Previously on Empire...
Please marry me. I love you.
I love you.
I'm gonna help you get out of here, Quincy.
QUINCY: Trust Andre. If he says he can help, he will.
Lyon Family Management is looking
for artists that got something to say.
PORSHA: We did find a star.
Your followers and your impressions are way up.
What's this bruise?
CANDACE: Things just got a little rowdy
in spin class, that's all.
KINGSLEY: The data shows that TBD
can never make as much as they cost.
I am dropping them.
- We have a proposition for you. - "We"?
Hey, Lucious.
♪ Oh... ♪
♪ Uh... ♪
♪ I've been on it, I've been on my grind ♪
♪ Moving solo ♪
♪ I've been away, but now you want my time ♪
♪ Wouldn't you know ♪
♪ I'm a one-a-day woman, I'm pulling up ♪
♪ Ain't got the time, I wasted enough ♪
♪ Hundreds on hundreds I'm stacking up ♪
♪ Did it on my own ♪
♪ If you ain't with me, then you in my way ♪
♪ Just letting you know ♪
♪ You want my spot ♪
♪ But know you ain't no factor ♪
♪ You ain't no factor ♪
♪ Like it or not, I'm winning ♪
- ♪ So it don't matter - ♪ It don't matter ♪
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
♪ Look what you've done, gone and turned me to a savage ♪
♪ You know, you know, gotta get it, gotta have it ♪
♪ With all the smoke keeping lit ♪
♪ I'm doing damage, oh ♪
- (VOCALIZES) - ♪ Look what you've done ♪
♪ Gone and turned me to a savage ♪
♪ Comin' for the bags, bet I make out like a bandit ♪
♪ With all the smoke, when I roll up doing damage ♪
♪ Oh, don't say I didn't tell ya. ♪
- (WHOOPING) - (LUCIOUS CHUCKLING)
Looks like the Divas got a hit.
- No. - What you mean, no?
KINGSLEY: The Divas thought that working
with Cookie and Lucious would, uh, keep them on the label?
Nice try.
- That song is fire. - It's irrelevant.
Since when, Jeff? There's a deal to be made here.
Let's talk about this upstairs.
Yeah, excuse me, hello?
Y'all not gonna talk
about the future of our group without us.
I'll meet y'all in the elevator.
(DOOR OPENS)
LUCIOUS: Listen, Jeff, we're going to put together
an upcoming showcase for our clients.
Now, we want to headline that with the Divas
and this new song, so we're gonna need
some money for promotion for this.
That sounds like your problem.
You don't want to make money? Do you understand
how this industry works?
Jeff, Empire usually shares
the promotional cost with artist management.
No, Empire used to share those costs.
(SIGHS) We signed with Lucious because he has a track record
of making hits for us. I mean, we're worth the investment.
I determine the worth of my investment.
You know what, if you don't want to invest in them,
why don't you let them go,
and we'll take them someplace else.
I don't know if you're trying to start a pissing contest with me,
but don't. You'll lose.
- You sure about that? - No. Lucious.
He's beneath us. Let's go.
This whole damn place is beneath me. Come on.
♪ How you look so precious ♪
♪ When you smile ♪
HAKEEM: Y'all getting so big.
What you doing, little man?
TIANA: Yeah, you missed a lot
since you were too busy posting diss tracks against Blake.
He's a thief. Did you forget that?
Doesn't matter. That wasn't the way to handle it.
Babe, I don't get no credit
for taking the song down? Here.
No, you don't get credit for undoing
something that you shouldn't have done in the first place.
- Oh. So you on his side? - No.
I haven't even talked to him.
Look, I'm glad that you took it down.
And I'm glad that you are taking care of yourself lately.
Look, um, maybe you should take the kids for a couple days.
Really? You serious?
Just please make sure that Bella stays on her schedule.
I don't want to be up with her at 2:00 a.m. next week.
A'ight. Come on, little man.
My little fighter right here.
- Come on, let's go. - Okay, bye.
Gonna go with Daddy? Yeah?
♪ I just gotta say. ♪
- Hey, babe. - JAMAL: Mm-hmm.
You got cash for the pizza guy?
You ain't cooking?
Oh, you are confusing me
with your wannabe-chef ex-boyfriend.
