With Lucious officially out of prison, it looks like things are about to really heat up for season 2 of Empire. During episode 3, it became obvious that the battle between Empire and Cookie's Lyon Dynasty is officially on.
This week's issue opens with Lucious leaving the courthouse on bail and delivering one of his braggadocio "I am a God" speeches, something he echoes throughout the episode. He's also informed that he can’t enter Empire’s headquarters, which causes problems for business later in the hour.
Cookie picks up Hakeem for his interview with Sway at Apex Radio. During their chat, Hakeem discusses his decision to leak his album and Sway puts in a call to Lucious, who isn't too pleased about the whole ordeal. Elsewhere, Hakeem gives a captivating in studio performance and announces that he’s going to a deliver a new single from his girl group, Mirage A Trois.
Lucious sets up a dinner party for his family and offers to forgive them for trying to take over his company will he was locked up. When his statement is met with Cookie's refusal to return to Empire, Lucious puts out a chilling message, flat out telling his family that he's going to destroy them. Andre, desperate to get back on his father's good side, apologizes once again, but it's Cookie's reaction that takes the cake.
“You got me twisted, O.G.,” she says. “I’m always gonna eat. Just not with you.” She then proceeds to end the dinner by dragging all the dishes off the table by the runner.
Anika appears briefly as Lucious attempts to get her on his side. She reports back to Cookie with details of a party. Apparently, she's dead set on her mission to hurt her former fiancé.
Frida, daughter of Frank Gathers, Lucious' former drug boss slash an inmate he had killed for threats to Cookie, returns as Jamal tries to get her to sign a contract. She declines because Lucious isn’t there, and one of her Suge Knight-like goons can’t read the contract. Jamal calls his father to let him know that he was unable to seal the deal. Lucious says that Frida is everything to him musically and it is at that moment that Jamal comes to the realization that he needs Cookie's help.
Lucious seems to be in the party throwing mood this episode. This time he's hitting the club and Pitbull is performing. That is until Cookie bum-rushes the stage and Hakeem gets on the mic, performing a diss track aimed at his father with some help from Timbaland. Similar to his jaw-dropping bars on the season 1 finale, he once again brags about banging Anika.
Andre complains to Cookie about Lucious not accepting his apology and she suggests that he tell Lucious he’s going to be a grandfather, in hopes that all will be resolved. He follows his mother's advice and Lucious has another haunting flashback to his on-screen mother Kelly Rowland, after asking Andre if he's concerned with the baby having a mental illness. It is obvious that Lucious' memories of his mother are causing him to reject Andre.
Frida goes up against one of the guys in a rap battle and a gunfight ensues after he raps about her deceased father. Lucious appears as a sort of saving grace following by the pesky prosecutor. She warns Lucious that they have Vernon hidden away somewhere ready to testify and that a murder rap is only the beginning of the woes she has lined up for him.
Cookie helps Hakeem with Mirage A Trois, whipping them into shape and getting their choreography on point. Jamal shows up to ask for Cookie's assistance but he's met in front of the building by Lucious, who reassures him that no one else can produce his music like dear old dad. Everything appears to be all good on the Empire front.
Cookie and Hakeem return to Apex Radio for Mirage A Trois' big debut but the group's lead, Valentina, is missing. Lucious shows up and reveals that he not only bought controlling stake in Apex, but he also signed Hakeem's fling to Empire. Cookie and Hakeem leave the studio, but not before Cookie reminds Lucious who he’s dealing with: “You keep forgetting, Lucious. You can’t keep Cookie down.”
Things are about to get really interesting.
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