Empire (2015–…): Season 4, Episode 15 - A Lean and Hungry Look - full transcript
Eddie fights for his place at Empire and gets the board on his side, Lucious and Shine must find a solution to keep him out, Cookie is desperate and in dangerous mode.
Previously on Empire...
ANDRE: I left your name out of it.
I wiped your slate clean.
I'm gonna make a pitch to the board.
You want to be on top? Back me up.
You didn't think twice
about chucking your man here.
You just signed with the devil I know.
What about our music?
Why can't we release it
under a different name?
- Like start a band?
- A collective.
Poundcake, I'm-a find your baby
girl and I'm-a bring her here.
Please just stay away from me.
'Cause I don't want to hear from you
or that woman in lockup ever.
I suggest you sign this contract
and then stay the hell away
from Empire.
ANIKA: I'm here because you want
my help stealing
the company from the Lyons.
Once we do, I'm gonna be CEO.
Lucious, I'm telling you,
I don't feel like no trip.
I don't want no planes,
trains, automobiles.
Well, you ain't getting none
of that anyway.
And I got enough diamonds
and-and gold-plated guns, too.
Wait, wait, wait. Raise your leg.
Foot, foot, foot,
or you gonna trip on this step.
COOKIE: I tell you,
if I fall in these heels,
- I'm-a kick your ass.
- Okay, stand right there.
Okay, now open your eyes.
(PIANO MUSIC PLAYING)
What the hell is that?
It's a prototype.
Okay, so we barely got Eddie
out the door,
20 For 20 is behind,
and you playing watercolors up
in the lighting booth.
- Look, honey, this is what I see...
- (SIGHS)
...when I hear music.
It's one of the benefits that
you get from having synesthesia.
Now, my thoughts are,
what if everybody
that heard Empire's music,
what if they experienced this?
I'm thinking,
as a culmination for 20 For 20,
I want to create a room like this
for every single album.
I'm talking about a 360-degree
sensory experience that has mood,
that has sound, that has color.
I'm talking about under one venue.
I get it.
You want the world to see
what goes on in our house.
That's it.
We'll-we'll call it, um...
House Empire.
Well, Lucious, I don't
really care what you call it,
but we gonna have
to build 19 more of 'em,
have them rigged for sound,
wired for electri...
Look, that's gonna cost
too much money.
Look, when-when I was at
my lowest point,
when Empire was about to fail,
you came up with 20 For 20.
To save our fortune.
Don't 20 For 20 deserve...
deserve the best we got?
Hmm?
Our fortune.
You need a mint.
- Yeah, you had Chinese food.
- (CHUCKLES)
And you're not getting
in my drawers, Lucious.
Nice try though.
Not yet.
(LAUGHS) Ouch.
ALL (WHISPERING): Surprise.
(CHUCKLES)
Why is everybody whispering?
Because they don't want to...
want to give you another heart attack.
Oh, shut up. Hi, baby.
Mm! Hi. Aw.
- Oh! Oh, I'm happy.
- Hey, Mama. I love you.
I love you, too. My firstborn. Mm.
- (CHUCKLES) Hey!
- Welcome back, boss lady.
Thank you, Thirsty. Hello, everyone.
- Welcome back, boss.
- You're looking great, Cookie.
Well, what is all of this?
So, this is from everybody, anybody.
Gifts from Bey, Jay,
Mariah to Migos...
COOKIE: Okay, I'll tell you what.
Why don't you start a thank-you list.
And-and, Porsha, please don't get any
of the gifts mixed up, okay?
Yeah, she back.
(CHUCKLES)
The board is positively thrilled
about your return, Cookie.
Thank you, Edna.
Leonard, give the board my love.
Of course.
LEONARD: We just want to
be certain you're ready.
To come back, that is.
COOKIE: Oh, I'm 100% ready.
Is there something wrong?
- No.
- Just the timing of your return
is a little... coincidental.
- Mm.
- Especially after we
just received Eddie Barker's
resignation letter.
Oh, frankly,
we're just a little confused.
Okay. Well, then let me
demystify your confusion.
Eddie's done, okay? He's
finished with Tiana's project,
so Lucious and I are back in control.
Of course. Of course.
But Eddie brought
a certain sense of...
- stability.
- What is that supposed
- to mean, Leonard?
- LUCIOUS: Look, no,
we understand the need for stability.
That's why 20 For 20
is still on track.
Actually, my first single from that
will be released within 48 hours.
- Really?
- Really.
Yes. Well, we've kept it under wraps,
but we've already begun
the implementation
of a multimedia closing event
that will rocket
Empire's streaming numbers
into the stratosphere.
(SIREN CHIRPS)
House Empire?
Yes.
- I like it, Ma.
- Mm-hmm.
This is about to be
a game-changing event.
This is an enormous undertaking
in a small window.
I mean, do-do we even have a budget?
No. And we're not gonna make one.
Because if you say eight figures
to the board, they run.
Yeah, maybe for good reason, Ma.
No, Andre.
See, that's where you come in.
You speak the board's language.
So I'm gonna need you to go out there
and shore up their support. Meanwhile,
I will deal with everyone else
on the roster
and make sure they know that
Empire hasn't forgotten them.
You're on deck, right?
I mean, I think it's an amazing idea.
It's-it's big, it's exciting.
So that means you in?
Um, are y'all in on my new music?
You still punkin' out on the family.
- You know what...
- I'm sorry.
It's my fault. I didn't tell
everybody Jamal is his own brand now.
Oh, well, yes. Thank you, boss.
(CHUCKLES)
Yo, y'all got jokes, man.
It's all good.
Mom, I love you.
I'm so happy that you're back,
you all healthy.
And I support
y'all in whatever y'all do.
And it would be so amazing
if y'all did the same for me.
So amazing!
COOKIE: I'm gonna have
another heart attack
dealing with you. (SIGHS)
Ah.
(MUSIC SWELLING)
Empire!
♪ Ladies and gentlemen,
I'm here to set it straight ♪
♪ I make this paper, yeah,
it come to me, I never chase ♪
♪ Hakeem the one to beat,
get at my rank ♪
♪ I'm laughing at all these
jokes all the way to the bank ♪
♪ 'Cause I got money to blow,
the closest you got ♪
♪ Is a candle,
make a wish on the low ♪
♪ So you can be half as dope
as this natural flow ♪
♪ It's in my blood,
crackin' these thousands ♪
♪ In my sleep, yeah, you know.
- (MUSIC STOPS)
- HAKEEM: Wait, wait, wait.
Whose name supposed to be
on this album?
Yo, I thought we agreed.
I was gonna come in up top.
- HAKEEM: It's a matter of respect.
- Yo, I'm just doing it
like I did
at the basement party, a'ight?
That video's already got,
like, five million hits, yo.