- Oh, shady when he's hungry. - And you know this.
- Thank you. - Uh-huh.
And I look better, too.
- You do. - (ELEVATOR BELL CHIMES)
(LAUGHING): You are not my pizza.
- Oh, my God. Hey. - Hi, lovely.
How are you?
JAMAL: Wynter.
What the hell?
- Ah. - JAMAL: Oh.
- (WYNTER LAUGHS) - Oh, okay.
- It never gets old, does it? - I'll clean it up.
- Okay, actually, it does. Hi, darling. - Hi.
(WYNTER SIGHS)
(GASPS) Oh. Good Lord,
- Did you know she was...? - No.
This place is enormous.
JAMAL: Um, Wynter,
what the hell are you doing here?
Well, you've convinced me
to sign to your lovely little London label,
making all sorts of promises,
and then you ran out on me.
- Okay, that's a little dramatic. - You sure?
We just video conferenced, like, two days ago.
Okay, enough of that.
We are going to finish my album,
and we are going to do it here.
- Huh. - Mm-hmm.
Where's your loo? And where am I going to sleep?
Um... I'm gonna take her stuff.
COOKIE: Look, I hate to admit this,
but we really need this deal to work.
No, I can't be letting this man disrespect me.
Look, TBD are Empire artists who we now manage.
That breaks the dam. Don't you see?
We can get others.
Artists who already have big label deals.
That's money in the bank, and we need it.
KINGSLEY: I don't want to hear any more about Lucious's genius.
- I'm not doing it. - Okay, look at the bigger picture.
Okay? You were the one that wanted
to bring Lucious back into the fold just a few weeks ago.
- Remember? - Well, that was before he effectively
threw the gauntlet down. He started his own firm.
- He slapped me in the face. - Come here.
Aren't you the one that always puts data over emotion?
Right? This is a smart business move.
LUCIOUS: Well, what about Giselle?
Can you trust her?
Bunk trust. We watch that bitch like a hawk.
And we get this money in the meantime.
Okay?
- (SIGHS) - Come on.
GISELLE: They do all the work.
We make all the money. Simple.
LUCIOUS: Hey, look here, man.
At the end of the day,
all my baby and I are trying to do
is-is make some good music, build our company
and-and leave a great legacy.
Now, I can't expect you to understand or appreciate
working for something that's bigger than yourself.
But I promise you, Jeff, if you get out of your own way
and allow me and Cookie to do our thing
with these Divas, I guarantee you,
it's going to pay off.
Deal.
(SIGHS)
Subtitle sync and corrections by awaqeded for www.addic7ed.com.
- PORSHA: Yes. - Okay, so, to all my blue-eyed
queens in Staten Island, I need you to bring the force.
I'll be waiting.
Cookie out.
- How's that? - I mean, it was all right.
But, Cookie, don't nobody want to see no commercial.
They want the real, like last time. Your feelings.
Your heart. You know how you poured yourself out?
The people really like that.
I didn't say I would open up a main vein
every time I open up my mouth.
And you need to know, honey, every time
I use this GlamSugar,
Lyon Family Management get a check.
You know what that mean? You get a check.
Okay.
- You get a check. You get a check. - What?
- Y'all get a check! Yes! - (CHEERING)
- What's my numbers? - They're still high.
- Not like last week, but they're good. - COOKIE: Okay.
But wait. Oh, snap.
- Wait a second. Uh, wait. - COOKIE: What?
Where'd they go? They all just disappeared.
All your followers just disappeared.
- Well, how the hell does that happen? - See, look,
it's, like, some green blob.
- This ain't good. - CANDACE: Franklin?
Baby, come here. Help out your auntie.
Come here, baby. I need a millennial. Come here.
What happened? How do I get the followers back?
Oh, this is a B-Glitch.
- What? - Oh.
"B" stands for "bitch."
It's just my term for pesky things
that pop up out of nowhere. I can get rid of it.
Well, you have that bitch get my numbers back.
- Okay? - (ALL LAUGH)
He is just so technical and smart and handsome.
Ooh, sis, you did a good job.
Thank you.
He's happy to be here.
Teri, I know you're upset. I'm upset, too.
