Empire (2015–…): Season 3, Episode 5 - One Before Another - full transcript

- Previously on Empire...
- I didn't know Gram was

performing with Tiana tonight.

Why don't you spit some napalm

on a diss track and bury him

and everything he cares about.

There is no head of
A&R to oversee the deal.

- We hired Xavier Rosen.
- Who?

Given the dangers to Ms. Gathers,

the court agrees to grant bail.

What I was most proud of

was that you paid off that doctor.



How does it feel to know
you're just like your daddy?

I had to put in work on a couple of cats.

The three horsemen who wanted us dead.

Well, there was a fourth horseman.

But Shine, he ain't no snitch.

Cookie, we're not that different.

I truly believe we can make this work.

- That was hot.
- So...

first you hate me, then you love me.

You have no idea...

... what you're worth.

An attack on me is an attack

on each and every one of you.

Lucious and Andre Lyon want a war.



So we war.

Yeah, that feel right to you?

I think you could make
that bass a little harder.

Yeah.

Look, I know we haven't
worked together in a while,

but I appreciate you coming through.

Feel like this is about
to be something big.

Couldn't think of anyone better.

Come on, Mal.

You know we make good music together.

Yeah.

Yeah, we do.

But that's all we need to do, Derek.

Let's go kill some Lyons.

You heard him. Let's roll.

Now, you know I love getting
coffee with you before work,

but one of these days,

you got to let me
bring it to you in bed.

Well, I might like that,

one of these days in the far future.

The future, okay.

Come on. No... no sugar? No cream?

No. I like mine dark and strong.

Well, you're gonna have
to do a little better than that

if you want to get in these drawers.

Make a right right here.

Watch out for the cops.

And make sure Tony has his guys fan out.

Yes, sir.

And we got three marks over there

at that hot dog stand.

Now, you see that dude
with the newspaper?

Nobody reads print anymore.

I never thought I'd be making

doctor visits in an
armored personnel carrier.

Well, I know Shine;
he's gonna clap back.

So if you want to step your ass out

and see if you're bulletproof, go ahead.

I'm-a try Nessa one more time.

Still texting Nessa again?

When you gonna hit that?

I will.

I want her to meet my daughter.

Cute little babies, that
always gets the girls.

I thought it was your rap
skills that got the honeys.

That, too.

I'm-a invite her to
my livestream concert.

Once she sees me doing
my thing, it's game over.

That's gonna be enough?

Period.

- Get him.
- Yeah.

And that bitch of his gonna
catch a few of these, too.

So why are you going
through so much trouble

to announce you're running for mayor?

- I say just call a couple reporters...
- Right.

... do the damn thing,
and keep it moving.

Well, you know, I just
want to be prepared

for any questions
they might throw at me.

Yeah, questions like,

"Why are you trying
to date an ex-con?"

Yes, they may ask that.
But, look, I'll just say,

"I haven't been to
third base yet," so...

Unless we're planning on, you
know, changing that tonight.

No. I got to see my P.O. tomorrow.

You still have a parole officer?

Yeah, it's called
supervised release, so...

- Heads up, Councilman.
- Excuse me, Ms. Lyon.

You need to come with us.

- Step back.
- No, I don't.

I don't even know who the hell you are.

All right, stand down.

What's going on here, gentlemen?

All due respect, Councilman.

Your husband sent us, ma'am.

- For your own safety.
- He is not my hu...

- Come with us, ma'am.
- He's not my husband.

Look, I don't know
what he did this time.

Stay back. Stay back.

Get your hands off of me!

I'm sorry!

Long night at the studio, brother?

Get some of these eggs, man.

I made plenty.

Good morning, sunshine.

Yo...

Shine, what the hell are you doing?!

What the hell are you doing here?!

You smashing this dude?

After what him and his father did to me?

That's how you got the bruise, Andre?

We had a disagreement.

We had a disagreement.

No, no, no.

Shine, look at me.

- Get out the way, Nessa.
- Look at me!

You're my brother, and I love you.

I ain't got nobody else! You know that.

And I will not have you catching
a case over this. Look at me.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go, Shine.

Shine...

No! Shine!

I don't get my hands
dirty in front of her.

But I'll be back.

In fact, I think I'll save you for last.

Hey, brother.

Sorry about my friends, man.

Sometimes they...

they get out of hand.

