02x01 - The Devils Are Here

[bunniefuu]

Lucious: Previously on Empire...

I will start grooming someone.

And it can only be one of you.

Cookie: It's my $400,000 that started this bitch, and I want half my company back.

Lucious: One day Empire's gonna be all yours, Hakeem.

Anika: Don't do this... Andre, put your heart into this company.

Andre: Which makes me the most qualified to run the company, Dad.

We got to call the police.

No, no, no-- babe, I'm pregnant.

Lucious: Your sexuality-- that's a choice.

Do you want Empire or don't you?

I need to know that you got that monster in you that does what he has to do.

Jamal: The songs that I'm writing will only further prove that I'm you, but on steroids.

Lucious: The empire is yours, Jamal.

Carter: For 17 years you kept your mouth shut about what Frank Gathers did.

Help us make sure he never gets out.

Cookie: Teddy McNally left that rose, Jamal.

I'm gonna get at him for you.

Anika: They call him "Tricky" Trichter 'cause he's the best at hostile takeovers.

Hakeem: We got to stick together if we gonna do this.

Lucious: Sometimes you gotta be willing to sacrifice your queen.

Jamal: You made a deal-- you let her back in the company.

Lucious: That was before your mother tried to m*rder me.

Cookie: Jamal, that's not what it looks like.

Lucious Lyon, you're under arrest for the m*rder of Bunkie Williams.

You did this to me?

No, I swear!

Lucious: Game time, b*tches.

(crowd cheering)

♪ ♪

Did you know there are 1.68 million black men being held under mass incarceration in America's prison system today, right now.

Just like my brother Lucious Lyon has been for three months, (crowd clamoring) held without bail.

Free Lucious!

What you say?

All: Free Lucious!

What's wrong with you, boy?

So we out there frontin'.

You know and I do-- he k*lled Bunkie.

Shut up!

You're just mad 'cause he chose Jamal over you.

That's not why.

Mom, you got us here doing a "Free Lucious" concert when we should be performing for the brothers and sisters that are innocent.

You think I don't know that, stupid?

This is about us taking the Empire.

Stay focused.

Jamal not gonna like us doing this hostile takeover.

He's gonna think it's us against him.

Jamal will understand.

I am doing this for y'all.

Look... you're right.

Your father is a tampon.

He is a egomaniac.

But today is all about impressing that investor lady Mimi Whiteman.

Now, come on, boy, we got to get her $250 million so we can get our Empire.

Cookie: Jamal.

You see this crowd out here?

Yeah, I see the crowd.

They gonna have to give Dad a new bail hearing after this.

Bill Clinton is out there.

Yeah, he needs to be, if he wants his wife to get elected.

Look, what you want, boy? I got stuff to do.

I just felt... felt bad and stupid for thinking that you could ever sell Dad out.

I ain't no snitch.

You need to go visit that man.

Did y'all bother to tell him that to him that when I was rottin' away?

All right, Ma.

Female stagehand: Mrs. Lyon, they're asking for you.

(gorilla growling)

(grunting, hooting)

(grunting)

Hah!

(crowd cheering)

How much longer?

How much longer are they gonna treat us like animals?

The American correctional system is built on the backs of our brothers, our fathers, and our sons.

How much longer?

It is a system that must be dismantled piece by piece, if we are to live up to those words that we recite with our hands on our hearts-- justice for all.

Not justice for some.

(crowd clamoring)

But justice for all!

How much longer? Say it!

All: How much longer?

How much longer?

How much longer?

How much longer?

All: How much longer?

Crowd: How much longer?!

(crowd cheering, clamoring)

Crowd: How much longer?

(hip-hop intro playing)

(crowd cheering)

Porsha, get me out of this thing.

What's the head count?

Uh, I don't know yet.

Cookie, Andre needs to see you.

Okay. Tell him I'll be there.

♪ I got my hands in the air-- Officer, don't sh**t ♪
♪ Told him I couldn't breathe, then he gave me the boot ♪
♪ 'Cause they be giving the time but never gave me the loot ♪
♪ They got my back to the wall so what a brother gon' do... ♪

I loved it, Cookie. I really loved it.