What good are all the witnesses we found
if the judge won't admit their testimony?
I never said this would be easy.
- (PHONE VIBRATES) - Let me rethink strategy, and
- I'll circle back in a couple of months. - Months?
- I have to take this. Hello? - Wait.
Teri. You all right?
What we need is a new D.A.
who cares about the justice system
and less about his conviction rate.
Well, we need to take this to the court of public opinion.
Quincy has a lot of people who care about him.
Let's-let's get them down here.
When I am done, everybody in this city
is gonna know Quincy's name. I guarantee it.
Thank you, Andre.
- For what? - I'm just...
I'm so happy I'm not doing this alone anymore.
Yeah.
It's gonna be okay.
You got it. Come on.
Let's catch a cab.
- Hey. - ("MAKE IT LAST" PLAYING)
- ♪ So let it last - ♪ Make it last forever ♪
♪ We gotta make this last ♪
♪ Make it last forever ♪
♪ 'Cause I love you ♪
- ♪ Yes, I love ♪ - ♪ Make it last forever ♪
- ♪ Yes, I do, yes, I do ♪ - ♪ Make it last forever ♪
♪ When you need me ♪
♪ Yes, I do ♪
♪ I love ♪
♪ Let's dance forever ♪
♪ Let's live forever ♪
- ♪ This love's forever - ♪ Gonna make it last ♪
♪ Oh, I wanna love ♪
♪ Oh... ♪
♪ Yes, I do ♪
♪ Oh... ♪
- (MUSIC STOPS) - COOKIE: Yes!
What black woman raised you?
- Ma. (CHUCKLES) - COOKIE: That's a whole lot
of gospel music up in that girl.
She took us to church in here,
- didn't she? - See?
That was amazing, boo. Just chill for a second,
we gonna comp a couple things.
Mike, do the, um...
- You are something else. You know that? - It's Jamal.
He brings it out of me like nobody else.
I would follow him anywhere.
Well, you followed him to the right place, honey,
because Lyon Family Management
will give you exactly what you looking for.
Huge record deal.
- (CHUCKLES) - Ma, what's good?
You-you propositioning my artist now?
Uh, Jamal, calm down.
I'm just walking Wynter through all her options
if she sign with us.
(JAMAL CHUCKLES)
I think that Wynter understands her options.
- She's very smart. (CHUCKLES) - I'm sure she is. She's here.
- Right. (CHUCKLES) - (LAUGHS)
And, um, she's got her own people.
But you already know that you are the queen.
Yeah, but her people ain't us.
You need to get with the Lyons, baby.
- JAMAL: No, I don't... - (GROWLS)
- Ma, come on. - Yes. You in the right place.
- Queen, come on. - That's right.
Queen Lyon. Rawr. Yes, okay.
COOKIE: My house, this is my house, damn it.
- We good. - (LAUGHS) She's sweet.
She is sweet.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
- Hey, Selle. - Hey.
Could've sworn I saw Lucious walking around
- with Three Black Divas earlier. - Shh.
Yes, you did. They're working on some new music.
Can you run point on that for me, please?
I'm sorry, working, as in being managed by?
TBD was supposed to be dropped from the label,
- and now they're LFM clients? - Okay, okay.
- What is happening? - I convinced them to sign
with Lucious and Cookie. I thought it would be a good move.
For them or for you? What is happening?
- Why are you exploiting the war between... - (SHUSHING)
Why are you exploiting the war between Lucious and Kingsley?
You have to trust me, okay?
Lucious is either gonna scare Kingsley straight
or scare him out of here.
- Either way, we win. - All right.
But let me remind you, the last high yellow heifer
that was running around here making moves like that
ended up crashing into a table full of champagne.
Do I look like boo boo kitty to you?
I am way smarter than Anika was.
And can I be honest?
If you maneuvered a little bit more,
you'd rise to the top faster.
Moves aren't all that bad.
(CLICKS TONGUE)
Heifer.
Can't be treating me like I'm some little boy,
- you know what I'm saying? - Mm-hmm.
And then... and it's like every single thing that I have,
no matter what it is,
automatically just belongs to her.
Does it?
Why would you ask that?
Jamal, have you told your mom that we're engaged yet?
Ah. No.
