Previously on "Empire"... Music streaming will make Empire
the dominant player in the music industry.
Swiftstream. It's ready for a merger.
"Cookie's Cookout." In Harlem.
That's in Big Heavy's territory.
COOKIE: I'm not doing business with him,
not after what he did to my son.
So who you calling a little bitch now, huh?!
Pull the trigger, you gonna force me to step in front of the bullet.
I'm handling it. You need to be handling
business, not booty.
Fall back.
I would be honored to submit a song.
Congratulations, Jamal.
HAKEEM: I'm dropping my last name.
From here on out, I go by Hakeem.
Think I'm in love,
but we still homies, right?
I still think you dope.
So what did you have to tell me?
ANIKA: Nothing.
Rhonda's pregnant.
I've always wanted a grandson.
Babies are like kryptonite for Lucious. Really?
Where to?
Loretha! Our sister Carol is on a bender,
saying this was all Cookie and Jermel's fault.
We gotta go to Philly.
♪ ♪
Yo!
Loretha!
What?
Slow down, before I break my damn heel!
Yeah, made in Hong Kong, I'm sure.
Girl, get to steppin'! I gotta get back to New York.
Look, I am not leaving Philadelphia
till I find Carol, and neither are you!
Look, Candace, we been looking for Carol for two days.
And...? We ain't found her.
And I need to get back to my Cookout,
because I worked really hard on it
and it's very important to me.
Well, maybe it's time
for other things to be important to you.
Like Carol.
Shut your dumb ass up.
Why is it every time Carol gets missing,
the world stops turning?
Because she's our sister, stupid.
Yeah, well, ain't nobody send no search party for me
when I was locked up all them 17 years.
Maybe because we knew where you were.
Yeah, I can count on one hand
how many times your bougie ass came to visit me.
Well, you can keep on counting, Cookie,
'cause I don't do prisons.
Bitch.
I want this whole city plastered with these posters!
Or you fired.
I'm dead serious.
That's my mom?
Yo, Ma, where you been at?
I been trying to get at you all day. Where you at?
Boy, didn't I tell you I was
out of town handling some business?
Yeah, well, you need to start taking care
of some business here. You need to come back here now.
Hakeem, I ain't got time for this, boy.
What you want?
We gettin' crazy shine off me winning the battle.
Plus, your Cookout sold out this morning,
and Rock Steady Park wants us to add a second show.
Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes!
Okay, you tell Laz to book the venue right now.
Make sure Laura and those girls
are rehearsing around the clock.
They gotta build up their stamina
to open two nights. Okay?
I'm counting on you to call all the shots
while I'm stuck up here.
Look...
I want you to know I'm very proud of you, okay?
And I love you so much.
All right, I love you, too, Ma.
Hey! Get your drink off my mixing board...
You know, that Lucious
was always a smooth-talkin', low-down, dirty dog,
but it seems like he did right with them boys.
Yeah, he did all right.
Sometimes bad dudes make decent fathers.
Sometimes.
How is, uh... Brittany...
Brianna, right? Yeah, Brianna.
And Franklin. She's an honor student.
Champion figure skater.
And my Franklin?
President of the debate team.
Mmm, well.
Do they know they half black? (laughs)
Oh, damn. What?
Uh, Candace...
remember where Carol used to hang out
when she first started gettin' high?
Oh, hell to the no!
We gotta go there. No, no, no, no.
Loretha, I don't do prisons,
I'm definitely not doing a crack house.
Would you stop acting like Diahann Carroll, heffa?
You ain't been living in the suburbs
with that white man all your life.
♪ Whoo! ♪
♪ It's the Dynasty ♪
♪ You perform miracles ♪
♪ Miracles ♪
♪ So you want to rule the world ♪
♪ Walk across the ocean ♪
♪ Miracles ♪
♪ You can do it if you want it ♪
♪ 'Cause you perform miracles ♪
♪ Girl ♪ ♪ My girl... ♪
♪ Every moment is miraculous ♪
♪ With you around is easy ♪
♪ Never hard like calculus ♪
♪ My strong black queen ♪
♪ I feel like anything is possible ♪
♪ We make magic happen ♪
♪ And overcome every obstacle ♪
♪ Do you believe in miracles? ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ When we're together, it's miracles ♪
♪ You should let me show you that ♪
♪ Show you that ♪
♪ No, you should let me show you that ♪
♪ You perform miracles ♪
♪ Miracles ♪ ♪ Miracles ♪
(over phone): ♪ So you want to rule the world ♪
♪ Walk across the ocean ♪
♪ Miracles ♪
♪ You can do it if you want ♪
♪ 'Cause you perform miracles... ♪
(door creaks open, rap music plays in distance)
COOKIE: You know Carol? MAN: Nah.
