" Previously on Empire..." " I wrote a song for you." "♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom ♪" "♪ Bang, bang, bang, bang... ♪" "This is how playas play to win!" "That's what I'm talking about." "You and k.d. Lang, y'all best friends now?" "That song that you recorded with your daddy, think I could make it sound better." "ANDRE:" "Deputy Mayor Alvarez." "ALVAREZ:" "Mr. Lyon, the city would love to help you." "ANDRE:" "I put a gun to my head and I pulled the trigger." "He's testing you." "There's a purpose to all of it." " You feelin' me?" " No!" "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to come on to you." "You forgive me?" "MAN:" "Get your ass down, man!" "Should've taken the more famous brother." "COOKIE:" "Make me forget about everything, Laz." "♪ I'm in my 14 carats ♪" "♪ I'm 14 carat ♪" "♪ Doin' it up like Midas ♪" "♪ Mm ♪" "♪ Now you say I got a touch... ♪" "Oh, my God, I have to go." "I have to go, I have to go, I have to go." "I have to..." "I have to... go." "The last time I didn't show up to work, my son turned my office into a strip club." "(laughs)" "Mmm, I'd like to see you work it, just for me." "Mmm." "I would love to dance for you." "But I got to go." "Mm-mm." "Listen, babe." "You are a legit mogul." "All right?" "You don't have to get out of bed to run your dynasty." "♪ Let me show you how proud I am to be yours... ♪" "Yeah, and I'm sure Dr. Dre kicked off Beats from the comforts of his king-sized." "Yeah, if life could be that easy." "But I'm serious, all right?" "Have somebody bring your laptop, (groans) and I got you on breakfast in bed." " You cook?" " Eggs..." "Yeah." "Some eggs, smoked salmon." " Yes." " Mm?" "Some bacon?" "Yes, we got bacon." " ♪ Good for you, good for you ♪ - (laughs)" "♪ Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh. ♪" "(giggles)" "♪ ♪" "♪ Yeah ♪" "♪ Got your uniform ♪" "♪ On already ♪" "♪ On already, on already ♪" "♪ So go and get you in the shower, no water ♪" "♪ Hard to stay dry with ten thousand ♪" " ♪ All on your body, it's like power ♪ - (phone vibrating)" "♪ Giving you energy to work ♪" "♪ Work, work... ♪" "COOKIE:" "Damn, that phone ringing a little too much for it to be a side jawn." "You got a wife you ain't tell me about?" "(chuckles)" "No." "It's actually some chick that I was going at for a while." "And she was ignoring me." "Mm." "Playing it cool and whatnot." "Couple weeks ago, I'd have been all over that text, but... not anymore." "I'm down with that." "Yo, check this out." "What do you think of this?" "Hmm?" " Oh, it's a pretty good lineup." " Right?" "That's yours?" " Mm-hmm." " Hmm." "Yeah." "I was thinking, maybe we add a few Lyon Dynasty artists to it." "Mm." "Where's your name?" "It's the Heat 103 Summer Jam." "I'm just the promoter." "Right." "See, here's the thing." "I'm not "just" anything." "That's what Lyon Dynasty needs." "Hmm." "I'm-a have my own summer jam." " Your own?" " Yep." "It's gonna be like a old-school cookout with all of Lyon Dynasty's artists, whose names won't be in some fine print on the bottom of some long-ass list." "Oh, no, no, no, no, no." "Oh. (chuckles)" "And my name will be in big, giant letters." "(laughs)" ""Cookie's Cookout."" "(laughs):" "I love it." "You see what kind of magic happens when you stay in bed with me for three days?" "Hmm?" "Oh, really?" "So you just gonna take all the credit?" "No, I'm not gonna take all the credit." "Mmm." "I'm gonna take all the Cookie." "(laughs)" "♪ Look, from the bottom I started ♪" "♪ So there's nothing that you could say to me ♪" "♪ I prodigal where I grew up ♪" "♪ And this the newest slavery ♪" "♪ People see you try hard, like why you want to play with me?" "♪" "♪ I bring them heaters out, somebody better pray for me ♪" "♪ 'Cause all I know is this money ♪" "♪ I gotta have it ♪" "♪ These suicidal thoughts gettin' bad ♪" "♪ I'm gettin' madder ♪" "♪ Uh, they say the good die young ♪" "♪ I put the pedal to the metal, hit the gas ♪" "♪ Then I'm gone... ♪ Man, this is wack." "No, no, no, you were right there!" " Damn!" " (music