Um, I guess I'm just... I'm waiting, waiting...
Waiting to catch her at a time when she'll agree?
You just don't understand.
I do understand, babe, but...
you keep opening up space for her to come and control you,
and... I don't know,
Cookie just walks right into it.
You don't need her permission to be your own man.
That's all I'm saying.
Yeah.
♪
Cookie, this is amazing. What's your secret?
It's my special "change your life" spices.
Well, I need a bloody good change in my life.
(CHUCKLES)
I don't know how I'm gonna afford the plane ticket home.
Well, as soon as you sign with us, those worries
will... disappear.
- (LAUGHS) - (JAMAL CHUCKLES)
Hey, Wynter,
um, they need you... actually,
all y'all... in the studio.
- On my way, chief. - Yes. Make that hit, honey.
Oh, thank you, baby. I got more now.
- See ya in there. - Leftovers.
- Ma. - Yes?
Come on. What part of...
"please leave my artist alone" do you not understand?
That girl is fire, Jamal.
If we don't sign her, somebody else will.
Yeah, see, somebody already did. Me.
Wynter's mine.
Oh. So what's yours is yours,
while you up in my studio recording.
Okay. All right, you got me. But you c...
I feel like you could have at least come to me
out of respect instead of just going behind my back.
Mm, I'm not behind your back, child.
I'm right in front of your face in this kitchen.
- Boy, what is your problem? - For one,
I'm tired of being called "boy"
when we're talking about business. Mom,
- I'm a grown man, with-with... - Ooh.
No. With a-a home and a label
and a life.
And a fiancé.
You and Kai?
- Yes. - Oh. So you talking
about doing things behind people's back.
I didn't know that happened.
Behind my back.
Or you could just say, "Congratulations,
my son." (CHUCKLES)
(LAUGHS)
Mom. Really?
Yes.
You a beast, Cookie Lyon.
- I know. - But so am I.
Okay, well...
You a pain in my ass, that's what you are.
- Morning, nephew. - Hey, Auntie.
(SIGHS)
- Morning, sis. - Hey. Good morning.
You okay?
- I'm just peachy keen. (SCOFFS) - Uh-huh.
- See you in there. - Mm-hmm.
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
Is she still in there?
- Yeah, she is. - Mm.
Wh-What's happening here?
You haven't seen the bruises on Candace's wrists?
Somebody is hitting on her,
and I can't imagine that little punk-ass Kevin.
Oh, honey, I can. You know they used to battle real hard
- when I was staying with them, right? - Huh?
No wonder they got separated.
Separated? Why didn't she tell me?
What the hell is this?
Pull your sleeve up, Candace.
- What? Are you... - Just do it.
Don't touch me.
Candace, please?
- I will not. - COOKIE: Okay, damn it. How long
has Kevin been beating you and why didn't you tell us?
You are out of your league and out of your mind.
Nobody is hitting me.
Not Kevin or anyone.
Excuse me.
However,
I will beat the hell out of both of you
if you don't mind your business
and stay out of my face about this.
Deny, deny, deny.
She getting her ass whupped.
She damn sure is. Mm, mm.
♪ Look what you've done, gone and turned me to a savage ♪
♪ Comin' for the bags, bet I make out ♪
- ♪ Like a bandit - Yes.
♪ With all the smoke, when I roll up... ♪
(MUSIC STOPS)
The market appeal here is limited, wouldn't you agree?
Dude, I know what I'm doing. How do you think I built Empire?
I know what sells.
The song will struggle,
because it's missing certain keywords and references
that audiences respond to.
Check your phones. That's from me.
(PHONE BUZZES)
LUCIOUS: This is a chart.
Infographics.
It's proven that when certain keywords are mentioned
in a song by a female act,
the predominantly female audiences will respond better.
Of course. Because women are like Pavlov's dogs?
The same is true for the male audiences. Scroll down,
and you'll see a good list of options for the next track.
"Home," "family," and "love." You kidding me, right?
I would have to rework the whole song.
If anybody can do it,
it's you, Lucious.
After all,
you started Empire.
These are great photos of Quincy.
My contact at the Times wants us to choose
the best three for a story he's running.
I still can't believe that you were able
to arrange that so quickly.