(people coughing in distance)
Carol?
Hey. Excuse me.
You know Carol?
Huh? Get outta here, man.
(sighs) Carol?
Candace...
Carol?
(people murmuring, grumbling)
Carol?
(moans, gasps)
It's not her.
Oh, thank God.
(sighs)
Where the hell is she?
(fast-tempo intro playing, photographers clamoring)
♪ I ain't never gone ♪
♪ Never gone nowhere ♪
♪ Quit actin' brand-new, you know I've been right here ♪
♪ Lately I been on... ♪
I was thinking about the commercial.
The theme of it should be, like, legacy.
Yeah? Where'd you come up with that?
This is epic.
I mean, a young prince paying homage
to his father? Very Shakespearean.
Dad, I don't know if that's the way
that Pepsi's going with it, but we'll see.
It's cool, though.
♪ Ms. Jackson, oh, she wear the crown ♪
♪ Gotta burn it up. ♪
Thank you guys so much for being here today.
Today my son, Jamal Lyon, heads into the studio
to start recording on his next masterpiece.
It's called The Black and White Album,
and for the very first track,
we have the incomparable Skye Summers on it.
We got time for just a few questions, so...
(reporters clamoring)
Brenda, you go first.
Uh, my question is for Ms. Summers. Oh.
Skye, does this mean you'll be signing with Empire?
Uh...
We are so happy with our label.
But we couldn't be more excited to be working with Jamal
and the legendary Lucious Lyon.
(audience exclaims) Now, hold on, hold on.
What's up with this "legendary" stuff?
You makin' me sound Neolithic or something.
(laughter)
Trust me, I got a few good decades left in me.
But for the record, Empire would be thrilled
to have Skye Summers on its roster.
And, Jamal, how excited are you
to be working with a multi-platinum-selling
artist like Skye Summers?
Oh, my goodness.
How excited am I?
I'm crazy excited. Are you kidding me?
Skye, I don't want to embarrass you too much,
but, y'all, I'm sorry.
I am the O.G. Skye Summers fan.
And-and her first CD was the very first CD I ever bought.
You know, I scratched it up
till it couldn't play anymore.
And I love her.
I'm in love with Skye Summers.
Y'all can print that. (laughter)
(reporters clamoring)
(quietly): I'm not really feeling this thing.
Let's hit the studio.
You know I came to play.
I am so down. Come on, now.
Dad?
Okay, if y'all want us to produce
diamond, platinum and gold albums,
you're gonna have to let us get to work.
Have a good one. Lucious!
REPORTERS (calling out): Lucious! Lucious!
♪ Miracles ♪
♪ So you wanna rule the world ♪
♪ Rule the world ♪
♪ Walk across the ocean ♪
(in distance): ♪ Miracles, miracles... ♪
Yo. Yo.
What're you doing here?
Chill. Just chill.
You hear that? Uh-huh.
That's them practicing their asses off,
'cause they're gonna do a second show.
It's not time to get paid.
Yo, Laz, these people are loaded.
Why we just ripping off the music gigs?
Because that's the play.
Well, I'm starting to think we should be cutting deeper.
Shake 'em down from all sides.
Know what, Hev?
The deal's off.
Ain't on you to call anything off.
I think it is.
Hmm?
You pulling on me?
You think you're the only one
who came heavy, bro?
Trust me,
you two in the dome by the time you... (gun cocks)
By the time what?
Hmm?
I'm disappointed in you.
Here I thought we was in this for life.
Or death.
That's your call.
(phone chimes, blips)
You know what? I can't. I can't.
Hit 95 North, please.
For what? I got to get back to Lyon Dynasty.
Look, Carol is always coming up missing, okay?
She'll turn up sooner or later. She always does.
No, no, no, you're not going anywhere.
Head toward Olney Plaza, please.
Uh, I have to go back to New York.
What happened to Jermel, Cookie?
Why did his head end up in a box?
You know as much as me.
You're a damn liar.
This is all your fault.
Do you understand that?
Like when we were kids.
Who gave Carol her first drink and brought her home drunk?
You know what? It is not my fault she couldn't
hold her liquor. Oh, no, you...
I don't have to take this from you!
