Empire (2015–…): Season 2, Episode 10 - Et Tu, Brute? - full transcript

Previously on Empire...
PEPPER: Family day's next week.

Why don't you show up
and do a little show at Wallace?

I'm-a have my
own summer jam.

Cookie's Cookout.

All them dudes that kidnapped me
had a brand on their back.

Like this?

I had no idea I was gonna
fall in love with you. Mm-mm.

When I got the word I was
in full remission, I said,

"I'm gonna have a lot of fun
with the rest of my life!"

Is that the wifey
or the girlfriend?

ANIKA: Hakeem, it's me.
Give me a call back.



Babies are like kryptonite
for Lucious. Really?

Wasn't that the song that
you wrote for Camilla? Who?

You won't ever be a Lyon.

I am devoting the rest of
my life to LGBT people.

And I'm gonna help you, Jamal.

Leverage whatever we have to.
Just get me Swiftstream.

I am the O.G. Skye Summers fan.

If I sang my whole truth,

my fans would turn on me.

♪ ♪

(crowd cheering)

What up? What up?

I'm Jason Derulo, live in L.A.,

big city of dreams,
where it's all going down today.



It's ASA nomination day.

All day long,
you're gonna be hearing from

some of your
favorite music artists

giving us the nominees

of some of the greatest
music acts this year.

So the nominations will be
live-streaming on the screens

all day long, and every Empire
artist has been put on notice.

Everyone that gets a
nomination and comes to town

will be doing press.

And then Skye does
the Empire party.

How many nominations
you expect for Empire, Pop?

I expect to lose count.

But getting the nominations
ain't the thing.

I mean, I got 19 of them over
the years and never won one.

This'll be the year
you break the streak, boss.

Yeah, whatever.
What I'm most interested in

is our Swiftstream
announcement.

DERULO: It's my honor
and pleasure to announce

the very first
nomination of the day,

for Best R&B Song.

First up, we got Chalayne
for "Last Breath,"

Gordon Treble for "Opus,"

Niles Porter
for "Live and Direct,"

and, first time ever,
my boy Jamal Lyon for "Heavy."

(squeals) It's happening!
It's happening!

There's a lot
of ASA parties going on,

performances,
lot of crazy things happening.

So I would stick close
to my Twitter notifications,

Instagram-- like, all of that.

QUESTLOVE:
This is Questlove.

More nominations
throughout the day,

every hour on the hour.

Don't miss out.

Listen, man, our permits
are good for two months.

All right? No.

Look, we're bringing our
new promoter in, okay?

All right, I'll
call you back.

Well?

Everybody keeps saying
we're a security risk.

I'm sorry, Hakeem.

It's not your fault, Ma.

Can't believe
I let that bitch play me.

Do you know
what today is?

ASA nomination day.

The day where I get
my "Best Rapper" shout,

and that'll help us land a
better venue for your Cookout.

Thank you, baby.

Oh, and thank you
and Laura so much

for agreeing to perform
at the family day show

at Wallace today.

Are you sure we got
to do it today?

It's not good timing.

Walking back into that prison
in this headspace

is the last thing I want
to do, believe that,

but I owe Pepper 'cause she
helped me find your Aunt Carol.

(chuckles)
Ooh, plus,

there's somebody I want
you to meet-- Jezzy.

She's this rapper.

Oh, my God, she's
so amazing, Hakeem.

I'm gonna put her
on that stage.

Wait until you
hear her spit.

She's the real deal.

Congratulations on
your nomination.

Hey! (laughs)

Hey.
I'm so excited for you.

Thank you.
I can't wait to celebrate.

You look so nice. Yeah.
Thank you.

We should get to the, um,
ASA party quick though, 'cause

we got a song to debut.

You know what I bet?

I bet you're gonna get Song
of the Year, too. No, I'm not.

Yes. Watch.
No, I promise I won't.

I'm telling you. I see it.
You trippin', stop.

I'm telling you. Watch. Stop,
you're gonna make me all nervous.

You're acting nervous.
I am nervous.

(laughs)
But, look,

it's gonna be
even better next year.

Best Duet:
Skye Summers, Jamal Lyon,

"Powerful."

Yes!
That's what I need.

That's got to be that.
Hey, um...

Listen,

we should probably, um,

talk about what hap...

Dad. What's up?

Hey, Lucious.

We're on our way
to the Charlamagne ASA event

to debut our new song
we've been working on.