No disrespect,
but it's better this way.
Shine, you've got to tell him, man.
- Yo, Kim and Khloe,
- (CHUCKLING)
you both are pretty, all right?
Work it out. Make up your minds.
LUCIOUS: These boys really
feeling themselves, huh?
- Nothing we ain't seen before.
- Tell ya.
What you doing down here?
Starving for some inspiration
for this 20 For 20, man.
And I need some quick.
As soon as I get done with this track,
I got a wheelbarrow full
of beats for you.
Well, truth be told,
I'm kind of liking
this little girl right here.
If you don't mind a few changes.
Hmm. What you got in mind?
Something personal.
Um, you know, like, uh,
how you spend your whole life
trying to get to the top
of your mountain
and then somebody cut your legs
right from underneath you.
- (DOOR OPENS)
- And somehow you get
a vantage point
and you see clearly the past
and your future...
Hey, son.
What's up, Pop?
(SIGHS) Change of plans.
Looks like your daddy here
is gonna hijack this beat.
- (CHUCKLES)
- We need new lyrics.
BLAKE: You're Lucious Lyon. (CHUCKLES)
In person.
(CHUCKLES)
Well, truth is, I'm a fan of you.
I've been watching you
through this glass
and caught your demo and that video.
You got potential.
You don't know
how-how much that means to me.
You know what I'm thinking?
Since this track is about the future,
why don't we throw baby boy
on-on it as an anchor.
SHINE: Mm.
So brownnosing the king is
all you got to do to be top dog.
Nah, he ain't brownnosing.
He hungry.
Roll your sleeves up, boys.
We gonna show y'all how to make a hit.
Let's get it.
Hey, what's up? This is Tiana,
the number one artist in America.
And whenever I'm in Dayton,
I'm listening to the number one
station for hip-hop and R&B,
Smokin' 95.4. Was that cool?
- A little more or do...
- Yeah.
- (DOOR OPENS)
- Hey.
So, how is Empire's number one artist?
Hmm?
Can y'all clear the room for a second?
- Please.
- Sure.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(DOOR CLOSES)
I was wondering
when you'd come in here.
Where's Eddie?
And what the hell is going on?
Look, Lucious and I have been in
this industry for over 20 years,
and... Eddie fooled us.
Okay? But don't worry about that,
- because he's gone now.
- He's gone?
- Yes.
- Do you know what this means?
This is my moment...
I understand, sweetheart.
I've been there with you
since the beginning.
Through all the ups and downs.
Let's not forget that.
Now, I know what Eddie did
for you is amazing.
But you got to understand
that Eddie was bad for business.
He got me results.
And that's something that
you and Lucious never did.
(CHUCKLES) You're a superstar, okay?
There's no way around that.
Cream always rises to the top.
You were gonna get to this point
in your career with
or without me, Lucious, or Eddie.
The mistake we made is that we
put you in the hands of, uh...
not the best producer, okay?
And I wasn't gonna stand by
and watch that man
build you up just to break you down.
Now, I'm here to propose
that we make you
the centerpiece for this
event launch that we're having.
And that, my child,
is gonna keep you at number one.
For years to come.
And me and Lucious got you on that.
(SIGHS)
Look, I got 30 more promos
to cut by noon.
But... I'm so glad
that you guys
are finally thinking about me.
Hmm.
♪
Let's do the next one.
No, she's not expecting me,
but you can't call her?
Maya?
You say that you're doing this
for me, but I-I don't buy it.
I-I don't really understand why
you're dredging up some convict
out of your past, but I
don't need you to ruin my life.
That's not what I'm
trying to do, sweetie.
Did you ever for one second think
that maybe I'm actually happy?
That I have a wonderful family
and, I don't know,
my life is just full.
Did you ever think for one second
that maybe you would get something
from learning about who you are,
where you come from?
Oh, wait.
You think that I don't know
who I am? Why?
Because my mom isn't my blood?
Because she's white?
I didn't say that.
Look, I don't need some tour guide.
I know exactly who I am.
Okay. Well, don't do it for yourself.
How about you do it
for a woman who is dying,
who just happened to give you life.
I stopped owing her
the second she gave me up.
You think Poundcake doesn't love you
because she wasn't there for you?
Why don't you open the letter
and read it?
It is a love letter to you.
She talks about how much she loves you
and how she spent
all of her life looking for you.
Just... just read it.
That's all you got to do,
just read it.
I have a mom.
Okay? And her name is Elizabeth,
not Poundcake.
(SIGHS)
- Bring it in.
- Cheers!
- To freedom.
- Freedom!
- Freedom!
- (WHOOPS, CHUCKLES)
Poundcake, why you
always looking over here?
We ain't gonna never forget
how you did us dirty.
Cookie gonna see her babies.
- You ain't never gonna see yours.
- Chyna,
you don't have to go that far.
- It's not necessary.
- Hell I don't.
Finally, one of us
is getting up out this bitch.
But you gonna stay out.
Damn straight.
So, Cookie, you getting released?
Yep. Counting down the hours.
Well, that's good. I-I know
you'll be happy
to see your boys again.
- Boys? More like men.
- Mmm? (CHUCKLES)
They taller than me.
I cannot wait to squeeze them.
You know, Holloway,
I never figured you
for a snitch. (SCOFFS)
But I guess whatever it takes
to get out, right?
I guess.
Don't listen to him, Cookie.
Whatever you did to get out,
you did right.
CHYNA (ECHOES):
Sure know how to ruin a party.
Look, you're all here
because you're the absolute best
at what you do.
But, apparently,
y'all have also managed to piss off
some of the most powerful people
in the music industry.
Y'all rolled up in here
with reputations
- a mile long.
- AZAL: All right.
I am so sorry
for interrupting your speech,
but if you think bringing us
down is a way to start...
You know what, enough, Preacher.
You know what I'm saying,
I'm talking about me, too.
Shoot, I got baggage
longer than the damn TSA line
- at Kennedy.
- Yeah, and I got a whole lot
of demons chasing me.
But that doesn't matter, you know?
What happened yesterday
or a week ago...
shoot, a-a year ago...
none of that matters here today.
It's mostly about the music.
It's only about the music.
And all of that foolishness
that's been sitting
right here on our shoulders,
it's not gonna weigh us down anymore.
And we're completely anonymous.
No social media.
No Twitter, no Snapchat, no 'Gram.
We're gonna let the music
speak for us.
And not one person's voice...
not mine, not Tory's,
not yours, no one's...
is more important than the next.
We all make decisions as a collective.
Is that cool?
Let's do this.
That's what I'm talking about.
Come on, y'all.
Let's get it.
A'ight.
All right, fellas, here we go.
(MUSIC SWELLS)
SHINE: Mm.
