" Previously on Empire..." " We're Empire's original power couple." "Not Andre and that bobblehead." "I'm gonna get back at the both of 'em." " Relax." " Xavier took credit for my idea." "I'll teach you a little something about true payback." "You gonna get your ass on that stage, clean and sober." "I just need my pills." "Just got to get to the show, you know that." "(yells)" " I love you." " I love you, too." "And you're going to rehab, okay?" "What?" "EDISON:" "Angelo drunk-drove into a lake, saving himself while leaving a poor innocent girl to drown." "What?" "You respect the hierarchy." "I pull the strings here until it's time." "Time for what?" "Time to kill my father." "While Marley gave you In Control and Dre gave you The Chronic," "I give you Inferno." "♪ ♪" "♪ Burn it, burn it up now, burn it up ♪" "♪ Burn it, burn it up now, burn it up ♪" "♪ We gon' bring the fire, yeah, yeah ♪" "♪ We gon' bring the fire, yeah, yeah ♪" "♪ Blow torch, furnace, matches, lighters ♪" "♪ Candles, ovens, electrical wires ♪" "♪ Petroleum, lava, charcoal, stars ♪" "♪ They're all on fire just like Remy Ma now ♪" "♪ Hip-hop and RB, yeah, I be blazing that ♪" "♪ A capella, instrumental ♪" "♪ Either way, I'm flaming that ♪" "♪ H-E-L-L, that's where they made me at ♪" "♪ An artist and arsonist ♪" "♪ I'm a pyromaniac ♪" "♪ Exploded on the scene, then I heat it up... ♪" "Damn, Lucious." "You said you was gonna bring the heat, but damn!" "Well, it's about time." "For the last year, I've been attacked from all sides." "Gangsters, feds, even family." "Yeah, speaking of which... ♪ Taking over, that mean we are taking everything ♪" "♪ We gonna make it hot like Inferno... ♪" "Nice of you to announce your little project while Jamal's still in rehab." "It must be because you're still threatened by him." "I forgot he was even doing music." "You should have given me the heads-up, Lucious." "Theoretically, we are co-CEO." "Theoretically, you weren't talking to me." "Well, I'm speaking to you now." "♪ We gon' bring the fire, yeah, yeah ♪" "♪ Picture me without fireworks for lungs ♪" "♪ C-4 for brains, nitroglycerine for a tongue ♪" "♪ Temperature rising as soon as I hit the room ♪" "♪ It's electric, my biometric belong in hell's tomb... ♪" "(whoops)" "You gonna tell your fans that you are stepping down to work on your project, leaving me sole CEO of Empire." "That's for dry snitching, trying to destroy Angelo." "(chuckles)" "Yeah, you play with me if you want to." "No, I don't play." "I war." "You want war, Cookie?" "Fire a shot." "Get ready." "♪ Potholes are fire pits ♪" "♪ Freddy Krueger your face, ignite your grill ♪" "♪ See, I'm a fire starter, you a fire drill... ♪" "Damn, Remy Ma hot." "I already talked to Lucious about Tiana doing one of her tracks." "Before you talked to me?" "♪ I'm sick, it's bad and I'm a rapper... ♪" "You're gonna get your own track on the album, don't worry." "♪ He said, "Rem, you got a fever" ♪" "♪ You too hot, ain't no one touching you ♪" "♪ Should have third-degree burns ♪" " ♪ And you highly combustible ♪ - ♪ Burn ♪" "♪ We gon' burn it up like Inferno, burn ♪" "♪ We gon' make it hot like Inferno, burn ♪" "♪ We gon' bring the fire, yeah, yeah ♪" "♪ We gon' bring the fire, yeah, yeah ♪" "♪ We gon make it hot like Inferno, burn ♪" "♪ You gonna have to open up a window, burn ♪" "♪ We gon' bring the fire, yeah, yeah ♪" "♪ We gon' bring the fire, yeah, yeah. ♪" "(crowd cheering)" "LUCIOUS:" "The incredible Remy Ma." "Damn, girl, amazing." "And my man, Brikk!" "Give it up for them." "(cheering continues)" "Now, as y'all know," "I was forged in the fires of Philadelphia streets." "And I took that energy and I turned it into one album, into another platinum-selling album, into another platinum-selling album." " And now, with Inferno, - (crowd cheers)" "I retake my rightful place at the top of hip-hop," " at the top of my game." " WOMAN:" "Who is that?" "LUCIOUS:" "At the top of the Empire!" " (crowd murmuring)" " MAN:" "What's going on?" "MAN:" "Yo, man, check her