Fan Casting Derrick “Deuce” Hayes (25) in Empire Divide: Streets of Red & Blue

Affiliation: Eastside Blues (East Chicago) Role: Leader / visionary / tactician Nickname Origin: “Deuce” came from being the second son — but also because, in dice games, he always rolled double twos when the stakes were highest. People said he was “born lucky.” BACKGROUND Deuce grew up on the East Side of Chicago, across from the Reds’ territory. His father was a mechanic, his mother a choir singer — two different worlds that couldn’t live together. When his dad dipped, Deuce became the man of the house early. He was smart, tech-savvy, and had a taste for attention. Instead of corner dealing, he ran scams — fake drops, resale loops, and online hustles before anyone else was doing it. At 17, he started Eastside Blues as a new-generation crew that blended hustle with culture. They wore blue not just for territory but for “clarity,” meaning vision. They filmed everything — not to brag, but to document their survival, turning street life into lifestyle. Deuce saw the future before it came: social media made the streets global. But fame comes with a price. When one of his viral videos caught the police’s attention, a raid killed his younger cousin. That’s when Deuce changed — fame became personal, not just profitable. He swore he’d never let someone else write his story again.