Mass incarceration is such an important issue.

I love you, Reverend Al Sharpton.

Love you. Love you.

Can you help me with Lucious?

Lucious? Word in the street is he ain't right on this.

I can't get involved in nothing wrong.

He's not right...

Thanks for coming, Al.

Andre! Oh, my God, you made it.

Miss Thing, what is this drag you have on?

Tom Ford.

Gucci.

Last season.

And you said Anna Wintour was coming.

Shut up.

♪ Took a couple of L's, they say a try is a fail ♪
♪ It's either put on a mask or throw the work on the scale ♪
♪ Times done changed, but I can't even tell ♪
♪ It's only two ways to go, it's gon' be freedom or jail... ♪

Cookie?

Uh, hold on. Excuse you.

I want an interview with Cookie.

No, I'm not feeling what you did out there in Peterson, so the short answer is no.

Peterson? What are you talking about?

It's Ferguson, brain-dead.

I got this-- Don, I'm-a take care of you, but I have to look for my artists, okay?

Thank you, Cookie.

And you did good in Ferguson, brother.

Thank you.

He did all right.

Yes, you did good.

But he did mess up that "N" word with...

♪ They gave Lucious a case, and he couldn't even bail ♪
♪ Judge gave him a option, go to trial or tell ♪
♪ Now he sittin' in prison, while the governor fishin' ♪
♪ We gotta draw up the plan, then accomplish the mission ♪
♪ You put a cat in a corner, he gon' be scratching and hissing ♪
♪ We gon' survive in the ghetto 'cause the people ain't livin' ♪
♪ So how a leader gon' lead, if he ain't got the vision? ♪
♪ I had a dream in my head, I gotta break outta prison ♪
♪ Oh, Lord! ♪

(whooping, shouting)

♪ I wanna live ♪
♪ Wanna live my life today ♪
♪ Make a better way for me and you ♪
♪ When the sun woke up ♪
♪ I got on my knees to pray ♪
♪ Yes! ♪
♪ Let the injustice be solved and ended today ♪
♪ Do you live for the love? ♪
♪ Do you live for the hate? Oh-oh ♪
♪ Yes! ♪
♪ It's like you make it, then they take it ♪
♪ And you can't get it back, oh-oh! ♪
♪ Do you believe in the Creator? ♪
♪ Yes! ♪
♪ Do you even know anymore? ♪
♪ Yeah! ♪
♪ It's like you make it ♪
♪ Then they take it and you can't get it back, oh-oh! ♪
♪ I wanna live ♪
♪ Wanna live my life today ♪
♪ Make a better way for me and you ♪
♪ When the sun woke up, I got on my knees to pray ♪
♪ Let the injustice be solved and ended today... ♪

(klaxon buzzes)

♪ Do you live for the love? Oh-oh... ♪
♪ Do you live for the hate? Oh-oh ♪
♪ It's like you make it, then they take it ♪
♪ And you can't get it back, oh-oh! ♪
♪ Do you believe in the Creator? ♪
♪ Hands up ♪
♪ Do you even know anymore? ♪
♪ Whoo! ♪

Lucious... hey, Lucious, I gotta holla at you.

We good?

That's Cookie cousin.

Yo, Frank Gathers is getting shipped here.

So? I ain't got no beef with Gathers.

No, but something went down, so we got to handle business, 'cause Cookie-- she...

Look, wrong name, brother.

Gathers might come after me because of Cookie.

Look, whatever problem that nightmare done got you involved with, it's your business.

Go on.

My business? Lucious? Lucious?

Not up in here, man!

♪ ♪
♪ No justice, no peace in these troubled times like these ♪
♪ I'm down on one knee, and I'm praying for what I need ♪
♪ So whatever's in that dark is gon' always come to that light ♪
♪ So if you sh*t him in his back ♪
♪ Two wrongs ain't never made it no right ♪
♪ Try to test my strength and I fought with all my might ♪
♪ Took a page out this chapter, just to reconcile my life ♪
♪ You hate that Lucious going through it ♪
♪ We know that he ain't do it... ♪

(heart b*ating in rhythm)

♪ Let's change for the better, make the world a better place! ♪

Woman: So, this is the woman who's trying to get my money.

