Previously on Empire...
You got to protect
- this angel with your life.
- I will.
You on your way to being woke.
Make some music
that means something.
This is the head
of the gaming commission,
Charlotte Frost.
I did not expect this.
I'm impressed.
You and Nessa are out.
Get your men together.
We're gonna take him out.
The last track on
When Cookie Met Lucious
is gonna be about our mother
finding happiness.
Will you marry me?
I still have feelings for him.
I compromised the integrity
of my campaign.
For you!
They messed with the wrong clan.
They're going down.
Wait, stop, stop, stop,
stop, stop. DJ.
DJ, baby, right now, you're
riding this like it's a rainbow.
You got to ride these quarters
like you're the space
shuttle trying to break through
the Earth's atmosphere.
Uh. This arrangement is hot.
A thousand degrees hot.
This joint's crazy.
Okay, stop, stop, stop.
Flag on the play.
This just ain't your track, bro.
I'm sorry. Y'all, I can't,
I ain't, I'm not stupid.
I literally hate this song.
Yo, Lucious.
Man, why don't you
stop playing around
and dip my boy
in some of that sauce, man,
give October some of that heat
for the street?
If this is supposed to be
the last song of the album,
it needs to be a better song.
That's because the last song
on the album
is supposed to be
how I broke free
from the chains of Lucious
and got me a better man.
What's wrong, baby?
Lucious, come in and
take a five, sweetheart.
I've got to finish this album
before we even think about
mounting this show in Vegas.
Everything. It's the song.
And I'm not,
I'm not hearing nothing.
I'm not hearing it.
We're never gonna finish
this album on time.
Oh, well, yes, the hell we are.
Let me go dig in some crates,
see what kind of inspiration
I can come up with for this boy,
before I have to go in
and choke his ass.
I'm sorry, I'm gonna take you
out on this one, Tommy.
Whatever you need.
It's your track.
- I'm sorry, bro.
- No, it's all good. We'll work it out.
It's my fault, baby,
because I'm in a foul-ass mood,
'cause I'm looking
in this room and I'm seeing
a bunch of people I don't know,
eating up my damn food.
Do I know any of y'all?
If I don't know you,
you got three seconds
to get the hell out of here.
I'm not gonna say it again.
Come on, let's get
the goings going on, people.
Let's get the goings going on.
Now, you can leave that here,
my friend.
- Thank you.
- Hey! Okay.
No, you, you,
you gave everything
you had in there,
but it's still trying
to push the square...
Lucious, Lucious.
Can I talk to you for a second?
Hey, I'll see myself out.
- Thank you for understanding.
- Always, man.
- Much respect.
- How you doing?
All right.
So, um, did you hear?
About me and Angelo?
Yeah, you told me.
Um, congratulations,
I'm really happy for you.
No.
We broke up.
I, um, I said no.
Why?
Well, because,
I-I guess I finally realized
that, um...
Lucious?
I think you need
to come and talk to Snoop.
Cookie.
What is she doing
in the studio with you?
Because you said
that woman was the devil.
No, that's not what I said.
That's what you said.
Lucious...
I need you, darling.
Look, I got to go.
I'm sorry about Angelo.
You seem upset, sweetie,
what's wrong?
Nah, I'm good.
Hmm.
So I'm-a be honest
with you, man,
I'm a straight-up perfectionist,
like you, and I love Tommy,
but his vocals
wasn't right for this track.
But you gonna be happy
when it's all said and done,
'cause it's gonna mean
a better return
on your investment, man.
That's right, and
the deal memo's being drawn up
as we speak.
Ready to sign
as soon as we're done here.
I ain't said yes yet.
Hey, hold on, hold on.
Think about it.
Look at it this way, man.
You know how much money
we spent in Vegas?
Black people spend
billions of dollars
in their gambling,
supporting their fights,
supporting their clubs, even
supporting their strip clubs.
Am I right, Thirst?
- Okay.
- Okay...
Little bit.
But not one time
have they let us
hang one flag up in there.