I can't wait for you
to hear it.

I'm so excited.
I'll meet you in the car, babe.

All right.
All right.

Bye.
Summer.

Babe?

Dad, just...

chill on it,
all right?

Are you hitting that?

Look, well, I'm still
gay, all right?

So don't get weird.

She fixed you.

Yeah.

♪ ♪

No, Mimi, it was you that
told me that if we're not

in music streaming,
we're in the dust, right?

I never thought
you'd go off and leverage

whole divisions of the company.

The board's going to want to
review those kind of decisions.

No, the board don't
like risk, Mimi.

That's their problem;
they're not like us.

You got to trust me
on this one, baby.

I trust you, Lucious.

But I have to answer
to the board.

I told you before,
to hell with that damn board.

I didn't ask the board's
approval when I risked my life

to build the damn company,
and I'll be damned

if I'm gonna ask
a board of directors

how to move my pieces
on my chessboard.

Oh, you're a grandmaster,
Lucious.

Damn right.

And when this deal closes,
I'm cleaning house.

Whoever stood
against me is out.

So the question is:

is you is or is
you ain't my Mimi?

Because I always thought
we saw the world

the same way, darling.

Mm.

I'm learning to see the world
the way you see it, Lucious.

I'm learning
something new every day.

My wife just flew in from Milan.

I'm going to have her join us
at the announcement.

Can't wait for you to meet her.

Does that mean we won't have

any more of our private
celebratory parties?

Oh, maybe another time.
I have to go back

to Rancho Mirage
for some follow-up treatments.

Is everything okay?

Staying positive.

Getting everything done
that I need to get done.

I am so glad
we closed this Swiftstream deal.

Big dog stuff.

(chuckles)

ANGELA YEE:
Good morning, y'all. What's up?

It's Angela Yee,
and we're here live

at Charlamagne Tha God's
ASA nomination jam!

Give it up for Tiana!

(crowd cheering)

♪ ♪

♪ Oh, I see it
in your face, babe ♪

♪ You wanna know
how it taste, babe ♪

♪ Watchin' me
wining my waist, babe ♪

♪ You want a piece of this
cake, cake, cake, cake ♪

♪ You like to watch,
that's kinda nasty ♪

♪ But I ain't mad at ya,
I ain't even mad at ya ♪

♪ Don't it look soft,
I know you wanna touch me ♪

♪ And, daddy,
I ain't even mad at cha ♪

♪ 'Cause you lookin'
like you wanna know ♪

♪ What the hell
you waiting for? ♪

♪ I'm-a poke it out
so you can see it clear ♪

♪ Said you lookin'
like you wanna know ♪

♪ What the hell
you waiting for? ♪

♪ Own it like you want it
and get over here ♪

♪ Come and do some with it,
do some with it ♪

♪ Standing there staring at it,
boy, come and get it ♪

♪ Come and do some with it ♪

♪ Do some with it,
standing there ♪

♪ Staring at it,
boy, come get and it ♪

♪ 'Cause you lookin' like
you wanna know ♪

♪ What the hell
you waiting for? ♪

♪ Own it like you want it
and get over here... ♪

JAMAL:
She's fire, Ma.

Lyon Dynasty's gonna get
so many nominations.

We're going to Empire
afterwards

to show the Pepsi commercial.
You coming?

(sighs)
I wish I could, baby,

but I got to go back
to Wallace prison.

The girls-- they
expect me to perf...

Ma. It's all right.

You're always there for me;
go be there for them.

I love you.
Are you sure?

I'm sure.
Okay.

Thank you, baby.
I love you.

I love you, too.
Hey, Dad.

Hey, boy.

So Rico Suave's not
cleaning your pool no more.

Shut up, Lucious.

Look...

I need Laviticus.

I lost the venue
for my Cookout.

You mean the Cookout
you was planning

with that dude that
kidnapped my son?

I'm serious, Lucious.
I need this.

You must be desperate.

No. No. The same
way I needed you

to help me with
Swiftstream.

Now, you know that's different.

Our legacy is not up for sale
and it shouldn't be up for sale.

Well, I closed
the deal anyway.

So I'm in a real good mood,
so I'm-a tell you...

no.
Of course.

You can't use
Laviticus.

