected", was released on 14 November 2010.[1]

"Close Your Eyes", the lead single from his then-upcoming album, premiered in April 2011.[2] The single features narration by American actress Lucy Liu and a verse from American rapper Jay Electronica. Its music video is a re-imagining of the Salvador Dalí and Luis Buñuel film, Un Chien Andalou. In May 2011, the album's second single, "Landspeeder", was released.[3][4] "Landspeeder" was later included on the original motion picture soundtrack to the British 2011 slasher film Demons Never Die.[5]

He issued "Weirdo" in July 2011, a short piece starring Jesse Williams.[6] In it, two young lovers in paper-bag masks spend a day on the streets of London before robbing a newsagents during a declaration of love. For the song "Run and Hide", by Jay Electronica, he directed a film noir in Paris, based around the actress Elisa Lasowski.[7] Samuel played at The Big Chill music festival on 6 August 2011; he was joined onstage by Liu, Electronica and English actor Idris Elba.[8]

The album's third single, titled "Supercool", was premiered on Lowe's show on 4 October 2011.[9] Its accompanying music video featured he dressed as a homeless individual being harassed by someone filming him against his will; during this he bumps into actress Rosario Dawson, and the pair end up having a dance off on the streets of Soho.[10] In 2011, he wrote "Wonderful Life", alongside Estelle Swaray, for Swaray's third album All of Me (2012). In late 2012, he was handpicked by Baz Luhrmann and Jay-Z to be Executive Music Consultant for the soundtrack to the film The Great Gatsby (2013).[11][12]

In early 2013, Samuel wrote, directed and scored the short film titled They Die By Dawn, with an all star cast that includes Michael K. Williams, Erykah Badu, Isaiah Washington, Jesse Williams and Rosario Dawson. The film is set in Langston, Oklahoma in 1890 and is a gun-slinging, black cowboy western.[13] Samuel's first album under the moniker The Bullitts, is titled They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories... and was released on 9 July 2013. The album was produced entirely by himself and features guest appearances from Jay Electronica, Lucy Liu, Mos Def, Rosario Dawson, Doxi Jones and Tori Amos.[14]

In 2021, he directed and co-wrote The Harder They Fall, a revisionist western starring Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, and RJ Cyler. The film, which was initially titled The Notorious Nine, was in development for several years.[15]

In 2022, Netflix announced that Samuel will direct the feature film adaptation of Irredeemable and Incorruptible.[16] In March 2022, it was announced American musician Kid Cudi would direct a film titled Teddy, which would be executive produced by Samuel, alongside Jay-Z and James Lassiter.[17]

Artistry

[edit]

Samuel is on record saying “As a musician, I've always regarded myself as, at root, a folk musician. My voice and my acoustic guitar.”[18] There is a cinematic element to his music and he has created a short film to accompany most of his releases.[19][20]

In a November 2021 interview, Samuel said “My influences musically go back further than time itself. If I'm outside the house, I'm listening to Wu-Tang Clan and Mobb Deep and Jay-Z and Nas. If I'm inside the house, I'm listening to Crosby, Stills and Nash, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne. So my brain is always cooking everything together in both film and music and drawing from all of my influences, and bringing them into the present.”[18]

Personal life

[edit]

Samuel's older brother is Henry Samuel, better known as Seal. His mother, Adebisi Ogundeji, is Nigerian, and his father, Francis Samuel, is Afro-Brazilian.[21] [22]

Discography

[edit]
The Bullitts discography
Studio albums1
Soundtrack albums1
Singles9
Music videos7
Mixtapes1

The discography of The Bullitts consists of one studio album, one soundtrack album, one mixtape and nine singles.

