Jussie Smollett Must Come Clean to Reclaim Hollywood Career, Osundairo Lawyer Says

Jussie Smollett is trying to make a Hollywood comeback, but the hate crime hoax will always hang over his head if he doesn't come clean about what really happened ... at least according to the attorney for the brothers who say Jussie hired them to stage the 2019 attack.

Gloria Rodriguez reps Abel and Ola Osundairo -- the Nigerian brothers who claim Jussie hired them to beat him up on a freezing cold night in Chicago -- tells TMZ ... Smollett is making his comeback attempt harder on himself and wasting his talent by not being honest.

ICYMI ... Jussie recently told Variety the real "villains" in his alleged attack are the Chicago Police Department and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. He also told the outlet he was sticking to his original story that two MAGA hat-wearing Trump supporters in masks attacked him, doused him with bleach, put a noose around his neck and shouted racist and homophobic slurs.

Rodriguez says the attack story is going to follow Jussie around until he tells the truth ... she feels "the public is tired of his lies" and says he needs people on his side if he really wants to get back to the career path he was on before the 2019 hoax.

Jussie was convicted of the hate crime hoax, but it was later overturned on a technicality -- he had struck a deal with prosecutors -- and Rodriguez says authorities and a jury of 12 believed the Osundairo brothers' version of events.

Rodriguez tells TMZ ... "Jussie is as guilty as he was when he concocted this plan. He filed a false police report." She says no world exists where both Jussie and the Osundairo bros can be telling the truth.

Jussie's got new music coming out, he's directed a movie and is featured in an upcoming FOX reality show ... but Rodriguez says if Jussie really wants to be a star again, the public will have to want him back ... and she think's that's impossible unless he offers "genuine reflections" and admits "this was a prank that went too far."

Rodriguez says Jussie blaming Rahm is absurd ... she says the mayor has no authority to file criminal charges and could only authorize a lawsuit ... and she applauds police for investigating Jussie's claims.

The City of Chicago went after Jussie for a six-figure sum, claiming he owed them for all the money that went into the investigation ... but as we first reported, Jussie struck a deal where he only had to donate $50,000 to a charity of his choice.

Rodriguez says Jussie wasted people's time, energy and taxpayer money ... and he still doesn't recognize the expense to the City of Chicago or its residents.

She says the Osundairo bros want Jussie to be honest with himself and the public, but they're not spiteful over what's unfolded and wish him the best.