stops)" "Do it again!" "You can't keep running from this." "I mean, what the hell your daddy do to you?" "What did yours do to you?" "(sighs)" "Freda..." "look, this is your verse." "It's not about me." "And I saw you." "You were face-to-face with the monster." "You don't run from it, you embrace and merge with the pain." "That's how you make the record soar." "You got to merge with that pain." "You know Huey Jarvis?" " Duh." " Yeah, well," "I'm about to play this for him later on today." "We might actually do it live in his little living room." "Stop playin', Lucious." "Little boys play, not me." "Do it again." "♪ ♪" "♪ Look, from the bottom I started ♪" "♪ So there's nothing that you could say to me ♪" "♪ I prodigal where I grew up and this the newest slavery ♪" "♪ People see you try hard, like why you want to play with me?" "♪" "♪ I bring them heaters out, somebody better pray for me ♪" "♪ 'Cause all I know is this money, I gotta have it ♪" "♪ These suicidal thoughts gettin' bad ♪" "♪ I'm gettin' madder ♪" "♪ Uh, they say the good die young ♪" "♪ I put the pedal to the metal, hit the gas, then I'm gone ♪" "♪ Now I'm front line at the court ♪" "♪ And I'm 'bout to take a shot ♪" "♪ I pull it up, cock it back, let it fly ♪" "♪ Now I'm watching for the backboard ♪" "♪ And when they say the world is yours, I just let 'em know ♪" "♪ That I'm just tryin' to score, oh!" "♪" " ♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom... ♪" " Yes!" "That's what I'm talking about!" "Stick it, stick it!" "Get 'em!" "Let's double that up." "Do that one more time." "♪ ♪" "♪ They say heavy is the head that wears a crown ♪" "♪ They say heavy is the head that wears a crown... ♪" "(music stops)" "(phone vibrating)" "(sighs)" "(door opens)" "(chuckles)" "You got a husband you didn't tell me about?" "No, I'm just kidding." "It's none of my business." "No." "It's Jamal." "He wants my feedback on a song." "What, and your ex would have a problem with that or something?" "A problem with my ex, a problem with my other son, a problem because we're supposed to be in competition." "He's your son, Cookie." "That trumps everything." "You should text him back." "I'm gonna get dressed and go get a paper." "Okay." "♪ They say heavy is the head that wears a crown ♪" "♪ They say heavy is the head that wears a crown... ♪" "♪ ♪" "♪ They say heavy is the head that wears a crown ♪" "♪ Always used to think ♪" "♪ That that was just a damn excuse... ♪" "That's real close, baby." "♪ 'Cause they couldn't hold it down... ♪" "You almost there." "Hey, baby boy. (music stops)" "You got something for me?" "Yeah, I'm almost done." "No, we got three weeks to drop this track if it's gonna be eligible." "Dad, chill out, all right?" "It's almost done." "All right, it's in your hands." "The hell you been, bro?" "Don't worry about where I've been." "Is that bitch upstairs?" "That means her little man-baby's running around somewhere without his mommy holding him down." "Fall back off the kid, all right?" "I'm handling this." "You need to be handling business, not booty." "We need to get paid." "We're gonna get paid ten times more than what we asked." "All right?" "Cookie's rolling out a big show." "She's gonna need to come to me to secure the venue, up the ticket sales, vendor deposits, all that, right?" "We're gonna get paid on that first, and then we're gonna hit her for the protection, too." "Fall back." "You hear me?" "Hey." "Stop." "Where you going without me?" "What's up?" "I'm hungry, that's what's up." "(chuckles) We ate everything." "You ate everything." "Yeah. (giggles)" "Where's your paper?" "Corner guy ran out." "So I'll get one at the diner on 1st and A." "Okay." "Come on." " Got to feed you." "Yeah, that's right." " Yes." "'Cause I know how you get when you're hungry. (laughs)" "Wow." "Sir Huey... you got enough gold here to rival the pharaohs." "That's not the be-all and end-all." "You're rich in other ways." "Thank you." "That's easy for you to say." "You done won every award." "You've had a truckload of nominations, man, but