I'm gonna need a minute.
- Hey, fellas, take five.
- (MUSIC STOPS)
Come on out.
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
Eddie made contact.
He wants a payout, or he's gonna
show the documents to the board.
LUCIOUS: He's a pig.
THIRSTY: Yeah,
a pig who thinks he's got you.
Well, what else we got?
There's always that one option.
No. No.
With the year this family had,
that is not an option.
Do we have, um, cash on hand?
Sure. I mean,
I can cobble it together.
LUCIOUS: Fine. I'll bend over.
Pay him.
THIRSTY: Okeydokey.
Sorry for the interruption.
Had to handle a little business.
Everything all right?
Yeah, it's nothing. Just some...
legal stuff I got to deal with.
Okay, I'm-a call them back in.
You sure you cool?
Yeah, man. I told you, it's nothing.
Just some stuff with Eddie.
I thought you punted that guy.
Me, too.
It seems that he's, uh...
threatening to go to the board
and reveal my creative
accounting practices
if I don't give him a grip of change.
Well, everybody keeps two sets
of books, Lucious.
That's the American way.
How much does Eddie want?
Ten mil.
Listen, what about Leonard?
WOMAN: I've left
several messages for him.
I do know he has a business dinner
- later tonight.
- Okay, call him back.
Um, tell him I'm coming
to his office right now.
WOMAN: Will do, Mr. Lyon.
Wait, that's Leonard.
Where's he going?
- He's ditching me. Pull over.
- Right here?
Pull over.
(SUV DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
Leonard.
Andre, I'm sorry.
Something came up suddenly.
We should reschedule.
Why are you giving me the brush?
Off the record?
The board is very concerned
about Eddie Barker's sudden departure.
Concerned?
I'm sorry, Andre.
I really am.
I've said too much already.
Guess who been blowin' up my phone?
Balenciaga, Dior, Louis Vuitton.
They want to design our wardrobe
for House Empire,
and they for real want to dress you.
What you think? Sequins or fur?
Girl, you know when I'm finally
gonna feel free?
- CHYNA: When?
- When I slip that fur
- back on my skin, girl.
- Ooh!
When they locked me up,
I had on this leopard dress.
Mm-hmm.
- And this chinchilla. (WHOOPS)
- Mm-hmm.
Are you sure you're gonna still
be able to fit
- after all these years?
- Bitch.
- (BOTH LAUGH)
- BURLESON: All right, ladies.
You know the drill.
Up and face the wall.
- Oh, come on.
- Are you serious?
- Yeah.
- Did he stutter?
Let's go.
Whoa!
Look at what we got here.
- What's that?
- Well, it looks like dope
- to me.
- I ain't never done no drugs
since I've been in here.
I ain't no smackhead.
Ah, such a shame.
Day before an inmate gets released,
add five years to your stretch?
- Yeah, what a coincidence.
- Hmm.
You realize a new charge
invalidates your release deal, right?
GUARD: Hey, hey.
That's mine.
What's it doing in her bunk?
I hid it 'cause I thought
she'd be gone by now.
- That's mine.
- BURLESON: You're lying.
- Get her out of here.
- GUARD: Come on.
No, no. I ain't going nowhere.
Hold on a sec.
These are yours?
That's what I said, isn't it?
Put her in the hole.
Come on.
Just got lucky, Holloway.
Okay, get design pitches
from all of them.
And they better damn well be free.
And push my meetings.
I got something I need to do.
But you got those House Empire
budget meetings.
Have Becky sit in
on the meeting, child.
And have her e-mail me those numbers.
Okay.
♪ You can't touch me
or you gon' get burned ♪
♪ I'm too hot, make a fire
look like an intern ♪
♪ Ain't a liar,
it's best you make a U-turn ♪
♪ 'Cause I flame, get them in
their feelin's like heartburn ♪
♪ Stuck out like a sore thumb
♪ Been in the streets
♪ Thuggin' out for my income
♪ Ain't no daddy to hold me down
but the kingdom ♪
♪ Mama told me to pray
♪ Get all your dreams done, yeah ♪
♪ Cocky, they call me Rocky,
champion, yeah ♪
♪ I'm too high, just too fly,
got me light in the air ♪
♪ Uh, never hear my moves,
I'm so silent it scares ♪
♪ While I'm signing with my feet ♪
♪ Trying to point to the jet
♪ Faithfully get this money
♪ My hood never leave me lonely,
tattooed on my back, yeah ♪
♪ I take 'em to where I'm going ♪
♪ The top is the only place
that I'm living at ♪
♪ I go hard for my city forever ♪
♪ Runnin' to the bank like
♪ Ain't got no worries,
I get this money ♪
♪ Pockets heavy
♪ Yeah, I'm going crazy
♪ Yeah, with these honeys,
get more then Brody ♪
♪ Drop 'em quick, yeah, I'm running ♪
♪ Running, running
♪ Running, running, running, running ♪
♪ Running to the bank
cause I'm stuntin', stuntin' ♪
♪ Stuntin', stuntin', stuntin'
♪ Stuntin', gotta get my ice tight ♪
Man, these fools about to throw hands.
No, no, no, no, no. Let 'em...
let 'em handle their business.
Okay.
A little friendly competition.
Make them step their game up.
Yeah, well, it's funny,
they actually remind me
of you and me back in the day
when, um, we used to be in the booth
- battling for the mic.
- (CHUCKLES)
You mean when I dusted your ass
on a regular basis?
Oh, that's how you choose
to remember it.
That's exactly how I remember it.
Look, when we were throwing
them parties
in them cold-ass basements in Philly,
who wrote the illest rhymes?
- Me.
- Come on, man.
- (LAUGHING)
- You...
you know what, you've always been
the muscle and-and the money, Shine.
I mean, I was the music man.
It didn't have to be that way. It's...
it's just how things turned out.
Yeah, well,
we can rewrite history now.
You know, why don't you go in there
and drop some wisdom on that wax.
What? Oh, come on, man.
Hey, young guns.
Shine, the big bad wolf,
is about to come and blow you all down
and show you all how it's done.
- Hell yeah. Come on, Shine.
- A'ight, Shine.
All right.
Look, just hit "record"
and stay out the way.
LUCIOUS: Done.
♪ High step, hover the threat
♪ Papua New Guinea, head hunt,
Russian roulette ♪
♪ I'm Philip Morris
and Chuck Norris and King Tut ♪
♪ You rollin' with kids
with keys to the kingdom ♪
♪ Freedom, we do whatever
we want, we got it ♪
♪ While you sittin' in silence
like Twenty One Pilots ♪
♪ I'm addicted to violence,
we should form an alliance ♪
♪ And call it Serial Killer
♪ Cartel Capitalism,
send Shine to get 'em ♪
♪ Commit 'em to the psyche ward,
they crazy ♪
♪ Actin' like they want war
♪ The '80s is back
when it come to that ♪
♪ Broad daylight,
this ain't no Call of Duty ♪
♪ No regenerated life
♪ Incinerate a body
♪ Then I hide it in plain sight ♪
♪ I make the city riot, I can
give it the green light ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm just getting started ♪
♪ 'Cause everything starts
♪ In the heart of the artist
♪ For my dearly departed.