(laughing) Hey.

Tricky, you sexy devil.

And this must be Ms. Whiteman.

Call me Mimi.

And I love your drag, Mimi.

It's screaming, "I'm dripping with money," and I know how to spend it.

(Andre chuckles)

Easy, Mom.

Don't you "Easy, Mom" me, boy.

I know what I'm doing.

Okay.

And so do Tricky and Mimi.

And let me take y'all to the stage.

Get you up close to your future investments.

♪ United as a people, be the winners of the race ♪
♪ And never k*ll the joker, 'cause it used to be your ace ♪
♪ It's things outta life that you just can't replace like ♪
♪ The sketches to the drawing that the pencil couldn't trace ♪
♪ Empire! ♪

Audience (chanting): Hey! Free Lucious!

♪ Let's work! ♪

Lucious! Lucious!

Lucious! Lucious!

♪ Let's work! ♪

Lucious. The reason we're here.

I hope that's not the only reason why you're here, Mimi.

You in that dress, Cookie?

I can think of all kinds of reasons.

Crowd: Free Lucious! Free Lucious! Free Lucious!

Free Lucious! Free Lucious! Free Lucious!

(whispering inaudibly)

Free Lucious! Free Lucious!

(indistinct conversations)

(grunting with effort)

You see that? They bringing in Frank Gathers.

Nobody touches Frank Gathers.

(quietly): Yeah.

(indistinct conversations)

What you trying to do, scare somebody?

Lucious Lyon.

Seems like yesterday you were moving biscuits for me at 50 a pop.

He used to work for me.

Him and his old lady.

Yeah, that was 20 years ago, fool.

(laughing)

How's Cookie?

Hell if I know. You talk to her?

Not since before she got locked up.

You look good. It's nice seeing you.

You, too.

You know, we inspirational figures, you and me.

No.

No, no, you the inspiration.

You inspire fear.

That's how you win on the streets.

Hell, yeah.

You be safe.

Cookie: 50 Cent's still taking jabs at us.

Look what he put on the gram, thirsty ass.

Ooh, Krispy Kreme!

No! No!

Didn't you say you was on a diet, Mom?

Give me my phone, boy.

Why you got these here?

I'm going to check on Tiana, and then I'm coming to your session to check on you.

And you better not be smoking weed, Hakeem, I mean it.

Hey, Ma.

All right.

Look, I need for you to cover me tonight with, uh, Derek at the studio, all right?

Hakeem: Jamal?

You serious?

Hold on a second.

Yeah. Do I look like I'm not?

Uh-uh...

Jamal?

Hold on!

Marco's gonna be furious.

Jamal!

Shut up.

Excuse us. Excuse us. Marco's gonna be furious.

He's been trying to sign Derek for months.

I couldn't care less. You have a ten times better ear than him.

Hakeem, I looked at the, um... the artwork for the cover of your album.

And?

I don't like it. It's amateurish.

You just don't get it, do you?

What the hell is wrong with you?

I'm telling Mom. Mom?

Trying to help him out.

You're rude, he's crude, and the both of y'all are socially unacceptable.

You need to fix this.

No, he needs to fix it.

Give me a meeting with him after this meeting.

Uh, you have a marketing meeting.

Well, after the marketing meeting.

Andre: Don't forget we have a BOD phone call at 11:30, and then lunch with the Apex Radio guys.

(sighs) This don't stop.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm just trying to get into the studio, Andre.

Of course you are.

Set a meeting with Hakeem after lunch.

After lunch, you're seeing your father.

Figure it out, little boy.

Yes, sir.

You get a chance to... see the concert?

Have you written any new songs?

No.

Running your Empire's taking up all my time.

Yeah.

My album dropped to number 22 on the charts, Dad.

I know.

It's because I'm supposed to be touring by now.