What's with all the
security outside my spot?

We're good for my livestream
show on Friday, right?

Not exactly, Hakeem.

Lucious, why don't you tell him.

As I was saying, once Shine

reentered into my orbit,

I knew there was gonna come a time

in which he needed to be corrected.

So fortunately, last night,

my eldest son and I decided

that his actions were
extremely disrespectful

and, if left unchecked,

a threat to this family. And so we...

... checked his ass.

Checked him how?

How you think?

Except now Shine is at my
place trying to clap back.

I'm sorry about that,
Jamal; it won't happen again.

I'm moving in to Pop's guesthouse.

No, Dre.

Trust me, you don't want to
be all up under him like that.

Hold up. We beating up our friends now?

Boy, he is not your friend.

Look, all of y'all, the only reason why

we are even messing with
him is to block Tariq

from building a case
against us, you got that?

Now, how in the hell
are we gonna stop him

from flipping out on us now?

Because Shine is not a snitch.

He'd rather be dead than be a rat.

I swear, am I the only one...

See, you love this type of drama.

Yeah, he does.

It brought my family
back together, didn't it?

The music I'm doing with
Shine is some of my best stuff.

Well, you're gonna have
to postpone that for now.

I already told my fans it's happening.

I don't care what you told your fans!

Ain't no do-overs in
live streaming, Mom.

There also ain't no do-overs
if you get shot in the head.

Look, look, relax. Ain't
nobody changing anything.

Everything stays according
to what we're doing.

Everybody just needs to be
alert and stay in their lane.

And then soon as you're
done playing house with...

the mayor of Dingleberry,

you owe me a Tiana single.

And, Jamal, you can go back to doing

whatever you do when
you're not making music.

You want to help the
family? You help the family.

You want to go and free
the world? Free the world.

But, Keem, your Empire XStream show

goes on as planned.

We got to keep pushing them stats up.

I got Shine exactly where I want him.

Now it's time to tuck
his little bitch ass in.

- There he is!
- Hakeem!

What's up, little brother?

You feeling this track?

You already know.

Get in.

Yo, can you pause that?

Yo, you want it?

What I got to do for it?

Make your Empire XStream event
a double bill. You and me.

Come on, bro, I'm doing
my own jam right now.

No, I get it, Hakeem. But listen,

we could give the people what
they missed out on at the ASAs.

And keeping it real, I need it, too.

It's important that I show the
fans that I'm still in the game.

Bro, you can't even perform.

- You know that.
- Not in front of

a big crowd with all these
bells and whistles, no.

But I was thinking we could
do it at my living room.

We could make it mad intimate

and just blast it out to the fans.

Maybe.

Hakeem and Jamal, the Lyon brothers.

Live and alive.

You know the message that
that sends to the world?

Why we even doing music

if we don't make a real
imprint on the next generations?

You know what this is about?

You and Dad.

That "end the cycle"
beef you got with him.

Nah, man,

it's about you and Bella.

It's about the fact that our
father... her grandfather...

beat up your favorite producer.

That's really the type of world
you want her to grow up in?

We're going to Laviticus.

Yes, sir, Mr. Lyon.

All right, listen.

What's up, y'all? It's
your boy, Jamal Lyon.

And I'm the smooth baby brother, Hakeem.

And we have a very special announcement.

- Tell 'em, Keem.
- Yeah. Nah, you tell 'em, Mal.

All right, look, this Friday
make sure y'all are tuned in,

8:00... we have a very special event.

And look, #TeamKeem, all day, ladies.

Yeah, yeah. Y'all know what that is.

Hey, what kind of fun-boy stuff

y'all two clowns doing up there, man?

Hey, yo, what this dude doing

- in our spot for, man?!
- Yo, yo, yo...

What it look like I'm doing, man?

I'm coming at you. You a MC. Battle me.

- What, you want to go right now, little man?
- Keem...

No, let's do it in front
of your subscribers.

Let them enjoy the show.

I'm-a bring my subscribers, too.

I designed my own little
streaming apps and everything.

I didn't need daddy money for that.

But since I'm a gentleman,

that's what I'm-a do for you, okay?

I'm-a have you bloody
and trending worldwide

in a matter of seconds.

Say "cheese" for the camera.
Y'all like selfies, right?

Yeah, anything for the fans.

Thank you.

We're gonna leave, man.