- BLAKE: Yeah, Shine!
- (CLAPPING)
Yeah!
Like that. (LAUGHS)
(MUSIC STOPS)
Ah, she think she cute.
- She think she cute!
- Do it, baby.
She cute. She cute.
She a'ight.
Yo, let's take a damn ten or 15.
I don't even care. (MUMBLES)
- Yes, sir.
- Yeah, take a break, guys.
Hey.
Oh, so you just gonna...?
Becky, how the hell'd you find me?
I have spies everywhere.
Is this why you've been ducking
and dodging my calls all day?
Because you up in here
working on something
other than your 20 For 20 album?
What is this?
It's not for Empire.
It's-it's my stuff.
Clearly.
Look, Becky can you just
keep it on the low?
Please?
What am I supposed to say to Cookie?
That's my mom, man. I-I'll handle her.
Look, it's really important
to all of them,
and-and it's-it's even
more important to me.
So, please.
I will keep this between you and I.
But only
'cause when I walked in here
and I saw you jamming with them,
you had a smile on your face
that I, frankly,
have not seen since you used
to perform at the coffee shop.
And I guess I miss it,
- but you owe me.
- Yes, I do. So much.
You owe me. You owe me diamonds.
- Diamonds and gold, son.
- Yes.
Come on, gold shoes.
- Come on, bun.
- You're welcome.
Thank you. I love you.
Walk away. Ow!
(GIGGLING)
See you later.
- Hey.
- I really thought I made myself clear.
You did. And now it's time
for me to make myself clear.
Look, baby, I know you are scared
because you have all of these ideas
of who you think your mother was.
A criminal.
A jailbird. A nobody.
I need you
to know her like I knew her.
She's the reason why I'm free today.
Poundcake.
POUNDCAKE: Who's there?
- Hey.
- Hey. How'd you get back here?
I did 17 years, man.
You think I can't pull no
strings up in this bitch?
Wait a minute. Well, aren't you
supposed to be gone?
Yeah, they about to process me
out, but before I leave,
I-I... got to know the truth.
When Burleson was tossing my
bunk, was those your drugs?
Come on, now.
Damn it!
I knew it, that son of a bi...
We need to tell somebody.
No. 'Cause it's his word against ours.
I knew he was gonna try
to do something shady
to keep you in here.
But you in the hole now.
Yeah, so what?
What difference does it make?
Look, I've come to peace with the fact
that I probably
won't see my kid again.
But you, you got a chance
to see yours.
And I'm not gonna let that
scumbag take that away from you.
Now listen, you just need
to leave this place
and forget everything in it,
including me.
No. Come here.
I'll never forget you.
It's all good.
I owed you.
And now I paid you back.
Stay up.
Poundcake sacrificed
everything for me.
So it's true.
She really didn't want to give me up?
No. She had a whole life planned
for you two.
It's just... (SIGHS)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Why didn't my birth mother want me?
- Ah.
- That kept me up as a kid.
But I was able to put it behind me
because I had convinced myself
that she was some convict
I didn't want anything
to do with anyway.
No. Poundcake was dreaming
and making up all kinds
of stories about you.
Ever since you were
ripped out of her arms.
I don't even know her name.
It's Sara Lee.
That didn't really help.
She's dying, Maya.
And all she wants is to see you.
Please.
Uh...
O-Okay.
♪ This ain't no Call of Duty
♪ No regenerated life
♪ Incinerate a body
♪ Then I hide it in plain sight ♪
♪ I make the city riot
♪ I can give it the green light ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm just getting started ♪
♪ 'Cause everything starts
♪ In the heart of the artist
♪ For my dearly departed.
(LUCIOUS AND SHINE CHUCKLING)
BLAKE: Yo, for real, you took us
to school on that one, man.
You're like Mr. Miyagi or something.
Oh, yeah? Speaking of which,
Mr. Miyagi...
has some dry cleaning he needs
to get picked up.
(LUCIOUS AND HAKEEM LAUGHING)
Why don't you go handle that for me?
- (BLAKE SIGHS)
- Good looking out.
LUCIOUS: I don't know why you
still sitting there, Keem.
Now, you better wax on, wax off.
Dad.
Tell that to the number one single
I debuted at that basement party.
Anybody can have a number one single.
You better get out of here
before we make you walk
to Brooklyn and bring
us some cheesecake.
(LAUGHS)
You trippin'.
I don't believe this.
Nah, you the one trippin'.
- You better grow up.
- I'm out of here, man.
LUCIOUS: Do we have a choice?
He's got some
serious growing up to do.
Hey, boss, can we talk for a sec?
Look, anything you need
to say around me,
you can say around Shine.
He already know.
Well, all righty. (CLEARS THROAT)
So, I, uh, I got
the whereabouts on Eddie.
His jet lands in a few hours.
Do you want me to set up a meet?
Since he's coming in on a jet,
let's, um, make it the hangar.
- He'll know which one.
- You sure?
Can you believe I'm about
to pay this dude off?
(SCOFFS) Honestly? No.
I can't.
Look, I've known Lucious Lyon
since I was knee-high
to a grasshopper.
That Lucious...
the one we was just reminiscing
about on wax...
he don't pay nobody.
You right.
Okay, sounds like this
conversation is about
to go left, so as your attorney,
I'm going to excuse myself
to maintain deniability.
I-I'll get on it.
So what do you think? Um...
This cat, he deserve the...
the Philly treatment?
I'm not gonna tell you
how to handle your business.
But this I do know:
there's dudes you pay
and there's dudes you end.
What kind do you think Eddie is?
As I recall,
his people are from Philly.
So you know how we gonna handle it?
(EXHALES)
Will you ride shotgun, man?
I could use a friend.
Bet.
Thanks, man.
Take note of the projected
revenue under our proposal.
Now, of course,
I didn't just bring you here
to impress you with our numbers.
So why don't we hear from Empire's
number one asset herself?
Eddie Barker is the reason
why I'm here today.
I mean, topping three charts
all at once.
That was all him.
I'm impressed.
But Eddie resigned.
EDNA: And, to be honest,
there were concerns about his
multiple ex-wives and messy finances.
LEONARD: You were the
only one concerned
- with his personal life, Edna.
- ANIKA: Now, unfortunately,
the Lyon family coerced Eddie's
resignation, as they did mine.