out." "(crowd murmuring, shouting)" "COOKIE:" "Hello, everybody!" "(crowd cheers)" "This is Lucious Lyon's dear mama." "Leah Walker." " WOMAN:" "Leah Walker?" " MAN:" "Didn't she die?" "And she was so excited backstage to watch her baby boy out here, talking about all his fabulousness." "She just want to come out here and tell y'all hey." "Go ahead, mama." " (microphone feedback hums)" " Hi." "WOMAN:" "Didn't she commit suicide in the "Boom Boom" video?" "I'm Leah." "THIRSTY:" "Yo, get out there, Cho!" "I'm Dwight's..." "STEVE:" "Hey, everybody." "You guys have your press packets." "Lucious is on his way to the studio right now to start work on Inferno." "In the meantime, please check for updates on Empire XStream." "Thanks, guys." "You a liar!" " (crowd clamoring)" " I thought she was dead!" "How was that for a shot?" "Hit any vital organs?" "♪ ♪" "THIRSTY:" "I mean, as co-CEO, she knows she's sabotaging her own company." "Well, maybe she's got it out of her system." "Nah, not Cookie." "And if she want war," "I'm gonna give it to her." "All right, I'll see you in a bit," " I'm gonna hit the head." " Yeah." "XAVIER:" "I got Nessa booked for the XStream Next Up Showcase." "It'll be her first solo set." "I love it." "Good stuff, X." "Thank you." "BECKY:" "Good stuff?" "That makes zero sense." "Both Hakeem and Tiana have albums dropping" " before Nessa." " Yeah, but I'm your boss." "Andre is mine, so just do the math." "HAKEEM:" "Here's some math." "I have as many voting shares on the board as Andre." "(laughs)" "ANDRE:" "Well, the board is not involved in the day to day of the company, Hakeem." "Cookie wants Tiana, so that's what she's gonna get." "Pop." "So... vote on the table is whether to feature Nessa or Tiana at the showcase." "Yo, are you hardheaded or stupid?" "Mom already approved." "Your mom approved who?" "Tiana." "Then it's settled." "It's Nessa that gets the showcase." "Dad, wait, you can't be doing this." "End of story." "We're done here." " Hey, Becky, listen." " You can save your sorrys," "Xavier, I don't want them." "No, you come at me in front of the bosses like that again," "I will fire you." "How's that sorry for you?" "All right, so I'm-a hit you when I land in Boston." "You really have to go, huh?" "Yeah." "I hope this Jayce plays ball." "I mean, they got all the files, right?" "Including the citation from when they pulled me over for that DUI." "That alone doesn't place me anywhere near that lake where Carla drowned." "Carla." "(scoffs) You know what?" "I couldn't even remember her name till I saw it in that file." "I mean, I just met the girl at that party that night." "It was... (sighs)" "She seemed like she was nice." "And Jayce?" "Jayce, I didn't know him that well, either." "I mean, went to grade school together." "He ended up doing six years for involuntary manslaughter." "The arrest records are sealed, but nobody from school ever heard from him, so if I could just get him to make a statement, then..." "You know what, don't worry about me." "You got a lot on your plate with Jamal." "You see your boy today, huh?" "You excited to see Jamal?" "It's the first time since I put him in rehab." "That's right." "I'm so scared, Angelo." "I just..." "I want my baby back, healthy, sober and strong." "I know." "You will." "Hey, just believe in him." "All right?" "All right?" " Okay." " You look good." "Thank you. (chuckles)" "Good afternoon." "I'm Dr. Katz." "I'm Jamal's therapist." "How's Jamal doing?" "We'll wait for him to tell you." "Excuse me, do you have a sound system in here?" "I want my brother to hear some new stuff I've been working on." "I'm afraid you'll have to wait another three weeks until..." "TORY:" "Sunny Day Recovery Center doesn't believe in music." "Just one of the many stupid rules at this dire refugee camp." "Tory, this is a private family session." "Yo, Tory Ash." "Yo, Hakeem Lyon." "Oh, and Andre." "And the mama bear Lyon herself." "What's up, Cookie?" " Tory." " TORY:" "Relax, cornball." "I'm just saying hello." "From what