Look, get me the hell out of here, and you can tour the world.

Lawyers say that your bail hearing's gonna go in your favor.

Well, anybody seen that lying snake Vernon?

Shh.

No. He needs to be... handled.

Not yet.

All right. So how's Andre doing with Apex Radio?

Good. We had a good lunch today.

No. No, I need him to close that deal.

All right.

Did you talk to Hakeem about the artwork?

Mm-hmm, he's pissed.

Well, he'll get over it, man.

He hasn't recorded his new track yet, has he?

No, Cookie's trying, but he's unfocused or whatever.

'Cause Cookie can't manage him.

I'm the only person that can manage him.

You know your mama ain't even seen me.

Not once.

Okay. Payback for the past.

I get it.

Who was that... lesbian bitch in the red suit?

Who?

At the concert.

That was cuddled up with your mama.

I don't know who you're talking about... at the...?

Find out who she is.

Her and your mama are up to something.

(groans)

Dig.

(gasps)

They know.

If we were suspects, we would've been hauled in already.

Then they're stalling.

You think he was their only witness?

Yes, I do.

And you know if they don't find any evidence against Lucious, they're going to throw his case out sooner rather than later.

We need this hostile takeover thing done before he gets out, or it'll never happen.

It's okay.

Baby, it's gonna happen, okay?

All right.

It looks like Mimi Whiteman is gonna bite.

(sighs)

You haven't told your pastor, have you?

Told him about what?

About Vernon.

Why you asking me that?

What do you mean, why am I asking you that?

No.

(sighs)

Babe.

You need to relax.

Okay?

This deal is gonna go through, and this company is gonna be yours.

(sighs)

There's no way anyone in their right mind would leave a half a billion dollar investment to Cookie and Hakeem.

I still can't believe he gave it to Jamal.

I know.

How's my boy?

He's tired.

(fingers snap)

(TV playing indistinctly)

I heard you got five years for armed robbery, Jermel.

Yeah, well, I ain't do it.

Just like you didn't k*ll my boy Teddy McNally?

Smell the roses!

No.

I know you did it.

No fight, man.

I wouldn't do that on my mama, man.

Ain't do that.

I'm hungry.

You hungry?

♪ Look at the flicka da wrist ♪
♪ Look at the flicka da wrist ♪
♪ That wrist ♪
♪ Look at the flicka da wrist ♪
♪ That wrist ♪
♪ Look at the flicka da wrist ♪
♪ Look at the flicka da wrist... ♪

So, how do you like this little party we put together for you?

Just wanted to welcome you into the family.

Very enterprising of you, Cookie.

Speaking of enterprising, Mimi, Empire still runs a hip-hop circuit.

Music, fashion, liquor, sports.

What is she doing here?

She's in my house.

Oh, really?

If I'm here, she here.

Oh, what's...?

Okay.

Andre: We're trying to bring in $250 million tonight.

We need her, or I can't get these people, I can't get this money.

Please do it for us, okay?

Anika: Heard a lot about you, Mimi.

Tell me what you've heard.

Well...

Who'd you hear it from?

(laughs)

Oh, look at that. I like this little beauty mark right there.

(Mimi laughs)

Anika: Do I have one there?

Welcome home, Mimi.

Look, these dudes from Atlanta think they giving us a run for our money.

But you know your boy Keem got some hooks into those cats.

Here you go, baby.

Ooh! Do you?

We have our eye on the future, Mimi.

Yes.

We're making a big, streaming play.

It's gonna go global.

I hear L'il Wayne may be a free agent soon.

Oh, yeah? So, who do you got in the streets in your ear, Mimi?

Don't you worry your pretty little weave about that.

Okay.

(laughter)

No, what I'd really like to know is, why do you want to depose Lucious?

He's lost his way, and I need to get my company back before he destroys it, or destroys my family.

I'm saving it for my sons.

Oh.

For my babies.

So it's for the children?

Yes. For the children.

Okay.

♪ Catchin' plays ♪

And the pretty babies.

