Jussie Smollett performed at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on Saturday night, just days after he was allegedly targeted in a hate crime in Chicago.
"I'm the gay Tupac," he declared to cheers from the audience.
The 35-year-old Empire star also assured fans that he is doing well after the attack. "I was bruised, but my ribs were not cracked. They were not broken. I went to the doctor immediately," he said.
"I was not hospitalized. Both my doctors in L.A. and Chicago cleared me to perform but said to take care, obviously."
He added, "Above all, I fought the f**k back."