Jeymes Samuel (born 27 July 1979), also known by his stage name The Bullitts, is a British filmmaker, singer-songwriter, music producer and composer. He won the 2021 BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for his feature film directorial debut The Harder They Fall, released in 2021.
Life and career
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.
"Close Your Eyes", the lead single from his then-upcoming album, premiered in April 2011. 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."Hottest Record – The Bullitts – Landspeeder" 3 May 2011, BBC web site "Landspeeder" was later included on the original motion picture soundtrack to the British 2011 slasher film Demons Never Die.
He issued "Weirdo" in July 2011, a short piece starring Jesse Williams."The Bullitts – Weirdo" 8 July 2011, Youtube 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."The Bullitts & Jay Electronica "Run & Hide"" 28 July 2011, Complex web site Samuel played at The Big Chill music festival on 6 August 2011; he was joined onstage by Liu, Electronica and English actor Idris Elba."The Bullitts debut at The Big Chill 2011" 4 August 2011, Virtual Festivals web site
The album's third single, titled "Supercool", was premiered on Lowe's show on 4 October 2011."Hottest Record – The Bullitts – Supercool" 4 October 2011, BBC web site 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."The Bullitts – Supercool" 4 January 2012, Youtube 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).
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. 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.
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.
In 2022, Netflix announced that Samuel will direct the feature film adaptation of Irredeemable and Incorruptible. 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.
Artistry 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.” There is a cinematic element to his music and he has created a short film to accompany most of his releases.
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.”
Personal life 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.
Discography
The discography of The Bullitts consists of one studio album, three soundtrack album, one extended play (EP), one mixtape and nine singles.
Studio albums + List of albums, with selected information Title Album details They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories... Released: 9 July 2013 Label: Kilburn Lane Music Formats: CD, digital download
Soundtrack albums + List of soundtracks, with selected information Title Album details The Harder They Fall (Original Score) Released: 14 January 2022 Label: Geneva Club, Roc Nation Formats: CD, digital download The Book of Clarence (Original Motion Picture Score) Released: 11 January 2024 Label: Legendary, Milan Formats: CD, digital download The Book of Clarence (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) Released: 12 January 2024 Label: Geneva Club, Roc Nation Formats: CD, digital download
EPs + List of extended plays, with selected information Title Album details Supercool Released: 8 April 2012 Label: The Outfit Agency Limited, Salvador, Shamrock Solutions Formats: CD, digital download
Mixtapes + List of mixtapes, with selected information Title Album details Urban Folk Music: The Prequel Released: 1 January 2002 Label: Little League Productions Formats: CD, digital download
Singles + List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Album "When It Rains" 2000rowspan="1" "Who Write the Songs"(featuring Canibus) 2003 Urban Folk Music: The Prequel "Baby Don't Cry"(featuring Kool G Rap) "The Myspace Song" 2006rowspan="2" "The Bullitts Theme" 2007 "Close Your Eyes"(featuring Lucy Liu and Jay Electronica) 2011 They Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories... "Landspeeder" "Supercool" 2012 "World Inside Your Rainbow"
Guest appearances + 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)" 2001 Sessions: Volume One Ron Trent, Felix Hopkins "Who Write the Songs" 2003 Late Night Tales: Sly & Robbie Sly & Robbie, Canibus "Too Much Drama" 2004 Undercover Cuts Brooklyn B.L.E.S.S. "Democracy Leaders" 2006 Fight the Power "Striptease" Yam Who Revue Yam Who? "Bullitts Theme" 2007 Walk Tall, Kick Ass, Love Music "Bulletproof" Help George Tabb! Vol. 1 "Fade Away" 2009 Loss 4 Wordz Scratch "Run and Hide" 2020 Act II: Patents of Nobility (The Turn) Jay Electronica "No Turning Around" 2021 The Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Notes
Production discography +List of production (songwriting and arrangement) and sole songwriting credits (excluding guest appearances, interpolations, and samples)+ Track(s) Year Credit Artist(s) Album 12. "Serenade"2005Producer, songwriterEmilíana TorriniFisherman's Woman 08. "Bullitts Theme"2007Various artists Walk Tall, Kick Ass, Love Music04. "Straight No Chaser" 2009Mr Hudson Straight No Chaser11. "Everything Is Broken"13. "Time"Songwriter08. "Mr. Grin" 2011Producer, songwriter The FeelingTogether We Were Made10. "Wonderful Life" 2012Estelle All of Me 2013 The BullittsThey Die By Dawn & Other Short Stories...06. "Dinner at Tiffany's" 2020Jay Electronica Act II: The Patents of Nobility (The Turn)16. "10,000 Lotus Petals"2021 Various artistsThe Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) 2024 Jeymes SamuelThe Book of Clarence (Original Motion Picture Score)The Book of Clarence (The Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Filmography
Films Title Year Credited as Studio Notes Writer Director Producer Composer They Die by Dawn 2013 Film Village Corporation Short film; also actor The Great Gatsby Warner Bros. Pictures / Village Roadshow Pictures / Red Wagon Entertainment Executive music consultant JAY-Z: Legacy 2017 Little Minx Films Short film Arctic Dogs 2019 AMBI Media Group / AIC Studios / Assemblage Entertainment / Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures Executive music producer The Harder They Fall 2021 Netflix / Overbrook Entertainment Feature film debut The Book of Clarence 2023 TriStar Pictures / Legendary Pictures / Westbrook Studios Teddy 2025 Netflix / Bron Studios / Mad Solar
Music videos 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 "Weirdo" 2011 "Landspeeder" David S. Blanco and Matt Law "Those Silly Names" Jeymes Samuel "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
Awards and nominations AwardYearWork/Recipient(s)CategoryResult African-American Film Critics Association 2022The Harder They Fall Best Picture Best Director Best Ensemble The Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) Best Music British Academy Film Awards2022The Harder They FallOutstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer Black Reel Awards2022Outstanding FilmOutstanding DirectorOutstanding Screenplay, Adapted or OriginalOutstanding Emerging DirectorOutstanding Original Score"Guns Go Bang" Outstanding Original Song"The Harder They Fall" Critics' Choice Movie Awards2022"Guns Go Bang" Best Song Critics' Choice Super Awards 2022The Harder They Fall Best Action Movie Denver Film Festival2021 Best Original Score"Guns Go Bang" Best Original Song Detroit Film Critics Society 2021The Harder They FallBest ScreenplayGeorgia Film Critics Association2022 Best Original Score"Guns Go Bang" Best Original Song Hollywood Critics Association Awards 2022The Harder They FallBest Action Film Hollywood Music in Media Awards2021"Guns Go Bang" Best Original Song in a Feature Film Houston Film Critics Society2022The Harder They Fall Best Original Score "Guns Go Bang" Best Original Song NAACP Image Awards2022 The Harder They FallOutstanding Motion Picture Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture)The Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album Satellite Awards 2022The Harder They FallBest Original Score
References
External links
They Die By Dawn