- I got to go talk to him.
- Wait, stop. Come here!

You are better than that.
We are better than that.

Look at me.

Start using your mind, all right?

How the hell did he even get up in here

with all of this security around?

Lucious.

So, we have that great new song,

"Starlight." Tiana loves it,

and I think it's time to record it.

Well, I don't think it's a lead single.

Now, the song she did at Laviticus is

already getting crazy heat.
And the numbers show...

Can we just stop with the
numbers really quickly?

I actually spoke to Tiana, and
that song is not what she wants.

Well, Becky, in A&R, we can't always

give in to what the artist wants.

Do not mansplain to me.

And especially do not
white-mansplain to me.

Then don't be uninformed.

Now, if it makes you feel better,

we can throw an experimental track

- deeper in the album.
- This isn't about how I feel,

first of all, and
secondly, I disagree...

with everything that you are.

Okay. Let's put down the guns.

All right?

Fiddler on the Roof here has a point.

He's looking at the bigger picture.

And I agree with him.

That song Tiana did
is getting crazy heat,

so that is the song
we will record. Okay?

All right, now, can't
we just all get along?

Kiss and make up.

Don't.

Nessa.

Thanks for coming.

You okay?

Yeah, I...

What the hell is going on, Dre?

You think you can just hook up with me

and then not tell me
that you just got done

stomping out my best friend?

- That's what we doing?
- I should've told you.

I couldn't help it.

So what do we do now?

Lucious wants to have
a sit-down with Shine

and get things back on track.

What? A sit...

I promise you, Nessa,

we're not gonna screw him over.

You better not, Dre.

Because he's all I got.

- Come here.
- N...

Come here. Come here. Come here.

I respect that he's all you got.

You could have more.

What you said when you came to see me...

if you had my musical talent...

what did you mean by that?

Help me get Shine to the table.

I'll show you what I meant by that.

All right, Keem, you ready to put...

You look surprised to see me.

Surprised.

But happy to see my son,
even if it's the wrong one.

Okay.

Well, look, I have good news.

Hakeem is squashing that
little petty-ass beef with Gram.

So, yes, I...

I lost Freda, but...
I'm not losing Hakeem.

Why are you throwing bricks when
you live in a glass house, son?

Have you forgotten
all those lies you told

in order to get Freda out of that place?

- I did what I had to do.
- Yeah, and then

you dropped her ass
back off in the projects.

You know, Shakespeare said,

"To thy own self be true."

The sooner you accept that you
are the younger version of me...

with a twist... the sooner you'll be

back on that stage and
be your old self again.

It's this space, man.

Last time I sat in this chair,
I turned against my mother.

Because she deserved it.

And what do you deserve?

How you get so corrupt?

There's no way that
you were born this way.

Jamal, you are 50% genetically
predisposed to become me.

It's inevitable.

You know what I like about Keem?

He knows that he likes what I like,

and he knows he's going to become me.

He knows nothing except
what you told him.

Maybe you should let him
be the man he wants to be

instead of the man
that you want him to be.

My God, you are so corny, Mal.

I'm-a book a duet with
you and Mary Magdalene,

soon as God gives me the okay.

Oops. I said no.

Hey, girl. How you doing?

You look good! You lost weight.

Julio, my man..

- Sharlene!
- Holloway.

Hey, girl, I bought you your favorite.

- Keep it. You're late.
- Excuse me?

- Your appointment was 9:00
a.m. -00.

I know, but I always
come here at this time.

You seem a little off. Is
there something I can do?

The rules of your supervised
release stipulate that

you need to contact me if
you're going to be late.

I'm gonna have to write you up.

What's going on, Sharlene?

I don't know what you mean.

Well, the last time I was here,

you were showing me
pictures of your kids, and...

now you're acting brand-new.

About that.

Your last visit was three months ago.

Since you can't tell time,
we're going to have to have you

report here three times a week.

Sharlene, no, come on, now.

You know I run a company.

I can't come here three times a week.

This isn't some thug rapper

you're negotiating with, Holloway.

This is the United States government.

You need time to consider,

I can send you back to
Danbury to think it over.

Right now, you need to use the bathroom.

Let's just get this over with.

I'm sorry.

I know you're not excited
to come in to record "Me."

I get it... it's what Cookie wants.

What if I told you that
you're actually here

to record "Starlight"

because it's about to
be your lead single?