Jamal's told me," "I'm surprised all your little Lyon cubs aren't in rehab." "Don't try me, little girl, not today." " Please." " Oh, Cookie, I could try you, but I think I'd rather wait and try Lucious instead." "Oh, yeah, you should do that, 'cause you'll stay alive." "I already told you he's not coming." "I see y'all met my crazy-ass friend, Tory." " Good luck." " Thank you." " Hey, Ma." " Jamal. (sighs)" "(chuckles)" " You look good. (chuckles)" " Thanks, Mom." " What's up, bro?" " What's up, brother?" "(Cookie chuckles)" " What's up, Dre?" " Damn." "Tory Ash." "The whole world is still wondering what happened to her ever since she stripped butt naked onstage at Fenway Park." "Show some respect, Hakeem." "The woman has an illness." "Yeah, you would know a lot about that," " wouldn't you?" " COOKIE:" "Shut up, boy." "Yeah, she was a big star." "I mean, brilliant, too." " Yeah." " That heroin knocked her ass right out the sky." "She had that meltdown at Fenway." "Didn't they find her in a coma at some dingy motel?" "Mrs. Lyon, I have to ask you not to indulge in gossip about other the residents." "Sorry." "Now, should we wait for Mr. Lyon, or...?" "Uh, like Jamal said, his father ain't coming." "LUCIOUS:" "His father is what?" " How's my boy?" " JAMAL:" "Dad." "Look at you, all bright-eyed and strong and ready for the world." "How's my boy doing recovering from those addictive drugs his mama got him hooked on?" "Lucious, if you gonna be here, can you be here for the family?" "That's rich, coming from you." "DR. KATZ:" "I'm sure Jamal is happy that his whole family is here." "Jamal, do you want to tell them what's on your mind" " at the halfway point?" " Sure." "(clears throat) Um, well first week was absolute hell." "I don't ever want to go through withdrawal again." "And we know you won't, bro." "Yeah, if you stay clean." "COOKIE:" "What do you mean, "if"?" "He is clean." " Right, Jamal?" " Completely clean." "You know, that's... that's why I want to go home." " What?" " I need to go home." "I got this... this melody that's in my head." "It's been pushing me the entire time that I've been here, and I need to get to the studio and I need to lay it down before I lose it." "So, your body is healed..." "I get that... but you need to stay and finish this program." "Okay, Ma, I need to finish the program." "I also need to finish the pills in the drain." "I'm sorry, Ma, that was messed up." "That wasn't fair to you, I'm sorry." "I gave you those pills because I saw you were in pain, Jamal." "No, tell the truth." "You gave him those pills because you needed him to perform at that event." "You also was conflicted because you had to choose between the needs of your boyfriend or the needs of your son." " You don't know what he did to Angelo." " What I did to Angelo..." " Mr. and Mrs. Lyon..." " COOKIE:" "Would you shut the hell up?" "LUCIOUS:" "It's not half as bad as what you did to Empire and to Empire's name." "Jamal and I are sick and tired of cleaning up the family name." "LUCIOUS:" "It's a name you're not even supposed to have" " in the first place." " Oh, right, cause you built everything..." " First or last name." " You built everything... (Cookie and Lucious continue arguing, voices fading)" "♪ ♪" "THIRSTY:" "Hey, what's up, papa." "Let me get one of them dirty dogs." " They're Kosher, right?" " Sí." "There you go." "Gracias." "Ain't nothing like a good pimp steak." "Hand me a couple napkins, will you?" "Thank you." "LUCIOUS:" "And you're sure it's about Frank Gathers' murder?" "I mean, so says Agent Sweetwater." "And the way I figure it, somebody scored a "get out of jail free" card." "And Tariq got him lined up to testify to a grand jury that you're the one who ordered the hit on Gathers." "I mean, so you tell me, I mean, d-does anybody come to mind?" "Well, Guy, he's back at Lompoc." "And Mikey caught a bullet up in Jersey, so... that leaves one man, Bobby King," "A.K.A. rat bastard." " Bam-Bam." " Bam-Bam." "And to think I spent a bunch of money on his