Well, you know, you got
to understand this, Lou.
They don't really respect us.
They afraid of us.
And then that thing
that happened in 1996.
And on top of it all,
they're r*cist.
Yeah, but Inferno's
gonna change all of that.
I've already laid the groundwork
with the Nevada Gaming Commission,
Snoop, we're good.
Look.
You know, be 100
with a brother, man.
What's up, dude?
All right, let me keep
it real with you, yo.
Now, you said Inferno
was gonna be for Empire
what Chronic was
for Death Row, right?
A to the men, man.
I hear you Lucious,
but where's Jamal at
in this equation?
I don't think
it makes sense without him.
Yeah, you know Dre?
That was my dawg.
And my dawg gonna stay my dawg.
But The Chronic wouldn't
have been The Chronic
if I wasn't on it.
Now, you put it out there
that Inferno was gonna have
Empire's biggest artists.
So to me,
Jamal has to be a part of it.
All due respect, baby,
you were crucial to The Chronic.
That's how crucial I am
to Inferno.
I don't need no other artists.
I don't need my son,
or anybody else,
to make this a hot album,
because it is what it is,
you know what I'm saying, man?
This is good business, Snoop.
I respect your business hand,
you know that.
It's not even about that.
But I just want you
to hear me out on this.
Jamal brings...
that other audience.
A different demographic.
So with him on the team,
it ain't nothing we can't do.
Look, I don't care
how you spin it,
and whatever floats your boat,
but you will be on Inferno.
Or what, Dad, you gonna,
you gonna ground me?
Come on, man,
I got things to do.
What, you have work to do?
At a studio, at a label
that you're under contract.
Remember that.
Oh, so that's how
we gonna play this.
'Cause guess what, old man,
last time I checked,
you are not the only CEO
at this company.
This ain't about me
versus your mama, man.
It's... I'm offering you
an opportunity.
Look, Inferno's
gonna be an album
like never before.
And that's why Snoop
and October London,
and everybody wants to be
a part of it, 'cause they know
that they're gonna be
a part of making history.
Okay, but I'm not
challenging that.
Make your history.
I'm-a make my own history.
Or I should say, I'm-a
try to rewrite the history
of you and your
crazy-ass family.
Do Inferno.
I'm-a do
When Cookie Met Lucious.
We good.
Hey, Ma.
What are you doing here?
Nessa said she was afraid
you might do something reckless.
Nessa.
Look, Andre, I know you want
to clap back at your daddy...
I don't know
what you're talking about.
Boy, you must think
I'm Boo Boo the Fool.
You know I'll burn
this bitch down.
Move.
Ma, will you hold on?
Mm-hmm.
Really, Andre?
He betrayed me
one time too many.
And he better fall back.
Vegas is mine.
Well, you must be off your meds,
thinking you gonna come
at your daddy like this.
Shine.
You really want to start
this kind of w*r with Lucious?
Well, apparently,
I'm off my meds, too.
Yeah, apparently, you don't like
to breathe, stupid ass...
Shape, is that you?
I heard you d*ed. Boy,
look at you, you look good.
- B-Raw? How's your sister?
- Hey.
Oh, she good.
- She good?
- You look good, too, Cookie.
Thank you, baby. You got all
of North Philly up in here.
Thought that was you
when I walked in.
- What's up, Big Money?
- What's good.
Good to see...
my God, this is great.
Okay, fellas, as you were.
Load it up.
Look.
I know that Giuliana woman
took you for a fool...
I won't be taken for a fool, Ma.
She's trash, Andre,
and your daddy is gonna kick her
to the curb...
You are underestimating her.
I don't give a damn
about that bitch.
Now, I know your father can be
a piece of work,
but just give him a minute
to come to his senses,
and then we can run Las Vegas
like a family.
Like a family.
That doesn't help me out much,
now does it?
As far back as we go, Shine?
You like a distant cousin.
Come on, man.
All of y'all.
This is North Philly
in the house.
- Yeah.