What? I thought Cookie said that...

No, I... I talked her out of it.

I told her that you were
gonna get in that booth

and slay the hell out of that song,

and she... agreed with me.

- Are you serious?
- Dead serious.

My God! Yo, thank you!

You're the best.

You know I got your back
like bra straps, girl.

Yo!

- I'm-a always get you what you want.
- Yeah! Yes!

"I asked for bread in the name

"of love and mercy, but
humanity did not heed me.

So now I shall take it
in the name of evil."

Why's she always sleeping?

'Cause that's what babies do, son.

They sleep.

But you can't afford to do that.

You see, as a patriarch of the family,

you're responsible for

teaching your young ones how
to survive in this cold world.

Jamal don't understand that.

He thinks it's all

Kumbaya and love, but he's wrong.

It's kill or be killed.

Eat or be eaten.

Look, I know you're trying

to get me up under you

like how you got Andre up under you.

I want you to crush Gram

because it means money for Empire,

and Empire XStream needs that kind of

fanfare and activity.

But I want you to destroy him,

'cause you're a Lyon,

and I want the world to know that
you're not someone to be trifled with.

I want this little girl to know
what kind of man her daddy is.

Why is everybody
bringing Bella into this?

Because, like you...

she was born a Lyon.

So she's born into this.

See this book?

It's written by Kahlil Gibran.

It's called A Tear and a Smile.

Inside it is the story
of "The Criminal."

It tells of a young man...

who was very kind of heart,

and he depended on the
kindness of humanity

in order for him to eat.

But after some time, he found
himself starving to death.

And right when you thought
he was about to die,

he realized his own true nature.

You see, Keem, the
nature of humanity isn't

love and peaceful,
it's dark and beastly.

And it'll turn the meek and
the humble into a criminal,

and the sons of peace into...

destroyers of men.

He became a destroyer of men.

Because he had to.

Brother.

What is... ?

Okay.

Um, one, can you not
do the stool like that?

It makes you look pissed.

And then also, you are
literally out of bounds.

That's what all this tape is for.

You're, like, in my balcony.

Yo, this whole performance is too soft.

It needs to command respect, Mal.

Yo, why you sounding like Lucious now?

Hakeem, our performance
is tomorrow, okay?

They're rearranging my entire
apartment, and we have a song.

- A dope song.
- It is dope, but this verse,

I need to use to clap back to my haters.

No, you should not.

You know what, you're literally

gonna stand your whole career
doing clap-back records.

That's fine, and I don't care,

but do it on someone else's track,

'cause you're not gonna
put that B.S. on mine.

We got terms and conditions?

If you had enough followers,

you'd be doing this on your
own channel, not Empire XStream.

You know what, bro, you
about to piss me off.

Bro, you're the one
that needs this, not me.

You're the one that's
losing his fans, not me.

Now, if it's gonna be
terms and conditions,

just think about it... it's mine.

'Cause everybody knows

this concert is life or death for you.

Just think about it.

Arms up.

Hey, come on, man.
Hey, if I was packing,

I would have violated
the terms of the sit-down.

This is a violation.

If I wanted to violate you,

Shine, you'd be getting
patted down with some bullets.

Yeah. Is that right?

Well, I got four shooters outside

that say you won't.

No, you got three.

One stayed back at a five-star hotel,

where he's getting some room
service sent up by me right now.

And if you like, I can
send your boys outside

a snack, too.

Don't forget I do this, Shine.

No, you don't do this, Lucious.

I do this.

You ain't did this for years.

You industry. And I'm
still in the streets.

And if I got to blow somebody up,

I don't care if I die with him.

But you already know this.

Look, maybe we got off

on the wrong foot?

You want a drink or something, man?

No, I'm straight.

'Cause we can talk tough all night.

But last time I checked, we had
something real good going with Nessa.

Yeah, I thought so, too.

That's until you and your son
tried to divide and conquer.

You came at us first, man.

What is this?

What are we doing?

Come on, Lucious, it's me, bro.

I could have buried you a long time ago

with any one of them bodies you got.

You forget Camden?

Hold on, man.

It's me you're talking to.

Calling me "bro,"

and you're gonna bring
something like that up?

Which I don't know what the
hell you're talking about.

But if I did,

that would be violating code right here.

Okay, you know what?

This is a waste of my time.

Come on, Nessa, let's move.