Oh, yes. Pull this car over!
No! No, no...! Pull over! Now!
Pull this damn car over!
Cookie!
Cookie...
Get back in the car! No! No.
It's all my fault, then I don't need to be here.
But listen... Look...
why don't you take my car and go look for her yourself?
I'll just catch a cab back to New York.
Listen to me. Listen to me!
Girl, get your hands off my fur!
Listen! What?!
If I find Carol dead,
it's on you.
Don't kid yourself, Candace.
It's always on me.
(sighs)
COOKIE: Hey, Pepper girl. Yeah.
Nah, nah, I'm still in Philly.
Candace? No. (chuckles)
I ditched her tight bougie ass.
I couldn't take it no more.
Yeah, but I can't leave Carol twisting in the wind,
so I'm gonna need your help finding her.
Yeah, I'm gonna come to you right now. Is that cool?
Where are you nowadays?
Damn, bitch, all the way out in the suburbs?!
Nah, it's cool. It's cool.
I'll see you in a minute.
So? What do you think?
RHONDA: Oh!
Lucious, this is... stunning.
I mean, I can't get over it.
No. Six bedrooms.
More than enough room for a nursery.
And get this. What?
You could have the nanny's quarters below.
(gasps) Amazing! Amazing.
I don't know what to say.
We, uh, can't thank you enough for this.
Yeah. No, no, no.
The thank you is to you two.
Because of y'all, the Lyon legacy is gonna live on.
I mean, when Hakeem decided he was gonna drop his last name,
I realized then that I got to start looking
to the next generation.
Mm-hmm.
(laughs) (gibbering happily)
(laughs) This is the future!
Oh!
Oh. Please take a look at the rest of your house.
I am gonna go decide where the nursery's gonna go.
RHONDA: Wow!
Your faith.
Can't believe it, but it's made you a stronger man.
It made you a man of conviction.
My grandson is so fortunate and blessed
to have you as his father.
I'm through testing you, Dre.
You mean it?
From my core.
Thank you, Pop.
And what you said,
it means more to me than all of this.
(laughing)
I'm so proud of you, man.
But you gotta admit,
it's a pretty damn nice gift, ain't it?
(both laugh)
You know what? I think we need to move
a lot faster on this Swiftstream deal.
I want us to be the dominant force
in music streaming long before my grandson is potty-trained.
I've been working on that, and I think I've found a solution.
You ever hear of Bowie Bonds?
Yeah, something about Bowie wanting to buy his, um,
music catalog back from an ex-manager
he had a falling out with.
Right, and as a result, he came up with a concept
of forfeiting future royalties for cash on hand.
Are you saying we can raise the money we need
by using my old music as collateral?
Bingo. That's genius.
Let's do it.
There's a catch.
Mom still owns half the publishing rights
over some of those early songs.
The ones that are most valuable.
Damn.
Hey, hold off on the new posters until I confirm night two.
Had a few hiccups with the venue.
I just want to make sure that's squared away.
Let's get the copy ready for when I'm back.
Laz, let me holla at you.
Yeah, okay, Hakeem.
Uh, I want to go over the press calendar next when I get back.
Have that ready.
Close the door.
There a problem? You tell me.
I heard Big Heavy and his boys came and paid us a visit?
I can't have them boys coming around here,
making my girls nervous.
I feel you, all right?
But I took care of it.
They're not gonna come back again.
Good.
Look, man, I know I've been hard on you.
My label is my life.
My mom, she deserves the best.
She does.
As do you.
And that's real talk.
Thank you, but I don't need no props.
We should have announced my second concert by now.
We got a lot of tickets to sell.
Why you stalling?
Look, I'm not stalling.
You just need to trust me.
All right?
All right.
But this is my time.
So I trust you'll make it happen.
I will.
That's a bet.
Don't let me down.
COOKIE: What, Lucious?
Hey, Cookie.
Look, I need to talk to you about something.
It's real important.
I am walking all alone, by myself,
in a very dangerous neighborhood,
so just get to the point.
What, you need me to come and get you?
No, I just need you to tell me what you want.
Now, look here, I'm about to purchase this company
called Swiftstream-- it's a music streaming service to...
WOMAN: Cookie?
Okay, Lucious, you gonna have to
talk to me about it later. Okay.
Wait, wait, wait, wait...!
Damn, Pepper, it took you long enough to hit me back!
Girl, you still rocking a pager?
Someone has to make the muffins, honey.
