“I’m scared for [Andre], Jamal“.
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What’s not getting radio play, however, is Hakeem’s album, which Jamal and Empire records are sitting on because Jamal’s a little vindictive, and also because Hakeem has openly and repeatedly tried to screw him over. He immediately gives Jamal his card and offers up his services to the singer. Andre then visits his father in prison, but Luscious doesn’t forgive him.
Thirsty Rawlings’s service will surely come with a hefty price for Lucious.
Jamal pulls up to Hakeem on the side of the street in a vehicle all mafia-style. Jamal says he’ll “sue the drawers off [Hakeem’s] black ass”, but his threat has all the bite of a kitten digging into a bowl of Fancy Feast. This could be an implication that Andre may have inherited something from HER. Since the age of nine, he started rapping and when he was in his freshman year at River Forest High School, he met the famous poet Justin Ryan Fyfe, who became his most valuable musical influence, as per IMDb.
Lucious gets medication sneaked to him by a guard who’s friends with Thirsty. This is a health maintenance issue for Lucious. As Lucious and his boys lay down a raw diss track aimed at Cookie and “snitch bitches”, Officer McKnight bursts in with a gang of corrections officers, confiscates Luciouslaptop and puts him in the hole. Plus, the showrunner and exec producer reveals a last-minute scene that was added into the episode and talks Hakeem’s love life, including an upcoming love triangle. For one, he doesn’t think it would be a smart idea to create an all-Latina girl group. He wants to build his own legacy, and he leaks his unreleased album online. Really? Good thing, Hakeem is already bathing with Valentina.
But, like any episode of Empire, there was plenty going on besides Lucious’ freedom. In Lucious’ absence, Jamal neglects his music and makes business moves that further his journey toward becoming every bit as ruthless as his father in the all-new “Without a Country” episode of Empire. She also came up with a new name for the company – Lyon Dynasty. He was able to get the meds he needed and on top of that, time to record a new song while in jail! A guy named Thirsty (!) – with a law degree from the University of Guam (!!) – lands a job defending one of the richest and most powerful men in music. He also arranges Lucious’ bail after a few well-played blackmail of the kinky judge presiding over the case.
“Empire”, just as gold-plated, star-studded and superfluous as it always is felt like a rehashing of the same drama from last season, only this time less organically. The judge looks up clearly embarrassed and announces that the new evidence dictates that Lucious be released on bail as Roxanne Ford screams bloody murder. Anika is unmoored and still searching for a place to call home, and Andre is negotiating loyalties that align with his Ivy League temperament.
After last week’s breathless opener, Empire slowed the pace this week, so we can absorb the reality of the new normal: Lucious is still incarcerated.
What do you think is going through Jamal’s head at that moment when he’s crying by himself?
Cookie was working with Bryshere Gray’s Hakeem, Grace Gealey’s Anika or Boo Boo Kitty, and Trai Byers’ Andre. Rhonda sets up a secret meeting with Jamal to beg for forgiveness, complete with puppy eyes, alligator tears and other animal metaphors.
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While last week’s Empire premiere took a shot at rapper 50 Cent, this week Cookie seemingly took a swipe at Jennifer Lopez during the “Rainbow Sensation”, casting process. The music? Let us know if everything lived up to your expectations in the comment section below!