Shine. Hey, I thought
I heard you in here,

waking up my baby.

Look, Anika, we in the
middle of something right now.

Good. Did you tell him
about the idea that we discussed?

My husband,

just the other day, he had just said

how much he really appreciates
having you around here.

You know, putting your ear to Hakeem,

bringing in Nessa.

He even said that it was such a shame

that your talent had been
slept on all this time, and...

imagine what you could
do with your own imprint.

Right, babe?

But, you know, I mean,
if you ever need somebody

to bounce anything off of, I'm here.

Just let me know.

Good to see you.

Is that what you're offering, Lucious?

My own imprint?

That's what I was trying to get to

when you came charging in like
King Kong or something, man.

Is Nessa part of that deal?

Look, Nessa's under a different
contract with Empire, but...

we can cross-pollinate, man.

What about Freda Gatz?

I heard she out.

I hear she's dope.

Hey, if Freda gets it done
for you, she's all yours, bro.

Freda's the one, Shine.

And this could be a good deal for you.

For me?

For us, Shine.

We got a deal.

Welcome to the Empire, baby.

Hey, you okay? I barely got through,

last two meetings.

You been talking to
my probation officer?

Say what? No.

Why would I do that?

So, it's a total coincidence
that after I tell you

I'm on supervised release,

my P.O. starts acting strict with me.

No, I don't know nothing
about that. It's not me.

Then it must be because
you're running for mayor

and you want to keep me in check.

Okay, look,

I don't make a habit of
keeping women in check.

You must've got me confused
with your ex-husband.

Leave Lucious out of this, man.

Well, how can I?

He's making sure

he's very much a part of this.

And what the hell is that
supposed to mean, Angelo?

Cookie, look, I'm feeling you.
Okay, I know you know this.

But you and Lucious,

y'all got some unresolved
issues you need to take care of.

My only issue is being
told what issues I have.

See, Angelo,

- you don't know me like that.
- I don't. How can I?

You don't let me. Every time I try

to get close to you, you put a wall up.

- Aw, man...
- See? Look, there you go.

- I can't! What?
- Okay.

Let's just cut this night short,

all right, 'cause we're both
getting reckless in the mouth...

- Yeah.
- ... and one of us is gonna say something

that we're gonna regret.

Already did that.

Good night, Cookie.

Yeah, well, good night.

- Thank you.
- Good luck.

Okay, fine. You're right, that's hot.

I know.

Yet you still disobeyed a direct order,

and you lied to Tiana.

This ain't Chutes and Ladders.

It's the music business.

I thought you people understood
what the word "business" meant.

You know, Cookie is going to be pissed.

I know. That's why I wanted
you to listen to the song first.

You can help me convince
Cookie that this song is a hit.

- I don't know that it is a hit.
- Yes, you do!

The song is dope. Listen to it.

More importantly, it's
what the artist wants.

All we have to do is let
Cookie hear it tomorrow.

She'll love it, and
all will be forgiven.

Listen to her.

Damn, boy!

I'm-a give you the number
to my cleaning lady,

because this place
is disgusting, Hakeem.

I should've known you
would have ran to Mom.

So much for being a grown-up.

Yeah, I played her the song.

Yes, and it's fire, and you will do it

the way you and Jamal
arranged it, end of story.

How you gonna make me?

- Why don't you stop acting like a baby.
- You the baby!

You the baby, the dumb little
baby... that's what you do.

And you the semi-bald-
headed-looking baby.

Shut up!

Now, what did I have, two
boys or two little girls?

'Cause y'all sound like two sissies.

Now, what did I tell y'all way
back at that investor showcase?

What y'all not gonna
do is come in between

me and my money.

Now, it's been too long
since you and your brother

performed in front of the people.

And that's what they want,

and that's what we will give them.

Y'all just trying to drag me

into a fight y'all are
having with Lucious.

Get your narrow ass back up here, boy.

Don't you ever walk away from me.

I'm trying to stop one son

from clapping back at an artist
that's not even on our label.

And I'm only trying

to help my other son
get back to performing

in front of his fans before they forget

how much they love his stupid ass.

If you are afraid

of getting on the wrong
side of your daddy...

you don't want to get on
the wrong side of your mama.

You feel me?

I said, do you feel me?

Yeah, I feel you.

Good. Come here.

Hey, Ma...

Clean this damn place up.