Baker's hours are no joke.
Come here! Aw...
Oh, my goodness! Aw, so good!
(cash register rings)
Damn, Cookie, you look like a million bucks.
Just a million, huh?
I must be slipping.
Nah, you're keeping it firm, honey.
I remember you,
making us all do laps around the yard, right?
Correctional cardio, baby.
You in the yard, keeping them all skinny.
And you in the kitchen, keeping them thick.
BOTH: Baddest bitches on the block.
(both laugh)
Hi. Uh, why don't we go in the kitchen?
How you doing?
PEPPER: Wait till you see what I got.
Oh, here it is, mommy, right there.
All right, now, Miss Betty Crocker.
I knew you could burn in the kitchen,
but what else you got cooking in these back rooms?
I have no idea what you're insinuating.
Just a bunch of little bakers... baking.
So I asked around about your sister.
Mmm.
She's hanging out with Boz.
Has been for a couple months.
That little skinny bitch that likes to beat women.
That would be him.
Yeah, I got it from here.
Listen, ain't no way Boz's crew's gonna talk to you.
Not like the way they talk to me.
I'm coming with you.
LUCIOUS: Thank you.
Another martini?
Skye's excited to be working with Jamal.
She admires the way he uses his music
to express what's on his mind and in his heart.
Um, son, why don't you play her what we've been working on?
Absolutely.
♪ 'Cause you're so supernatural ♪
♪ So unpredictable ♪
♪ And, baby, I just gotta know ♪
♪ Where did you come from? ♪
♪ And I won't be blind... ♪
What's wrong?
Um, I...
when I asked to work with Lucious Lyon,
I guess I just expected...
We were hoping for something edgier.
Judith, you know this business is like the Autobahn.
I mean, if you don't stay in your lane,
you gonna crash and burn.
And, Skye, your lane has always been girl-power pop.
And you're brilliant in that lane.
That's why you got five ASAs
on your mantle.
Um... Dad...
you want to show Judith your new Mickalene Thomas?
Oh, yeah. Ooh, I love her work.
Come on. Please.
Got a new one, I just got about two weeks ago.
JUDITH: Oh.
(chuckles)
What's up?
Talk to me.
It's a nice song, Jamal.
It's just, that's not where I want to go next.
Yeah, I remember when you recorded "Look Around,"
and your label wouldn't let you release it.
That was, like, some stupid demo I did,
so why do you know that?
I told you I was your superfan.
I wasn't joking about that.
No, obviously no. Come on, now.
You're serious? Yes, very.
And by the way, it was not stupid.
It was actually really hot.
I loved it. Thank you.
Why don't you just, I don't know...
tell me what's in your head?
Maybe we could write something new together.
I would love that.
I cannot get over
how good you're doing, Cookie. (Cookie laughs)
Who would've thought two cellies like us
flipping it around on the outside?
You two were in prison together?
Oh, yeah. I did a dime
of my 17 with this woman right here,
and I ain't ashamed.
Your sister got me through
a whole lot of hell up in there.
You know, I owe you, Cookie.
Nah. I do.
All them times you covered for me
with Lady Athena?
That was the warden. Yeah, that bitch.
I didn't think it was Greek literature.
You know, those girls miss you, Cook.
Every time they write me, they ask about you.
You know Jezzy? Ah!
Oh, she misses you like a limb, Cookie.
Yeah, I don't miss that hell house,
but I sure miss those girls, my girls, those women.
Yeah. Yeah, they were like true sisters to me.
Mm.
You know what would mean the world to them, Cookie?
Family Day's next week.
Why don't you show up, do a little show at Wallace?
Oh, I can't. I can't, I'm sorry.
I'm-I'm throwing this cookout in the city.
You should come. It's...
Carol!
Oh, my God!
Get your hand from around my sister!
That's right, before I break it! Go, go!
Uh-uh-uh... Carol... No, no, no!
Uh-uh-uh, no! No! No, no, no, no!
Carol, Carol, look, we have been looking
for you all over this city for two days now.
It ain't been no two days.
BOTH: Yes, it has!
And look at you, you look a mess!
What have you been using?
Come on, get in the car.
What...? Wait! What?
Just wait. What?!
(Carol retching, all groaning)
PEPPER: That's nasty.
(groaning)
Would you come on, nasty?
Look, I ain't going nowhere with you, Cookie.
Unless it's to go get something to eat.
If you don't get your stinking ass in this car now...
PEPPER: After you.