Let's just hope this media attention works.
Which is why the right picture is everything.
A drunk white girl goes missing on vacation,
we get blinded by her halo in the news.
A black child gets murdered in the streets,
first picture you see of him is in a hoodie,
like he's some thug.
That will not be my baby.
It won't happen.
I promise.
Who's this?
That Quincy's dad?
I left him because I thought
he was a bad influence on Quincy.
Maybe if I hadn't, he would've
learned better how to handle himself.
In the streets, around the cops.
I-I did what I thought was right, but...
did it get my baby locked up?
No, no. No.
Teri, it's not your fault.
We're gonna get Quincy out of there.
And I'm not gonna stop until he's home.
You are not alone in this, you hear me?
I'm with you.
Mm.
I'm sorry.
- (WHOOPS) - (GUNFIRE ON TV)
Oh, that's it. It's a wrap for me.
- I got to wake up early with the kids. - Ha.
(LAUGHTER, SNORTING)
- MARCEL: This guy. - Right. Look at Hakeem,
being all responsible and parental.
- Never thought I'd see the day. - Well, you see it.
Aw, hell no.
- What is it? - Alert from TMI.
Look like they got ahold of your diss track.
I took it down.
The Internet is forever, bro.
Right. And that's not all.
Blake heard it.
He released a diss track.
♪ I hope you ain't planning on standing there ♪
♪ With them little toy guns, 'cause when men go to war ♪
♪ That's when the little boys run ♪
♪ Hakeem who? He so late, oh, that's your girl? She no safe ♪
♪ I steal your chick, then wipe the prints ♪
♪ 'Cause under pressure egos break, I peeped your fate ♪
♪ And it's really looking bad for you, son ♪
♪ So treat Tiana like your queen instead of acting like one ♪
♪ Okay, I got a dark heart but it ♪
♪ Just got darker, why go against me? ♪
♪ Don't ever bother, you know I run you ♪
♪ So after I sun you, maybe it help you be a better father ♪
♪ They won't know a thing when they saw ya ♪
♪ Well, here's an anonymous tip, since you got the sauce ♪
♪ Then after I shoot you, the police can follow ♪
♪ The drip, flip flop ♪
♪ Flip flippidy flop ♪
♪
Damn, bro.
CHICKEN: Hey, so you're really gonna let
this walking jar of mayonnaise come for you like that?
If war he wants, war he gonna to get.
Listen, y'all. I need real ideas. Ideas. Who got 'em?
Man, you done had us here all night.
Because I'm trying to get the right record
to blast Blake out of here...
once and for all.
Yeah, bro, end this man. He came for your kids.
- What does he care about? - CHICKEN: I mean, his pops already
checked out, so that doesn't work.
- He got a girl? - Nah. That's why he coming at mine.
Yeah, I really don't think Blake got anything going on right now.
I mean, it's kind of sad.
Maybe that's what you should talk about.
Hey, yo, pass me my phone.
So you just gonna go off the dome?
Something like that.
Hey, what's up, world?
I know you heard Blake diss
and you're waiting for me to reply.
But you gonna be waiting for years,
because this beef between me and Blake...
it'll sell records for, like, one or two weeks,
and then what? Y'all forget about it,
and then my family gets dragged through the mud?
Nah, I ain't about that life.
I got two beautiful children
that mean more than this battle to me.
So I'm deading this right now.
I'm shutting it down.
Out.
Yo, what did you just do?
Something that shouldn't even been there in the first place.
I'm-a go check on my babies.
So, what's good, man?
- Look at you. - (CHUCKLES)
Yeah, you're looking good.
- Outside treating you well? - Ah, you know.
As well as it ever treated men like us.
Mm.
Anybody bothering Quincy?
Nah. I told you I'd look out for him. (SNIFFLES)
Uh... I got to be real with you, though.
He has had some bad days.
I'm afraid he's gonna crack.
(ANDRE SIGHS)
That's why I'm here.
I've been planning this media blitz thing, Mouse.
It's taking too long, so...
Dre, you fresh out.
Why you still doin' for Quincy
when you need to just do for you?
Because I can.
And I should.
Listen...
I need a favor.
Now, it's not a small one,
but I can make it worth your while.
I'm listening.