♪ Catchin' plays ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ I woke up feelin' like ♪
♪ I was on the moon... ♪
♪ On the moon! ♪

(classical music playing)

Michael: Nothing, thank you.

Get rid of Ricardo.

Tell him to get out of here.

Ricky, you can leave now, okay?

Yes.

Thank you.

Why you gotta be so nasty?

(sighs)

(sighs)

Empire.

So...

You like it?

(sighs)

You know what turns me on?

Yes?

You're blowing up, baby.

Ten weeks on the Billboard charts.

That's impressive, Jamal.

You know what turns me on?

What?

You.

Putting together this whole LGBT party.

It's good for you.

You made me look good.

You always look good.

So you are going to make it to the meeting tomorrow.

Right?

(sighs)

Yeah, I'm gonna figure it out.

Well, we can have the meeting at your office.

I miss you so much.

What about Ryan?

Ryan is a ho.

Yes, he is a ho.

I made a mistake.

You still want me, though.

(man trilling)

♪ Jello beats, come at me... ♪
♪ Ah... ♪
♪ And Chewy I'm some hot boy ♪
♪ Hot ♪
♪ Like I talked to Shyste when I... boys ♪

You're pretty.

How you doing?

Good.

♪ And Montay keep it on him ♪
♪ He done drop boy ♪

I like that tie.

Thank you. Here, you want to try...?

You're trying too hard. Move.

Anika: What did I miss?

Anita, would you care to dance?

Oh... no, no, no, no. (chuckles)

No, I'm good. And, actually, it's...

Anita, dance with her.

♪ Broad daylight and we gonna let them thangs bark ♪

Why don't you take your little sweater off so she can see your sexy body.

♪ Free breezy, yo ♪
♪ Breezy ♪
♪ Tell my, tell my Shmurda teamin', bro ♪
♪ Teamin' ♪
♪ Caught about a week ago, a week ago ♪
♪ With us and then we tweakin', tweakin'... ♪

Damn, Cookie. Where are you? It's Jermel.

I need you to get Lucious to protect me from Frank Gathers.

You're in danger. And your kids, too.

Ms. Whiteman office called back again.

And somebody sent you some ugly flowers.

Who?

I don't know.

Ma, Jamal's assistant busts onto the mixing stage while I'm rehearsing, ordered me to come to some meeting.

You know I don't take orders from Jamal or his punk-ass assistant.

Hakeem...

(phone ringing)

That's Carol trying to videoconference you.

Yeah, tell her I'll call her back later.

(ringing continues)

Hey, Carol. Cookie says she gonna call you back.

Porsha, did she get some flowers?

Yeah. You sent them? Ooh. I got to go.

No, it's the guy.

It's that crazy guy.

I-I'll tell her you sent 'em. I got to go.

I got to boo-boo.

Porsha, wait...

Oh, this bitch. (groans)

Put that damn phone down and listen to me.

Ms. Whiteman has committed $250 million.

She's in. She is going to make her move in the next 24 hours.

We will get our company, and I want Jamal to be a part of it.

Y'all gotta be in a good place.

(lock beeps, door opens)

Leave us alone.

You must be the new prosecutor.

According to the federal statute, this meeting is... illegal.

I saw an old friend of yours the other day. He sends his regards.

I got a lot of old friends, Roxanne.

You don't mind if I call you Roxanne, do you?

What you should call me is your worst nightmare, because that's exactly what I'm gonna be.

See that? You just gave me goose bumps.

So what did this old friend of mine have to say?

Vernon thinks that Bunkie's m*rder had to do with more than extortion.

Plead guilty and then we can start talking about some of the other K*llers in your business.

You help us take them down, I promise you won't die in here.

So that's your campaign, huh?

You're planning on running for attorney general, but as a Republican.

And you think that being the black bitch in cheap shoes who took down hip-hop, that's your way to victory.

Let me share something with you, Ms. Clarence Thomas.

I don't care how many of us you lock behind bars.

You ain't never gonna be nothing but a black bitch in cheap shoes to me.

A black bitch in cheap shoes that'll jam them right up your yellow ass.

Is that how you want it?

I'd pay good money for it.

If I were you, I would consider my offer.

It's the best one you're gonna get.

And they're Tom Ford, by the way.

(knocks on door)

Hey.

(door opens)

(indistinct chatter)

How's your music?

Good.

Spit something for me.

He in jail. Do it.

(sighs)

♪ They tell me if you really want it that bad ♪
♪ You better go out and get it, so you know I'll be writing songs forever ♪
♪ But since a young'un, I been on but never had the time to shine ♪
♪ These people fear what they don't know, manipulated my grind ♪
♪ I played the bench, applying pressure from the sideline ♪
♪ Never gave a damn about a hater try and take mine, I was ♪
♪ My own boss, always took my own loss, solid as a rock ♪
♪ But when I slipped, I took my own fall ♪
♪ They askin', "Why you do that, baby?" ♪
♪ I'm whilin' on the block, like, "Why you do that, baby?" ♪
♪ They wonder... ♪
♪ I like the way you rhyme and how you grew that daisy. ♪

That's your little girl?

Yeah, that's my girl.

Wow, you are powerful, miss.

Lucious, you got another visitor in Room A.

I'm not complaining, but I have 20 minutes before the board meeting, Becky.

Complaining.

They're trying to do something nice for you.

Turn that around, boo.

(man singing nearby)

Who's singing?

Michael's in there with the gay and lesbian people. They've been waiting.

Becky: The GLAAD people.

Fix your face, come on.

♪ I've been dancing on the floor, darling ♪
♪ And I feel like I need some more ♪
♪ And I feel your body ♪
♪ Close to mine and I know my love ♪
♪ It's about that time to make me feel ♪

Becky: Be nice.

♪ Mighty real ♪
♪ You make me feel ♪
♪ Mighty real ♪
♪ You make me feel ♪
♪ Mighty real ♪
♪ Oh. ♪

This is beautiful. So great; that's great.

Hi, Jamal.

How you doing?

I'm so excited to be giving you an award.

Thank you.

Let's do a duet after.

Oh.

Becky, let's think about that.

Don't be shady.

It'll be fun!

(laughing)

Becky, Donnie McClurkin will be there.

Donnie McClurkin?

I love him!

Do you?

We fall down, but we get up, don't we?

Won't he will!

Will he won't!

Ooh, shando!

(laughter)

Hakeem, it's happening.

Let's get it.

♪ They tell me if you really want it that bad ♪
♪ You go on and get it ♪
♪ So you know I'll be writing rhymes forever ♪
♪ But since a young'un, I've been, on but never ♪
♪ Had the time to shine; these people fear ♪
♪ What they don't know, manipulated my grind... ♪

I know that we were all surprised by the large share purchase from today, but I just want to let all y'all know we're fine.

Empire is just as strong as we've even been.

Actually it's much stronger, Jamal.

'Cause we're taking it over.

Cookie: Didn't I tell you to let me do the talking?

Now, let me explain how this is gonna work.

Hey, sister girl.

(groans quietly)

In partnership with a woman by the name of Mimi Whiteman, we have taken a controlling interest in Empire.

But that doesn't mean we're gonna take it from you, Jamal.

Anika: We're taking it from Lucious.

Our first order of business is removing Lucious Lyon as CEO.

Sorry, brother, it's just business.

Don't be so mean.

No, it's just business.

Yes.

Right, Mimi?

We had a deal!

I met with Lucious this morning and made a better deal.

(chuckles)

I thought I told you to sleep with her.

I did.

You can't even d*ke right.

I'd give Anita an A for effort.

You made all the right moves.

I wanted a little music company to play with.

You convinced me to invest in Empire.

You just forgot one little detail.

Lucious Lyon is Empire.

Empire is Lucious Lyon.

Without him, the company's nothing.

Oh, someone wants to say something.

(laughing)

Hi.

(Lucious laughs)

Game over, b*tches.

Bye-bye.

Come on, man, just stop.

Just tell me what I need to know... and we okay.

It was Cookie.

Come on, brah.

Cookie Lyon ain't no snitch.

You got to do better than that.

It was Cookie.

Frank Gathers.

That bitch.

Can't you see I was doing this to protect you, Jamal?

Y-You can't see that?

No.

You call it protecting, I call it back-stabbing.

When he threw me in a trashcan, he did it to my face.

I pulled you out of the trashcan, Jamal.

I didn't betray you.

You were always gonna be a part of the company.

Was I gonna run it?

No, because you wanted to.

It was my sacrifice that started this company.

"My sacrifice that started this company."

I'm so sick and tired of hearing the same old thing.

Yeah, Ma, you sacrificed.

But that don't give you the right to tear us down.

(laughs quietly)

You're turning into your daddy.

(wry laugh) I'm watching it happen.

(door closes)

Kids: Hey, Aunt Cookie!

Hey.

Carol?

How did you get in my house?

And why they playing with my wigs?

'Cause I like this one.

Oh, girl, you better put that brush down.

Cookie...

I tried to tell that dumb-ass assistant of yours that the roses isn't a mistake this time.

What roses?

Cookie, the roses.

They're really from Frank Gathers.

Kisha, Kisha!

Hey, hey! Luther, you guys, go in the other room.

Go, go, go go!

Ah! Put that down! Put that down!

(both gasping)

Oh, no, no, no...

No!

They kind of sprung the whole Miss Lawrence thing on me, Jamal.

I know you're not comfortable around flamboyant dudes like that.

That ain't true.

Oh, come on. You just hate him 'cause he's too real for you.

But it puts me in a bad position.

All right, well... what you want me to do?

Y'all-y'all want some money-- like 50,000?

(scoffs)

So you're gonna buy us with $50,000

'cause you're canceling at the last minute?

What you want?

You want 100? That what you want?

You want all this money off Empire?

This is my company.

Yes.

Mm.

Well, look, make the announcement tonight and you apologize for me not coming.

You're shady.

Jamal: ♪ If I had to sell ♪
♪ Just a piece of me ♪
♪ Tell me what you see ♪
♪ In my life ♪
♪ For what can I keep ♪
♪ If you empty me ♪
♪ A catastrophe ♪
♪ A waste of time ♪
♪ So I ♪
♪ Won't sell it ♪
♪ I'm gon' keep it ♪
♪ You won't get ♪
♪ What's mine ♪

(phone rings)

♪ Whoa, yesterday ♪

Yeah.

♪ I had to pray ♪
♪ I'm looking ♪
♪ For a sign... ♪

Yeah, I got it. Hold on.

(music stops)

Yo.

Your mother's on the phone.

Just deal with it.

No.

Boy, I'm not taking another Cookie cuss-out 'cause you don't want to answer the phone.

Well, I don't care about it either way.

I ain't, either.

Please just deal with it.

Thank you.

Ma, seriously? This is the first time I've been in the studio in three weeks.

Jamal, listen to me. This is not a joke.

Stop what you're doing right now, go to your father's house.

You will be safe there. You hear me?

Why?

I am not joking. This is very real. Okay?

Hey, what is this?

Jamal, just go.

I'll see you later.

(sobbing)

Why are you over there crying like Tammy Faye Bakker?

Get your ass together. Get them kids and go over to Lucious's.

Go, Carol!

(lock buzzes, clicks)

Why you looking like Mr. T?

Ain't nobody come all the way out here to play no games with you, Lucious.

(chuckles)

For whatever reason, I still love you.

Oh...

I do, and I'm so sorry I didn't... come and visit you all those years in here.

This place is hell.

Three months. You been in here three months.

Talk to me after five years. If there's any justice, we'll have that conversation.

You mean that?

What, you think I don't, 'cause I threw that little concert?

Nah. See, I know you threw that little concert 'cause you was trying to impress that big investor of yours.

Real sorry that didn't work out for you, babe.

I did that for our sons, Lucious.

That's...

It's tearing my babies apart, having you in here.

You always were ride or die.

Save that for Anika.

Or one of these little boys you messing around with in here.

(laughing)

That's crazy how I can love your ass and hate you at the same moment.

All right, so, uh, why'd you come?

They messing with us, Lucious.

Who's messing with you?

That skinny... animal.

Idi Amin.

Frankie?

I need you to fix it.

So, what'd he do?

Frankie: Lucious. Over here.

Came solo. It shows respect.

Sometimes that's all we got.

Brother, I wanted to tell you... if there's a problem between us, we... we can always work it out.

(playing discordant notes)

Oh, my God.

That damn piano. Can you make them stop?

Aunt Carol, did she say how long we're supposed to be here?

No.

Okay, well, did she say what it's about?

All right. Listen, there's this guy that we used to move dr*gs for back in the day.

And he was... he was really dangerous.

How dangerous?

Lucious: Now, first of all,

I want to apologize if I overstepped some bounds with you and your little girl, and... she's just really talented.

Yeah, thanks a lot, man.

She's special, and that's why I think there's a... a home for her at Empire.

With your blessing.

We got a bigger problem here, Lucious.

And you throwing my daughter a bone ain't gonna fix it.

Cookie's a snitch.

She rat me out to the Feds. That's how she got out so early.

Now we both know I got to do something about that.

This is between me and Cookie.

Me and you are cool.

Unless you tell me something different.

Um...

Yeah, we good.

Cold-blooded.

That's why I always liked you.

Always I liked you, too.

But I love Cookie, and if you got w*r with her, then you got w*r with me.

Wow.

You are crazy.

Crazier than I thought.

k*ll him.

Make it fast and quiet.

Bye.

I'm sorry, I think you're confused.

Now, please sit down.

See, Frankie, you always wanted to run the streets.

But me, I wanted to rule the world.

Like Mike-- now, he may never see his mama again 'cause he's serving life, but he ain't got to worry about her mortgage, 'cause I took care of that.

And Bamm-Bamm, his baby girl is sick.

And she gonna need some help in this cold-ass world that I rule.

And, Guy, wh-what was it again, Guy?

Just the music, man.

Lucious: That's right.

He's a musician.

Just like Freda.

k*ll him.

Make it loud, and make it long.

And by the way, I'm-a sign your baby girl.

And then I'm-a slip her my bone.

Bye.

♪ Power ♪
♪ For the power ♪
♪ Power... ♪
♪ All for the power ♪
♪ For the power... ♪
♪ For the power ♪

(Gathers screaming)

♪ All for the power ♪
♪ Power ♪
♪ Of the empire... ♪

(Gathers' scream echoing)

I'm gonna bury your album, Hakeem.

It's never gonna see the light of day.

You'd do that to me?

Empire's not gonna spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a artist that would try to take us down.

Nah, that's not why you k*lling it.

You don't want anyone to hear it 'cause you want to be the only one.

I've always been the only one.

That's what you thought.

You know my album gonna sell more than yours.

But it's cool.

You're right, Hakeem.

That's the reason why.

I deserve to be the king!

Cookie: It's over.

It's all over.

Where's Andre?

Hey, Mom.

Where's Carol?

Upstairs in the playroom with the kids.

Can you please explain what the hell is going on here?

It was, um... (chuckles) it was an old beef.

With a very dangerous man.

He took care of it from prison?

Yeah, well, your father's a son of a bitch.

(chuckles)

But he's still your father.

And I'm still your mother, don't you ever forget that.

Get out.

You, you!

Out! Andre, out.

Jamal.

Rhonda, get out. Right now.

You trippin'.

Jamal...

Get out of my father's house.

You betrayed him, all of you.

Your father's...

And we don't want anything to do with it.

I'll happily leave, okay?

Jamal: Thank you. Bye.

Come on, babe, let's go.

Andre, I'm gonna take care of this, baby.

It's not even your house.

Come on, Hakeem.

I got it.

No, just go ahead.

Jamal, look.

I can fix this, baby.

You know I can.

Uh, look, we can be a family again.

Get out.

Who you think you're talking to?

You done now, lady.