you never took one home, did you?" "Is this gonna be your year?" "You tell me." "Maybe an invitation to one of your Living Room sessions might help my odds." "That's an old wives' tale." "Really?" "That's why everybody that's played one of your sessions in the last five years have walked onstage and accepted their award." "Yeah." "Let's see what you got." "Well, being in jail put a fire in me." "Took me back to where I came from." "It's still a work in progress." "LUCIOUS: ♪ 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, God bless my mo ♪" "♪ Nothin' less than the best so the rest is old ♪" "♪ It ain't about the pain ♪" "♪ Tell 'em what's my name ♪" "♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom, bang, bang, bang, bang ♪" "FREDA: ♪ Look, from the bottom I started ♪" "♪ So there's nothing that you could say to me ♪" "♪ I prodigal where I grew up and this the newest slavery ♪" "♪ People see you try hard... ♪" "Who's the girl?" "Freda Gatz." "One of my new discoveries." "♪ 'Cause all I know is this money, I gotta have it... ♪" "Lucious... you're onto something." "So it's not there yet." "I'm still wanting to hear more... feel more..." "About that part of you that you keep locked up so tight." "You got to dig deeper." "(thunder rumbling)" "♪ ♪" "Hey, yo." "Make some noise." "Welcome to Lyon Dynasty, y'all." "(crowd cheering)" "COOKIE:" "Welcome, hip-hop bloggers!" "Okay, so today we are announcing the birth of a new event that's about to blow up into one of hip-hop's biggest jams." "And to give y'all a little tasty taste, something small..." "A little taste. (laughs) make some noise for Mirage à Trois." "Yes!" "Give it up for the sexy ladies!" "(crowd cheering)" "♪ ♪" "♪ We're sipping bottomless mimosa ♪" "♪ Pour me another dosa ♪" "♪ It's 10:00 a.m., we partying ♪" "♪ Still going, getting loco ♪" "♪ That bottomless mimosa ♪" "♪ My champagne supernova ♪" "♪ It's 10:00 a.m., we partying ♪" "♪ Come on, let's have a toast to ♪" "♪ All them girls in they yoga pants ♪" "♪ When I ain't even been to bed ♪" "♪ Let me go get you another glass ♪" "♪ Bottoms up, bottoms up, go on, get your bottoms up ♪" "♪ Welcome to breakfast, you can call me Tiffany... ♪" "Did you see that?" "Carmen just ass-bumped Laura out her spot." "Yeah, because it's Carmen's spot." "You need to bump her up to lead singer." "Carmen ain't got the pipes, Ma." "And Laura doesn't have the personality." "She ain't a star, Hakeem." "♪ Feel like we're on a yacht ♪" "♪ Sailing south of France ♪" "♪ Maybe I drank too much... ♪" "Make the switch." "♪ Oh, I can't find my friends ♪" "♪ But you look good enough ♪" "♪ Let's drink ♪" "♪ Bottoms up, bottoms up ♪" "♪ Go on, get your bottoms up. ♪" "I love your music, Lucious." "I really do, more than life itself." "But these numbers..." "The numbers don't tell the whole story, Mimi." "Don't sugarcoat, Andre." "Let Mimi do her song and dance, and then tell her what you got planned." "Well, stock prices are 12% below our projections for the quarter." "Wall Street's skittish, and our shareholders are pissed." "Over to you." "Sing and dance, Andre." "Apart from the fact that Empire's share price has actually risen 12% since my father's return, this company's about to make its biggest move since going public:" "music streaming." "With market leaders in our sites, this move will make Empire the dominant player in the music industry, period." "Uh-huh." "I like it so far." "I have a team working in-house to develop our own unique platform." "We'll be ready for beta testing" " in four to six months." " That's too long." "And that's a conservative estimate." "Why build when you can buy?" "Swiftstream... it's number two in the streaming marketplace." "It's ripe and ready for a merger." "A merger?" "Mm-hmm." "Pop, a merger means, what, new board, new corporate structure, redundancies that lead to layoffs." "Pop, it's reckless." "Hmm." "Set up a meeting with Swiftstream." "I'd love to play some new music for you in my office, Mimi." "Yes." "Meeting's adjourned." "Pop, uh..." "I need to do some