Candace, I'm sorry.
I was just being concerned.
I told you, I'm fine.
Okay.
Well, can you help me, then?
Porsha thinks I need to be more personal
- on Instagram, so... (CHUCKLES) - (CHUCKLES)
Maybe we do a video, um, showing the world how we work together
- as a family, as "sistors." - Mm. Let me go get my face on.
- All right. (CHUCKLES) - Mom, Dad's here.
What?! No!
What are you doing coming here?
You do see I'm at work, right?
I'm not here to fight. I just need my black suit.
I stopped by the house to get it and found out
my keys no longer work. Really, Candace?
CANDACE: If you had gotten your stuff
out of there when I asked you to...
Uh-uh. You need to get out of my house.
- This is not your business. - This is my house,
so it is.
Franklin, give your father your keys.
I don't want to.
Do it.
What are y'all looking at?
This is what divorce looks like, okay?
Mom, I don't want him there.
Son... it'll be okay.
He's in our house.
Please. We need to go.
I'm sorry, Cook. We got to go.
Come on.
(DOOR OPENS)
What the hell just happened?
(DOOR CLOSES)
They're both scared of Kevin, that's what happened.
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
You need something?
I came to invite you to my house for dinner.
Excuse me?
Jeff, if you and I are gonna work together,
we need to get to know each other.
So how about we break some bread?
Are you serious? You're...
you're inviting me to your home?
I'm not gonna ask you again.
All right.
I'm in.
Good.
Eight o'clock.
♪
Hey, Ma.
How you doing today?
I have some good news.
The monster has invited me into his lair.
I'm getting closer to him.
He thinks he can ambush me.
I will make him pay
for what he did to you.
I swear.
Man, I can't wait till Juanita come back full-time.
You ever think about how bougie you sound sometimes, though?
- Man, shut up. - Just, like, so beyond raggedy.
- Shut up. - (LAUGHS) - LUCIOUS: Hey, Jeff.
Hey.
Welcome, man. Didn't mean to start without you,
but the mashed potatoes get cold quick.
I didn't realize the whole family would be here.
COOKIE: Well, you better hurry up and make you a plate,
'cause we don't have servants around here no more.
Did y'all know your brother was getting married?
Oh, you finally sacked up and told her, huh?
- Uh... - We been knew, Ma. You're late.
LUCIOUS: Yeah, I'm telling you something,
I'm not sure I'm ready
to see my son marry a dude, but
I have to say, Kai's a nice guy.
Dad, shut up, all right? Your ass is gonna be
sitting there like everybody else.
Don't be telling me to shut up. I'll stab you
- in the neck with a spoon. - Shut up.
You mean to tell me I'm the last to know?
- I saved the best for last. - Oh, boy.
Ma, also, don't nobody want you putting them on blast
on your social media or whatever.
COOKIE: Uh, first of all, I am
an influencer on the social media, honey.
I change and touch lives, if you hadn't noticed.
I have checked out some of your posts. Very savvy.
I think you're appealing to an untapped audience.
Thank you.
LUCIOUS: Jeff, I wanted to ask you a question.
You're a tech guy.
So, why Empire?
Well, I have to credit my mother.
She, uh... she raised me on the Empire sound.
- She loved it. - COOKIE: Mm.
She called it "the new Motown."
Sounds like your mama had a good grasp for music.
What happened to you?
Greens good, aren't they?
- (CHUCKLES) - Delicious.
What about you, Lucious?
Why Empire?
What do you mean?
Well, I've read all the articles,
seen all the documentaries.
You used to be a street hustler, slinging drugs.
LUCIOUS: Yeah.
Yeah, we did what we had to do back then, man.
You ever feel guilty about it?
Those drugs ruined a lot of people's lives.
- Yo, man, ease up on that. - No, no, no, it's all right.
Actually, I'm really happy for Jeff
that he'll never know what it's like to live without.
But I had three children to raise, so...
I don't make any excuses for what I had to do to make sure
they ate. I'm not gonna apologize for that.
Damn right.
But when this is over, when we finish with this meal,
I'm gonna take you into the studio with my boys,
if they'll come, and I'll show you
what came out of all that struggle.
Mmm. We can have some salt, baby?