Studio albums

[edit]
List of albums, with selected information
Title Album details
They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories...
  • Released: 9 July 2013[14]
  • Label: Kilburn Lane Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download

Soundtrack albums

[edit]
List of soundtracks, with selected information
Title Album details
The Harder They Fall (Original Score)[A]
  • Released: 14 January 2022[23]
  • Label: Geneva Club, Roc Nation
  • Formats: CD, digital download

Mixtapes

[edit]
List of mixtapes, with selected information
Title Album details
Urban Folk Music: The Prequel[A]
  • Released: 1 January 2002 (UK)[24]
  • Label: Little League Productions
  • Formats: CD, digital download

Singles

[edit]
List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Album
"When It Rains"[A][25] 2000 Non-album single
"Who Write the Songs"[A][26]
(featuring Canibus) 		2003 Urban Folk Music: The Prequel
"Baby Don't Cry"[A][27]
(featuring Kool G Rap)
"The Myspace Song"[A][28] 2006 Non-album singles
"The Bullitts Theme"[29] 2007
"Close Your Eyes"[30]
(featuring Lucy Liu and Jay Electronica) 		2011 They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories...
"Landspeeder"[31]
"Supercool"[32] 2012
"World Inside Your Rainbow"[33]

Guest appearances

[edit]
List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Album Artist(s)
"When It Rains (Restless Soul Mix)"[34][A] 2001 Sessions: Volume One Ron Trent, Felix Hopkins
"Who Write the Songs"[A] 2003 Late Night Tales: Sly & Robbie Sly & Robbie, Canibus
"Too Much Drama"[35][A] 2004 Undercover Cuts Brooklyn B.L.E.S.S.
"Democracy Leaders"[35][A] 2006 Fight the Power —
"Striptease"[36][A] Yam Who Revue Yam Who?
"Bullitts Theme"[37] 2007 Walk Tall, Kick Ass, Love Music —
"Bulletproof"[38] Help George Tabb! Vol. 1 —
"Fade Away"[39][A] 2009 Loss 4 Wordz Scratch
"Run and Hide"[40] 2020 Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn) Jay Electronica
"No Turning Around"[A] 2021 The Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) —

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m as Jeymes Samuel

Production discography

[edit]
List of producer and songwriting credits (excluding features, interpolations, and samples)
Track(s) Year Credit Artist(s) Album

12. "Serenade"

2005 Producer, songwriter Emilíana Torrini Fisherman's Woman

08. "Bullitts Theme"

2007 Producer, songwriter Various artists Walk Tall, Kick Ass, Love Music

04. "Straight No Chaser"

2009 Producer, songwriter Mr Hudson Straight No Chaser

11. "Everything Is Broken"
(featuring Kid Cudi)

13. "Time"

Songwriter

08. "Mr. Grin"

2011 Producer, songwriter The Feeling Together We Were Made

10. "Wonderful Life"
(co-produced by Wonda)

2012 Producer, songwriter Estelle All of Me

06. "Dinner at Tiffany's"
(featuring Charlotte Gainsbourg)

2020 Producer, songwriter Jay Electronica Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn)

16. "10,000 Lotus Petals"

All tracks

2021 Producer, songwriter Various artists The Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Filmography

[edit]

Films

[edit]
Title Year Credited as Studio Notes
Writer Director Producer Composer Actor
They Die by Dawn[41] 2013 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Film Village Corporation Short film
The Great Gatsby No No No Yes No Village Roadshow Pictures / Red Wagon Entertainment Executive music consultant
JAY-Z: Legacy[42] 2017 Yes Yes Yes No No Little Minx Films Short film
Arctic Dogs 2019 No No No Yes No AMBI Media Group / AIC Studios / Assemblage Entertainment / Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures Executive music producer
The Harder They Fall 2021 Yes Yes Yes Yes No Netflix / Overbrook Entertainment Feature film debut
The Book of Clarence 2023 Yes Yes Yes Yes No TriStar Pictures / Legendary Pictures / Westbrook Studios
Teddy 2025 No No Yes Yes No Netflix / Bron Studios / Mad Solar