Now, Eddie is the only reason
why Empire is on the upswing,
and I, as you all know,
was the head of A&R during
the most profitable period
of the company's history.
So Eddie wants to stay on.
Oh, absolutely.
You need to reject his
resignation and reinstate him.
Leadership has changed hands far
too many times for my comfort.
ANIKA: I understand, Edna.
Believe me, I do.
But any whiplash
that you might have felt
has been completely from the Lyons.
Now, all respect that we have
for them aside,
aren't you just a little tired
of all the drama
that they consistently bring?
I mean, Cookie destroyed
Empire's lobby
with a baseball bat for God's sakes.
Now I am sorry, but this is business.
So are you willing to accept
this uncouth behavior
for the sake of just a few songs
that barely crack the top ten?
Listen, I need Eddie Barker back.
And... so does Empire.
(MONITOR BEEPING)
She's a little out of it,
and she hasn't been able
to speak for a while.
But I'm glad you're here.
She doesn't have much time
before she transitions.
- Thank you. Mm-hmm.
- Excuse me.
Come on, don't be scared.
It's okay.
Hey.
Hey.
Cake?
Hey, girl. It's Cook.
It's Cook. I found her.
I found your baby.
- (POUNDCAKE MURMURS)
- Look.
- She wants to meet you.
- Mm-hmm.
Go ahead, say something.
(VOICE BREAKING): Hi. Um...
I'm Maya.
Cookie told me so much about you.
I just wish I could have known you.
Mm.
(MAYA SNIFFLES)
Oh. Here.
- Is that the letter?
- Mm-hmm.
(COOKIE CLEARS THROAT)
"To my baby.
"I don't know
if you will ever read this,
"but if you do,
"I just want you to know some things.
"I'll make a list
so I don't get emotional.
"NUMBER ONE:
"If you hate onions,
you got that from me,
because I do, too. They give me gas."
(LAUGHS)
(SNIFFLES, LAUGHS)
Uh...
Here, you-you should read it.
Go ahead.
She should hear your voice.
(SNIFFLES)
"NUMBER TWO:
"If you got a short temper,
that's me, too.
"I'm sorry.
"Just count to ten or 20.
"NUMBER THREE: If you are reading this
"at your college graduation,
"dump whoever you're with.
"Kick him, or her...
(LAUGHS) "I ain't judging...
- (LAUGHS)
- "to the curb.
"You can do better, and you will.
"Number four."
It's okay, baby. Go ahead.
- It's okay.
- (SNIFFLES)
It's okay.
"Number f..."
(SIGHS)
"NUMBER FOUR:
"When you think of me,
and I hope you think of me,
"because I think of you every day,
"please be forgiving.
(MAYA CRYING)
"I never wanted to give you up.
(SNIFFLES)
"And if you hear something
in the quiet moments,
"and you're not sure
where it comes from,
"it's me,
"'cause I'm gonna find you.
I'll be with you, watching over you."
Hmm.
"I love you more than you...
you could ever know."
(CRYING)
♪
(SNIFFLES)
(SOBBING)
- It's okay.
- (SOBBING CONTINUES)
It's okay.
SHINE: So what's the plan?
You want me to keep watch
once Eddie gets here?
Well, I figured
we'd confront him together,
teach him a thing about manners and...
loyalty, you know.
Loyalty?
Loyalty. (CHUCKLES)
It's amazing, you know.
(LAUGHING): You spend
your whole life around somebody.
You go to birthday parties
with them, play ball with them.
You even go
to holiday things with them.
Spend hours upon hours
in the studio, making bangers.
And the moment you turn your head,
they try and stab you in the back.
Turns out you never really
knew him at all.
I guess this is why you got
to always watch
who you got around you.
(CHUCKLING) Ain't that the truth.
- (LAUGHS)
- You damn right about that, man.
Look at this. Ooh.
I mean, somebody be standing
right next to you
after trying to kill you,
and smiling in your face
like nothing ain't never happened.
There's no jet, is there?
Eddie's not coming.
(LAUGHING): Come on, Shine.
How many chances have I given
you to tell me the truth?
You've been setting me up all day.
No. You've been setting you up
all day.
COOKIE: Thirsty. Hello, everyone.
I got confirmation. It was Shine.
He had Giuliana killed
to cover his tracks. I'm on it.
Dilly dilly.
How long have you known?
I got confirmation this morning,
but I've suspected for a long time.
When I saw you in my son Andre's
hospital room, what do...?
Shine don't visit people
in the hospital.
And you ear-hustling when
I'm in the booth with Cookie.
Why does an innocent man
need to ear-hustle?
Well, if you knew all this time,
why wait so long?
I wanted to get you on wax.
(YELLS)
See, I got you in the crossfire there.
Don't shoot his ear off.
See, now I know that
track's gonna be worth
a whole lot of money.
So what you...? You just gonna
kill me right here, huh?
(LAUGHING): That was the plan.
♪ I done make sacrifices
♪ Aye, aye
♪ So many sacrifices
- (LAUGHS)
- ♪ Straight up
♪ I done gave up
so much free time... ♪
Man...
I was just following
your son's playbook.
♪ She know I make sacrifices
'Cause he was too pathetic
to do it himself.
♪ Then you make sacrifices
All you Lyons are soft.
You wouldn't last one day
in the streets anymore, Lucious.
I knew that the first time I saw you
in one of them wack-ass ascots.
And that's why
you played me all these years.
'Cause I was better than you.
Rhyming, hustling...
I was always better than you!
So no matter what you do to me now...
you got to live with that.
♪ From sacrifices
♪ Why can't y'all recognize
♪ That we all came from sacrifice ♪
(LAUGHS)
(LAUGHING): See, I ain't
gonna shoot you, Shine.
♪ So many sacrifices
♪ Why can't y'all recognize
♪ That we all came from sacrifice... ♪
(SHINE WHEEZES)
♪ That we all came from sacrifice. ♪
- Just let it go.
- (COUGHING)
(CHOKING)
I know you like them ascots.
(GRUNTS SOFTLY)
Clean it up. Erase the cameras.
Hey, baby. It's done.
Did he see it coming?
(SCOFFS) Nah. Not at all.
Are you all right?
Yeah, I'm fine.
About to head home. Where are you?
I got something of my own
I need to take care of first.
Are you all right?
No.
But don't you worry.
I'll be home, okay?
Yeah.
See you at home.
(PHONE BEEPS)
(SIGHS)
(SIGHS)
(DOORBELL RINGS)
Hey, Mama.
Uh...
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
ANDRE: I left your name out of it.
I wiped your slate clean.
I'm gonna make a pitch to the board.
You want to be on top? Back me up.
You didn't think twice
about chucking your man here.
You just signed with the devil I know.
What about our music?