You don't need salt, honey. I seasoned that food just right.
(STRUMMING GENTLE MELODY)
JAMAL: Oh, Lord.
HAKEEM: You got it.
♪ La, da, da, da ♪
♪ La, da, da, da-da-da... ♪
Now if I have Hakeem join in,
he adds a whole nother dimension to it.
♪ Ah... ♪
♪ La, da, da, da-da-da... ♪
(HAKEEM GROWLS)
♪ First thought a giant, last thought I'd try it ♪
♪ We right here, the Lyons, you know I'm a problem ♪
♪ Loosh tell me to shoot 'em ♪
♪ I'm-a kill 'em, no problem, you know that ♪
♪ I do it for my babies on that bottle, see, I do it ♪
♪ For my kids at home on that bottle ♪
JAMAL: Hell yeah.
- ♪ At home on that bottle ♪ - (LAUGHS) He crazy.
- HAKEEM: Nah. - He like himself.
(LAUGHS)
JAMAL: ♪ Da, da, da, da. ♪
LUCIOUS: That's the thing about this music.
I mean, it's not something
that you can find with analytics or on a chart.
You have to understand, I put that into my sons.
I mean, even Andre.
You can hit him with a problem, and he's going
to find a thousand different solutions to that problem.
What I'm saying, Jeff,
is you can't come in here with catchphrases and
magic words, like "love" and "family,"
because this is family.
This is love.
This is the alchemy that-that built the music
that you grew up listening to.
You can't make music the way you make an app.
If you have the music in you, then, my God.
But if you don't, then you should do yourself a favor
and just get out the way
and let us Lyons do what we do.
You feel me?
I think so.
It's great that you have an education, Jeff,
but you can learn a lot from Pop, trust me.
Yes... your father is a great teacher.
Man, I was really feeling that little melody, though, man.
- (LAUGHS) - JAMAL: There you go.
I didn't expect to like it that much, man.
Come on. Give me that back.
Give me that back.
(STRUMMING GUITAR)
JAMAL: ♪ Da, da, da, da ♪
LUCIOUS: ♪ Da, da, da, da. ♪
(INDISTINCT CHATTER AND LAUGHTER)
What'd I tell you? Inviting Jeff was the right thing.
I didn't think it would work.
(CHUCKLES) But we finally got the Divas' song
back on track for the showcase.
I got to hand it to you.
You got to hand it to me?
- Yeah. - What you gonna hand to me?
- I don't know... (LAUGHS) - Okay. Yuck, yuck, yuck.
Don't y'all know this is a place of business? Go get a room.
Oh, speaking of business, I got to get to the studio.
- I love you, baby. - I love you, too.
- Thanks, Carol. - You're welcome, Lucious.
- What is it? - It's Candace.
You know she hasn't shown up and she's not answering the phone.
That's not like Candace. She always has that phone.
Right.
I say, let's go pay her a visit.
And if Kevin is beating on her, I'm gonna kill his ass.
You're gonna have to stand in line.
Wow. (CHUCKLES)
That looks great.
Now we just have to get a thousand more printed.
Well...
- Yeah? - Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Listen, um...
About the other night...
I shouldn't have.
Until Quincy gets out, he's pretty much...
all I can think about.
Yeah. Yeah, I understand that, um...
We don't have to blow this out of proportion, you know.
- Right. - Cool. Great.
- (LAUGHS) - (PHONE RINGING)
Um...
Yeah?
What?
Y-Y-You're kidding me?
When?
Does that mean...?
Yeah, yeah. Call me back.
That was our lawyer.
Someone, an inmate,
someone already doing time confessed to the robbery.
His account matches the witnesses' initial description.
- So, what, Quincy's getting out? - The judge has to sign off,
but... yeah.
Yeah, oh, my baby's getting out.
(LAUGHS)
You should've seen the act he put on in front of me.
Trotting out his family like some sort
of ghetto Norman Rockwell painting.
He went on and on about all the musical talent he gave his sons.
About how Cookie was his ride-or-die.
He's trying to erase us.
But I won't let that happen.
Diana Dubois said that the way to hurt Lucious
is to destroy his ego...
destroy his legacy.
I'm going to erase him from the face of the earth.
How's that for talent, Dad?