♪ 'Cause you're lookin' like
you wanna know ♪

♪ What the hell
you waiting for? ♪

♪ Own it like you want it
and get over here. ♪

(crowd cheering)

(music ends, cheering continues)

She's about to announce
the next ASA awards.

Hakeem's category.

TIANA:
Thank you, everybody,

and happy ASA nomination day.

(crowd cheering)

I'm so excited to be here
and to announce the ASA nominees

for Rapper of the Year.

Are y'all ready?

(crowd cheers)

Okay. And the nominees are....

...Blu-On,
Powda Yay, Scrills and...

Freda Gatz?

And, yes, Freda Gatz.

(crowd cheering)

YEE: All right,
check your 'grams for

the Best Country Album nominees
at noon, 11:00 Central.

Today is ASA nomination day...

That belonged to Hakeem.

If it was Hakeem's,
he would've got it.

Hakeem may have won
that little battle,

but Freda is clearly
winning the war.

(TV clicks off)

YEE: Charlamagne Tha God
and American Sound Awards

is proud to present four-time
ASA winner Skye Summers

and first-time nominee
Jamal Lyon.

(crowd cheering,
piano playing "Powerful")

♪ People been talking about it ♪

♪ We won't just stand here
in silence ♪

♪ Can't stop the fire
from rising ♪

♪ Rising ♪

♪ Whoa, oh ♪

♪ People, don't you be afraid ♪

♪ So many innocent slain ♪

♪ This is an era for change ♪

♪ Change ♪

♪ Malcolm's probably
turning in his grave ♪

♪ Every shade was
beautifully made ♪

♪ And powerful ♪

♪ There's so much strength
in you and me ♪

♪ Powerful ♪

♪ A breath away from victory ♪

♪ I matter ♪

♪ You matter ♪

♪ We matter, oh ♪

♪ I matter ♪

♪ You matter ♪

♪ We matter, oh... ♪

This is a great song, but I
thought Jamal was gonna sing

the song that he
was nominated for.

You know, Best R&B Song.

No, Best R&B Song
is a category

they created
to placate black people.

The only thing with any prestige
is Song of the Year.

Isn't that the only one that
you were never nominated for?

SKYE:
♪ I see a colorful future ♪

♪ Where skin don't
define any human ♪

♪ And stars are
the only thing shooting ♪

♪ Shooting, oh ♪
♪ Oh ♪

♪ Mothers who bury
their child ♪

♪ How can we sit there
and hide? ♪

♪ Change comes when
all take a stand now ♪

♪ Stand up ♪

♪ Oh-oh, oh-oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh-oh, oh-oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh. ♪

(music ends, crowd cheering)

CHARLAMAGNE:
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

It's Charlamagne
on ASA nomination day.

We got Skye Summers here,

four-time ASA winner,
and Jamal Lyon.

Now, Jamal, you got nominated

for your first ever
ASA this morning.

How you feel, brother?

Yes, sir. I feel amazing.
Thank you. Thank you.

CHARLAMAGNE: The song
you just performed, "Powerful,"

really pro-black song,
really socially conscious song,

but, Skye, what up though?

You black now?

(crowd murmuring)

Really, Charlamagne? Really?

I'm just saying,

you don't usually
identify as black.

What do you mean? It's no secret
that I'm half black.

I'm biracial,
and I identify as me.

CHARLAMAGNE: But isn't that
just a nice way of saying,

you know,
you don't want to be black?

(scoffs) What?
Wait, wait, wait.

Ease up, man.
Come on, now.

Why does Skye
have to pick a side?

You know what
I'm saying?

Everybody wants to
put labels on people,

put us in boxes. It doesn't
always have to be like that.

But she's up here
singing about a race

that she never really claims.

So I'm just curious.

Y'all not curious?

(crowd murmuring)

I mean, Jamal, you gay, right?

(sighs)
Yeah, man. They all know that.

So, if you identify as gay,

but then you started
getting involved with a woman,

you know, people would be
looking at you

kind of crazy.
They'd be upset, like,

"Maybe he's just choosing
whatever label he wants

based on a matter
of convenience."

(crowd murmuring)

She wasn't even scheduled
to be on Charlamagne's show.

Judith, it was my
idea, all right?

Well, what were you thinking?

He was thinking big.

That's what he was doing.

I certainly didn't think
that she was gonna

get dragged on
Twitter like this.

I mean, these are
our people, you know?

I just don't get it.

It's not like I was performing
in blackface.

Like, why would they be...