daughter's leukemia bills, and she still died." "I got the name." "I'll find out where Bam-Bam's hiding." "Look, Thirst?" "You know, this business about my mama and the press, you know... keep an eye on it." "Yeah, it's not a problem." "I'll keep her in my sights." "Bam-Bam." "SHINE:" "Looking good, and they finally spelled my name right. (chuckles)" "ANDRE:" "Looks like somebody's moving up in the world." "Congratulations, brother." "Thanks." "You hear about what I hooked up for Nessa?" "Yeah, the, uh, Next Up Showcase." "It's good." "She deserves it." "Well, stepping stones, my friend." "Phase one of the plan." "(scoffs) Speaking of the plan, you know..." "Inferno 'bout to be a monster." "Lucious is about to be bigger than ever." "There's no way you're stealing Empire from him right now." "I didn't say I was gonna steal it from him." "I said I'm gonna kill him." "While Lucious is making Inferno, we'll be making moves, mounting an army." "An army?" "That's right." "You mean my guys?" "I'd like to think of them as our guys, Shine." "(chuckles)" "Welcome to the Empire." "I've got a statement you can read explaining you were just protecting the privacy of your mother." "When have you ever known me not to come off the dome?" "(reporters clamoring)" "I'm sure you got a bunch of questions, so why don't we just push to the punch?" "You want to ask about my mother, right?" "REPORTER:" "Yes, we do." "Well, that's a very private matter and it's being handled privately." "But what I do have is a question for you." "Who are you voting for for mayor?" "Because I know I'm endorsing John Meeks." " (reporters murmur)" " Don't you think it's time that New York had a mayor that had the leadership qualities and the integrity of someone like John Meeks?" "You see, he's not a criminal, like Angelo Dubois." "He would never leave a woman to drown in a car because he was trying to avoid a DUI." "In fact, in honor of that young woman who died so many years ago," "I'm going to offer a $300,000 cash reward for anyone that has any information that can lead to the conviction of Mr. "Dubious" Dubois." "(reporters clamoring)" "JAMAL: ♪ Oh, this is just a simple song ♪" "♪ About everything I've lost ♪" "♪ And everything that I've found again ♪" "♪ Mm ♪" "♪ And why have I been faking for ♪" " (humming harmony) - (chuckles)" "♪ When it seems to be so hard ♪" "♪ And broken ♪" "(hums melody)" "What are you working on?" "Oh, something that was in my head." "Yo, the acoustics here are crazy, though." "I know." "It's kind of amazing, right?" "(sighs)" "Before I came in here, man, just... the music, the passion, just couldn't nobody catch me." "And they couldn't tell me nothing." "I know, right?" "That fire, it's like everything was high pressure." "I felt like I was flying." "(laughs) I felt like I could propel myself off the Earth if I wanted to." "Oh, God, I miss that so much." "(softly):" "Yeah." "It's the best high in the world." "Yeah." "I can't lie, I miss it, too." "Was always flying." "So why don't we go get it?" "ANNOUNCER:" "Welcome to the Next Up Showcase, featuring Empire's hot new artist, Nessa Parker!" "♪ Getting right in here ♪" "♪ Getting right in here ♪" "♪ Getting right in here, getting right ♪" "♪ Long as the DJ keeps playing ♪" "♪ I'm dancing the whole night away, aye ♪" "♪ 'Cause I got your attention ♪" "♪ And I'm keeping your eyes on me, aye ♪" "♪ When the beat keep knocking, drinks get to flowing ♪" "♪ You gon' like the way my body going ♪" "♪ There ain't one in this place... ♪" "Surprised to see you here." "What, you want to collect on that reward?" "You got some info for me about Mr. Manslaughter?" "You're such a fame whore." "You got to keep Angelo's name on your mouth just to stay relevant?" "Yeah, that's why it's my face still on the logo in this place." "♪ Get me right ♪" "HAKEEM: ♪ You know I'm-a get you right ♪" " ♪ Get me right ♪ - ♪ You know I'm-a get you right ♪" " ♪ Get me right ♪ - ♪ You know I'm-a get you right ♪" "♪ We got all these drinks ♪" "♪ Yeah, yeah ♪" "TIANA: ♪ And all these lights ♪" "HAKEEM: ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪" "♪ So I hope you can ♪" "♪ Give this feeling... ♪" "SHINE:" "Get Nessa's mic back on now!" "Don't." "Nessa's a pro." "She can handle it." "Man, get your hands off me." "♪ We getting right, getting right ♪" "♪ We getting right, get me right ♪" "♪ We getting right, get me right ♪" "♪ Shawty, you know I'm-a get you right ♪" "♪ Got the baddest by my side, when we step out ♪" "♪ It's a homicide, killing 'em too easy, baby ♪" "♪ Got it on lock like Weezy, baby, yeah ♪" "♪ We keep the situation real live ♪" "♪ Haters, they don't make us mad, nah ♪" "♪ Even if they still try, we be on something ♪" "♪ They don't know about, tell 'em they ain't with us ♪" "♪ We gon' throw em out, touch your body ♪" "♪ In the party when we tipsy... ♪" "Might want to start making some plays out of a new playbook." "All this is getting very old and very boring." "Tiana is a bigger star than Nessa, boo-boo." "You ought to be thanking me for bringing more eyeballs" " to your wack-ass concert." " What'd you say?" "I got it lit in here." "Turn up your hearing aid." "HAKEEM: ♪ You know we got it right, ah ♪" "♪ I can tell that you ♪" "♪ Really want me ♪" "♪ And I just need somebody ♪" "♪ To come and ♪" " ♪ Get me right ♪ - ♪ We getting right ♪" "♪ Get me right ♪" "♪ We getting right, get me right ♪" "♪ We getting right... ♪" "ANDRE:" "Her mic's back on." "Now watch this." " ♪ Get me right ♪ - ♪ Yeah, I'm the one ♪" "♪ Baby, I'm 'bout to give you life ♪" "♪ Long as you keeping me ♪" "♪ Dancing in your spotlight ♪" "♪ 'Cause they can't do it like me ♪" "♪ And they don't know why ♪" "♪ Can't even come close ♪" "♪ Even if they tried all night ♪" "♪ They better get right. ♪" "(music ends, crowd cheering)" " Yeah, to the Empire!" " (crowd cheering)" "Yes, baby, yes!" "Bitch, you tried it." "I'm a lady, so I'm not gonna beat your ass this time." "(crowd cheering)" "I should've beat your ass for stealing that fashion show, you old dusty skank." "(mic drops on stage)" "Bitch, who do you think you..." " (Tiana grunts) - ...talking to?" "!" "Nah, back up!" "Let them fight!" "SHINE:" "That's what's up, yeah!" "Bitch!" "Uh-uh!" "Look what you did." "Now you got that girl's ass beat" " in front of the whole world." " TIANA:" "You don't know me!" "SHINE:" "Stay in your place!" "Bitch!" "Cheap-ass ho!" "What?" "What you gonna do about it?" "Drag that bitch, Nessa!" "(phone ringing)" " Hello?" " COOKIE:" "Break this up!" "Shine!" "Hakeem!" "Nah, nah!" "Let them fight!" "Let them fight!" "Wait, wait, when did this happen?" " Come on, man, get out the way!" " Beat your ass!" "Let me go!" "Well, they did a bed check at the rehab." "Jamal's not in his bed." "Nessa!" "Nessa, calm down!" " Stop!" "Stop!" " That's what's up!" "Let's go see D-Major and his punk ass." "We got to find him, Lucious." "Yeah, man, you're a genius, man." "I want to add a little bit more bass." "Hey, Lucious," "I'm glad you're here." "I need your ear on this one." "You know the thing..." "What the hell?" "Get off me." "Get... off..." "Where's my son, D?" "Your son is in rehab, Cookie." "No, he left rehab, and I know you've been supplying him with his drugs." "If my son ends up O.D.'ing, your ass is dead." "What are you talking about, Cookie?" "How you helping him by giving him drugs?" "He's in pain, and you know that." "I couldn't just stand there and watch him suffer like that." "So you give him drugs." "Man, I'm sick of this." "Lucious, I wouldn't do nothing, man, I swear." "Cookie, I found him!" "Look!" "Somebody posted a video on Snapchat of him and Tory Ash." "LUCIOUS:" "They over in some dirty-ass neighborhood." "Or some crack house." "Shut your ass up!" "I know where that is." "Move!" "BECKY:" "Why is Mrs. Walker in the backseat?" "THIRSTY:" "Lucious wants me to keep an eye on her until I can find her a babysitter." "So explain to me again how," ""Becky come on this run with me,"" "is gonna translate into you helping me out with that