She vomited on me.
Yeah, I saw that.
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Yeah. ♪
(indistinct chatter)
Thank you, Betty.
Oh, oh, no, that's okay.
I don't need you to pay for me.
I wasn't planning on paying for you.
Let's talk.
Carol, your kids are safe with me and Danny
in Blue Bell, but they are worried sick about you.
Girl, you need a break from Philly.
You can come with me.
All right? Clear your head.
There's good schools out there.
Your kids, they will love it.
Nah, she's coming with me. What?
So she can end up like this again?
Candace, please don't start it
with your bougie, coupon-shopping-ass.
Loretha, stop.
I'm sick of you trying to...
I'm sick of you calling me by my government name.
Um, may I please excuse the both of y'all?
Damn, I-I can make own decisions.
Thank you. Yeah, well, you doing a bang-up job.
Fine.
Shut up.
Which one you gonna choose?
What?!
Me... or Cookie?
(both laughing)
What's gonna happen to my kids if I go to New York?
I'll keep them.
Until you get yourself together.
Then I'm going with Cookie.
Well, I guess Cookie
ain't all that bad if she coming with me.
You know what, Candace?
Why don't you just keep sipping on that Haterade
while I go to the bathroom?
Mm!
You two deserve each other
for the rest of your miserable lives.
You ain't ever happy.
If only she knew what you did while she was away in prison.
Wouldn't be such a Sister Sledge reunion,
now, would it?
Hmm.
A'ight, I'm here.
What you want?
What, I can't congratulate my son on a job well done?
It was very clever what you did at the freestyle battle.
I don't know if you know this yet, but, um,
I'm about to acquire Swiftstream,
a music streaming service.
Yeah, I know. I heard it out on the streets.
It's gonna be worth a fortune.
Now, initially I intended to leave it to you
and your brothers' names, but are you sure
you want to drop the last name Lyon?
What do you care what name I use?
You didn't want me to be your son.
Hakeem, you put on quite a show disowning my last name.
But yet, you out in the street trading on it,
making a living off of it.
Lyon Dynasty, my black ass.
Now, I'm gonna give you one last chance
to sign with Empire.
I'm-a allow you to post a video
saying you keeping the last name Lyon,
and I'll make you a full partner with your brothers
in Swiftstream.
How I know you gonna keep your promise?
I've always rewarded loyalty.
Talk to Andre.
I just bought him and Rhonda a six-bedroom mansion
out in Long Island.
Two and a half acres.
What do you want?
This son can't be bought.
♪ Powerful ♪
♪ A breath away from victory ♪
♪ I matter ♪
♪ You matter ♪
♪ I matter ♪
♪ You matter ♪
♪ I see a colorful future ♪
(humming)
♪ And stars are the only thing shooting ♪
♪ Shooting ♪
♪ Mm-hmm... ♪ What is that?
So dope.
It's something I'll never get to sing.
'Cause you know I sing sorority girl breakup songs,
and, like your father said, I need to stay in my lane.
Well, I think that sounds like some...
some wack-ass executive talk.
This right here though, it's deep.
Beautiful.
Feels like you, Skye.
I envy you, man.
Why you envy me, woman?
(chuckles softly)
'Cause, you know, you...
(sighs) you're in charge of your identity.
You know, you got to define who you are,
and people love you for it,
and, man,
if I sang my whole truth, my fans would turn on me.
I guarantee you they wouldn't.
Yeah, because they just want you in a box.
You know, they want you to be in, like,
you know, you're black or you're white,
or you're pop or you're soul.
You know, just fit in that little...
Yeah, but throw that box away. Burn that box.
You know what I'm saying? You don't need it.
You know why I really want to work with you?
'Cause, um, you're my super fan.
I mean, obviously, I'm the O.G. super fan.
(laughs) I mean, obviously.
It's more than that. It's...
It's 'cause you're so much more.
You know, like, you got all this amazingness
that you think that you got to keep hidden. You don't.
I really want to help you bust out of that.
Bust out of it, girl.
Play the song again, please?
♪ Powerful ♪
♪ So much strength in you and me ♪
♪ Powerful ♪
♪ A breath away from victory ♪
♪ I matter ♪
♪ You matter ♪
♪ We matter, oh ♪
♪ I matter ♪
♪ You matter ♪
BOTH: ♪ We matter, oh. ♪
I like that.
Oh, my God.
I know.
This is just...
Yeah.
(sighs)
I mean, I don't really know
what we're gonna do with all the extra space, but...