Music videos

[edit]
As lead artist
List of music videos as lead artist, showing year released and directors
Title Year Director(s)
"Close Your Eyes"
(featuring Lucy Liu and Jay Electronica) 		2010 Jeymes Samuel[43][44][45]
"Weirdo" 2011
"Landspeeder" David S. Blanco and Matt Law[46]
"Those Silly Names" Jeymes Samuel[47][45][48]
"Supercool" 2012
"World Inside Your Rainbow"
As featured artist
List of music videos as a featured artist, showing year released and directors
Title Year Director(s)
"Run and Hide"
(Jay Electronica featuring The Bullitts) 		2011 Jeymes Samuel[49]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Award Year Work/Recipient(s) Category Result Ref.
African-American Film Critics Association 2022 The Harder They Fall Best Picture Won [50]
Best Director Won
Best Ensemble Won
The Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) (with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi) Best Music Won
British Academy Film Awards 2022 The Harder They Fall Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer Won [51]
Black Reel Awards 2022 Outstanding Film Nominated [52]
Outstanding Director Won
Outstanding Screenplay, Adapted or Original Nominated
Outstanding Emerging Director Won
Outstanding Original Score Won
"Guns Go Bang" (with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi) Outstanding Original Song Nominated
"The Harder They Fall" (with Jay-Z and Koffee) Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2022 "Guns Go Bang" (with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi) Best Song Nominated [53]
Critics' Choice Super Awards 2022 The Harder They Fall Best Action Movie Nominated [54]
Denver Film Festival 2021 Best Original Score Nominated [55]
"Guns Go Bang" (with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi) Best Original Song Nominated
Detroit Film Critics Society 2021 The Harder They Fall Best Screenplay Nominated [56]
Georgia Film Critics Association 2022 Best Original Score Nominated
"Guns Go Bang" (with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi) Best Original Song Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association Awards 2022 The Harder They Fall Best Action Film Won [57]
Hollywood Music in Media Awards 2021 "Guns Go Bang" (with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi) Best Original Song in a Feature Film Nominated [58]
Houston Film Critics Society 2022 The Harder They Fall Best Original Score Nominated [59]
"Guns Go Bang" (with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi) Best Original Song Nominated
NAACP Image Awards 2022 The Harder They Fall Outstanding Motion Picture Won [60]
Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture) Won
The Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) (with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi) Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album Won
Satellite Awards 2022 The Harder They Fall Best Original Score Nominated [61]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ TheBullittsTV (14 November 2010). "THE BULLITTS & PASSION PIT- TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED – The FlixTape. EPISODE 1" – via YouTube.
  2. ^ Cochrane, Greg. "Introducing…The Bullitts". BBC. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  3. ^ "Hottest Record – The Bullitts – Landspeeder" 3 May 2011, BBC web site
  4. ^ NME. "NME Bullitts article". The Bullitts to release debut single featuring Jay Electronica and Lucy Liu – video. NME. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  5. ^ "Album Search for "demons never die original motion picture soundtrack"". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  6. ^ "The Bullitts – Weirdo" 8 July 2011, Youtube
  7. ^ "The Bullitts & Jay Electronica "Run & Hide"" 28 July 2011, Complex web site
  8. ^ "The Bullitts debut at The Big Chill 2011" Archived 12 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine 4 August 2011, Virtual Festivals web site
  9. ^ "Hottest Record – The Bullitts – Supercool" 4 October 2011, BBC web site
  10. ^ "The Bullitts – Supercool" 4 January 2012, Youtube
  11. ^ Ramirez, Erika (31 December 2012). "Jay-Z, The Bullitts to Score 'The Great Gatsby'". Billboard. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  12. ^ Vena, Jocelyn; Horowitz, Josh (29 April 2013). "Beyonce's 'Back To Black' Helps Make 'The Great Gatsby' A Bit 'Darker'". MTV News. Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  13. ^ "Song Premiere: The Bullitts Merges Country to Hip-Hop in 'They Die By Dawn'". Rolling Stone. 22 March 2013. Archived from the original on 26 August 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  14. ^ a b "They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories – Album by The Bullitts". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  15. ^ Obenson, Tambay (13 November 2021). "'The Harder They Fall': 6 Other Films to Watch If You Liked Netflix's Black Western". IndieWire. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  16. ^ Perine, Aaron (17 March 2022). "Netflix Producing Irredeemable & Incorruptible Superhero Movie". Comicbook.com. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Kid Cudi to Write, Direct and Star in Netflix's 'Teddy,' Produced by Jeymes Samuel and Jay-Z". 22 March 2022.