Smelling like ass in here!

Next time, take your shoes
off in my house, please.

- Shut up, Hakeem.
- Boy, you better clean this place up before

I throw an acid bomb in
here. Nasty-ass pigsty.

What's up, everybody?
It's your boy, Jamal Lyon.

I want to say thank you
so much for tuning in.

We are all the way
live on Empire XStream.

That's my baby brother, Hakeem.

We are here truly for love and light.

So for all of y'all, this is for you.

Looks like my baby Jamal is back.

Anybody can perform in the shower

or in the middle of
his damn living room.

Look at this.

What are those, the users?

Looks like the numbers
are staying steady.

Yeah, but they need to go up.

Hakeem's audience ain't even tuning in

because they not here
for this Kumbaya crap.

We need some fire in here.

Okay, whatever, Lucious.
Get away from me.

Okay.

What happened to Gram, man?

Lyons don't run from
beef. We crush that.

I don't need to be beefing
over a chick who's my ex.

Especially when I'm
about to have a new one.

What?

Nessa?

Yeah. We been talking for a minute.

I'm-a lock it down today.

Well, I hate to be the
one to break it to you,

but your brother
already got that on lock.

My brother?

Not Jamal.

Dre.

Nah, Andre wouldn't do that.

Man, you better get your girl back.

Come on, brother.

Don't nobody care about
them damn numbers, Lucious.

No, no, no! No!

This is live, boy. Whatever he's mad at,

let him be mad, or it's
gonna get worse, okay?

- Is he out his damn mind?
- No, no, no...

What the hell was that, Hakeem?!
What the hell was that about?!

You got us doing this
Mickey Mouse performance

about brotherhood when you know

Andre's giant ass crushing my girl!

What the hell are you talking about?!

Andre and Nessa!

- That's what I'm talking about!
- Hakeem,

we could have talked about
this at a different time.

You're trying to deny it?

Calm down, okay? I didn't
even know you were into Nessa.

- Of course you knew!
- I didn't know nothing.

Wait, wait, wait, what are y'all doing?!

- No, no, no, no, no, no! No, no!
- I don't give a damn

what you are pissed off about.

You took it to another
level, and I want to know why!

Wack-ass performance was
your idea in the first place!

I shouldn't have never listened to you.

You just used me to do a performance

'cause you can't get out
there and do it yourself!

Fake-ass wannabe MC!
I will kill you right...

Shut your big ass up, Frankenstein!

Come on! Come on!

Keep rolling! Keep filming!

No, stop!

Turn it off!

What the hell is wrong with you?!

Somebody plug this back in!

You cannot just claim me,
Hakeem... nothing happened!

We didn't do that duet together?
We didn't vibe together?

- My goodness, a vibe, a vibe!
- Shut up!

Y'all, it's okay, don't worry about it,

'cause Hakeem Lyon, he was just vibin'

to some female, so it's all good.

Turn these cameras off!
This is over! A wrap!

Everybody out!

Petty-ass dumb bitch!

Shut your Frank Ocean wannabe-ass up!

- You shut your fake-ass wannabe...
- Turn these cameras off!

Hello, Becky. Come in. Have a seat.

So, Tiana...

unfortunately, there
was a miscommunication

in your lead song, so...

we're gonna have to postpone
the release of your album.

No... What do you mean,
a miscommunication?

Well, Xavier told me that
you recorded "Starlight"...

which that is lightweight snitchin',

but we gonna deal with that later.

I did not sign off on that song.

So now we got to put
you back in the studio

to record "Me," the song I wanted.

So... you lied to me?

No. I believed in the song.

I can't work with no liars, Cookie.

- I want her off my team.
- What?

Are you serious?

I'm the only one around
here fighting for you.

Yeah, and look where it got me.

T... Cookie, she's just mad right now.

Please don't take me off her team.

You said it, Becky.

We got to give the artist
what they want. Now...

I can try and talk to her and
see if I can change her mind,

but... you did this.

You need to learn how to listen.

What happened? I thought
you liked the song.

I did.

So why didn't you have my back?

It's just business.

There she is. Cookie,

I'd like to introduce you
to a good friend of mine,

Gus Rodriguez.

You know Ms. Davis.

So...

it's like this now, Angelo?

I'm here to apologize, Ms. Lyon.

Ms. Lyon, Officer Davis
has been reprimanded

for her overzealous behavior.