Look at this.
Some fool puts the...

Rachel what's-her-name
afro wig on me.

(sighs)

She has a pop career.

Image is everything.

One crap move like this
will take years to fix!

Will you relax, Judith?
You need a martini or something?

Look, the song is hot.

It's fire, actually.

And the haters,
they gonna burn over.

And by the end of the day,

Twitter's gonna be roasting
somebody else, so it's cool.

Why didn't you defend me?

Why didn't you say anything?

'Cause he brought up
you were gay or...

I specifically told that man...
No, no, no, no, no, no.

Jamal ain't got nothing to do
with it, sweetie.

(chuckles): You just picked
the wrong day to be black.

Dad.
How dare you?

I'm kidding. Look.

After we show
Jamal's Pepsi jam,

I'm putting you onstage.

You're performing at my...
Swiftstream announcement, right?

You're gonna be onstage
in front of

a much friendlier
audience.

Promise you,

everything's gonna be fine.

You're gonna
remind everybody why

they love you so much.

We got a long day ahead of us,
but it's okay, I promise.

(alarm wailing)

(alarm stops)

(sighs)

I know.

We got to get the security
company to fix the alarm, babe.

I'm on it. I called
this morning.

Thank you.

You know, I really appreciate
you coming home

on your lunch break to help me
with the nursery.

Thanks, babe.
No problem, baby.

Thank you for carrying our boy.

(laughs)
You're welcome.

(doorbell rings)

Who's at the gate?

Oh, that's Anika.

She's actually coming over
to see the nursery.

Again?

Yeah. She's just...

I don't know.
She's really lonely.

Yeah, I know.
I feel bad for her.

My family really
messed her over.

Mm-hmm.
Maybe she'll come

to church with us one Sunday.
Yeah, that's nice.

I can ask her.

MAN: Empire welcomes
Jamieson Hinthrop

on ASA nomination day.

Hello, everyone.
I'm Jamieson Hinthrop.

Minutes ago,

Katy Perry announced
Best Male Pop Vocals.

And we just happen to have
one of those nominees

right here. Jamal Lyon.

(crowd cheering)
Come on up.

(chuckles)

Thank you.

How many nominations
have you racked up so far?

Five!

(chuckles)

Uh, five.

Five. That's amazing.

Thank you so much.

Having lived through a time
when an openly gay man

could not have stood here

so open, so out and so free,

I take a very personal pride
in your accomplishments.

Thank you.

JAMIESON:
But that's not all.

I believe that
there's another milestone

that you're gonna
share with us now, right?

JAMAL:
Yes.

I am sharing with
all of you guys

for the first time the premiere
of my Pepsi commercial.

So...

(crowd cheering)

I have to take a second

and say thank you so much
to my-my mom and dad.

Wasn't for y'all,
I would not be here,

in more ways than one,
so thank you so much.

And, uh, without further ado,
it's my Pepsi commercial.

Jamieson, thank
you so much.

(crowd cheering)

I hope you're not
leaving right away.

You know, I've got my own little
announcement I want to make.

Yeah, yeah, the Swiftstream.
I heard.

Lucious, um...

...if Jamal gets
a Song of the Year nomination,

(chuckles) I'm gonna mount
a major campaign around it.

You should.

You realize
that you set a very high bar?

Thank you.

He cleared it.

But you said it--
isn't that every parent's dream,

to have their children
surpass them?

It's not my dream.

I'm just kidding.
(laughs)

BECKY:
It's starting!

("Ready to Go" playing)

The commercial's
fantastic, Lucious.

The Times would like
to do a profile on Jamal.

I told them
it had to be a cover.

That's gonna be a little tricky,
isn't it?

Why's that?

I mean, seeing Jamal's got
a girlfriend and all.

I mean, not that
that should determine

whether or not
they do the story.

He didn't tell you?

Oops. (chuckles)

I got a big mouth.

(cell door buzzes)

(indistinct radio chatter)

(shuddering breath)

Please. Please.

I miss my son.

Just take this pain away.
Take this pain away, God.

I can't take it anymore.

I can't do this.
I got to go be with Hakeem.

He's upset about the ASAs.
Cookie, wait.

Now, you said you was gonna
come through for these ladies.

So, you already here. You might
as well get it out the way.

WOMAN: Hell no! You ain't
getting out of here that easy.

Spider?

Girl, come here!

(laughs) Look at you!

Look at you!

Damn. I can't believe you here.

We thought you forgot
all about us.

Come on, man.
I never forget y'all ugly asses.

Hey, why'd they shut down
our old cell block?

It flooded back in Sandy.

This the first time we allowed

back in here.
We been ten bitches

in a bunk meant for two.

Damn.

This wifey?

Damn!
Who me? No.

Uh-uh. I don't get down
like that.

I only do hot dogs,
sausages and Polishes.

So calm down. I don't do women.
Shut up.

Don't you know
how to take a compliment?

I'm just sayin'.

This is
my assistant, Porsha.

Mm-hmm.

You really gonna do a concert?

I'm-a do a little somethin'.

You know, they only letting me
bring in two of my artists.

I'm-a do a little show.

Well, you bringing
Veronica, right?

Her fine, bald ass.

Uh-uh. I want to see Hakeem.
He sexy as hell!

♪ Drip, drop, drip,
drippity drop... ♪

All right, now,
that's my baby

you talking 'bout.

WOMAN:
See that?

They follow
your every move, Cookie.

Warden Meyers.

Fancy.

I see you got a lot
of equipment out there.

I'm letting you bring in
one camera.

You got
security clearance

for two artists
and your assistant.

It's nice
what you're doing.

Thank you.

Well, since you only let me
have two artists,

I need to figure out
which one of these ladies

I'm-a put up on that stage.

Hey, where's Jezzy?

I don't think
she wants to talk to you.

Now, see,
that's where you're wrong.

'Cause I always
promised her

that when she got out,

I was gonna make her a star.

So, can I talk to her?

Jezzy won't be getting out.

SPIDER:
Jezzy caught a life bid

taking out her bunkmate
over toothpaste.

What?

(scoffs)

Damn, Jezzy.

(sighs)

RHONDA:
You did not have to do this.

ANIKA: Oh, I know.
It's just...

Oh.

Oh, my goodness!

(laughs)

They're so precious.

I love them. Thank you so much.

You're so welcome. I...
Aw.

...just wanted to give you
something to match

this gorgeous house

that Lucious gave you guys.
Aw.

I know. I am telling you,
he is just obsessed

with this grandchild.

Oh, did I tell you

that he actually refers to him
as "the heir"?

(laughs)

He is such the drama king.

Wow.

God, he would be furious
if he knew I was here, actually.

(phone ringing)

I'm gonna go grab that.

We haven't
installed a line

in here yet.
Sorry, I'll be right back.

It's fine.

MAN: Give a big Empire welcome
to multiple ASA winner,

Skye Summers!
(crowd cheering)

♪ ♪

♪ If I was a poet, I would ♪

♪ Write you a story
filled with ♪

♪ Impossible glory
and pass it along... ♪

LUCIOUS:
I see what you see in her.

♪ But I'm just a voice who has ♪

♪ Words that are simple, with ♪

♪ No time for riddles,
this is my song ♪

♪ For you, baby ♪

♪ Uh-huh. ♪

Hey, y'all. I know it's ASA day,

but it's also a very special day
for Empire.

I'm so proud to announce that,
as of today,

Empire has acquired Swiftstream,

the fastest and largest
music streaming service

in the universe.

(crowd cheering)

We are making music history
here at Empire.

Tweet that.

(laughter)

It brings me great pleasure

to invite to the stage
Miss Mimi Whiteman.

She's going to tell y'all
what's next

and help y'all understand how
Empire is going to be positioned

in this brave new world.

Mimi Whiteman, y'all,
my business partner-in-crime!

(crowd cheering)

Thank you.
Thank you, Lucious.

(laughs)

"Business partner-in-crime."

Hmm. I don't know
that I've ever been

quite characterized
that way before.

But before I get
to what's next,

I do want to recognize a number
of my fellow board members

who are here today.

(crowd cheering)

Most of all,

I want to bring to the stage
someone that is...

very important to me.

As many of you know, I've been
surviving breast cancer.

And I truly believe
that I would not be alive today

if it were not
for this woman.

She is my reason to live.

She has seen me
through my darkest hours.

Oh! She is my be-all
and my end-all.

She's my lovely wife,

Mrs. Camilla Marks Whiteman.

(crowd cheering)

Remember me, Lucious?

MIMI:
The board deserves to know

how Lucious Lyon
conducts his affairs.

He seems to think he can
get away with anything.

Extortion,
violence, murder.

Empire is a public company.

It's not his plaything anymore.

Belongs to the shareholders.

And by acquiring
Swiftstream,

Empire is now the most powerful
music company in the world.

It's even more reason
to check this man's power.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, hold up.

Last time I checked, Mimi, you
and I were tandem on everything.

That's right.

So now all of you can see
what I saw and heard.

LUCIOUS: No, to hell
with the damn board.

I didn't need the board's
approval when I risked

my life to build the company,
did I?

And I'll be damned if I'm gonna
ask the board of directors

for permission to move my pieces
on my chessboard.

As a matter of fact,

as soon as this deal closes,
I'm cleaning house.

Whoever stood in opposition
against me, it's a wrap.

They're out.

MIMI: Ladies and
gentlemen of the board,

I propose a vote
to remove Lucious Lyon as CEO

and chairman of Empire.

Let's convene

for an emergency vote tonight
at 9:00 p.m.

Please all be sure to be there.

Camilla.

I didn't see it coming.

Lyon family controls
just under

half the company, Pop.

Now, even if
every one of us voted,

it's not guaranteed
we're gonna win.

We're gonna have
to lobby board members,

get at least one more person
on our side.

We need

to reach
these board members.

Get everybody,
every last body here.

MAN: We're halfway through
nomination day.

And here's Jason Derulo, back
to announce our next category.

DERULO: Hey, y'all, I'm so turnt
right now 'cause I'm about to

announce the ASA
Video of the Year nominees.

Pyramid P for "Elemental,"

Flighthouse
for "Cold Dead Hands,"

Jamal and Hakeem Lyon
for "Ain't About the Money,"

and-and Jamal Lyon for "Heavy."

Wow!
That's dope.

Two in one.

Cheers. Cheers.
(laughs) Cheers. Cheers.

MAN: Stay tuned to
the ASA live-stream...

That's great.
It's so great.

...for upcoming announcements
every hour on the hour.

I saw you talking
to that guy at the bar.

Who is he?

I don't know.

I didn't even
get his name.

You know I adore
you, right?

But you're into men. I know.

I know.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

We only hooked up one time.

It's not like I thought
we were all boo'd up, you know.

Seriously?
(laughs)

But don't get me wrong.

Don't get me wrong.

It was so beautiful.

But I don't want to change you.

And I know that you wouldn't
feel about a woman

the way that
you felt about, um...

Tell me his name again.

Michael.

No... I wouldn't.

I know.

(knocking)

Aren't you going
to invite me in?

What are you doing here?

I guess you haven't heard yet.

Heard what?

You just disappeared.

I ain't think I ever
was gonna see you again.

Well, you could have tried
a little bit harder, Hakeem.

Why didn't you?

Because you left.

You took my father's money,
and you bounced.

I did not take
Lucious's dirty bribe.

Yeah?
He's a filthy liar.

I don't believe you.

Ask your mother.

Why? She wouldn't lie to me.

Maybe you don't know her
as well as you think you do.

But... if you've given up on us,
it doesn't matter.

I ain't given up
on anything.

I don't even know what
you talking about.

Antony and Cleopatra, Hakeem.

I still believe in you.

You married?

It's not what it looks like.

Everything I did, I did for you.

For us. You have to
trust and believe me.

I can take you
to the next level, Hakeem.

If you're ready
to go there.

Where is he?

I called, I texted.

I haven't seen him
since he found out

he didn't get
that ASA nomination.

Yo.

(Cookie sighs)

(inmates murmuring)

Oh, my God. That's
really something.

So... so, Mom, we really
gonna perform here?

I spent 17 years
of my life in here.

It's a part of who I am.

Now, come on, we're gonna
do a show for these ladies.

(crowd cheering)

Maybe most of the world
is watching the ASA nominations,

but here at Wallace prison,
we are streaming live, y'all.

(crowd cheering)
Yes!

We had tweet after tweet,

you guys, of people
who are not judging you

for the choices
that landed you in here.

They're not looking at you
as failures.

(crowd murmuring agreement)

They're looking at you
as the mothers

and sisters and lovers
and dreamers that we all are.

(crowd cheering)

Today, um...

started off...
kind of low for me.

I, um...

(laughs)

I lost this huge festival
called...

Cookie's Cookout.

And I also... lost a...

Let it out, Cookie!

Speak on it!

(crowd cheering)

A broken heart...

does not compare...

to the struggles
of a life in here.

I was locked away
from my babies, y'all.

Spider, you know
what I'm talking about.

Not able to see them grow up,

praying every night
to be with them.

Y'all are my real sisters,
for life.

(crowd murmuring agreement)

And I am so proud

to introduce to you
one of my babies.

Actually, the baby of
the babies. (laughs)

Hakeem Lyon!

(crowd cheering)

(laughs):
Hey!

(shouting, cheering)

Look, y'all, I want to admit
that, you know,

I was a little nervous
coming here today,

just thinking about
my mom being in here.

And I can't understand

why my father not once
brought me here to see her.

(crowd murmuring)

Now, that's messed up, right?

(crowd murmuring agreement)

I said that's messed up, right?!

CROWD:
Yeah!

Yeah, you know, I had my mom
back in my life for about

a year now, and
creating Lyon Dynasty

has been one of the greatest
moments of my life.

(crowd cheering)
Come on, let's get it.

("Miracles" playing)
I love you!

♪ It's the dynasty ♪

♪ You perform miracles ♪

♪ Miracles ♪

♪ So you wanna rule the world ♪

♪ Rule the world ♪

♪ Walk across the ocean ♪

♪ Miracles ♪

♪ You can do it if you want ♪

♪ If you want ♪

♪ 'Cause you perform miracles ♪

♪ Hey ♪

♪ Hey ♪

Tricky.

♪ Hey... ♪

Can I count on you to attend
the board vote tonight, Tricky?

♪ Hey ♪

♪ Do you believe in miracles? ♪
♪ Yeah ♪

♪ When we're together,
it's miracles ♪

(moans)

(laughs)
Oh. You all right?

Yeah.

We got your vote, Edna?

Honey, it was good, but wasn't
ten-million-dollars good.

♪ Until my casket drop,
we'll remain unstoppable ♪

♪ Like Mark Antony heading
across the Mediterranean ♪

♪ To see his ebony Cleopatra,
embrace and taste her kiss ♪

♪ Hey ♪

♪ Do you believe in miracles? ♪

♪ Yeah, when we're together,
its miracles ♪

♪ Hey ♪

♪ You should let me show you
that ♪ ♪ Show you that ♪

♪ No, you should
let me show you that ♪

♪ You perform miracles ♪

♪ Miracles ♪

♪ You can do it if you want ♪

♪ If you want ♪
♪ 'Cause you perform miracles ♪

♪ Miracles. ♪
(crowd cheering)

I can't believe
what you're telling me, Andre.

Come on,
let's go in here.

So, she's having a board vote
to kick Lucious out tonight?

At 9:00.

HAKEEM:
Ma,

what's going on?

What's Dre doing here?

Boy, did you know that Camilla
and Mimi got hitched?

That's who she married?

Damn, Hakeem.

She said she didn't take
Lucious's money.

She said you knew.

She still bounced!

And now she's trying
to bogart our company

right from up under us.

Thought you said Lyon Dynasty
was our company, Ma.

Listen, we don't have time
for this, okay?

Now, bottom line,
we need you both there

to vote, or we lose
Empire tonight.

Hell, we might lose it anyway.

COOKIE:
Tonight? No, no, no.

Dre, not tonight.
I can't leave here

until I see Jezzy.

Look, this is important to me.

Is there something else
I can do?

You can give us
your proxy.

That means Hakeem or me

can vote for you.

I had the paperwork
drawn up.

Step outside. Let me talk
to him for a second.

Boy, sit your ass down.

Lyon Dynasty is our company...

but Empire is our legacy.

And anybody that tries
to steal that from us

is our enemy.

Do you understand that?

I know, Ma.

You better.

(scoffs)

Well, well, well.

It's the great Cookie Lyon.

She used to be my family.

Now she back for charity.

I'm still your family, Jezz,
you know that.

I asked the warden to
let me come see you.

You didn't come
to my show.

And what does it matter to you?

Can you give us
a second?

How the hell
you get life

over some damn
toothpaste?

I'm innocent, Cookie.

Just like you.

Jezz, look...

I'm sorry I didn't
write, okay?

It's... I-I was... setting
some stuff up, okay?

It doesn't mean
I don't care.

Really?

'Cause a whole year went by,

and nobody heard

nothing from no Cookie Lyon.

Except on TV,

when you jumped around
in a monkey suit.

Free Lucious?

Black male incarceration?

What about all us women
on lockdown, Cookie?

The ones you ate with
and lived with?

Okay, all right.

Well, I'm here now. Okay?

And you could be the voice
for that, Jezz.

I could help you with that.

Rhyming? I'm done with that.

Go on, get back
to your empire, Cookie.

You can't do
nothing for me.

So, how we do?

Where's Hakeem?

HAKEEM: Hey, y'all,
what's good? I'm here.

Good. ANDRE: Pop, you
know Thirsty and I

both stuck out. I'm sorry.

We still need one board member
to vote with us, or we lose it.

I'm good with Jago.

Got it covered.

Yes, sir.
Thank God you got Jago.

SPOKESPERSON:
Shall we begin?

Proceed.

This emergency vote of
the board of trustees

of Empire Enterprises has
been called by Mimi Whiteman.

Ms. Whiteman,
you have the floor.

I've already said
everything I have to say.

Mr. Lyon?

Let's vote.

Ladies and gentlemen
of the board,

as to the motion to remove
Lucious Lyon, how say you?

Aye or nay?

Anthony Trichter?

Aye.

Edna Piasecki?

Aye.

Jago Locke?

Nay.
Ralph Anderson?

Aye.
Lucious Lyon?

Nay.

Andre Lyon?
Nay.

Jamal Lyon?
Nay.

Hakeem Lyon?

♪ ♪

Hakeem, no!

Aye.

SPOKESPERSON: Lucious Lyon,
the board of trustees has voted

to removed you
as chairman and CEO

of Empire Enterprises.

Okay, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa. Uh...

MIMI: Now that the
vote has been cast,

I have another
announcement to make.

As the new chairman
of this board,

I am turning over my proxy
to my wife,

Camilla Marks Whiteman.

She'll be in charge
of the day-to-day

while I'm at Rancho Mirage
undergoing chemo and radiation.

QUESTLOVE:
Once again, this is Questlove,

and we are almost at the end
of nomination day.

But don't go anywhere, because
the big one is coming up,

Song of the Year.

JAMAL:
Ma, you want a drink?

(sighs)

No.

Sure? Feel like
we all could use one.

I...

(gunshots)
(gasps)

Stay right here. Don't move!

(shouts)

(panting)

Please...

put down the
gun, Lucious.

All those years,

selling CDs
out the back of a car...

...selling keys,

moving bodies,

the enormity of damage
I've done to my soul...

for what?!

To give those
lousy, ungrateful

sons of bitches
a better life?!

For what?!

I know.

17 years?

You sacrificed 17 years

for what?!

Look, Lucious,

it's not over
for us, okay?

We still own majority shares.

Jamal is still on the label.

You're still on the label.

They're about to announce
Song of the Year.

The last ASA of the day.

Your favorite.

(whispers):
Give me the gun.

Lucious.

Lucious...

you got two sons downstairs,
okay?

And they need you to be strong

right now.

Give me the gun.

(inhales sharply)

(sighs)

Now, get your
ass together.

Come on, pull
it together.

You a Lyon.
Come on.

(sobs):
I want him dead.

No.

No, you don't mean that.

You don't mean that.

(alarm wailing)

(alarm continues wailing)

Oh, my God, this damn alarm.

I can't take this.

(alarm stops)

(scoffs) My God.

What keeps setting
this thing off?

(Rhonda gasps)

(dramatic choral music playing)

JOEL MADDEN: Hey, what's up,
everybody? I'm Joel Madden.

NICOLE RICHIE:
And I'm Nicole Richie.

MADDEN: And now for the ASA
nominees for Song of the Year.

"Dreaming" by P.O.C.

"Into You" by
Sophia Savage.

"Heavy" by Jamal Lyon.

MADDEN: And...
Yes.

"Boom Boom Boom Boom"
by Lucious Lyon.

(crowd cheering)

RICHIE: This has to be
the first time

in the history of
the American Sound Awards

that a father and son
are going toe-to-toe.

(chuckles)

(Jamal chuckles)

Congratulations, gentlemen.

I'll call Rhonda,
give her the good news.

COOKIE: Yeah. Okay, babe.
See you later.

MADDEN:
Battle of the Lyons.

Stay tuned, everybody.

Ain't that a bitch?

(line ringing)

(phone vibrating)

Yeah.

Captioned by
Media Access Group at WGBH