due diligence with Swiftstream before I set up a meeting." "My people already did." "A year ago, Jago Locke... he's the founder of Swiftstream..." "He was being touted as the next Zuckerberg." "But he got his ass handed to him because the other services beat him to the punch." "He is a bit cagey, but he's ready for a partner." "Obviously," "Mimi's got this one under control." "Why don't you go see your lady friend down in the mayor's office." "Freda Gatz has a small legal issue we need to take care of." "What kind of legal issue?" "Gang injunction." "That's not a small issue, Pop." "And you're not a small man, son." "I'm sure that's why the deputy mayor likes doing business with you." "After you." "Look, I need you to teach her the basics:" "makeup, hair, how to walk, how to dress." "Okay, I'm sure I could dress better, but..." "Um, Laura, can you get me a green tea from the fridge, please?" "Yeah, sure." "Okay, stop." "Think long legs." "Lead with your hips." "Imagine you're knocking down everything in your path and nothing can stop you." "Every move you make, pretend somebody is watching you, trying to take your picture or something." "That sounds awful." "Well, you better get used to it, sweetie, 'cause eventually you'll even want it to be true." "You all cute and stuff." "Thank you." "So... how do I look from the back?" "The same as from the front, except badonk!" "(laughs)" "I mean, what you all nervous for?" "It ain't like Laz ain't seen it all before." "I'm not going to see Laz." "Word up, Cook!" "Well, in that case, put another notch of that lipstick on." "Age ain't nothing but a number, girl!" "(laughs) You crazy." "Yes, my boss is a pimp!" "Hi, baby." "Hey, Ma." "(laughs)" "Look at you." "Outfit on fleek." "Please." "This old thing?" "I, um..." "I didn't think you would show up." "I probably shouldn't have, but..." "I have some very exciting news to tell you." "Do tell." "All right, so you know, um, Jamieson Hinthrop." "He's kind of been mentoring me." "Yeah, I heard." "Well, he called Huey Jarvis, and Huey invited me to perform "Heavy" on his next" "Living Room session." "(gasps) Oh, my... (laughs)" "Jamal, that is huge!" "Hey, waiter!" "Get me a bottle of your most expensive champagne, honey." "We got to celebrate." "I'm so proud of you, Jamal!" "Ma, you know that's all you though." "You completely flipped that song and made it ten times better." "You know what, on second thought, make it two bottles, honey." "I'm the bomb. (laughs)" "You the bomb." "You a'ight." "(laughs)" "I missed you." "I miss you, too." "PRYCE:" "Andre." "What are we doing here?" "A reminder." "I wanted to kill myself." "Tried to do it right here, in this very spot, to punish my father." "And now he's trying to bring you back to that same dark place where you were at, when you nearly committed that terrible sin." "That's why he wants me to see the deputy mayor." "He wants to see me fall back on my old ways." "Break my bond with God." "Would fulfilling your father's venal task advance your larger task within Empire?" "I'm working real hard, Reverend." "I feel like I-I've finally found the balance between my medication and my faith." "But if I stop either one, Reverend," "I don't know what I'll do." "Andre, God has chosen you." "To be his warrior." "Sometimes, warriors have to do things on the battlefield that would be... repugnant in any other context." "What are you saying?" "That I should sleep with her?" "Sin of the flesh... no." "That's sacrosanct and only for your wife." "But there are many other ways to accomplish what you need." "♪ ♪" "JAMAL (over earphones):" "♪ They say heavy is the head ♪" "♪ That wears a crown ♪" "♪ Wears a crown ♪" "♪ They say heavy is the head ♪" "♪ That wears a crown ♪" "♪ Ay... ♪" "That's where you should drop the bass." "Right there." " (slurring):" "Hell yeah." " Mm-hmm." "And I'll drop it right before I come back in." " Mm." " Cookie!" "(laughs)" "You know, um..." "Lyon Dynasty's right around the corner if you want to lay something down." "Dad would be so pissed." "I don't