- That's right. Y'all are like my family.
Some old friends of mine,
you know?
And to be honest,
I need that right now.
Okay, so I t... I...
You know what?
Y'all come over to Cookie house
and I'll cook you
a comfort meal.
Y'all down
for some home cooking?
I know y'all ready for a good
home-cooked meal, right?
I got you.
I got you.
All right, I'll see y'all soon.
Have your appetites ready.
Dad, I appreciate you hearing
me out on such short notice.
It's about Bella.
What about her?
I deserve to have my name
on the birth certificate.
I'm serious.
I can tell you're serious
from the tone in your voice.
But just 'cause you serious,
that don't mean
you're ready for it, son.
And having your name on
somebody's birth certificate
don't necessarily make you
a parent.
I'm a parent, Dad.
I'm ready.
You know I'm ready.
Everybody out!
That's it!
Single file.
Let's go!
Come on, people, let's move.
Hold on, hold on,
hold on, hold on.
Do you mind telling me
what the violation is?
Okay? Don't say overcrowded,
'cause I already got
the head count.
This club's in violation
of the fire code.
- Fire code?
- What fire code?
We're getting smoke blown up our asses,
that's what's happening.
What...
The bar is shut down!
- Everybody out!
- Excuse me.
I don't smell no fire.
Good evening.
I didn't even see him in here.
Well, well, well.
If it isn't my brother Numpsay.
Mr. Lyon. Boys.
Hope you are enjoying
yourselves, but...
please exit my club now.
Well, uh, I see you've met
the-the fire marshal.
Excuse me.
Frankie, this is Mr. Lyon.
Mr. Lyon, Frankie.
Did you not get the memo?
Frankie, you didn't give him...
I don't think he got the memo.
My apologies.
Your club is closed tonight.
I get it.
Well, in that case,
sorry to have interrupted you.
Please enjoy the brandy,
Mr. Mayor.
I'm-I'm sorry.
Mr. Almost Mayor.
You should
really work on your game.
This is pathetic.
Drinks on me.
Give them a round.
There go your fire, Frank.
What's this, man?
They're comin' at us.
Wait a minute, let me
get this straight.
Your boy, Angelo, can walk up
inside of my club,
puffing his damn chest out,
and you want me to give his ass
a free pass?
Lucious, that's not...
No, no, you know damn well
what he did was about you.
And you know me
too well, Cookie.
I can't let that go.
I do know you, Lucious, but
let's not make things worse.
Okay?
We can fix this.
Let's fix it, you and me.
Excuse me.
Um, sorry, don't mean
to interrupt, but, uh,
I'm on my way to The Peninsula.
So, I need to grab my things.
Tell me when's
a good time for you to...
Why are you in a hotel?
Lucious.
Darling, I'm headed
to the airport.
Um...
Let me say good-bye to
you before you leave.
Oh, and, Anika,
you know, why don't you just
move back into the house?
I mean, Giuliana's leaving
for Vegas for a while.
- She's got business there, so...
- Oh.
So, she up
in the mansion already?
Right.
So, I-I'm busy.
I-I got to go.
And, um, I guess we gon' handle
this, um, Angelo stuff
another time.
Somebody's not happy.
Always trying to hold me back,
saying I don't know
what I'm doing.
Acting like somebody gave you
instructions on
how to be a father.
All I wanted to do was just
be a father to my daughter.
My daughter.
Should I kidnap her?
- Yeah.
- Uh-huh.
Bae, I feel like you ain't
listening right now.
Keem, what do
you want us to say?
The situation sucks.
You got no wins.
Just suck it up.
See, I told you he
was gonna be jealous.
Listen, ain't nobody jealous.
This situation right here
is trigonometry.
Your girl got a girl,
that's two girlfriends.
So, girlfriends,
can y'all come with me
to my dad's and check out Bella?
Just in case
I snap on-on Pops.
That sounds nice, Keem.
I bet. The car'll
be there at 7:00.
Uh, we can't. We're going
to that party in Nyack.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, a party without your boy?