(SIGHS)
- (CANDACE SCREAMS) - (GLASS BREAKS)
What's going on?
- Candace? Kevin! - Candace! Candace!
(GRUNTING)
Oh, no!
Get off her! Franklin!
- (SCREAMS) - CANDACE: No, Franklin, no!
I hate you!
(FRANKLIN SCREAMING)
Stop it, Franklin, stop, stop!
(CANDACE CHOKING)
(SCREAMING)
(GASPS)
Candace, are you okay?
(GRUNTS)
(SCREAMS)
- Oh, my God. - Come on.
(GASPING)
(CAROL SCREAMING)
Come out!
- Stop! - No, please, stop!
(POUNDING)
Come out! Come out!
No, stop it!
(FRANKLIN GRUNTING)
Please hurry... he-he's gonna kill my sister.
Please hurry.
(FRANKLIN GRUNTING)
- Come on! - COOKIE: Stop it, Franklin!
- (SCREAMING) - Franklin, stop!
Come out! Come out!
Franklin, stop!
Franklin, calm down!
Calm down, baby, please. Please calm down. Okay?
Just calm down. Just calm down.
Just... Okay. No, no, no, no, no. Put that down.
The cops are coming.
I need you to put that down, all right?
Please calm down, okay?
- Just calm down. - (SIREN WAILING)
Is that the police?
Put that... put that down, baby. Okay?
They're gonna think you have a weapon. Please.
Put it down, baby. Please put it down, okay?
(INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER)
Stay right there. Okay, he-he doesn't have... he's not armed.
- He's not armed. He's not armed! - Put your hands up, sir!
Is that police out there?
Just give it a second, please.
- Put your hands up now! - COOKIE: He's not armed.
- He's not... - CANDACE: Franklin!
Oh, my God! I said he didn't have a weapon! Oh, my God.
- Who else is here? - M-My sisters.
They-They're in the... they're in the bathroom, hiding.
OFFICER: You can come out now. He's down!
Franklin! Oh, my God. Oh, my God, my baby.
- Oh, God. - COOKIE: Candace, he'll be okay.
They just tased him to calm him down.
- They had to calm him down. - You called the police?
- I had to. He was gonna kill you. - No, wait.
OFFICER: Hey! Calm down, or else I'll take you both in!
Take him where?
We got to take him downtown, ma'am.
No, no, you can't take him anywhere.
He's just 19, Officer. He's a baby.
He didn't mean it. He didn't mean it.
He didn't, Officer. Listen. Officer.
My son has mental issues, and he's normally perfectly calm.
- (STAMMERING) - All right, we'll take that
- into consideration... - If he takes his medicine.
...and notify the proper authorities, all right?
- Now, make a list of all of his meds - No, no, no, Officer.
And bring it downtown to the precinct with you, okay?
Listen to me, he's got mental issues, okay?
(SOBBING)
Don't hurt him. Don't hurt my baby.
Wait, Candace... Candace.
No, stay away from me, Cookie.
You called the police on my son!
You could have gotten him killed.
- I... - (SOBBING)
You are not my sister.
(EXHALES)
I never want to see you again.
Franklin.
(SOBBING): I mean, he was gonna kill her.
It's okay. It's okay.
What did she want me to do?
He was gonna kill her.
(SOBBING): He was gonna kill her.
- It's okay, Cook. - (SOBBING)
(SIGHS)
♪
Hey, y'all.
It's Cookie.
Uh, (CHUCKLES) I can't hide this
so I might as well... be honest.
Someone I love very much did this to me.
No, no, no, no, no.
I-It w-wasn't Lucious or my sons.
It was a very troubled child.
And I had to make a choice.
I did something I never thought I'd have to do.
I called the police
because I needed to save one loved one from another.
(SNIFFS)
And when the cops got there, I was so scared.
I was scared because... (EXHALES)
I thought I would lose someone I love so much
to a cop's bullet.
(SOBS)
Well, that's what it's like to be black
and brown in this country.
My God...
Who do we call, huh?
Who do we call when we need help?
Who will protect us?
(SHUDDERING)
(SNIFFS)
(SOBBING)
Subtitle sync and corrections by awaqeded for www.addic7ed.com.