even care." "Let's go." "Check, please!" "(Jamal laughs)" "Welcome to the Lyon Dynasty, honey." "Okay." " Yes." " I ain't mad at you for this." " Wait, wait!" " Come on!" "It should be ♪ They say heav... ♪" "Wait, wait, wait, let me turn this thing on!" "Hold on." "♪ ♪" "♪ It's like this whole damn kingdom ♪" "♪ Sitting on top of me now... ♪" "It's almost there, baby." "You know what, do that drop one more time, just one more time." "♪ Feels like this whole damn kingdom ♪" "♪ Sitting on top of me now ♪" "♪ Sitting on top of... ♪" "Hey!" "Baby!" "Hi!" "Hey, what you doing here so early?" "I'm rehearsing with Laura." "Wh-What are you doing, looking all walk-of-shame and whatnot?" "Ain't none of your business, boy." "I-I was working." "Speaking of working, did you promote Carmen like I told you to?" "HAKEEM:" "Mom, I have it all under control." " Okay." " I'll show you when we're done." " All right." " Okay?" "Okay." "Well, listen here." "Them Three Amigas better have it together." "If not, I'm gonna kick your ass." "I mean it!" "Somebody in here?" "No." "♪ Hey ♪" "♪ Red and black J's ♪" "♪ Looking like a ballplayer... ♪" "He's going to want to get you in the ring." "Hesitate like you're afraid you might hurt him, then get in there and let him beat you." "♪ I'm the mayor of it ♪" "♪ A young getter gettin', givin' 'em the flavor lovin' ♪" "♪ Every little bit of that dope, boy... ♪" "Jago." "It's Mimi." "I brought Mr. Lyon." "I'm not selling if that's why you're here." "Well, I'm not buying, I'm looking for a partner." "You box?" "Look, I know I got a couple years on you, son, but trust me, you don't want me in the ring." "They say sparring partners make the best business partners." "Come on, strap up." "Strap up." "That's a nice jacket." "Mm-hmm." "(laughs)" "Go easy on him." "That's a deal." "All right." "Was that too hard?" "I'm fine." "What you should be worried about is how Beatflow's been kicking your ass!" "Our platform speed is twice as fast." "They just got a better marketing campaign." "Imagine what you could do with Empire in your corner." "Talking about a true heavyweight." "Now, would I get the Lucious Lyon catalog?" "Exclusively." "(both laugh)" "Good." "Good." "Those kids, they go crazy for your music." "(grunting)" "Me?" "I like your beats," "I just find your lyrics kind of shallow." "(thunder rumbling)" "(grunts)" "Shallow that, punk ass." "You'll pay for that." "ALVAREZ:" "Lifting a gang injunction." "That's no small feat, Mr. Lyon." "I know." "But you'd be serving justice in this case." "Strictly justice." "I know what I'd rather serve." "Raquel... (giggles)" "Please don't." "Raquel." "Oh, I love that game, Andre, but I don't have a lot of time." "Stop." "Stop." "You're married." "So are you." "Since when has that been a problem?" "Raquel, will you fix this injunction for me or not?" "Why should I?" "My wife and I, we, uh... (chuckles)" "We have enjoyed watching some of our, uh, closed-door bartering sessions." " ALVAREZ (over video):" "Yeah..." " That's a good angle." "Bill de Blasio would like that, wouldn't he?" "What the hell?" "Hell, indeed." "Unless you want the mayor to get a full report on how you conduct your government business, have that gang injunction lifted by tomorrow." "(sighs)" "♪ ♪" "♪ I'm the real deal... ♪" "(panting):" "Oh, hey." "What are you doing home?" "My father sent me to see Deputy Mayor Alvarez today." "Oh." "(music stops)" "And?" "And I prayed." "I prayed for the strength to resist going back to my old ways." "And here I am." "Yeah." "(moans)" "(chuckles)" " Okay?" " Oh, yeah." "Did I hurt you?" "No." " No?" " Mm-mm." "No, baby, this is what I've been praying for." "(moans)" "♪ ♪" "Now the hip." "Can I get some more looks?" "Come on, now." " Why, of course." " Over the shoulder." "Remember what Tiana showed you." "Come on, keep going. (giggles)" "Don't stop." "You was doing good." "Come on, baby, give it to me." "♪ Make 'em all stop when I come up in the spot... ♪" "Why you stop?" "♪ I'm the fire you cannot extinguish ♪" "♪ Like a genius, yeah, that got a ring to it ♪" "♪ They copying 'cause they seeing me do it... ♪" "(music stops)" "She was doing just fine until you lurked in." "You are wasting your time." "But, see, you can't see that because you're blinded by the ass." "I ain't even touched the girl." "(chuckles)" "She must really got you sprung then." "She ain't got it, Keem." "Come on, we got to get you on point." "(playing "Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom")" "I can't find them." "Can't find them." "I can't find them." "(grunts)" "I can't..." "I can't find them." "I can't find them." "Dwight, do you know what Mommy did with her bullets?" "(sighs)" "(chuckles)" "Where you been, man?" "I'm dying trying to find one sound." " Let's hear it." " Oh, hell no." "Ain't nobody hearing this yet. (chuckles)" "I understand, so... just let me know when you're ready." "(chuckles) What's up?" "I got some great news." "I'm playing Huey Jarvis's Living Room session this weekend." " Hell nah." " Yup." "When did this happen?" "Just last night." "Wow." "That's the best news I've heard all day, man." "Right?" "Thanks, Dad." "(both laugh)" "Come on, son." "No, no, it's your world, man." "Your world." " It's our world." "Come on." " Yours." "(laughs)" "(sighs)" "♪ Oh, I ♪" "♪ I'm a tomboy, put on a dress... ♪" "What about Fort Greene?" "No, it's too bougie." "Hmm." "Huh?" "Yeah, Cookie's Cookout has got to stay hood." "Well, we could try for Central Park, but it's usually booked." "Already did Central Park." "Remember, Free Lucious?" "Mm." "(whispers):" "What you want?" "(chuckles)" "I'm thinking of somewhere uptown, old school." "You know, like in Harlem." "Mm." " Yeah." " Yeah?" "Ooh, I know the perfect place." "What?" "A spot called Rock Steady Park." "It's on the Upper West Side." "Yeah. (chuckles)" "Used to call it "The Goat."" " Really?" " Yeah." "Basketball courts there." "Show me." "Ooh, I like that." "It's on my list as available." "But..." "But what?" "That's in Big Heavy's territory." "You're gonna have to sit down with him." "Uh, no!" "I'm not doing business with him, not after what he did to my son." "No." "There's got to be somebody else... it's New York." "Look, not if you want Rock Steady Park." "Now, all I said was you got to sit down with him." "Let him think he won." "He'll let his guard down, now, and you'll get your revenge later." "♪ You got mines, but I gotta get yours... ♪" "Hmm?" " ♪ Got my heart and I'm coming for ya... ♪" " Okay." "♪ Got me trapped, I'm in handcuffs for your love. ♪" "This is the last thing you got to do." "Look, I know you can do it." "You're gonna make people stop and listen to you." "Uh-uh." "This is crazy." "Look, everybody who made it to the next level had to do something a little crazy." "That's what being a superstar is all about." "(softly): ♪ Voz puede volar, puede atravezar... ♪" "Make them stop." "♪ Mi voz puede volar, puede atravezar ♪" "♪ Cualquier herida, cualquier tiempo cualquier soledad ♪" "♪ Sin que la pueda controlar ♪" "♪ Toma forma de canción ♪" "♪ Así es mi voz que sale ♪" "♪ De mi corazón... ♪" "(up-tempo music playing)" "♪ Y volará, sin yo querer ♪" "♪ Por los caminos más lejanos por los sueños que soñé ♪" "♪ Será reflejo del amor de lo que me tocó vivir ♪" "♪ Será la música de fondo de lo mucho que sentí ♪" "♪ Oye mi son ♪" "♪ Mi viejo son ♪" "♪ Tiene la clave ♪" "♪ De cualquier generación ♪" "♪ En el alma de mi gente ♪" "♪ En El cuero del tambor ♪" "♪ En Las manos del congero, en los piés del bailador ♪" "♪ Yo viviré ♪" "♪ Ahí estaré ♪" "♪ Mientras pase una cumparsa con mi rumba cantaré ♪" "♪ Seré siempre lo que fuí ♪" "♪ Con mi azúcar para tí ♪" "♪ Yo viviré, yo viviré ♪" "♪ Hey, hey. ♪" "(crowd cheering)" "(speaks indistinctly)" "(cheering continues)" "Jago, my love, got to hear us out." " Nurse!" " LUCIOUS:" "Now, wait a minute." "Now, I told you I didn't want to get in the ring with you in the first place, and now you got a morphine drip." "Now, what you said to me about my music today, that pissed me the hell off." "But only because it was true." "You made