MIAMI, Fla. (Aug. 19, 2026) – Bully Lifestyle, the multimedia lifestyle and entertainment platform created by filmmaker, author and entrepreneur Demetrius A. Matthews, today announced the premiere of Bully Lifestyle: Hustle and Bloodlines, a six-episode hybrid documentary and reality series that deep dives into the culture, passion and debate surrounding the bulldog world. The series explores the breed and the people on every side of a culture outsiders often misunderstand, spanning French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, American Bulldogs, American Bullies and the wider bully and bulldog family, using Matthews’ own experience as an entry point.
Part documentary, part personal journey and part unscripted reality television, the series explores the dogs, people, money, health questions, science and relationships that have turned these breeds into a global culture, drawing on interviews with breeders, veterinarians, enthusiasts, families and advocates who believe people should instead adopt from shelters and rescues.
“I didn’t want to make a film telling people that one side is right and the other side is wrong,” Matthews said. “I wanted to go inside this world and listen. I wanted to talk to the breeder. I wanted to talk to the veterinarian. I wanted to meet the families who simply love their dogs. And I wanted to hear from people who believe we shouldn’t be breeding dogs at all and that our attention should be on shelters, rescues and adoption. Those voices belong in the same conversation.”
At the center of the series is a simple question: Why are people so passionate about these dogs? That leads into a larger story examining why certain dogs command high prices, what makes a bloodline valuable, and what separates responsible breeding from irresponsible practices. The series also explores canine genetics and cloning, drawing on Matthews’ own experience researching the process, and its most revealing moments often center on people, not pedigrees.
Visually, Matthews wanted the series to look nothing like a traditional dog documentary, unfolding against the energy, fashion and architecture of Miami and South Florida, and blending documentary conversations with a cinematic lifestyle presentation. Matthews places himself inside the story, drawing on more than 15 years of personal footage woven together with new interviews.
The series expands into what Matthews calls the Bully Universe, a world connecting dogs to culture, family, art, health, science and entrepreneurship that also includes rescue advocates who believe attention should focus on dogs already awaiting homes. The Bully Universe extends to Matthews’ large-format coffee-table book, Bully Lifestyle: A Maximalist Expression, a photographic interpretation of the culture bringing together bulldogs, portraiture, fashion, design and fine-art photography. Together, the book and series form the foundation of a broader platform spanning film, photography, books, art, fashion and digital media.
“People see a bulldog walking down the street and they see the finished picture,” Matthews said. “They don’t necessarily know the family behind that dog, the veterinarian helping care for it, the history behind it, the health questions, the genetics, the disagreements within the community, or why somebody loves that animal as deeply as they do. I wanted to open that door.”
While breeding and bloodlines are part of the story, Matthews said they represent only one part of a broader conversation that weighs the responsibility of intentionally producing dogs against the argument that shelter and rescue dogs deserve greater attention, a tension the series presents rather than resolves.
Matthews is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, producer, photographer and published author whose work frequently explores identity, resilience and misunderstood communities. He is the author of five books, including his memoir, Code Switch: The Diary of Demetrius A. Matthews, tracing his journey from Chicago’s West Side through corporate America and entrepreneurship. With Bully Lifestyle, he appears throughout the series as participant, photographer, filmmaker and student rather than an outside narrator.
Across six episodes, “The Beginning,” “The Hustle,” “Bloodlines,” “Family Ties,” “In the Spotlight” and “The Movement,” viewers follow Matthews through the culture, business, science, controversy and emotional connection surrounding bully and bulldog breeds.
All six episodes are streaming now for $24.99 exclusively at BullyLifestyle.tv. Media representatives may request access to a private series screener.