I guess I'll just have to fill it up
with a bunch of Lyon babies.
(laughs) (coughing)
Are-are you okay?
Oh, no, no, no, I'm fine.
I just, um...
What? What's wrong?
(sighs)
I, uh,
think I'm in love,
and I'm ashamed.
Ashamed? Why-why...
Oh, you're not still in love with Lucious, are you?
Oh, no, no, no. (scoffs) God, no.
(chuckles) That ship has sailed and sunk.
No, it's, um,
someone you don't know.
It's another musician.
Um, we were involved
for some time, and it got really complicated.
Mm-hmm. And then I was fine,
Mm-hmm. and then I heard a song that he wrote the other day,
and then everything just kind of...
came back.
Did I ever tell you the ponytail story?
Uh-uh.
Alyssa Shepard?
No. Who's that?
Oh, she was just this cow
that tried to take Andre away from me in college.
(chuckles)
So one night, I, um, snuck into her dorm room,
and I cut off her ponytail while she was sleeping.
And I texted her a picture of it the next day,
and I said, "I will continue cutting
if you do not leave Andre alone."
So what-what happened?
I mean, did she... did it work?
Well, I'm here, aren't I?
I'm just saying that if you find somebody
that's worth fighting for, then that's what you have to do,
and take down anyone that gets in your way.
You know?
(sighs)
(groaning)
(sighs)
Mmm.
Ooh, that feels so good.
Baby, listen, tonight I got to deal with my sister, okay?
But tomorrow, I am all yours.
LUCIOUS: You promise?
(gasps)
Lucious, what the hell
are you doing here?
Taking you up on your offer.
No. What do you want?
Look, I need you to...
sign over your rights to my early songs.
I've got an opportunity to raise the capital
necessary to buy Swiftstream.
You want me to sign over my rights
to your songs that I produced, that we produced?
Are you stupid?
No, baby, this is a big deal for Empire,
and you and the boys are still shareholders,
so it's a win-win for everybody.
You know, before we had two nickels to rub together,
all we had was the music,
and if give that up, we're bankrupt.
Why did we do all of this, Lucious?
For stocks and bonds?
No, you are missing the bigger picture.
No.
I see the bigger picture, Lucious.
In fact, I'm the only one of us that does.
That's why I'm telling your stupid ass no.
You want your Swifty-streamy, you're gonna have to
get it some other kind of way. Hey, boo.
I'm sorry it took so long; there were no clean glasses.
Oh.
I didn't realize we had company.
I didn't, either.
Laz Delgado.
Lucious Lyon.
And he was just leaving.
It's nice to see you sleeping your way to the bottom.
Good thing you got your maid in here to clean it up.
♪ ♪
HAKEEM: ♪ You want my spot, flash? ♪ ♪ But you can't buy it ♪
♪ It's Hakeem put a bullet to the name Lyon ♪
♪ Who run it? ♪ ♪ Hakeem ♪
♪ Who run it? ♪ ♪ Hakeem... ♪
Yo, babe, I should definitely add this song to the Cookout.
Now, what you think? Yeah, you know the crowd
will want to hear it. Yeah?
And I can't get enough of it.
And I can't get enough of you.
♪ Put a bullet to the name Lyon... ♪
♪ ♪
(chuckles)
Hakeem.
Anika here, man.
Anika, what you doing here?
I'm just here to join the party.
I assume my invitation got lost in the mail.
Do I know you from somewhere?
No, I doubt it, honey, unless you bus tables at Nobu.
HAKEEM: Chill out, Anika.
You know, I saw your rehearsal online, Hakeem.
Um... wasn't that the song that you wrote for Camilla?
Who?
It's time for you to leave, Anika.
You know, it was a great song.
But now it's missing something.
I don't know, I feel like...
it needs a real singer.
A woman, not some Nuyorican wannabe
from the South Bronx. Excuse me?
Hakeem, what is she talking about?
Your Jenny from the Block jump-off lives in a hovel
with seven brothers and sisters.
(sighs)
You could do so much better, baby.
What are you doing? Anika!
(Lucious playing lively melody on guitar)
Hey, Pop.
You got a minute?
No, I'm working something out, Dre.
Bowie Bonds idea's not gonna work.
Why in the hell not?
Dre, I asked you to find me another option
beyond your mama's signature.
I know that, I understand that, and I tried.
There's no way to move forward with Mom holding on
to her share of the music rights.