me dig deeper." "And as a result of you, I wrote a beautiful song." "Mm-hmm." "Good." "I look forward to my royalty checks." "LUCIOUS:" "We're in this together." "You need this deal as badly as I do." "And you and me, we're gonna make great partners." "I mean, great partners." "The greatest of all time." "You and me, partners?" "Empire, Swiftstream, merged." "We will dominate the industry." "(slurring):" "Dominate." "(chuckles)" "Now, with your permission," "Mimi's going to call your attorney, and you're gonna tell him to draft an agreement for a merger between Swiftstream and Empire." "Yeah." "(line ringing)" "Hey, Max." "Max, I need you to draw up a... (whispers):" "Contract." "Contract." "♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom ♪" "♪ Bang, bang, bang, bang. ♪" "So, you run Rock Steady Park, too, huh?" "Yeah, figures." "You gonna get my money one way or the other, huh?" "(Big Heavy laughs)" "I don't want nothing from you, bitch." "You're the one wants something from me." "Yo, you better relax." "I told you on the phone, the only reason we're here in peace is to make a deal." "I'll pay for your protection." "But I'm only gonna give you a small percentage of my vendors costs." "Say, what?" "LAZ:" "Hey, yo, easy." "Easy!" " You need to get your boys." " Yo, ease up." "COOKIE:" "Hakeem, come here." "Let me tell you what's going on." "You ain't explaining anything, 'cause you ain't giving it to this bald-headed ass." "I'm an equal partner in Lyon Dynasty." "Anything needs to be negotiated..." "I'm the one to negotiate it." "And you're in my negotiating chair." "(chuckles)" "It's okay." "Okay." "So... what percentage we talking about?" "As I see it, we only need to start with the perimeter." "Bump that." "We do all or nothing." "LAZ:" "No, the kid's right." "City ordinance states we must have bonded security on the inside." "What he said." "He's right." "(sighs)" "A'ight." "That'll be reflected in my fee." "But I still take 15 off the top." "Yeah, yeah, yeah." "Is that all right with you?" "(clicks tongue, sighs)" "You did good." "I'm proud of you, boy." "So maybe you'll stop forgetting I'm your partner, Mom, and let me make my own decisions." "What you talking about?" "What, little Carmen Miranda, huh?" "Yeah, you better be making decisions with your head and not with your you-know-what." "What, like you?" "I know about you and pretty boy." "Shut up, boy." "I know what I'm doing." "I've been doing it longer than you." "Well, I don't trust him." "You don't know him." "I'm just saying, Ma." "Just be careful." "♪ ♪" "All hail the king." "♪ They say heavy is the head that wears a crown ♪" "♪ Wears a crown ♪" "♪ They say heavy is the head that wears a crown ♪" "♪ Hey, they say heavy is the head that wears a crown ♪" "♪ Always used to think that that was just a damn excuse ♪" "♪ Something that the weak say ♪" "♪ 'Cause they couldn't hold it down ♪" "♪ But now that I wear it, I know that to be true ♪" "♪ No complaining, no ♪" "♪ Daddy raised a soldier whether he knew it or not ♪" "♪ He supplied the pain, I put it in the music, made it hot ♪" "♪ Strong back, strong shoulders ♪" "♪ 'Cause I'm holding up a lot ♪" "♪ I'm underneath this supporting ♪" "♪ Same time I'm at the top ♪" "♪ And I refuse to let my people down... ♪" "Man, that is a song." "That's better than "Uproar."" "Yeah, I've been working with him." "Man, you elevated his sound to another level." "♪ Not just the crown ♪" "♪ Feeling like this whole damn kingdom's sitting ♪" "♪ On top of me, yeah ♪ ♪ Sitting on top of me ♪" "♪ Sitting on top of me ♪ ♪ S-Sitting on top of me ♪" "♪ Sitting on top of me ♪" "♪ Feeling like this whole damn kingdom's ♪" "♪ Sitting on top of me. ♪" "(objects clattering)" "(bullet clinks on floor)" "Let's go, ladies!" "♪ Bottoms up, bottoms up ♪" "♪ Go on, get your bottoms up ♪" "♪ We're sipping bottomless mimosa ♪" "♪ Pour me another dosa ♪" "♪ It's 10:00 a.m., we partying ♪" "♪ Still going, getting loca ♪" "♪ That bottomless mimosa ♪" "♪ My champagne supernova ♪" "♪ It's 10:00 a.m., we partying ♪" "♪ Come on, let's have a toast to ♪" "♪ All them girls in they yoga pants ♪" "♪ When I ain't even been to bed ♪" "♪ Let me go get you another glass ♪" "♪ Bottoms up, bottoms up ♪" "♪ Go on, get your bottoms up. ♪" "♪ Girl, you know you bad, huh, huh ♪" "♪ I wanna be next to you... ♪" "I brought you a present." "Is it my birthday?" "Oh, damn, it's Christmas." "(chuckles) You got a little freak in you." "(chuckles) I love you, too." "And so does Jago Locke." "He wants to be in business with you." "Get the hell ou's done." "Ooh." "I love Mimi." "Come on." "Oh, where we going?" "(Mimi laughing, Lucious chattering)" "♪ I know you've been waiting for me... ♪" "I... would like baby girl in the green." "MIMI:" "Mm-hmm." "That's April." " Spring is in the air." " Mm-hmm. (chuckles)" "Well, I'm gonna fight you for her." "Oh, no, we don't fight." "We are partners." "We share." "♪ ♪" "LUCIOUS:" "Time to make the donuts." "(both laugh)" "I like doing business with you." "(laughs)" "You're just saying that so that I let you go first, huh?" "LUCIOUS:" "Mmm." "(phone vibrating)" "(sighs)" "(groans)" "I got to take it." "I'm sorry, I got to take it." "MIMI:" "Please don't say that to me." "It's just all taking a little longer than expected." "How can you say..." " Have you... ?" " (whispering):" "Is that the wifey or the girlfriend?" "Baby..." "Hey, no, no, gimme, gimme-gimme-gimme, gimme that." "Hey." "Hey, whoever the hell this is, you need to know that if you gonna deal with Mimi, you gonna treat her with the love and respect that she deserve, or you gonna have to deal with me," "and I'm Lucious Lyon, you got that?" "Huh?" "!" "Hello?" "Babe..." "Look, Mimi, Mimi, I'm sorry." "But I promise you, whatever's going on, it's gonna be all right." "And whoever she is, she needs to know that she's lucky to have you." "But right now, baby, we got the springtime." "Come on, let's not lose it, okay?" "♪ ♪" "(both laugh)" "♪ Call me by my name, oh ♪" "♪ Tell me that it's my game ♪" "♪ Roll me out your dice back ♪" "♪ Back into my favor... ♪" "Baby." "Mm-hmm." "Y'all might want to get started without me." "I'm gonna be a while." "(chuckling)" "♪ Let me see your valor, hey ♪" "♪ Left turn, no right turn, you ♪" "♪ You could be my U-turn. ♪" "♪ ♪" "♪ ♪" "Boom." " Boom." " No!" "Boom." "Boom." "It's 4:00 in the morning." "I got it." "I figured out what the song was missing." "You're about to become a part of my life story." "♪ ♪" " ♪ Boom ♪ - (gun clicking rhythmically)" "(grunts)" "♪ Boom, boom ♪" "♪ Boom ♪" "♪ Boom, boom, boom... ♪" "♪ Y'all want some ♪" "♪ Come get some ♪" "♪ Y'all want some ♪" "♪ Come get some ♪" "♪ Y'all want some ♪" "♪ Come get some ♪" "♪ Y'all want some!" "♪" "♪ If you ever been through it ♪" "♪ Then I'm knowing you got a feelin' ♪" "♪ You witness in the struggle ♪" "♪ From the realest, what the deal is ♪" "♪ They tried to lock me down, but they created a monster ♪" "♪ I'm beating down your block and nobody can stop us ♪" "♪ You was over there talking all kinds of tough ♪" "♪ While you sipping on your little bitty pick-me-up ♪" "♪ Well, you say you like to play a little fisticuffs ♪" "♪ So when the whistle puffs, I'm gonna call your bluff ♪" "♪ Words from a wise man, never let 'em see your hand ♪" "♪ In the end, I bet they all gon' understand ♪" "♪ You can't stop what you can't see ♪" "♪ Standing here is only me ♪" "♪ So place your bet and go prepare for your defeat ♪" "♪ I told the new jack to set, kid, guard your check ♪" "♪ There's a brother over there wanna bounce your neck ♪" "♪ Ain't you 'fraid of that?" "♪ ♪ 'Fraid of that ♪" "♪ Watch you fade to black ♪" "♪ Fade to black ♪" " ♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom ♪ - (gun clicking rhythmically)" " ♪ Bang, bang, bang, bang ♪ - (rhythmic gunshots)" "And he goes... ♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom ♪" "♪ Bang, bang, bang, bang ♪" "♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom... ♪" "History in the making, Freda." "History." "♪ Boom, boom, boom, boom ♪" "♪ Bang, bang, bang, bang. ♪" "(panting)"