Love Lost, Purpose Found

Production Manager: Antheny Raiy

Photography: Owen Duckett

Videography: Dex Pierce

Fashion: Douglas Hickman

Grooming: Mila Thomas

I’m complimenting our cover star’s latest project and poking a little fun at my view on the state of R&B. His laugh isn’t a critique or confirmation—it’s proof of how easy he is to talk to. And talk we did.

It’s a Friday afternoon, and we’re on Zoom. No black square, no profile photo—Algee’s camera is on within seconds. He’s in sunglasses and a sleeveless tee, mirroring the cover art of his latest EP, Love Lost—a seven-track project born from a breakup that blends raw emotion with classic R&B sensibilities. On the surface, he’s relaxed. Behind the shades, though, is the hum of a man moving at full throttle.

Vest: House of Aama

Glasses: Quay

Pants: Ralph Lauren

Shoes: Nike

Within 48 hours, he’ll be shooting our cover and heading into a chemistry read for a project he can’t yet name. That duality—casual charm paired with relentless ambition—feels like the through-line of his career. It’s the same energy that’s carried him from breakout miniseries roles to Oscar-winning films, and now into new creative territory that promises a fresh chapter.

Sweater: Pas Une Marque

Pants: Ksubi

Shoes: Fray

Most people first met him as Ralph Tresvant in The New Edition Story (2017), the fan-favorite miniseries that introduced a wave of new talent, including Keith Powers and Woody McClain. Since then, he’s stacked a résumé with Kathryn Bigelow’s Detroit (2017), The Hate U Give (2018), and the Oscar-winning Judas and the Black Messiah (2021). On television, he became a breakout star as Chris McKay on HBO’s Euphoria.

Coat: Veronica Unsigned

Shirt: Sons of Gemini

Pants: Pas Une Marque

Shoes: Thursday Boots

He’s been busy. Smith has wrapped Prey by Night and the psychological thriller The Gates, is producing the Japanese horror film Yoki, and is already training for another role he can’t reveal just yet.

“Once I can announce it, I’ll definitely come back and tell y’all about it,” he promises, flashing that same grin.

Jacket and Pants:House of Aama

Glasses: Quay

Shoes: Thursday Boots

Born in Saginaw, Michigan, and raised in Atlanta, Smith now splits his time between Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York/New Jersey. The zip codes change, but the storyline doesn’t: he’s always moving toward the next scene. That drive might be in his DNA—he’s Algee Smith IV, carrying a name passed down for generations, and the son of a fashion designer mother who shaped both his eye for style and his discipline. Just as he balances two coasts, he’s navigating two lanes—acting and music—carving out a legacy that’s entirely his own.

Jacket and Pants:House of Aama

Glasses: Quay

Shoes: Thursday Boots

The next day on set, Smith is a trooper. We’re shooting in the Valley on a scorching summer afternoon, styling him in head-to-toe fall looks. Maybe his mother sparked his love of fashion, but today, he’s game for anything, confidently owning every fit. Much like music and acting, fashion feels like another extension of his artistry. Even in the middle of a grueling shoot, he keeps checking in, asking if I’m doing okay. He’s familiar like that—like a friend you met once and somehow never lost.

Jacket and Pants : House of Aama

Shirt: Bleusalt

Shoes: Thursday Boots

By the time the cameras stop flashing, it’s clear that music isn’t just a side gig for Smith—it’s another way he tells his story. His new EP, Love Lost, is proof.

“You know, I went through a breakup,” Smith says. “Obviously, I’m a creative, so I’m in the studio writing. In my mind, I’m like, how do I create something that’s describing a breakup but from a man’s perspective?”

Jacket and Pants : House of Aama

Shirt: Bleusalt

Shoes: Thursday Boots

The EP reflects that mission in every track. On “Departed,” he rides a city groove reminiscent of Usher, over a beat that nods to Busta Rhymes’ “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See.” “That’s one of my favorite joints on this project. It takes me back to a certain nostalgia of R&B. A certain pocket of it. I’m a hip-hop head as well, so I grew up listening to Tribe Called Quest, Busta.”

