The best part of Empire’s second episode is the same as last week’s series premiere: Cookie (played by Taraji P. Henson). She’s rude as hell, abrasive, and randomly shows up at other people’s houses and asks for bacon. In other words, she’s perfect. Now, the worst part of this show thus far is the music we’re being subjected to between scenes, but let’s accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.
Cookie and Lucious continue to wrestle over control of Empire Entertainment, but more specifically, the fate of their two sons: Jamal and Hakeem. Cookie arrives at Lucious’ estate to demand that Jamal, the icky gay one in Lucious’ eyes, be allowed perform at the opening of Leviticus, Lucious’ new club. Just like Hakeem. Lucious says no and Cookie blurts out in front of Lucious’ new wife, Anika, that it was her $400,000 in drug money that launched Empire Entertainment.
Lucious reminds Cookie that she signed a nondisclosure agreement, though one wonders why he, an ex-drug dealer himself, would think an NDA would spook a woman who just did hard time for a drug charge.
Meanwhile, we learn that Cookie and Lucious’ other son, the scheming suit Andre, has bipolar disorder. He’s not taking his meds, though, so his wife pushes him to do so as best she knows how: by seducing him and performing fellatio…with a bib. That’s like head for neat freaks, but if that’s a turn-on for some people, salute.
Speaking of illnesses, Lucious’ assistant, Becky, uses his bathroom and after nosily looking up his prescription meds, realizes that her boss has ALS. No one else can know, Lucious explains, and since Becky seems loyal, it’ll be a while before the rest find out. One quick note: I’m glad Lucious lost the perm, but can we get Becky a new wig?
Andre may not be taking his meds, but he’s still pitting his parents and siblings against each other in a power grab. When Cookie’s assistant Porsha—who is amazing, by the way—suggests that Jamal come out via press conference, Andre tells Lucious, who instantly gets pissed and threatens to cut Jamal off financially.
Lucious tells Jamal that if he comes out, Empire Records will lose artists. This is where it gets tricky. On one end, we watch Lucious apologize to President Obama when Hakeem’s video of him acting an ass and trashing POTUS go viral, which suggests this show is set in 2015. But then we’re met with some homophobia in hip-hop scenario that reads as dated. Yes, there is homophobia in hip-hop, and in the black community too, but in 2015 would a gay artist on a label really scare a bunch of rappers away?
Some would immediately answer yes, but over the years Jay Z has voiced support for marriage equality while rappers like Fat Joe, Kanye West, A$AP Rocky, 50 Cent and others have disavowed homophobia. Frank Ocean’s success is pretty much a testament that the tide is changing. I’d love to compare this to the worlds of country and rock music.
Another comment that read as dated was Andre telling his dad, “Corporate America may not be ready for hip-hop.” Isn't this 2015, though? The wardrobe doesn’t help. Cookie is dressed like she’s about to shoot the “No Time” video with Lil’ Kim; Hakeem looks like Roscoe Dash; Lucious gives Motown act vibes, first string.
Back to this performance: Instead of allowing both of his sons to open up at his club, Lucious initially taps Kid Four Four, one of Empire's biggest artists who owes them a favor for all the negative press following a mall shooter citing his lyrics as inspiration. Yet, after both Lucious and Cookie do public interviews related to the shooting and a ruckus in the elevator involving all of them, Lucious drops him. (Cookie is right, by the way: Not Gucci Mane can’t rap worth a good damn.)
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In the end, Jamal won’t completely fess up to Cookie about why he skipped the press conference, but he did find his way onto the Leviticus stage. Hakeem asked Jamal to join him, which tickled Cookie but noticeably irked Lucious. They dedicate their performance to Cousin Bunky, who everyone else discovers has been murdered. Lucious did a great job of faking sadness as if he wasn’t the one who shot him dead.
Critiques aside, though, this show is ridiculous and I mean that in the best way. For those curious as to how it compares to Starz’s Power: Empire is Scandal, and Power, House of Cards.
I’m ready for the next episode, especially since in the very last moment of this week's we found out that Cookie is working with the feds. As if this show didn’t have enough going on.
Michael Arceneaux hails from Houston, lives in Harlem, and praises Beyoncé’s name wherever he goes. Follow him @youngsinick.