She hopes that that will be sufficient,

and you won't choose
to file a complaint.

I'm not.

What's going on here?

It seems that we got

some wrong information about
an ongoing investigation

that has nothing to do with you.

So who you saying told her
to put the squeeze on me?

I'm not at liberty to say, but
you've been a model offender,

and my office sees no reason
to extend your restrictions.

I've known my man here
since we balled at Columbia.

He says you're good
people; you're good with me.

Okay. I'll wait for you out front.

All right, man, thanks.

I'll see you in three months, Hollo...

Ms. Lyon.

Give the kids my love, Sharlene.

So you went to a lot
of trouble for me?

I saw your boys tonight

on Empire XStream, and...

I realized something
about you and your family.

Yeah, I'm sure the whole world did.

Well, I realized that... fighting

is your family's way of life.

It's... it's like it's in your blood.

But somehow, y'all got
the idea that I'm...

I'm not a fighter.

Look, I am not trying to
fight with you right now.

Baby girl, I'm not talking about

fighting with you...

I'm talking about fighting for you.

And if that means going
up against Lucious, well...

then so be it.

You got me all the
way out in Brownsville.

I hope you're ready to talk.

Yeah, I'm ready to talk.

You ready to be about that WITSEC life?

WITSEC? You must be smoking.

You ain't gonna be walking
around in the sunshine

after giving me a body.

Even you ain't that crazy, my G.

What body?

The one you and Lucious hid

in a slab of concrete back in Camden.

I don't know what you're talking about.

You know what I'm talking about.

Look, I ain't the one to
be playing with, Shine.

I'm squeezing the Lyon
family on all sides.

Got Cookie's P.O. to tighten
the leash on her, and I can

turn that same heat
on you anytime I want.

That don't sound like gratitude, Tariq.

Especially when I'm about to make

Christmas come early for you.

Who's that?

That's Freda Gatz.

The rapper that shot
Jamal Lyon at the ASAs?

Exactly.

Do you know who her dad was?

- Remember Frank Gathers?
- Of course I remember Frank.

You, Lucious and Cookie,

you used to run material
for him back in the day.

Allegedly.

More importantly, you know her father

was locked up with Lucious at the BCC.

You know, he got killed up there.

Now, I can't tell if it was
a coincidence or... or what.

I don't know.

So you saying Lucious had
something to do with it?

Nah, that's not what I'm saying.

Actually, I ain't saying nothing.

I'm just taking my dog for a
walk through the neighborhood.

I know what you was up to in
that meeting with Shine today.

I ain't mad at you, though.

It was a good idea.

Well, when it comes to good ideas,

let's just say I learned from the best.

Nah, I'm just glad I could help.

I could continue being a help, you know.

Shine's gonna need an A&R.

Look at you.

Trying to get something for yourself

out of this whole thing.

- I'm just saying.
- Yeah.

I'll think about it, all right?

Look, let me talk to
my boy for a minute.

Okay.

I'm-a place her right on your chest.

She's so tiny, I think
I'm gonna break her.

Nah, don't worry.

Just trust yourself.

Right there.

Make sure her head is nice and relaxed.

You were right, Dad.

Yeah.

I wasn't gonna let you
get punked like that.

And if that means you got to

go to war with your brothers, then...

so be it.

You were right about Jamal, too.

Yeah, I know.

So this means I don't have to

play tug-of-war with you no more?

I wasn't trying to do that.

You want what's right for Bella, right?

Want to set the world up for her.

But I need to find
myself again, musically.

But things are just so
tense with Shine right now.

Don't worry about
him. I took care of that.

Look at her.

Sound asleep in your arms.

It's the first time she's
not screaming in my arms.

Know why?

You got your swagger back.

Come on.

Let's put her down over here.

When you swaddle a baby,

you want to bend down
the top of the corner

like you're making a nice "V."

Then you put her head,
the top of her head,

right there, right
there, at the top of that.

Okay. You got it.

She trusts you.

Yeah, support that neck.

I got you.

Little baby.

You got it,

you got it, you got it.

She's good, she's good.

All right.

Let's talk about this music of yours.

I have some thoughts about

who you should and
shouldn't be working with.

And, yeah, you should
do some songs with Shine,

but not all of 'em.

Maybe I'll produce you again.

Turn you into a destroyer of souls.