Why can't we release it
under a different name?
- Like start a band?
- A collective.
Poundcake, I'm-a find your baby
girl and I'm-a bring her here.
Please just stay away from me.
'Cause I don't want to hear from you
or that woman in lockup ever.
I suggest you sign this contract
and then stay the hell away
from Empire.
ANIKA: I'm here because you want
my help stealing
the company from the Lyons.
Once we do, I'm gonna be CEO.
Lucious, I'm telling you,
I don't feel like no trip.
I don't want no planes,
trains, automobiles.
Well, you ain't getting none
of that anyway.
And I got enough diamonds
and-and gold-plated guns, too.
Wait, wait, wait. Raise your leg.
Foot, foot, foot,
or you gonna trip on this step.
COOKIE: I tell you,
if I fall in these heels,
- I'm-a kick your ass.
- Okay, stand right there.
Okay, now open your eyes.
(PIANO MUSIC PLAYING)
What the hell is that?
It's a prototype.
Okay, so we barely got Eddie
out the door,
20 For 20 is behind,
and you playing watercolors up
in the lighting booth.
- Look, honey, this is what I see...
- (SIGHS)
...when I hear music.
It's one of the benefits that
you get from having synesthesia.
Now, my thoughts are,
what if everybody
that heard Empire's music,
what if they experienced this?
I'm thinking,
as a culmination for 20 For 20,
I want to create a room like this
for every single album.
I'm talking about a 360-degree
sensory experience that has mood,
that has sound, that has color.
I'm talking about under one venue.
I get it.
You want the world to see
what goes on in our house.
That's it.
We'll-we'll call it, um...
House Empire.
Well, Lucious, I don't
really care what you call it,
but we gonna have
to build 19 more of 'em,
have them rigged for sound,
wired for electri...
Look, that's gonna cost
too much money.
Look, when-when I was at
my lowest point,
when Empire was about to fail,
you came up with 20 For 20.
To save our fortune.
Don't 20 For 20 deserve...
deserve the best we got?
Hmm?
Our fortune.
You need a mint.
- Yeah, you had Chinese food.
- (CHUCKLES)
And you're not getting
in my drawers, Lucious.
Nice try though.
Not yet.
(LAUGHS) Ouch.
ALL (WHISPERING): Surprise.
(CHUCKLES)
Why is everybody whispering?
Because they don't want to...
want to give you another heart attack.
Oh, shut up. Hi, baby.
Mm! Hi. Aw.
- Oh! Oh, I'm happy.
- Hey, Mama. I love you.
I love you, too. My firstborn. Mm.
- (CHUCKLES) Hey!
- Welcome back, boss lady.
Thank you, Thirsty. Hello, everyone.
- Welcome back, boss.
- You're looking great, Cookie.
Well, what is all of this?
So, this is from everybody, anybody.
Gifts from Bey, Jay,
Mariah to Migos...
COOKIE: Okay, I'll tell you what.
Why don't you start a thank-you list.
And-and, Porsha, please don't get any
of the gifts mixed up, okay?
Yeah, she back.
(CHUCKLES)
The board is positively thrilled
about your return, Cookie.
Thank you, Edna.
Leonard, give the board my love.
Of course.
LEONARD: We just want to
be certain you're ready.
To come back, that is.
COOKIE: Oh, I'm 100% ready.
Is there something wrong?
- No.
- Just the timing of your return
is a little... coincidental.
- Mm.
- Especially after we
just received Eddie Barker's
resignation letter.
Oh, frankly,
we're just a little confused.
Okay. Well, then let me
demystify your confusion.
Eddie's done, okay? He's
finished with Tiana's project,
so Lucious and I are back in control.
Of course. Of course.
But Eddie brought
a certain sense of...
- stability.
- What is that supposed
- to mean, Leonard?
- LUCIOUS: Look, no,
we understand the need for stability.
That's why 20 For 20
is still on track.
Actually, my first single from that
will be released within 48 hours.
- Really?
- Really.
Yes. Well, we've kept it under wraps,
but we've already begun
the implementation
of a multimedia closing event
that will rocket
Empire's streaming numbers
into the stratosphere.
(SIREN CHIRPS)
House Empire?
Yes.
- I like it, Ma.
- Mm-hmm.
This is about to be
a game-changing event.
This is an enormous undertaking
in a small window.
I mean, do-do we even have a budget?
No. And we're not gonna make one.
Because if you say eight figures
to the board, they run.
Yeah, maybe for good reason, Ma.
No, Andre.
See, that's where you come in.
You speak the board's language.
So I'm gonna need you to go out there
and shore up their support. Meanwhile,
I will deal with everyone else
on the roster
and make sure they know that
Empire hasn't forgotten them.
You're on deck, right?
I mean, I think it's an amazing idea.
It's-it's big, it's exciting.
So that means you in?
Um, are y'all in on my new music?
You still punkin' out on the family.
- You know what...
- I'm sorry.
It's my fault. I didn't tell
everybody Jamal is his own brand now.
Oh, well, yes. Thank you, boss.
(CHUCKLES)
Yo, y'all got jokes, man.
It's all good.
Mom, I love you.
I'm so happy that you're back,
you all healthy.
And I support
y'all in whatever y'all do.
And it would be so amazing
if y'all did the same for me.
So amazing!
COOKIE: I'm gonna have
another heart attack
dealing with you. (SIGHS)
Ah.
(MUSIC SWELLING)
Empire!
♪ Ladies and gentlemen,
I'm here to set it straight ♪
♪ I make this paper, yeah,
it come to me, I never chase ♪
♪ Hakeem the one to beat,
get at my rank ♪
♪ I'm laughing at all these
jokes all the way to the bank ♪
♪ 'Cause I got money to blow,
the closest you got ♪
♪ Is a candle,
make a wish on the low ♪
♪ So you can be half as dope
as this natural flow ♪
♪ It's in my blood,
crackin' these thousands ♪
♪ In my sleep, yeah, you know.
- (MUSIC STOPS)
- HAKEEM: Wait, wait, wait.
Whose name supposed to be
on this album?
Yo, I thought we agreed.
I was gonna come in up top.
- HAKEEM: It's a matter of respect.
- Yo, I'm just doing it
like I did
at the basement party, a'ight?
That video's already got,
like, five million hits, yo.
No disrespect,
but it's better this way.
Shine, you've got to tell him, man.
- Yo, Kim and Khloe,
- (CHUCKLING)
you both are pretty, all right?
Work it out. Make up your minds.
LUCIOUS: These boys really
feeling themselves, huh?
- Nothing we ain't seen before.
- Tell ya.
What you doing down here?
Starving for some inspiration
for this 20 For 20, man.
And I need some quick.
As soon as I get done with this track,
I got a wheelbarrow full
of beats for you.