Wha... So that's what they taught you at Wharton?
You-you try something,
but if you hit a brick wall, you just stop.
Wharton taught me to find solutions, Pop.
And I found you one.
Leverage Empire's other assets.
If we sell off the fashion
or-or the sports merchandising or the alcohol divisions,
Pop, we can do this. Just got to have faith.
Oh, no, no, no, that's not acceptable.
Look, son, the moment you start selling off
pieces of Empire, we're no longer an empire.
I'd rather die than do that.
Yes, sir.
I'll find a way.
(bell rings)
Crazy in here today. So what's happening?
Jamal's rehearsing for his video shoot and then...
Yeah, and the director is trying to get some
behind-the-scenes footage of the rehearsal.
But this whole commercial-- this is just
a part of the plan that I have for Jamal.
You're the other part of it.
I don't think I can stay in my lane, Lucious.
What do you mean?
When you first started,
you blazed a new trail.
You were out of the box.
And that's what Jamal is doing, and...
that's why I want to work with both of you.
Are you thinking about a new lane?
(both chuckling)
How we doing, Lee?
Excited, excited!
Let's get this Pepsi thing on the road. Good.
Oh, by the way,
did you talk to Jamal about, um,
my concept regarding... LEE: I did.
LUCIOUS: ...father and son ideas, because... LEE: I did.
I did. I did. And?
Uh, I'm gonna do something different.
Different how?
Lucious, you represent the past. This kid,
he's the future-- that's the reason why I signed up
for this thing, so we're gonna
do something completely different,
you know... Look, um, why don't we
go by my trailer and-and talk about it?
We'll go by craft service... Oh, no. No, no!
...then we'll talk. No, no. No, no.
Jamal. Have you... JAMAL: Yes?
Tom! Where's Tom?
♪ Put your hands up once we turn up the bass ♪
♪ Hey ♪
♪ Ho! ♪
♪ Hey ♪
♪ I get up with my mind ♪
♪ Stay on the grind ♪
♪ Everything will be mine ♪
♪ Including you ♪
♪ Mm, got my eyes on the prize ♪
♪ Gonna make you realize ♪
♪ My goal is the sky ♪
♪ It's what I'll do ♪
♪ Oh... ♪ ♪ Hey ♪
♪ I said that I would show ♪
♪ Everybody what they should already know ♪
♪ I grew up, stood up, and now I'm ready to go ♪
♪ Whoo! ♪
♪ Ready, set, go ♪ ♪ Ho! ♪
♪ I'm ready to go ♪
♪ Ready, set, go ♪ ♪ Hey! ♪
♪ I'm ready to go, go, go... ♪
LEE: Yes, God! It's all about Jamal.
♪ I'm ready to go, go, go ♪
♪ Put your hands up once we turn up the bass ♪
♪ Hey! ♪
♪ Oh! ♪
♪ Hey! ♪
♪ Said I can't deny... ♪
Do it. Do what?
Sell everything, leverage whatever we have to.
Just get me Swiftstream.
Look, if Swiftstream lives up to the projections,
we'll be able to buy all those divisions back, and then some.
And the way I see it, I took Empire public
so that I could lead the music industry into the future.
That's what we're gonna do.
Sometimes in order to win the game,
you got to be willing to sacrifice.
♪ Everybody what they should already know... ♪
Lee Daniels think he's seen the future?
I'm-a show him. ♪ I grew up, stood up ♪
♪ Now I'm... I'm ready to go, go, go ♪
♪ Put your hands up once we turn up the bass ♪
♪ Hey! ♪
Ma, your light bill is $2,300. Lighting is everything, boy.
What's up, Hakeem? If I would have known
you're gonna be here, I'd have brought you one, too.
Did I ask?
Is, um, everything okay?
What is this about you wanting
to the change venue for the Cookout?
I found a better place.
Okay? It's in the Bronx, it's bigger.
No! It's way better.
I'm not going to the Bronx.
Look, Cookie, just hear me out on this before you say no.
I already said it.
Yeah, see, 'cause I already sold out Rock Steady Park.
And I already spent a grip
on marketing and merchandising.
I'm not moving it.
And Big Heavy better not try to come back at us.
Yeah, better not be, his bitch ass.
So, why was he here, man?
Look, Cookie, you got to listen to me, okay?
Just trust me.
I want to trust you, but you making it kind of hard.
LUCIOUS: Forgive me
for being so rude, but
I just...
Something about pretty boy.
I just couldn't get you off my mind.