That don't sound right.
Well, it's a girls' party.
Just girls.
Oh, so, I see.
A little jealousy.
Maybe to dream me
some new chick?
Fine. You're such a baby.
Y'all my babies.
Come here.
Vanilla and chocolate.
That's right, eat up, fellas.
I don't want no leftovers.
Cookie, you should've told me
you could burn like this.
Damn, somebody need to marry
this woman immediately.
You're so sweet.
Been there, did it, done that.
Yeah, this is nice and all, Mom,
but I don't see how it
solves our Vegas problem.
Here's the thing.
You know that woman
your daddy's messing
around with?
Yeah, Giuliana.
She's dangerous.
I still think it's payback
for Angelo.
Your daddy don't
even realize it.
I'll give it a month
before he makes her kick rocks.
And what if he doesn't?
All right, now that
we got our eat on,
let's talk about what
we came here to talk about:
- Vegas.
- Okay.
So, what's the plan?
How we gonna hit him?
Yeah, let's talk about Vegas
'cause you saw what we was on.
What you trying to do?
Put a pin in that.
Now, y'all know Lucious.
He knows how to put on a show
like nobody's business.
So, let him go up to Vegas
and set up Inferno.
Let him do all the work
and we reap the benefits.
And if your daddy ain't
got it together by then,
we'll take it from him.
How about some peach cobbler?
Hey, um, you now what, um,
you can head out if you want
'cause... I just, uh,
want to be alone, all right?
Okay.
I mean, I just need some quiet.
- Okay?
- Yeah.
Hey, what's up, Jamal?
What's up, Tinashe?
Cookie called me.
She said you were working
on something new.
How's it sound?
It sucks.
I'm sure it doesn't suck.
I'm almost 100% certain
that it does.
Just play me what
you got so far.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
All right.
Have you thought about maybe
filtering out the drums, maybe?
Okay, so you think
it sucks, too.
No, I just think that
the hook could have more energy.
Really ain't no nice way
to say this, Lucious.
It's strictly business.
I got to protect myself.
Are you serious, man?
Damn, Snoop.
You gonna turn us
down in casual wear?
He didn't even
dress up for this.
I just thought you was
a little bigger than that, man.
This can happen.
Ain't about that, Lou,
'cause the music thing?
Y'all got that on lock.
Anything you touch,
it's official
like a referee with a whistle,
straight to the tippy.
But I had a conversation
with my investment banker,
and he told me, Vegas move,
it ain't me right now.
Okay, can you do this?
Introduce me
to your investment banker.
- Mm-hmm.
- Let me have one conversation
and I bet you by the end of it,
he's gonna be begging
to put his money into it.
Or he's gonna move
your money into it, anyway,
tell you it was his idea
and charge you a commission.
I mean, that's what
they do, Snoop.
Bingo.
I don't think so, man.
Ezekiel's a square.
And not to be disrespectful,
Lucious, but...
you gon' scare his ass off.
Okay, well, maybe I'll make
a friend with him.
I'll make my own introduction.
What's his last name?
DuBois. But I don't think
he gon' listen.
DuBois?
Ain't that a little coinkydink?
Thank you.
All gravy, baby.
Well, sorry it was a little
bit of a burnt mission.
Nah, you were amazing.
It's me.
- We'll get it next time.
- We will.
Wasn't you, baby, it was him.
I'm so sorry we wasted
your time, sweetheart.
Ma, I love working with her.
She's dope.
It's just... I don't know.
I'm sick of you.
Sick of what, Ma? Look, I tried.
All right? She's amazing.
Um, let me tell you
about that word, "try."
But, Ma, you need to...
It's an excuse 'cause you
wearing my nerve out right...
- I can't take it, Ma.
- Cookie, I need to talk to you.
- Uh...
- Now!
If it ain't one thing,
it's a damn nother.
You better call that bitch ass
ex-boyfriend of yours.
- Hitting us with these code violations
- Okay, excuse me, you coming
- down here while I'm working, talking about...
- and messing with bottle service
- for one night, that's one thing.
- ...some damn club
I don't have nothing to do with
- and bottle service.
- No, no, no.
He's-he's pissing
on our money tree.
How?
The investors for
Inferno are backing...
You know what, I'm gonna
deal with his ass.
- No, no, no, no.
- Dad!
Okay, wait a minute. So, sh**ting him
is gonna solve this, right?
- Dad, why you got a piece?
- That makes a lot of sense.
- Huh?!
- Mom, where are you going?
If you don't get your
hands off of me...
Angelo. Angelo,
we need to talk.
Angelo, please.
Look, I don't blame you
for hating me, okay?
You're a good man, Angelo.
I just, I just wish I was a good
enough woman to be with you.
I don't belong in your world.
You destroyed my world.
It no longer exists.
I never wanted to do that.
What if I made
a public statement
saying that everything
you said on that hot mic
was just in the heat
of the moment?
Is that what you think
I'm most upset about?
I'm so sorry.
When Cookie Met Lucious.
Oh, Jamal's album.
Yes. I can hold a fundraiser
and we can tie it
to the public's...
When Cookie met Lucious
all those years ago,
you set a chain of events
into motion
that would one day
destroy generations
of hard work,
generations of preparation
in my family.
My family.
No, I can fix this,
but please, let me just try.
You got to stop
f*ring back at Lucious
because he's gonna light you up.
Don't put your hands on me!
Get off of me, bitch!
Oh, my.
Cookie, sweetheart,
you have not seen our firepower.
Now, when my family
decides to sh**t,
your entire family
will burn to the ground.
Come, my love.
Come.
She's not welcome here.
Talking about
when her family sh**t,
our family gonna burn
down to the ground,
like they some damn gangsters!
Man, that bitch
better ask about me.
Ma, but why even go down
there, you know what I'm saying?
What is picking a fight with
Angelo gonna accomplish?
Boy, are you not
listening to me?
It ain't soft-ass Angelo
who wants to go to w*r,
it's his mama.
Wait.
O-Okay.
Mr. Dalai Lama, how do you think
we need to handle this?
Well, that's just it,
the DuBois are not
like our family.
Damn right, they have no idea
what kind of w*r we bring.
And they're also not
a criminal organization.
Well, we're not one either.
Then we, a family, should
understand another family,
trying to protect
one of their own.
And it's y'all fault
because y'all constantly
have to clap back.
That's what we do.
- No, it's not.
- She came for me.
I don't want to hear that.
No, if they're going
low now, though,
then we can go high for once.
Oh, isn't that cute,
you learned something
from Michelle Obama.
Yes. I sure did, yeah.
Y'all, I can make peace.
Y'all just need to tell me
that I can go and talk to them.
Well, Andre,
y-you, you've lived
in their world.
Do you think Jamal is right?
Ugh.
Thank you.
Okay.
If you can make peace
with them, make peace.
I've got a casino to launch
and an album to finish.
Okay, y'all
not understanding this.
She has targets on all of...
Wait, where is Hakeem?
Ma, this woman ain't gonna
k*ll nobody.
- How do you know?
- Because I know.
Hakeem is fine.
He's at home, I talked to him.
You need to chill.
No, you need to worry
about who you trustin'.
I don't trust that damn
fake-ass Clair Huxtable.
- Neither do I.
- You're too damn nice!
You should've put him
in boxing classes
while I was locked up.
He too soft.
Little punk.
Ha, now listen, ladies,
beautiful ladies...
And I know you're beautiful
'cause you follow me, right?
Now, I need y'all to pick
which shirt I'm rocking tonight,
the black or the gold?
But, look, I got another option.
Now, I got this
snake-skin sweater.
Now, if I wear this, I got
to wear the matching pumps.
Now, listen, I told y'all
the party was turned up
all the way to Nyack.
And this city boy
is about that city life.
But unfortunately,
you know, sometimes
I like to go my own way.
But it's hard, man,
when I got this
million-dollar view
I'm looking at every day.
Shout out to Daddy.
But I 100% understand wanting to
step outside your comfort zone.
You know?
Testing your limits?
Like I'm testing my limits
having an all-girl party.
And you specially invited, baby.
...mother
of these young cubs
draws nearer to them.
A showdown.
Now, you know what this is?
The hyenas retreat.
This is family.
The lions have successfully
safeguarded their pride.
All right,
you put your shoulders back,
look him in the eye,
and you'll be okay.
Get out of here.
All right, Jamal, I have
nothing to say to you.
Look here,
I just want to apologize
on behalf of my family.
Well, apologies are just words,
so, I'm sorry,
that's too little too late.
Angelo, look, man,
I'm-I'm sad and disappointed
just like you are.
I wanted this for my mom so bad.
But you got through to her.
I know you did, and
that's what scared her.
She told me,
she told me when we met,
she said that we're
from different worlds.
Should've listened to her.
I guess when somebody
tells you who they are,
you need to listen.
Wait, wait, look...
We can't make up for
the damage that's done...
but let us make restitution.
This is $5 million.
Yes.
I don't need this.
I don't want this.
It's not for you.
It's for the WOKE
scholarship fund.
Every single kid is
gonna get a free ride
to the college of their choice.
Oh, come on, man, what, is this
so Lucious "The King" Lyon
can exploit my program,
and then spin it so that
he's the generous one?
- No, not at all.
- 'Cause, then...
The Lyon family will
stay completely anonymous.
Man, look at the check.
Please.
The scholarship is already
endowed to Diana DuBois,
so she, you, the DuBois family,
you're the only ones
associated with it.
Don't you want to
make something good
out of the day
that you met Cookie?
Take the check.
Damn it.
I think we were
really just finding it now.
Yeah, it felt like
we were finding something,
but it's not that something
that I'm looking for, it's...
It's a closed session, Mal.
Dad, ain't nobody worried
about your wack music.
Look, we'll-we'll hook up
on the next one, man.
- Oh.
- Make something better happen.
Later, Nicky.
- Yo, we good with Angelo.
- How generous of him
to take my $5 million.
He didn't want to at first,
but talked him into
seeing the wisdom of it.
He's a crooked politician, son,
he always thinks of money.
Probably.
Yeah, you were right
about Angelo, though.
So thank you.
Yo, you and the social media
guys up on Hakeem?
What about him?
He's been live-streaming
from his apartment all day,
saying he found
the meaning to life.
Is he all right?
Mm-hmm.
Says he saw a sign.
He was watching TV,
saw some lions.
Like, real lions from Africa.
And it was gonna make him
a better father to Bella.
He's on right now?
Yeah.
It's really sweet, actually.
Makes me know that even if
you and mom are lost ones,
my brother?
He will come to the light.
It's the way how that mama lion
was protecting her baby lion.
The connection was
just so deep, y'all.
She's ready to sacrifice
her whole life
for her lion baby life.
Lion baby.
W-What's the name of that,
y'all?
What, lion pups?
Nah, whatever.
Point being is that
she wasn't thinking
about whose name was
on the birth certificate.
She would've ran up to 100
hyenas, like, "What's up?"
And she didn't care,
she just stepped up.
Like nothing else mattered.
That moment, them two,
her family,
above everybody else.
Rising above it all.
Rising.
Elevated.
Chicken, forget the party.
Come over right now,
we got some work to do.
No matter if you family
by blood or circumstances,
you prove that by elevating,
every single chance you get.
See, my pappy...
he trying to teach me
how to be a father.
He want to see if
I'm gonna be a father
for the rest of my life.
And then my mom's telling me
what I should and should not do
for my baby girl, Bella.
All lessons I need to
teach you right now, baby.
'Cause one day,
you're gonna be doing
your own thing, without me.
But right now, you need me,
little girl.
And I need you, too.
So, Bella,
I'm giving you my life.
Because being your daddy
makes me a better me,
makes me a better man.