Well, truth be told,
I'm kind of liking
this little girl right here.
If you don't mind a few changes.
Hmm. What you got in mind?
Something personal.
Um, you know, like, uh,
how you spend your whole life
trying to get to the top
of your mountain
and then somebody cut your legs
right from underneath you.
- (DOOR OPENS)
- And somehow you get
a vantage point
and you see clearly the past
and your future...
Hey, son.
What's up, Pop?
(SIGHS) Change of plans.
Looks like your daddy here
is gonna hijack this beat.
- (CHUCKLES)
- We need new lyrics.
BLAKE: You're Lucious Lyon. (CHUCKLES)
In person.
(CHUCKLES)
Well, truth is, I'm a fan of you.
I've been watching you
through this glass
and caught your demo and that video.
You got potential.
You don't know
how-how much that means to me.
You know what I'm thinking?
Since this track is about the future,
why don't we throw baby boy
on-on it as an anchor.
SHINE: Mm.
So brownnosing the king is
all you got to do to be top dog.
Nah, he ain't brownnosing.
He hungry.
Roll your sleeves up, boys.
We gonna show y'all how to make a hit.
Let's get it.
Hey, what's up? This is Tiana,
the number one artist in America.
And whenever I'm in Dayton,
I'm listening to the number one
station for hip-hop and R&B,
Smokin' 95.4. Was that cool?
- A little more or do...
- Yeah.
- (DOOR OPENS)
- Hey.
So, how is Empire's number one artist?
Hmm?
Can y'all clear the room for a second?
- Please.
- Sure.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
(DOOR CLOSES)
I was wondering
when you'd come in here.
Where's Eddie?
And what the hell is going on?
Look, Lucious and I have been in
this industry for over 20 years,
and... Eddie fooled us.
Okay? But don't worry about that,
- because he's gone now.
- He's gone?
- Yes.
- Do you know what this means?
This is my moment...
I understand, sweetheart.
I've been there with you
since the beginning.
Through all the ups and downs.
Let's not forget that.
Now, I know what Eddie did
for you is amazing.
But you got to understand
that Eddie was bad for business.
He got me results.
And that's something that
you and Lucious never did.
(CHUCKLES) You're a superstar, okay?
There's no way around that.
Cream always rises to the top.
You were gonna get to this point
in your career with
or without me, Lucious, or Eddie.
The mistake we made is that we
put you in the hands of, uh...
not the best producer, okay?
And I wasn't gonna stand by
and watch that man
build you up just to break you down.
Now, I'm here to propose
that we make you
the centerpiece for this
event launch that we're having.
And that, my child,
is gonna keep you at number one.
For years to come.
And me and Lucious got you on that.
(SIGHS)
Look, I got 30 more promos
to cut by noon.
But... I'm so glad
that you guys
are finally thinking about me.
Hmm.
♪
Let's do the next one.
No, she's not expecting me,
but you can't call her?
Maya?
You say that you're doing this
for me, but I-I don't buy it.
I-I don't really understand why
you're dredging up some convict
out of your past, but I
don't need you to ruin my life.
That's not what I'm
trying to do, sweetie.
Did you ever for one second think
that maybe I'm actually happy?
That I have a wonderful family
and, I don't know,
my life is just full.
Did you ever think for one second
that maybe you would get something
from learning about who you are,
where you come from?
Oh, wait.
You think that I don't know
who I am? Why?
Because my mom isn't my blood?
Because she's white?
I didn't say that.
Look, I don't need some tour guide.
I know exactly who I am.
Okay. Well, don't do it for yourself.
How about you do it
for a woman who is dying,
who just happened to give you life.
I stopped owing her
the second she gave me up.
You think Poundcake doesn't love you
because she wasn't there for you?
Why don't you open the letter
and read it?
It is a love letter to you.
She talks about how much she loves you
and how she spent
all of her life looking for you.
Just... just read it.
That's all you got to do,
just read it.
I have a mom.
Okay? And her name is Elizabeth,
not Poundcake.
(SIGHS)
- Bring it in.
- Cheers!
- To freedom.
- Freedom!
- Freedom!
- (WHOOPS, CHUCKLES)
Poundcake, why you
always looking over here?
We ain't gonna never forget
how you did us dirty.
Cookie gonna see her babies.
- You ain't never gonna see yours.
- Chyna,
you don't have to go that far.
- It's not necessary.
- Hell I don't.
Finally, one of us
is getting up out this bitch.
But you gonna stay out.
Damn straight.
So, Cookie, you getting released?
Yep. Counting down the hours.
Well, that's good. I-I know
you'll be happy
to see your boys again.
- Boys? More like men.
- Mmm? (CHUCKLES)
They taller than me.
I cannot wait to squeeze them.
You know, Holloway,
I never figured you
for a snitch. (SCOFFS)
But I guess whatever it takes
to get out, right?
I guess.
Don't listen to him, Cookie.
Whatever you did to get out,
you did right.
CHYNA (ECHOES):
Sure know how to ruin a party.
Look, you're all here
because you're the absolute best
at what you do.
But, apparently,
y'all have also managed to piss off
some of the most powerful people
in the music industry.
Y'all rolled up in here
with reputations
- a mile long.
- AZAL: All right.
I am so sorry
for interrupting your speech,
but if you think bringing us
down is a way to start...
You know what, enough, Preacher.
You know what I'm saying,
I'm talking about me, too.
Shoot, I got baggage
longer than the damn TSA line
- at Kennedy.
- Yeah, and I got a whole lot
of demons chasing me.
But that doesn't matter, you know?
What happened yesterday
or a week ago...
shoot, a-a year ago...
none of that matters here today.
It's mostly about the music.
It's only about the music.
And all of that foolishness
that's been sitting
right here on our shoulders,
it's not gonna weigh us down anymore.
And we're completely anonymous.
No social media.
No Twitter, no Snapchat, no 'Gram.
We're gonna let the music
speak for us.
And not one person's voice...
not mine, not Tory's,
not yours, no one's...
is more important than the next.
We all make decisions as a collective.
Is that cool?
Let's do this.
That's what I'm talking about.
Come on, y'all.
Let's get it.
A'ight.
All right, fellas, here we go.
(MUSIC SWELLS)
SHINE: Mm.
I'm gonna need a minute.
- Hey, fellas, take five.
- (MUSIC STOPS)
Come on out.
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.
Eddie made contact.
He wants a payout, or he's gonna
show the documents to the board.
LUCIOUS: He's a pig.
THIRSTY: Yeah,
a pig who thinks he's got you.
Well, what else we got?
There's always that one option.
No. No.
With the year this family had,
that is not an option.
Do we have, um, cash on hand?
Sure. I mean,
I can cobble it together.
LUCIOUS: Fine. I'll bend over.