So I looked you up, Delgado.
You one of them Bully boys, ain't you?
COOKIE: Lucious, what are you
talking about?
LUCIOUS: 125th Street Bulls.
They run a little
petty scam of extorting young rappers and
making they mamas pay for it.
HAKEEM: Mom, them dudes
that snatched me had a bull on they back.
Does he have one?
Like this?
I got this, boy.
Ooh.
Cookie, listen to me.
Look, when this started, this was just a gig.
I had no idea I was gonna fall in love with you.
Mm-mm.
It was real.
I just need more time.
I was trying to fix this.
Hakeem...
let's go.
(sighs)
(distant siren wailing)
Hi. I'm happy you called.
I take it you're not
too mad about last night? Listen, Anika,
you got a serious problem.
Hakeem, I don't have the problem.
You have the problem.
Clearly, you have a problem being open and honest about us.
Us?! There's no us.
We friends. We hooked up a couple times.
That's it... Stop fighting it, Hakeem!
It is so clear that you love me.
I don't love you, so just get it
through your damn head! Understand?!
I understand that every time you are in need, you come to me.
Me!
Don't you see that?
So what are you scared of, Hakeem? Lucious?
Because Lucious is the same one that came to me
and said that he was gonna let you have a run at me.
Cookie is a little trickier,
but once she understands that I am...
Stop! Stop talking about my family!
Stop talking about my mother and father!
You will never be one of us.
You won't ever be a Lyon.
Ever!
(panting, sniffling)
(screams)
(crying)
(sniffles)
(grunting, panting)
Hey, I'll go get a dust pan.
Leave it alone.
You want to talk about it, sis?
No, I do not.
Cookie, listen, I know that I've been a pain in the ass,
but I'm really trying to...
Carol, you got to go to rehab.
No.
Yes. Yes. No.
What are you talk...? No, I'm not going to rehab. I got this!
You're an addict.
You've been one your whole life. Say it.
Cook, what happened with Jermel is our fault.
(crying): And it is really messin' with me
on the inside.
Carol, it's messing with me, too, okay?
But the way you handle it?
I should have never brought you into this.
None of it.
But you got excuses.
You got excuses, and I don't care what you say.
If you keep going down this rabbit hole, Carol,
you're gonna end up dead.
You are going to kill yourself,
and that I cannot have on my heart.
Do you understand?
You get yourself clean, or you can't stay with me.
Okay? Okay.
(voice breaking): I hear you.
(playing soft, gentle melody)
♪ People been talking about it ♪
♪ We won't just stand here in silence ♪
♪ Can't stop the fire from rising ♪
♪ Rising ♪
♪ Whoa-oh, oh-oh ♪
♪ People, don't you be afraid ♪
♪ So many innocent slain ♪
♪ This is an era for change ♪
♪ Change ♪
♪ Malcolm's probably turning in his grave ♪
♪ Every shade was beautifully made ♪
BOTH: ♪ And powerful ♪
♪ There's so much strength in you and me ♪
♪ Powerful ♪
♪ A breath away from victory ♪
♪ I matter, you matter ♪
♪ We matter, oh ♪
♪ Powerful... ♪
It's perfect.
(piano continues playing)
Thank you for seeing me.
Thank you for letting me see you.
♪ I see a colorful future ♪
♪ Where skin don't define any human ♪
♪ And stars are the only thing shooting ♪
♪ Shooting ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh-oh ♪
♪ Mothers who bury their child ♪
♪ How can we sit there and hide? ♪
♪ Change comes when all take a stand now ♪
♪ Stand up, stand up ♪
♪ Martin's speech still echoes in my brain ♪
♪ Every shade was beautifully made ♪
BOTH: ♪ And powerful ♪
♪ There's so much strength in you and me ♪
♪ Powerful ♪
♪ A breath away from victory ♪
♪ I matter, you matter ♪
♪ We matter, oh ♪
♪ Powerful... ♪
♪ Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh ♪
♪ Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh ♪
♪ Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh, oh-oh-oh ♪
(in harmony): ♪ Powerful ♪
♪ There's so much strength in you and me ♪
♪ Powerful ♪
♪ A breath away from victory ♪
(in harmony): ♪ I matter, you matter ♪
♪ We matter, oh ♪
♪ I matter, you matter ♪
♪ We matter, oh ♪
♪ Powerful. ♪
(song ends)
(sighs) Wow!
I love it. I love it.
(laughs) Wow.
Yeah.
Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH