02x14 - Time Shall Unfold

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Empire...

Lola wanted to meet her daddy.

Hakeem: I'm very excited to be the new chief executive officer of Empire Enterprises.

Will you marry me?

Yes.

You got to tell the truth.

Why?

Because I did 17 years for a man whose real name I didn't even know.

Andre: Was my grandmother bipolar?

Lucious: I was embarrassed by her, the same way

I'm embarrassed by you.

To hell with you.

(CRYING): I just can't take it anymore.

Stay with me for as long as you need.

How you doing, Ms. Cookie?

I thought you'd be working with Lucious.

She was till he iced her out the video.

Cookie: Freda, did you say something about Frank Gathers?

Yeah, that's my father.

Was my father. He got m*rder*d in prison.

("POP OFF" BY FOOLISH PLAYING)

♪ You don't wanna ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Pop off, you don't wanna pop off... ♪

Woman: Lola, get the ball.

♪ Getting knocked off ♪
♪ Tell them haters stop... ♪

Here you go, Lola.

Your hair is so pretty.

Your mom comb it for you today?

Yes.

Yeah?

Ow! That hurt.

Sorry, sweetie.

Had to do it.

♪ Make me lay 'em down, after that ♪
♪ It's no waking, don't make me... ♪

Rhonda: I love him with all my heart.

I really do, but I just cannot be in that house.

Is he still having the visions?

Actually... the reverend finally realized that he does need to recalibrate his meds.

Hmm. And he has stopped insisting that somebody pushed me down the stairs.

That's a good sign.

Yeah.

(DOORBELL RINGS)

Okay.

I'll leave you guys to it.

(SIGHS): All right.

(DOOR OPENS)

Rhonda: Hi.

Andre: Hey.

How are you?

Andre: I'm good. How you doing?

Good.

You look nice.

Thank you.

Just give me a minute.

I'll be out of your hair.

Oh, no, no, no, th-that's not right, Anika.

This is your place.

You know, Rhonda and I, we can... we can go for a walk.

Yeah.

Anika: Oh, please.

My place is your place, okay?

Make yourselves at home.

So, you're not staying with the reverend?

I haven't been going to church.

I'm staying at a hotel, and I'm not off my medication, so you don't have to ask.

Okay?

Why haven't you been going to church?

I been wrestling with some issues, spiritually, and, um... I didn't think Reverend Pryce would understand.

Why do I find that weirdly comforting? (CHUCKLES)

Listen, what if we just... lease an apartment?

You know, just a... a small space where we can be together.

Now I'm thinking, like, brand-new, you know, no... bad associations, no memories.

Yeah, but then what?

Honestly, I don't know what.

You know, I just... (SIGHS)

I just know that I miss you.

Yeah.

Okay? I miss us.

We were a team.

Yeah.

Us against the world.

Ride or die, right?

Yeah, well, we haven't been that for a long time, Andre.

Well, tell me what it's gonna take.

For us to be on the same team again?

That's right.

I think that we need to want the same thing.

When were you happiest?

When... we were excited about our future, I guess, and wanted to rule the world and take over Empire.

(ANIKA RETCHING, COUGHING)

Oh, my God. Whoa.

(RETCHING, COUGHING)

Anika? Oh, my God, are you okay?

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Do you think it was something that we ate?

I feel fine.

No, it wasn't anything we ate.

Well, what do you think it... it is?

I cannot.

Especially not after what happened to you guys.

Are you pregnant?

Who's the father?

(WHISPERS): Oh, boy.

It's Hakeem.

♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom ♪
♪ Bang, bang, bang, bang ♪
♪ From the bottom I got up to the top of the pros ♪
♪ From the gutter to the shutter ♪
♪ Trimmed out in gold ♪
♪ Life bless my soul... ♪

Lucious, your video is amazing.

(CHUCKLES)

It's so gritty, so real.

(SIGHS)

The whole music business, the whole world... all anyone is talking about is little Dwight Walker.

A.K.A. my boy.

My man. Thank you for coming.

(LAUGHS)

Lucious Lyon, wouldn't miss it.

You know, that's the Lucious Lyon that inspired me to buy into Empire years before he took the company public.

Look, I know I speak for all the majority shareholders when I say... we want you back in charge.

Hear, hear.

Look, I'll tell you one thing, I really appreciate the vote of confidence, but the board has spoken.

They've anointed Hakeem, and all I can do is support that.

The board answers to the shareholders.

Besides, Hakeem's support was entirely predicated on Mimi Whiteman.

May she rest in peace.

But you know what, after hearing you guys' thoughts...

I'm gonna think about it long and hard.

If the board calls on me to serve, I will consider it.

We're counting on you, Lucious. Empire needs you.

Nobody else can do what you do.

Thirsty: You're right about that.

Lucious: I am so impressed with you.

Woman: Well, thank you.

So, when do we get to talk again?

Well, just call me, and we'll arrange.

Well, I'd love to put some of your thoughts to work.

Let's do that. Have a great night.

You know, you done crossed a line.

I mean, you really crossed a line this time, Lucious.

What you doing up in here with all these white people?

Winning their hearts and minds, my dear.

Yeah, it sounds like you winning something else.

You sound a little jealous.

Oh, please, stop flattering yourself.

I'm here because I want to make sure if you do something against Hakeem at that shareholders meeting that you tell me, 'cause I'm trying to bring this family back together.

(SIGHS)

Okay, how did I cross the line?

Uh, Freda Gatz?

Excuse me, Gathers.

She's not a problem.

(QUIETLY): You k*lled her father.

I don't know what you're talking about, but I was nowhere near that man when he d*ed, and you are bone deep with me.

I don't want that dangerous bitch around my boys.

♪ I know they know I gotta lotta ♪
♪ I'm in that VIP with 50 bottles ♪
♪ And all these women foreign ♪
♪ What's the motto? ♪
♪ What happens here, we gon' leave it here ♪
♪ So don't mention that tomorrow ♪
♪ Livin' that luxury ♪
♪ 'Cause where we come from close to hell... ♪

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

♪ Tonight Death come for me ♪
♪ I'm-a be too turnt up to tell... ♪

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Wait, listen.

♪ Livin' like my last night ♪
♪ Hey, my last night ♪
♪ Like my last night, oh ♪
♪ My last night ♪
♪ Like my last night... ♪

Yo, son.

Please tell me that's the hook.

That's it right there. You know, I'm-a put that as the last song on the Black and White album.

No, no, no, no. What about "Shine on Me"?

Nah, nah, nah, that, too.

I'm saying, I'm-a set up the recording session.

So you telling me I'm on two tracks on the album?

Yeah, that's what I'm telling you.

Oh, we lit!

That's what I said.

(JAMAL CHUCKLING)

Oh, man.

Yeah, let me know.

All right.

Yo, peace, man.

All right.

Barber: Yo.

Can't sit there. You know the rules, bro.

It's the old man's chair.

Ain't nowhere else to sit though.

Y'all past ridiculous with all this memorializing Frank Gathers, man.

(CLIPPERS CLICK OFF)

Hey, what you say?

I mean, for real, no disrespect, but...

Gathers been dead, so...

Yo, what part of "Don't sit there" don't you understand?

Yo, that's her pops, man.

Hey, hey, come on, relax, shorty.

Ain't no relaxing!

I told you, don't sit there!

Don't... sit... there!

(GRUNTING)

Get him up out of here, man.

Hey, man!

♪ Wild in the streets like there ain't no police. ♪

Jamal: ♪ My last night, yeah, my last night ♪
♪ My last night, my last night ♪
♪ MY LAST NIGHT ♪

Freda: ♪ Yeah ♪
♪ If I take one more sh*t of this agave, I be gone ♪
♪ I'll be lit ♪
♪ Just keep on sippin' ♪
♪ We gon' feel it in the mornin' ♪
♪ Mix that... ♪

(MUSIC STOPS)

Yes!

That was so dope!

Yo, you and Freda are like Ri-Ri and Eminem in reverse.

Oh, my goodness.

Y'all about to k*ll it.

You got a hit, boy!

Ma.

It's dope, right?

Yeah, it's a'ight.

You're not serious. Look...

I'm not saying the song's not cool.

I-I'm just saying that I know you did this track with Freda Gatz to get at your father.

That's all I'm saying.

Jamal: I can't lie about that, but...

I'm not trying to just get at him.

I'm trying to blow past him, which is why the Black and White album needs to be released before the ASAs.

Right.

But all anyone's talking about right now is Lucious's Dwight Walker video. Right? Am I wrong?

I mean, I just don't know how you gonna do it with that Freda Gatz girl, but good luck!

Ma, you wrong, you wrong.

Oh, I'm wrong? I'm wrong? Okay, wait.

I'm wrong?

Okay, okay, a'ight, a'ight.

Ain't never wrong.

A'ight, a'ight.

But come on, all of the stories that you told me about Lucious being in his zone.

Mm-hmm.

Y'all losing track of time when you were creating his classics.

That's what me and Freda have.

Fine, Jamal, fine.

You-you got it all under control, but you need to tweak that 'cause it's not 100, baby.

All right.

Hakeem: And then I'm-a have Cookie speak on where she's going with all the Empire music divisions, okay?

Why ain't she here?

I told you, she's trying to get Tiana back to perform.

Okay, good. Steve and Chicken, why don't y'all run the stats on the fashion pre-orders, so...

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Jamal: Dre.

Bro, you made it.

Hey.

Chicken, um, give us a few.

Yeah, Steve and I will go over the stats for the fashion show.

Yeah, no problem.

Baby brother.

My man.

Good?

Yeah, yeah.

You sure you're all right?

I'm-I'm good.

I been... I been staying at a... hotel, but I'm-I'm good.

Talk to Rhonda?

We're talking.

But, hey, listen, I, um...

I want to let you guys know that I'm-I'm... I'm back.

Okay? I'm on board for the shareholders meeting.

I'll, uh, do the CFO presentation and, uh, I'll help you and Cookie prepare.

Now you know you got to bring your A-game, right?

I know. But are you okay?

I'm all good, baby brother.

Have you, um, talked to...?

Lucious and I actually just spoke.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Was he groveling at your feet?

(CHUCKLES)

You better not have apologized.

I'm onto his games, Jamal.

All right, the old man wants to talk, and I'm ready to listen, so, uh...

Tell me what you got planned. What's up?

Hey, check this out.

So, Mom is bringing out Tiana to perform, right?

So, what you think about J Poppa coming out to perform for the churchgoing folk?

It was Becky idea.

That's a smart idea.

But the shareholders meeting is more than just a show, all right?

It's an opportunity for management to engage in a face-to-face dialogue with the shareholders.

And the shareholders will engage.

I guarantee you that, okay?

These meetings... one wrong word, one wrong number, they get hostile fast.

So your message about all of Empire has got to be on point.

You understand?

Lucious is gonna be a challenge for you.

I don't want him there.

He's a shareholder, all right?

Anybody with even one share in the company is free to attend.

And you should know, to the shareholders, big or small, he's still the face of Empire.

Especially now with the whole Dwight Walker video.

He's got a whole new surge of support, so... he's definitely gonna come for you.

So what should I do?

Let's review any pending deals you have.

Which is most important to you?

Well, I got this capsule deal with Saks I did with Antony & Cleopatra.

It's gonna be big for the company.

That's what he'll go after.

♪ ♪

All right, fellas, remember, my ass is out here, okay?

Let's make this clean, quick and pretty.

♪ Red and black J, lookin' like a ballplayer ♪
♪ Pimpin' like I'm Motown, rockin' all gator ♪
♪ Baby, have you ever seen a black card? ♪
♪ I'm livin' good, countin' money in the backyard ♪
♪ Pay it up ♪
♪ The city wit' me on that thug, I'm the mayor of it ♪
♪ A young getter gettin', givin' 'em the flavor lovin' ♪
♪ Every little bit of that dope, boy ♪

, gimme that dough, boy ♪
♪ What you got up in your pockets is a joke ♪
♪ Throwin' racks, show me somethin' ♪
♪ Throw it back ♪
♪ We shuttin' down the club, boy ♪
♪ You ain't know that you was messin' with a thug, boy. ♪

You think I don't know it was you who ran up in my warehouse with your boys?

So now my warehouse is your warehouse, not Empire's.

But of course, I have no idea what you're talking about.

You gonna give me all my Empire Antony & Cleopatra merchandise before the shareholders meeting, or all the security footage is going to the police.

I wrote a song in the joint about people like you called "Snitch Bitch."

But of course, we don't drop dimes in this family.

You gonna take me out like Jamal?

Or treat me like garbage like Dre?

But know one thing, old man, I ain't never bowing down to you.

I thought you might say something like that.

(PHONE RINGING)

You might want to answer that.

Hello.

There's no equipment, like, nothing.

No lights, no... no instruments.

The only thing that's here is wardrobe.

What? What happened?

The roadies got stopped and searched on the way here.

The police found dr*gs and confiscated everything.

All right, I'm-a hit you back.

Dude, you planted dr*gs on my trucks?

What if I did?

It's just a simple boss move.

I mean, any half-assed CEO should know how to... clap back.

But... you don't bow down.

(HIP-HOP b*at PLAYING)

Man: There we go.

Cookie: Damn, that's fire, Mal.

That's for you and Freda, huh?

Mm-hmm.

Well, you weren't lying when you said you was gonna knock your father off.

Look, Ma, I know that you are somehow caught up in his web right now, so if you are coming to tell me to pump my brakes, just please...

That's not what I'm here to tell you.

I think competition is healthy.

As long as you're using it to push yourself.

So what's up?

Nothing. Never mind.

I... had a surprise for you, but you got it under control.

I'm sure you and Freda got what it takes to knock Lucious off his throne.

Oh, my good... Ma.

Come on, what is it?

Well, it's just that I set you up with a certain... high-profile celebrity superstar emcee who just broke all kinds of records with her single by doing 2.3 million downloads in one day.

You did not get Stacee Run-Run.

Get the hell up out of here.

Cookie: Hey!

Cookie.

I can't believe this.

Oh, hell yeah, you can. (CHUCKLES)

How you doing?

Good.

Believe it or not, couple years ago, I crept up in the Incognito Coffee House on Bleeker Street, and I caught your show.

And I knew right then, yo' ass was gonna blow sky high.

Thank you so much.

Congratulations on everything.

Stacee: Thank you.

I can't wait to get them into the studio.

It's gonna be sick.

We'll lay down the music and record verses tomorrow.

Mm-hmm.

Stacee wants Auto-Tune.

You're good with that?

I'm good with that.

Also, Stacee sings the bridge, and...

I'm good with all of that.

I just want the promos.

Well, I'm-a personally promote our song on every public appearance I have leading up to the ASAs.

My Twitter and my 'grams.

And she'll shout-out the Black and White album every chance she gets.

Yes!

Jamal: Maybe we should rethink the sequence of the tracks, you know what I'm saying, like, so that this can get the upfront shine.

Cookie: Okay.

You know, maybe move Freda to three and seven.

I thought we k*lled that.

k*lled what?

Uh, look, give us a second.

Help yourself to some snacks.

Come here, let me talk to you for a second.

Uh, look... (CLEARS THROAT)

Mom?

I just found out that Stacee has an exclusivity clause in her contract, so... no other female rapper can be on your album.

Ma, I can't just dump Freda.

It's not me, baby, it's Stacee.

Look, you're the one stressing 'cause you want to drop your album before the ASAs.

I'm just trying to help you.

Two tracks with Stacee Run-Run?

Boy, you will give Lucious a run-run for his money.

Lucious: Son, say hello to your grandmother, Leah Mary Walker.

Andre: I don't know what to say to her.

Whatever you got to say, say it quickly.

It's cold out here.

You know, the funny thing about my mama, you'd never know who was gonna answer back.

Some days, it was this... terrifying and abusive woman.

But, hell, what I remember most about my mama was how she could make the sun come up at midnight.

Yeah, that's exactly how Rhonda describes what it's like to live with me.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Hi, Grandma. It's Andre.

I'm-I'm your oldest grandson.

I wish I could've met you.

Medical science has made things more hopeful for people like us.

If you were still here with us, today you could stand a chance of being whoever you dreamed of being... on your good days.

Wish she could have met you, too, man.

Really proud of you, son.

You know, whenever you say that, you have an agenda, so...

I mean it.

Yeah, there's a lot of things I'm trying to accomplish right now that I could use your help with, but...

I'm not going against my brothers.

I'm not asking you to go against your Christian faith.

I know you live by the straight and narrow.

What, you don't?

I'm not...

I'm not sure.

Look, I understand.

You know, how can you worship some God that let your babies die, or... w*r and hunger.

Look, at the end of the day, you got to have faith in yourself.

'Cause you the one that pulled you up out of the lion's den.

I know you and your brothers, y'all all want the same thing I want, and that's for our Empire to be great, but you know that I'm the best man for that.

I want us all to try to be better.

Being that woman's son... gave me a whole lot of gifts, man.

But she also did a lot of damage to me.

But I know you and me working together, man, we could fix a whole lot of that stuff.

So what do you say? We good?

So exactly why is the new fashion line being delayed?

It's not being delayed.

It's being refined based on testing, people.

No, no. You can't say that.

That makes it sound like the clothes did bad on the test.

Or I can say my dad stole them to sabotage me.

No, you will not say that either.

Just say there's been some minor factory delays and the line will still be in stores by Christmas.

Nah, nah, man. I just told you, I need something to announce to blow everybody away.

So where's Dre at?

He's supposed to prep me with the Swiftstream thing.

Steve: Andre said there's been a hiccup with the app.

He has our tech team solving it, but it messed with the first quarter numbers, so... you can't bring up profits because we don't have any yet.

Tell Dad to back the hell off.

Okay, all right, hey.

Can y'all give us five minutes, please?

Thank you, I'm sorry.

Hakeem: Ten minutes.

Okay.

Look, I doubt your father had anything to do with it.

Whose side are you on?

I'm not on anybody's side, Hak...

Would you sit down, please?

All I ever want is what's best for my family, and right now, that is you k*lling it at the shareholders meeting.

And if you are the man for the job, then you have my support, 1,000%.

But you really need to get your act together, 'cause you getting emotional in these meetings, it's childish.

Get it together.

Can't be exploding in meetings.

♪ I'll be gone, just keep on sippin' ♪
♪ We gon' feel it in the mornin' ♪
♪ Too turnt up, we goin' in ♪
♪ Mix that purple with that yellow ♪
♪ I know they know I gotta lot of ♪
♪ And all these women foreign, what's the motto? ♪
♪ What happens here, we gon' leave it here ♪
♪ So don't mention that tomorrow ♪
♪ We livin' that luxury... ♪

(MUSIC STOPS)

What's up, bro?

Yo, that's dope.

Yeah, just tightening up this verse a little bit.

You feeling it?

Yeah, it's hard.

Let's just hope it flies with Mama Cookie.

(CHUCKLES): Yeah.

Look, Freda, I got to talk to you about something.

For sure. What's up?

Well, Mama Cookie... (CHUCKLES) set me up, uh, to do a song with Stacee Run-Run for the Black and White album.

Bro, that is big!

That chick is official status right there!

Yeah.

Only thing is, is that she got me on this exclusivity thing, so I got to choose between her or you.

It's cool.

I mean, I don't want to stop what we doing.

I mean, 'cause it's pure magic. It's just, you know, with everything I'm up against with my dad.

Look, man, I get it.

Stacee Run-Run's spit game is next level.

She hot across the world.

You can't choose me over her.

Hey, look, I promise you that after I'm done, then... we'll pick up where we left off.

Come on, man, it ain't no need to make promises.

Just do you and win.

Ain't that the point of all this?

Andre: Yesterday, I told Dad I wanted us all to try to be better.

So... we all know that sometimes this family doesn't treat people as well as we should.

But I've seen that we can change, that we can rise above our past, and I'm hoping that we can do that today, because there's someone here who has something really important to tell you.

Rhonda?

Cookie: Uh, what the hell is she doing here?!

Anika.

Lucious: What would this woman have to say that would be of any interest to anybody in this family?

I'm just asking that everybody remain civil.

Okay, Anika, please.

I'm pregnant.

So?

It's Hakeem's.

Cookie: What?!

Are you that thirsty, you trick-ass ho?!

Wait, Ma. Hold on, hold on one second.

Are you serious?!

Did you know?

No!

Look, how I even know the baby mine?

You're the only one I've been with after your father.

Cookie: And you want us to believe that?

Anika: I'm happy to do a paternity test.

So you don't know how to use a condom, stupid?!

Anika, um... you gonna keep it?

I begged her to.

You did what, stupid?

This family has already tragically lost an heir.

This family uses the term "heir" as if we're in a Shakespearian play.

Technically, if we're talking about heirs, we need to find Lola.

No, we don't.

You're not the father.

How do you know that, Lucious?

Had a DNA test done.

Her daddy's name is, uh, Marcus Jones.

(SIGHS)

Great.

Sorry.

I guess that's that, huh?

Okay, little lady.

What do you want?

I want something very valuable, something almost priceless.

Right. So, Lucious, why don't you just write this bitch a check so she can get up out of here.

Cookie, please.

Let her finish.

I want my child to have a family.

(SIGHS): Girl, bye.

Anika: Look, I-I know that things haven't been pleasant among us all.

And I fully recognize the role that I played in that.

I am taking full responsibility for my actions.

(SIGHS) I'm sorry.

I'm trying to make amends.

(SIGHS)

I hope that you will all think about it.

Announcer: Empire shareholders, please welcome Tiana!

♪ Na, na, na, na ♪
♪ Na, na, na ♪
♪ I been workin' all week ♪
♪ Standing on my two feet ♪
♪ Shake it off and let it go ♪
♪ Seen you from across the room ♪
♪ You look like you got that boom ♪
♪ Come and raise my tempo ♪
♪ I've heard it before ♪
♪ I don't wanna hear anymore, no ♪
♪ You got that somethin' that I can't resist ♪
♪ And I'll show you just what it is ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ It's your touch I'm cravin' ♪
♪ Feel the rush ♪
♪ Don't say a word ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Say no words ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Sick of talkin' ♪
♪ Make that body speak ♪
♪ Shut your mouth ♪
♪ Let it come naturally ♪
♪ Body, body ♪
♪ And, baby, if you're worth it, I'll give you lip service ♪
♪ That body speak ♪
♪ Make that body, body speak. ♪

(CROWD CHEERING)

Cookie: Yes!

That was Lyon Dynasty artist Tiana, ladies and gentlemen, fresh off of her sold-out tour.

And now that Lyon Dynasty is back under the Empire banner, that song, which is on its way to hitting two million in sales right now, as we speak...

(CROWD CHEERS)

...only means money in all of your pockets.

So, ladies and gentlemen, shareholders, without further ado, I would like to introduce my son, my baby boy, and your chief executive officer, Hakeem Lyon!

(CROWD CHEERING)

(EXHALES)

Seeing how much you adored lions, I thought I'd bring you one.

Oh, you really didn't think you were gonna make a surprise visit to my house, and me not return the favor.

No.

Please, make yourself at home.

I did.

So what took you so long?

Well, if I knew you felt like that, I'd have come sooner.

(CHUCKLES)

Look...

I want you to take your prenatals, get good rest, bring the baby to term.

When you have it, give it to Hakeem, and...

I'm-a give you ten million dollars.

Do not be absurd, Lucious.

I don't want your money.

If I did, I would think that carrying the Lyon heir would be worth a hell of a lot more than ten million, don't you think?

What do you want?

A trust fund?

Big old mansion like Rhonda and Andre got?

I told you what I want.

A family?

If you wanted a family, why'd you betray me?

I betrayed you?

I mean, sleeping with Beretti...

I could have gotten over that.

But you slept with my baby boy, with my son.

I never slept with Beretti.

But it was okay to sleep with my son?

You cheated on me first! You slept with Cookie!

I was never gonna leave you for Cookie.

You broke my heart.

You made me behave like some kind of lunatic.

I made you behave?

Look, you can't blame me for your actions.

If you acted like a lunatic, it's 'cause you made those choices.

Look...

I done said my piece.

Take my offer.

It's a good one.

Please, don't make me get ugly.

No, no, no.

My baby... he is making me believe in myself again, Lucious.

He? He.

And if that is something you cannot understand, then I will have to do what I need to do, too, just like you.

What does that mean?

"Do what you need to do."

When the FBI was coming for you, I never dimed on you.

What could you possibly know about me that would be of any interest to the FBI?

Five years... of being with you, Lucious.

Living under your roof, working for you.

I know more than you think.

If I didn't know better, I would say you're threatening me.

But I do know better.

I would be very careful.

You know, a lot of women, they... they don't survive childbirth.

(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)

And our recent acquisition of Swiftstream has put Empire in a position to be the world's leader in music streaming today.

(CROWD CHEERING)

Yeah.

Now I'll take questions. I know y'all got plenty.

Woman: Hi. Um, I'm Marti Monroe.

I'm from Toledo. This is my neighbor, Olive.

We have an Empire investment group.

Hey, Marti and Olive from Toledo.

What's your question?

We love, love your music, and we just want to know, why haven't you released any new stuff lately?

Well, to be honest, I've been a little busy with Empire for the past few months, watching after y'all money, making sure y'all don't go broke!

(CROWD CHEERING)

But I promise you, ladies, I got music coming very soon.

Very soon. Next question.

Lucious: Um, over here, Mr. CEO.

It's a simple one.

(CROWD MURMURING)

Y'all may know this man as Lucious Lyon, my father.

(APPLAUSE)

Lucious: Thank you.

Thank you. It's nice to know there's still some love left for the old man.

Okay, ask your question so other people can have a chance.

Okay, okay.

What do you think are the five biggest challenges facing the music industry over the next, say, ten years?

Monetizing new releases.

Declining physical CD sales.

I don't know, Lucious. What, piracy?

Rising ticket prices for live shows.

And an all-around lack of innovation for the music industry.

I don't know. I'll break it down for you if you want.

(LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE)

It's really funny you mention live shows.

Didn't Empire just scrap an entire concert tour under your expert leadership?

Okay, if you want to talk about that, my father actually...

Lucious: See, that's where you're wrong.

This isn't about me.

I'm actually asking on behalf of Clair here.

Clair, baby, please stand up.

Now, Clair Templeton, she's a schoolteacher from Dallas.

(QUIETLY): What is this?

It turns out that money is so scarce in her district that she has to pay for her students' school supplies out of her own pocket.

Which means Clair depends on Empire dividends, or her students don't get an education.

Am I right?

You're damn right, Lucious.

(CROWD MURMURING)

Lucious: And then, uh, Mitch here, Mr. CEO, he came all the way from Albuquerque.

Mitch was wondering what in the world happened with the Antony & Cleopatra clothing line that you got us so hyped up about?

Well, Mitch, there's been a slight delay.

Why is that?

Our warehouse was broken into.

You mean a security breach, under your watch.

Now, we're talking about millions of dollars of merchandise down the drain.

I mean, why wasn't there better security?

Nah, man, you can't take over this meeting.

No, I'm-I'm not taking over your meeting, son.

I'm just asking the simple questions that any competent CEO could answer.

But I am concerned about Swiftstream.

I heard there's a problem with the app.

(CROWD MURMURING)

Now, that's just a temporary delay.

(QUIETLY): Did you do what I think you did?

Lucious: Now we've all heard him say how Swiftstream is...

(QUIETLY): That's how we get back to us.

...positioned to be the leader in music streaming, but I don't know how in the world that's ever gonna happen, if we can't even launch the damn app.

(CROWD MURMURING AGREEMENT)

It's a temporary delay.

Oh, another delay.

Damn, you got a room full of people here all waiting to hear your vision, but instead, they're hearing delays, mishaps and mismanagement.

Now, this is their meeting.

Clair, tell him what you need.

We need Lucious.

No, no, no, no.

Man: That's right! Lucious!

(CROWD CHEERING)

Lucious: That's not what I meant.

That's not what I meant!

Crowd (chanting): Lucious! Lucious! Lucious!

(CHANTING CONTINUES)

Cookie: Uh, okay.

All right. Okay, okay.

Everybody, settle down.

Let me explain what's happening here.

What we have is two great men fighting over Empire.

They both love this company so much that they would k*ll for it.

And I mean that figuratively, of course.

But what it means is that they will k*ll it for you.

And I know that's what you want.

Am I right?

(SCATTERED MURMURS)

Okay, Lucious is a legend.

Can't take that away from him.

Yeah, that's right, give it up.

(APPLAUSE)

But my son, Hakeem, has become a mogul in his own right.

He helped me build Lyon Dynasty from nothing, and for that he deserves your respect.

And yours, too.

So why don't you come up here and show these shareholders that you will not fight with one another, but instead you will fight together to make this company great like they... like we all deserve, right?

(CROWD CHEERING)

Empire was built on family!

Son.

(CROWD CHEERING)

What Empire needs is you, Cookie!

Thank you.

To the Empire!

The Empire!

What did the board say?

They did it. They voted me out.

They like you, Mom.

Come here, boy.

I'm proud of you.

You did the best you could steering this mess of a ship.

And you should be proud of yourself.

You can tell your kids you ran Empire for all of ten minutes.

Really?

You must feel good about yourself, humiliating him in front of all of those people.

(SCOFFS)

You know you love me, baby.

You said you wanted to bring our family back together.

Now, you know what happens after this, right?

Yeah, they come groveling back to you like Apple did Steve Jobs.

You... you are a piece of work.

Congratulations.

What's up, y'all?

Hey.

Oh, Stacee Run-Runnin' late?

(CHUCKLES)

What?

She's in Tokyo, but she sent over her pre-recorded verse, and, Jamal, it is hot!

Hit it.

Stacee: ♪ They choose me, I'm like treasure ♪
♪ Maybe 'cause I'm state-of-the-art ♪
♪ On all measures ♪
♪ Maybe 'cause I symbolize... ♪

(MUSIC STOPS)

When will she back?

Uh, she's in Tokyo, Jamal, as in Japan.

She's on a promotional tour, but, look, she will be back in time for the ASAs.

The ASAs?

Listen...

Jamal, a lot of artists do this, okay?

Lil' Wayne is forever spitting a hot 16 on somebody's track from the comforts of his own tour bus.

Technology.

Didn't that tour bus get sh*t up?

Jamal, please, don't fight with me.

Just do this, okay?

Ma, I'm-a do it.

Please, please, please.

I'm-a do it.

Okay, thank you. Thank you.

(SIGHS): Okay.

♪ I'm like treasure ♪
♪ Maybe 'cause I'm state-of-the-art ♪
♪ On all measures ♪
♪ Maybe 'cause I symbolize grade-A pleasure ♪
♪ Take what you want, no playin' hard to get ♪
♪ Oh, you got it like that ♪
♪ Well, let's see what comes next ♪
♪ Run, what you got ♪
♪ It's a stickup, hands up in the air ♪
♪ Are you down or what? ♪
♪ Are you down or what? ♪
♪ Tell me ♪
♪ Tell... tell me if... ♪

Jamal! Come on, baby, you were bringing it.

Come on.

I know.

I just got to, I just got to catch it.

It'll be fine. Mm-hmm.

♪ I'm like treasure ♪
♪ Maybe 'cause I'm state-of-the-art ♪
♪ On all measures ♪
♪ Maybe 'cause I symbolize grade-A pleasure ♪
♪ Take what you want, no playin' hard to get ♪
♪ Oh, you got it like that ♪
♪ Well, let's see what comes next ♪
♪ Run, what you got ♪
♪ It's a stickup, hands up in the air ♪
♪ Are you down or what? ♪
♪ Are you down or what? ♪
♪ Tell me if you're ready ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm willing to take what I want tonight ♪
♪ Are you down or what? ♪

Ma, I'm sorry. Like, I-I don't...

I don't even want to work like this.

It is so disrespectful for her not to even show.

You are the one who said you want to burn down this town and leave your father crawling around in your ashes.

O-Okay.

Then, you know what, I don't need Stacee Run-Run.

You know, I was burning the city down already with Freda Gatz.

And I don't understand why you got such a problem with what we're doing.

Like, usually, we're right on the same creative page.

Jamal... (SIGHS)

(CLIPPERS BUZZING, RAP MUSIC PLAYING QUIETLY)

(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)

Man: Hey, Jamal.

What's up?

Yo.

Listen, I don't want somebody giving me an ultimatum.

I want you on the Black and White album.

And if I got to choose between you or someone, anyone...

I choose you, all right?

So, what, you wasn't feeling Stacee Run-Run?

Nah, man, Stacee's cool.

Her spit game is crazy.

She said she used to watch me perform at this place on Bleeker Street called Incognito.

Oh, yeah, I know that place.

Couple brothers used to play blues there on Friday night.

Thanks, Freda.

Look, Freda, look, the way that we make music, that's how I used to feel when I would perform at Incognito.

I wasn't worried about b*ating my dad or... winning some ASA.

It was creating music for the joy of creating music, you know?

I know you know.

I think I figured out the bridge of the song.

♪ Life ain't easy for anybody livin' it ♪
♪ Rich man, poor man, goin' through the same ♪
♪ If they talk about me at the time of my death ♪
♪ May they say I turned up... ♪

(TRAILS OFF)

All right.

Yo, maybe we could record it tonight.

You come by, that'd be cool.

I'll think about it, a'ight?

All right.

Yeah, I'm-a just be there all night, so it ain't no, you know...

You roll through...

A'ight.

(DOORBELLS JINGLE)

(BELLS TOLLING)

There you go. That's a good one.

See if you can b*at that one.

Hello. Can I help you?

The name is Thurston Rawlings, regarding Leah Walker.

Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Rawlings.

Yeah, I just stopped by to make sure everything is copacetic over here.

Everything is fine and dandy.

Uh, would you like to say hello to Mrs. W?

No, no, no.

No, no.

Long as everything is fine and dandy.

I don't want to bother her.

(WOMAN HUMMING FAINTLY)

(HUMMING "MONA LISA")

♪ Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa ♪
♪ Men have named you ♪
♪ You're so like the lady ♪
♪ With the mystic smile ♪
♪ Is it only 'cause you're lonely ♪
♪ They have blamed you... ♪