scumbag Xavier?" "LEAH:" "I know how to handle scumbags." "All right, take it easy, Granny Gru." "We know you do." "Thirsty, what are we doing?" "We're just doing a favor for a friend of Lucious." "Sit tight." "She coming in here?" "Becky, please, be nice." "BECKY:" "Mm-mm." "Is that your friend?" "I don't know her." "THIRSTY:" "Here you go, man." " Good looking out." " Thank you, sir." "How you doing, Miss Gretchen?" "Oh, I can hardly wait to see my Bam-Bam." "He's such a good son." "He's moving me to a nursing home in Arizona." "That's good." "Oh, he's a good boy." "All right. (chuckles)" "My Dwight had me locked up in one of those homes for over a hundred years." "Those places are evil." "THIRSTY:" "Okay, okay..." "BECKY:" "I know damn well you ain't got me out here helping you kidnap these old ladies." "I am not doing a bid for this." "No, she just kidding, Gran." "Just relax." "Do I look like a kidnapper to you?" " Yes." " I'm a lawyer, thank you very much." "All right?" "And I'm trying to instruct you on the virtues of the perfectly-timed execution." "For that, you need patience, Grasshopper." "THIRSTY:" "All right, buckle up, golden girls." "You good back there?" "You need the heat on?" "LEAH:" "Watch the road!" "♪ ♪" "♪ Oh, this is just a simple song ♪" "♪ About everything I've lost ♪" "♪ And everything that I've found again ♪" "♪ Mm, uh... ♪" "Where's Jamal, Tyree?" "Jamal?" "I ain't seen him." "Look, you don't want no trouble with me tonight." "I will tear this raggedy-ass studio down." " (Lucious sighs)" " And whatever she doesn't destroy, I will." " What's up, Lucious?" " What's up?" "!" "Answer the question!" "Hey, hey, hey!" " Yeah, this ain't a joke." " He's upstairs, studio one." "♪ And why ♪" "♪ Have I been faking for ♪" "♪ When's hard enough to be ♪" "♪ In this world ♪" "♪ Who we truly are ♪" "♪ Truly are ♪" "♪ I was so used to living wrong ♪" "♪ But now I know we need nothing ♪" "♪ Except a simple song ♪" "♪ Mm ♪" "♪ See, I ♪" "♪ Done hid for years, y'all ♪" "♪ Yeah ♪" "♪ But I'm so done hiding ♪" "♪ Now ♪" "♪ And if I were you ♪" "♪ I would find the time to find myself ♪" "♪ 'Cause you don't know what life will do ♪" "♪ What life will do ♪" "♪ Oh, but this is still a simple song ♪" "♪ Of how hard this life could be ♪" "♪ When you have nothing ♪" "♪ That you're living for ♪" "♪ Living for ♪" " ♪ You can sing... ♪ - (music stops)" "What you doing, Jamal?" "LUCIOUS:" "Your mother almost had a heart attack looking for you." "What y'all think?" "I'm recording a song." "Look, I'm-a have Webb run through this whole place." "We find one speck of drugs..." " COOKIE:" "That's right." " Oh, my God." "Dad, I said that I am sober and clean, and I am." "Then why did you leave rehab?" "Listen, what needs to happen right now is we need to finish this song, so y'all need to just... (whistles)" "What you need to do is shut up." " JAMAL:" "Oh, Lord..." " Bitch!" " You know what..." "Ma, Ma!" " What you need" " is your ass beat!" " Mom, please." " You don't want none of this." " Please, please." "No." " Yeah." " She don't." "She really don't." " Why do have to go to DEFCON..." " Please, stop." "Ma, Dad!" "Mom, stop." "Where I'm supposed to be and doing what I'm supposed to be doing is right here." "This is my rehab." "Come on." "Okay, finish your song." "Thank you, Dad." "I'm sorry." "Come on." "You can trust me, Ma." "Come on." "LUCIOUS:" "Come on, Cook." "I'll be out here to take you home when you're done." "LUCIOUS:" "Sorry, y'all." "♪ ♪" " Order up." " (bell dings)" "♪ Cruisin'... ♪" "Mama?" "Mama!" "Hey, Bam, don't leave just yet." "♪ Baby, let's cruise... ♪" "L, man, let me explain." "No, you don't speak." "I speak." "♪ Don't be confused ♪" "♪ The way ♪" "♪ Is clear ♪" "♪ And if you want it, you got it forever... ♪" "You see, I understand how things happen, Bam." "Me and the Feds both know that every man has his weakness." "And in your case, it's that sweet, loving woman out there that raised you and then raised your little girl when you got locked up." "But