Doesn't matter whose name
is on that birth certificate.
You mine.
I love you.
Hey!
I just elevated!
Hit.
I'm just done.
I'm just gonna go
and sing background for Lucious.
Be careful what you say
out your mouth, boy.
Ma, seriously, though.
With the you and Angelo thing,
and the Inferno in Vegas,
and Andre... whatever,
it's-it's too much.
What are we even doing?
I need you to grow up;
life happens, okay?
And, right now,
get your head back in the game,
and deliver these two songs.
'Cause what we do know is that
When Cookie Met Lucious
has to b*at Inferno, right?
Get your head
back in the game, boy.
Find what you're looking for
and finish the damn song,
or you will be singing
backup for your father.
Becky, who is that?
It's dope, right?
Scorching.
Uh, I'll be right back.
Um...
- Jamal.
- Yeah?
Come here.
Come here, boy.
I need you to hear
something, come on.
Where were we going?
Just shut up and come on.
Where we going?
What is that?
That's dope, that's exactly
what I'm looking for.
Becky, who made that b*at?
I want it.
Actually...
...yeah, no,
they already in there.
Just hop right into
the booth, all right?
Y'all need something?
Is it his?
- You know it is.
- Never mind.
- Come on, boy.
- Sorry.
All right, Harry, just riff
off of this, all right?
Yeah, you're right
around the pocket.
Why don't you try it
with this bass on it?
Hey, hit him
with that bass, baby.
I think you just found
what you're looking for.
Um, Harry, uh,
I'm gonna make sure
you're covered
for everything today,
and we gonna figure out
something else, man.
What's up, Harry?
What's up?
I been, uh, searching
for the damn song, and...
what you know about that?
You are a dirty, rotten buzzard.
Did you hear that?
I mean,
your melody with my arrangement.
That's what's beautiful.
Yeah. It was, uh...
It's kind of cool.
Uh, what's going on in here?
Look, Ma, before you
say anything, just...
Hey, play that back
over the speakers.
Loud. Turn it up.
Just listen.
Whoo, that's it, Jamal.
Hold on, hold on.
I just heard something.
I mean, regardless of what
the DuBois tried to do,
all their shenanigans,
Snoop is still down
to invest in Inferno,
as long as Big J is on it.
Okay, great.
It'll be on both albums.
And we will also be on that
stage with you in Vegas.
It'll be Inferno and
When Cookie Met Lucious.
Nah, that's not gonna
work for Giuliana.
I don't give a damn what's
gonna work for that woman.
Okay, well, what
about what I want?
Is that a...
is that a thing?
Jamal, I was making
a deal for us.
But boy, what do you want?
I want for the Lyon family
to work together.
Is this a Kumbaya moment?
Okay, you know
what? I'm sorry.
We've been down
this path before,
and y'all can clown me
all you want, but it's real.
Dad, you could make
a conscious effort
to be a better man, to lead
your family the right way.
Mom,
we could put the past
in the past
and just make good music.
Look, in view of the...
kismet, fortuitous,
whatever you want to call it
that just happened...
...I'm down.
All right, Dad.
You know you're
shaking hands with the devil.
I believe him.
You know you do, too.
I'll be right here to pick up
the pieces of your heart
when he shatters it.
- You the one breaking hearts.
- Shut up!
I heard something.
What if I tried it
with this melody?
It's nasty.
It's not. Try it.
Hey yo, brother.
Jamal, give your brother
one of those...
- Let him try.
- ...nobody gonna eat that dirt
but you, devil,
'cause you live in it.
He ain't developed no taste buds
for nothing like that.
Thirsty, will you stop
flirting with my mama?
All right, all right, all right,
all right, y'all, listen.
Um, as, um, a pride of Lyons go,
we are pretty blessed.
I mean, Tariq and the Feds are
completely out of our lives,
thanks to Anika.
And the DuBois family seems
to be neatly tucked away,
thanks to Jamal's cleverness.
Inferno is a go in Vegas,
thanks to...