“Spiraling” cleverly interpolates Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine,” a track that, he says, took patience to finish. “Spiraling took us a long time to get it done, and I’m really proud of it. I’m super thankful for Rodney Jerkins for getting that over the finish line.”

Coat: Veronica Unsigned

Shirt: Sons of Gemini

Pants: Pas Une Marque

Shoes: Thursday Boots

“The Way It Goes” is the most vulnerable track on the record, an acoustic retelling of his breakup. “That was the hardest record to do,” Smith admits. “That was when I had to really sit with myself in the studio, with my writing partners Parker and Marshall and producer Alex Goldblatt. I was really emotional because I was replaying the memories in my head, the things that happened in the relationship, and what caused the breakup.”

Smith blends raw emotion with R&B traditions, crafting something intimate and unmistakably his own. “The easier part was the music—getting in the studio, creating the records. The hard part was figuring out what this project is. Why is it even important? Who is it for? Getting really specific on that.”

Coat: Theo

Shirt: COS

Pants: ASOS

Boots: Fray

If Love Lost shows his vulnerability in music, his filmography reflects his range on screen. Acting has been a crucial part of Smith’s impact, and his choices reveal a willingness to go heavy where others might coast.

“I agree that certain projects I’ve been in were heavy. I’ve felt the weight of filming them. I’ve felt the weight when researching them. Detroit was a heavy one. Judas and the Black Messiah was a heavy one. The Hate U Give was a heavy one. I had to learn how to decompress and let go.

Jacket and Pants:House of Aama

Glasses: Quay

Shoes: Thursday Boots

What draws me to a role is if I read the script and can’t put it down. Or I get goosebumps. Or I care deeply about what the person is going through—then I want to do it. If I don’t connect to it, even if it’s just a good read, my heart’s not in it. I’ve been consistent since I started: I follow my heart and my instincts. That hasn’t led me wrong yet. At least I don’t think so.” He laughs.

Then, with a beat: “I’m for sure going to do a romantic comedy. People have asked me about it. I’m going to do comedy. I want to do a horror film. I want to branch out because I have the range. That’s definitely on the way.”

It’s not just the roles that matter—it’s who he shares the stage with. Being a multi-hyphenate comes with options, and Smith has a clear vision of who he wants to work with, both in film and music.

“I’ve got respect for a lot of people. Let’s start with films: Ryan Coogler, Michael B., Issa Rae, Keke Palmer, Kevin Hart, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Denzel Washington, Antoine Fuqua. I want to work with my homies more, too—Woody [McClain], Keith Powers, Elijah [Kelly], Luke [James].

Sweater: Pas Une Marque

Pants: Ksubi

Shoes: Fray

On the music side, I want to work with Leon Thomas, James Fauntleroy. I’m working with Thank God for Cody—he’s got two records on my new project. SZA, Chris Brown. Everybody that’s great in my field, I want to work with. I want to collab and be creative with them because I respect all of those people.”

For all the grind, Smith’s off-duty life is refreshingly low-key. “I love my dog. I’ve got a British bulldog, so I’m always out with him. I’m a really good pool player, so you can come see me if you want to. I love to bowl. I’m big on prayer, meditation, and spending time with God. Every day I read my Bible. I love taking walks and exercising.” He admits pasta and pizza are his guilty pleasures.

Even so, I can’t help but wonder how he’s really doing—with the work, the music, the heartbreak behind the EP. So I ask: how’s your heart?

Coat: Veronica Unsigned

Shirt: Sons of Gemini

Pants: Pas Une Marque

Shoes: Thursday Boots

“I’m good,” he says. “I’ve healed from that situation. It took a lot. It’s like putting a mirror up to yourself, seeing your flaws, seeing what you have to work on. I’m still doing that. As a man, I think I’ll continue until the day I’m not here. I’m open to relationships. I’m not one of those people who’s like, ‘Nah, I’m never going to love again, this chick crushed my heart.’ I want a beautiful family, a wife, and kids. I’m open to it for sure.”