  18. ^ a b "Director Jeymes Samuel on the often ignored history of Black cowboys". 9 November 2021.
  19. ^ "'The Harder They Fall': 3 reasons why the Idris Elba starrer cannot be missed". 2 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Biz Markie, Masta Ace to Kick off Summerstage Performances at von King Park in Bed-Stuy". 15 June 2015.
  21. ^ "Jay-Z and Seal's Brother Score 'The Great Gatsby'". 2 January 2013.
  22. ^ Greiving, Tim (10 January 2024). "Jeymes Samuel is writing — and directing and singing — his own Hollywood gospel". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Roc Nation & Geneva Club Release 'The Harder They Fall' Original Score". 17 January 2022.
  24. ^ "Album Search for "the prequel"". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  25. ^ "Jeymes Samuel – When It Rains". Discogs. 6 December 2023.
  26. ^ "Jeymes Samuel – Who Write The Songs". Discogs. 6 December 2023.
  27. ^ "Jeymes Samuel – Baby Don't Cry / Winterfall". Discogs.
  28. ^ "The Myspace Song – Single by Jeymes Samuel". iTunes Store. Apple. 28 May 2006. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  29. ^ "The Bullitts – The Bullitts Theme". Discogs. 6 December 2023.
  30. ^ "Close Your Eyes – EP by The Bullitts". iTunes Store. Apple. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  31. ^ ""Landspeeder" – Single by The Bullitts". iTunes Store. Apple. 3 May 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  32. ^ "Supercool – EP by The Bullitts". iTunes Store. Apple. 8 April 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  33. ^ ""World Inside Your Rainbow" – Single by The Bullitts". iTunes Store. Apple. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  34. ^ "Giant Step Records Sessions, Vol. 1 – Ron Trent – Songs, Reviews, Credits – AllMusic". AllMusic.
  35. ^ a b "Various – Fight The Power". Discogs. 25 September 2006.
  36. ^ "Yam Who Revue by Yam Who? on Apple Music". iTunes. 17 September 2006.
  37. ^ "Album Search for "walk tall kick ass love music"". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  38. ^ "Various – Help George Tabb! Vol. 1". Discogs. 6 December 2023.
  39. ^ "Loss 4 Wordz by Scratch". iTunes. 26 May 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  40. ^ "Kanye West, Jay-Z, Diddy to appear on Jay Electronica's long-awaited debut album". NME. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  41. ^ "Erykah Badu's Film "They die by Dawn" is Exclusively Streaming on Tidal Right Now". 8 April 2015.
  42. ^ "Jay Z "Legacy" Starring Susan Sarandon, Ron Perlman, Jesse Williams! (Short Film)". 22 December 2017.
  43. ^ "THE BULLITTS starring JAY ELECTRONICA & LUCY LIU- CLOSE YOUR EYES". YouTube. 2 December 2010.
  44. ^ "The Bullitts - Weirdo". 18 July 2011.
  45. ^ a b "The Bullitts - Supercool (Starring Rosario Dawson)". 18 January 2012.
  46. ^ "The Bullitts - Landspeeder (Official Video)". YouTube. 15 August 2011.
  47. ^ "The Bullitts - Those Silly Names". YouTube. 31 August 2011.
  48. ^ "The Bullitts - World Inside Your Rainbow". YouTube. 26 June 2012.
  49. ^ "Video: The Bullitts & Jay Electronica "Run & Hide" (Short Film)". Complex Networks.
  50. ^ "Aafca Awards - Aafca". 19 May 2020.
  51. ^ "Congratulations to Jeymes Samuel for winning Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer at the 2022 BAFTA Awards". 13 March 2022.
  52. ^ "The 2021 Black Reel Awards (BRAs) Nominations". Next Best Picture. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  53. ^ "Film Nominations Announced for the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards". criticschoice.com. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  54. ^ Couch, Aaron (22 February 2022). "'Spider-Man,' 'Shang-Chi' Lead Critics Choice Super Awards Film Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
  55. ^ "44th Denver Film Festival Homepage". Denver Film. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  56. ^ Jamieson, Doug (6 December 2021). "Cyrano Named Best Picture by Detroit Film Critics Society". filmotomy.com.
  57. ^ "The 5th Annual HCA Awards". Awardsdaily - The Oscars, the Films and everything in between. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  58. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (4 November 2021). "Beyonce, Van Morrison, Hans Zimmer Receive Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominations". Variety. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  59. ^ Darling, Cary (3 January 2022). "'The Power of the Dog' takes a bite out of Houston Film Critics Society's nominations". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  60. ^ Lewis, Hilary (18 January 2022). "NAACP Image Awards: 'Harder They Fall,' 'Insecure' Lead Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  61. ^ "Power of the Dog, Belfast Lead Nominations for IPA Satellite Awards". December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
[edit]
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