when you and I were locked up," "I made a promise to take care of them." "And I did everything I could to help your little girl, but now that she's gone I still kept my word and took care your mama." "The same way you're gonna remember your P's and Q's when you get in front of that grand jury." "All right." "Here you go." "We got Bam-Bam's mother home safe and sound." "Granny Gru has gone night-night, thank God." "And I just dropped off the care package at WZVX." "Check, check and check." "What, am I forgetting something?" "You forgetting me." "Are you ser..." "You got me driving all over Jersey on these dumbass errands." "When are we gonna talk about my problems though?" "All right, you know what?" "Explain it to me, Hot Pocket." "Why are you still stressing out over that cornball Xavier?" "Yo, you don't get it." "Ever since he got to Empire, he's been all up in my face and doing shady stuff, talking about," "(mocking): "Oh, oh, it's just business, it's just business."" "But acting like it's personal with me." "There you go." "Lesson one." "It's business, of course." "But no matter what anybody tells you, it's always personal." "Okay, so what I do?" "You know what, what more can you do?" " Yo." " (chuckles)" "All right, relax, mama." "That's not for you." "Just let the universe work its magic." "Okay?" "It's got you." "Type of Shaolin monk bull..." "You know what?" "You have wasted my entire day." "(Thirsty humming koto music)" "BECKY:" "Waste of time." "THIRSTY:" "Shaolin Wu-Tang." "ROSS:" "So Lucious Lyon wins again." "You built this case up on one star witness," "Bam-Bam King, who suddenly refuses to testify." "Yeah, Lyon must've got to him somehow." "He murdered Frank Gathers, and I can prove it." " I just need more time." " Agent, your time is up; as of right now, you're off the case, 'cause it's closed." "What?" "But I have more leads, sir." "Any evidence against the target is tainted due to your omission of the fact that he is your half-brother." "I'm putting you on paid leave." "REPORTER:" "Mr. Dubois' campaign got a much needed breath of life when Jayce Jones came forward to confirm that he served time for the manslaughter death of Carla Mills, who drowned in a lake over 20 years ago." "And most important, that Angelo Dubois was nowhere near the scene when it happened." "(mutes TV)" "God." "Dad went so low." "Are you surprised?" "Always and never." "What?" "(sighs)" "I'm gonna keep this short... and real." "Are you a dope fiend?" "(sighs)" "Look, I got caught up, Ma." "I ain't even trying to run away from that." "But I swear on my music and everything else that I've been fighting back for since I came back from the bullet, I..." "I'm done with the pills." "Really." "I'm so focused." "I'm not even trying to have any kind of substance mess with that." "I'm happy to hear that, baby." "(chuckles)" "(sighs)" "Finally feels like everything's gonna be all right." "You're okay." "Angelo's situation is settled." "He's back on his campaign, so..." "Yeah, he's good, right?" "We'll see." "I mean, it's politics; all they got to do is say it, it sticks to you like stink." "Lucious did all of that just for you." "That is a twisted kind of love, man." "I know he's planning his next move." "♪ ♪" "LUCIOUS:" "Now, before we get started, let's take care of a short order of business." "Xavier." "You're fired." " GUARD:" "All right, let's go." " Whoa, come on, man!" "What the hell?" "Let this serve as an example for each and every one of you." "If I catch anybody getting kickbacks, trust me, the next time you'll get much more than fired." "XAVIER:" "Mr. Lyon, Mr. Lyon, I would never do that to you, man." " I swear to God, I'm innocent on this!" " Innocent?" "Tell that to the program director over at WZVX." "You run a sloppy business, man, sloppy." "Come on, now, that's a lie!" "Becky!" "Becky, you know me." "All right?" "You know me." "You need to vouch for me." "Come on." "I don't know you, man." "It's just business." ""Just business"?" "Bye." "Yo, I'm innocent, man!" "Yo, I