Also thanks to Jamal.
- Oh, okay.
- Mm-hmm.
With that said, I think
Anika deserves her independence.
Open it.
Divorce papers?
Thank you, Jesus.
Mama...
What?
Will you be nice, please?
If you read on, um,
it's a $25 million
settlement agreement.
That is, of course,
if you're not planning
on contesting it.
That's more than
you ever offered me.
I gave you half of my company.
No, I worked my
ass off for my half.
Well, I'm sorry
if that's not enough
for your greedy little ass.
I got something
for your... Ooh.
I understand that
you and Lucious are
working on a song
together, Jamal.
Oh, yeah, and that
song is the reason
why your daddy is
set up in Vegas.
Mm-hmm.
That's okay, Andre.
All we have to do is step up
- our efforts on the business.
- Thank you.
Can you feel me?
- Mm-hmm.
- Mm-hmm.
I also have something
for my youngest.
That little podcast
you did the other day...
it moved me.
You mean my live stream?
Whatever, um...
It let me know
that you have reached
a level of maturity.
So we're gonna give you back
your XStream channel.
Cool.
You are just like your mama.
What you mean by that?
Nothing.
Uh, Thirst...
There you go.
Turn it over, boy.
The state of New York seems to
have found your real parents.
Don't laugh at him.
Is this real?
Very real.
You deserve to have your name
on your daughter's
birth certificate.
Thanks, Dad.
Proud of you.
Mr. Lyon,
there's someone at the gate.
I don't care, I'm eating lunch.
Sir, I think you should come.
Excuse me.
Are y'all finished eating
these worms and these snails?
Grass? Can you
tell Juanita
bring some more wine and
peach cobbler, please?
Juanita, get her something.
Hold on, hold on, what...
Who are you, and why are you
in my house?
Sir, I'm from OCSF New York.
Child Protective Services.
I don't give a
damn where you're from,
I didn't invite you.
Juanita, how...
- Get the hell out of my house.
- Sir,
we have received reports
of child endangerment
at this residence.
I have an order to temporarily
remove the child
until an inves...
I don't care what you got.
You don't have the right
to be in my house.
- Sir, I have an order...
- We can have the conversation outside.
- Get out of my house!
- Move in!
Dad!
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!
Get out of my way!
You ain't taking nothing!
Stop, stop, stop, stop.
- Hands on your head.
- Don't touch my son!
Stop. Stop.
I'm not gonna tell you again.
Back the hell up now.
Cookie, get the baby.
We'll take care
of this in court.
You see all these cameras?
We gonna have
every one of y'all asses fired!
Shame on you.
It's all right.
It's okay.
You're just gonna go away
for a little bit..
You're gonna take
a nice little ride.
Just for a minute.
You think I don't know
who's behind this?
It's the DuBois.
You work for 'em?
No, sir.
- Shame on you.
- It's okay, baby,
- we'll get you back.
- It's all right.
Give her to me now, sir.
- We really don't want a problem here.
- It's all right, it's okay.
Say good-bye
to your pension, lady.
We're coming out now.
We're good. Over and out.
Roger that.
Yeah.
You've just watched Empire.
Now here are a few more shows
to check out from Fox.
Mommy has to go
out of town for work.
Something ain't right here.
The department
is obviously corrupt.
- I understand how you feel.
- No, you don't.
My son is dead.
You should go back to DC.
Their threats don't faze me.
This some sort of game to you?
We're taking on
an entire sheriff's department.
Nobody comes out of this clean.
sh*ts Fired.
03x15 - Civil Hands Unclean
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Hip-hop artist and CEO of Empire Entertainment receives a medical diagnosis predicting he will be incapacitated within three years, prompting the sharks to circle. Without further damaging his family, he must decide which of his three sons will take over...
Hip-hop artist and CEO of Empire Entertainment receives a medical diagnosis predicting he will be incapacitated within three years, prompting the sharks to circle. Without further damaging his family, he must decide which of his three sons will take over...