didn't do this!" "Get off me!" "Go on out of here." "Now that the fireworks are over," "I'm sure you've all heard my announcement about Inferno, even though it may have been muffled a bit by" " certain people in this room." " Uh, Lucious, look, everyone in this room is very busy, so if you could go ahead, and finish what you have to say, thank you." "I'm getting there." "We are Lyons; therefore, we roar." "So from this point forward, each and every employee of this company, their number one priority is to make sure that Inferno is what it should be." "It's an album I'm producing." "I'm going to have the top artists from Empire on it, and I'm hoping that my son, Jamal, will bless me with a song." "Now, seeing that the position of head of AR has recently just opened," "I decided to fill it with someone that I feel is worthy of such a position." "And as a result of being in this position, she's come to be under a great deal of anguish and fire from me because she's been my biggest critic, which in turn turned her into my greatest ally, and she's very loyal." "And I was so hesitant to appoint her in this position because I didn't want to take her away from her first responsibility, and that's the job of being a mother." "But she will serve me as she has for years, as my muse who has lit an inferno inside of me." "She is the DNA of this company, my wife, Mrs. Anika Lyon." "(chuckles)" "Your new head of AR." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Congrats." "Come on." "Take your seat." "Ha!" "Nice and warm for you." "("Inferno" playing)" "("Inferno" continues over speakers)" "(door opens, slams)" "Mm, mm-mm, that is fire, Lucious." "Yeah, "Inferno." (chuckles)" "The name fits." "What, you want some trouble, Cookie?" "No, no, I-I don't want no trouble, Lucious." "I just have some questions, is all." "Like, this-this album right here." "This was your first album to go gold." "Now, I remember working on that six months before I went to prison." "So, whose DNA is in that, Lucious?" "Huh?" "(laughs)" "DNA." "Boy, please." "Ain't nothing but a hood rat." "(glass shatters)" "(glass shatters)" "All right." "Let's play." "Did I tell you, I watched you on TV in that dirty-ass rec room in Danbury when Empire's first album was inducted into the Music Hall of Fame." "(glass shatters)" "(chuckles)" "Who was your muse for that?" "You done, bitch?" "Huh, Lucious?" "Don't you come any closer." "Put it down. (grunts)" "Who was your muse on that, huh?" "!" "Who was your muse, Lucious?" "Oh, do you remember this one?" "Because I do." "Yeah, I sent tapes from the inside back and forth with you while you worked on them out here." "(laughs)" "Oh!" "And this one." "This is when you stopped coming to visit me." "It was weak." "All the critics said so." "Yeah, get up." "None of this would've existed without me!" "Not those gold records!" "Not those plaques!" "Not this studio!" "None of it!" "So you tell me, Lucious." "Tell me whose DNA is running all through it?" "Huh?" "Who's the mother with the important job, Lucious?" "!" "You tell me." "I gave you three sons, bitch, three sons!" "I had a miscarriage." "I went to jail for 17 years so you could build this!" "So you could build this Empire!" "(shouts)" "(shouts)" "COOKIE:" "Yeah, follow me!" "I'll show you whose DNA is in here." "Okay, now you die!" "You said Lyons roar?" "Well, let me hear you roar." "Yeah, I came here to make a lot of noise." "Now you die!" "Go home." " COOKIE:" "I'm just getting started." " (elevator bell dings)" "(piano keys pounding)" "(grunting)" "Trying to erase me, Lucious?" "Huh?" "After all I done for you." "(crying):" "I did 17 years for this family." "You built this company on my back." "(crying)" "And you just gonna give it to that bitch." "Is that your plan, Lucious?" "Huh?" "!" "(shouts)" "Let go of me!" " Stop." " (grunting)" "(panting)" "(teapot whistling)" "(whistling stops)" "(playing "Simple Song")" "♪ ♪" "(moaning)" "Mm-mm." "No." "I said I was done with you." "I meant that." "♪ ♪"