Pay him.
THIRSTY: Okeydokey.
Sorry for the interruption.
Had to handle a little business.
Everything all right?
Yeah, it's nothing. Just some...
legal stuff I got to deal with.
Okay, I'm-a call them back in.
You sure you cool?
Yeah, man. I told you, it's nothing.
Just some stuff with Eddie.
I thought you punted that guy.
Me, too.
It seems that he's, uh...
threatening to go to the board
and reveal my creative
accounting practices
if I don't give him a grip of change.
Well, everybody keeps two sets
of books, Lucious.
That's the American way.
How much does Eddie want?
Ten mil.
Listen, what about Leonard?
WOMAN: I've left
several messages for him.
I do know he has a business dinner
- later tonight.
- Okay, call him back.
Um, tell him I'm coming
to his office right now.
WOMAN: Will do, Mr. Lyon.
Wait, that's Leonard.
Where's he going?
- He's ditching me. Pull over.
- Right here?
Pull over.
(SUV DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)
Leonard.
Andre, I'm sorry.
Something came up suddenly.
We should reschedule.
Why are you giving me the brush?
Off the record?
The board is very concerned
about Eddie Barker's sudden departure.
Concerned?
I'm sorry, Andre.
I really am.
I've said too much already.
Guess who been blowin' up my phone?
Balenciaga, Dior, Louis Vuitton.
They want to design our wardrobe
for House Empire,
and they for real want to dress you.
What you think? Sequins or fur?
Girl, you know when I'm finally
gonna feel free?
- CHYNA: When?
- When I slip that fur
- back on my skin, girl.
- Ooh!
When they locked me up,
I had on this leopard dress.
Mm-hmm.
- And this chinchilla. (WHOOPS)
- Mm-hmm.
Are you sure you're gonna still
be able to fit
- after all these years?
- Bitch.
- (BOTH LAUGH)
- BURLESON: All right, ladies.
You know the drill.
Up and face the wall.
- Oh, come on.
- Are you serious?
- Yeah.
- Did he stutter?
Let's go.
Whoa!
Look at what we got here.
- What's that?
- Well, it looks like dope
- to me.
- I ain't never done no drugs
since I've been in here.
I ain't no smackhead.
Ah, such a shame.
Day before an inmate gets released,
add five years to your stretch?
- Yeah, what a coincidence.
- Hmm.
You realize a new charge
invalidates your release deal, right?
GUARD: Hey, hey.
That's mine.
What's it doing in her bunk?
I hid it 'cause I thought
she'd be gone by now.
- That's mine.
- BURLESON: You're lying.
- Get her out of here.
- GUARD: Come on.
No, no. I ain't going nowhere.
Hold on a sec.
These are yours?
That's what I said, isn't it?
Put her in the hole.
Come on.
Just got lucky, Holloway.
Okay, get design pitches
from all of them.
And they better damn well be free.
And push my meetings.
I got something I need to do.
But you got those House Empire
budget meetings.
Have Becky sit in
on the meeting, child.
And have her e-mail me those numbers.
Okay.
♪ You can't touch me
or you gon' get burned ♪
♪ I'm too hot, make a fire
look like an intern ♪
♪ Ain't a liar,
it's best you make a U-turn ♪
♪ 'Cause I flame, get them in
their feelin's like heartburn ♪
♪ Stuck out like a sore thumb
♪ Been in the streets
♪ Thuggin' out for my income
♪ Ain't no daddy to hold me down
but the kingdom ♪
♪ Mama told me to pray
♪ Get all your dreams done, yeah ♪
♪ Cocky, they call me Rocky,
champion, yeah ♪
♪ I'm too high, just too fly,
got me light in the air ♪
♪ Uh, never hear my moves,
I'm so silent it scares ♪
♪ While I'm signing with my feet ♪
♪ Trying to point to the jet
♪ Faithfully get this money
♪ My hood never leave me lonely,
tattooed on my back, yeah ♪
♪ I take 'em to where I'm going ♪
♪ The top is the only place
that I'm living at ♪
♪ I go hard for my city forever ♪
♪ Runnin' to the bank like
♪ Ain't got no worries,
I get this money ♪
♪ Pockets heavy
♪ Yeah, I'm going crazy
♪ Yeah, with these honeys,
get more then Brody ♪
♪ Drop 'em quick, yeah, I'm running ♪
♪ Running, running
♪ Running, running, running, running ♪
♪ Running to the bank
cause I'm stuntin', stuntin' ♪
♪ Stuntin', stuntin', stuntin'
♪ Stuntin', gotta get my ice tight ♪
Man, these fools about to throw hands.
No, no, no, no, no. Let 'em...
let 'em handle their business.
Okay.
A little friendly competition.
Make them step their game up.
Yeah, well, it's funny,
they actually remind me
of you and me back in the day
when, um, we used to be in the booth
- battling for the mic.
- (CHUCKLES)
You mean when I dusted your ass
on a regular basis?
Oh, that's how you choose
to remember it.
That's exactly how I remember it.
Look, when we were throwing
them parties
in them cold-ass basements in Philly,
who wrote the illest rhymes?
- Me.
- Come on, man.
- (LAUGHING)
- You...
you know what, you've always been
the muscle and-and the money, Shine.
I mean, I was the music man.
It didn't have to be that way. It's...
it's just how things turned out.
Yeah, well,
we can rewrite history now.
You know, why don't you go in there
and drop some wisdom on that wax.
What? Oh, come on, man.
Hey, young guns.
Shine, the big bad wolf,
is about to come and blow you all down
and show you all how it's done.
- Hell yeah. Come on, Shine.
- A'ight, Shine.
All right.
Look, just hit "record"
and stay out the way.
LUCIOUS: Done.
♪ High step, hover the threat
♪ Papua New Guinea, head hunt,
Russian roulette ♪
♪ I'm Philip Morris
and Chuck Norris and King Tut ♪
♪ You rollin' with kids
with keys to the kingdom ♪
♪ Freedom, we do whatever
we want, we got it ♪
♪ While you sittin' in silence
like Twenty One Pilots ♪
♪ I'm addicted to violence,
we should form an alliance ♪
♪ And call it Serial Killer
♪ Cartel Capitalism,
send Shine to get 'em ♪
♪ Commit 'em to the psyche ward,
they crazy ♪
♪ Actin' like they want war
♪ The '80s is back
when it come to that ♪
♪ Broad daylight,
this ain't no Call of Duty ♪
♪ No regenerated life
♪ Incinerate a body
♪ Then I hide it in plain sight ♪
♪ I make the city riot, I can
give it the green light ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm just getting started ♪
♪ 'Cause everything starts
♪ In the heart of the artist
♪ For my dearly departed.
- BLAKE: Yeah, Shine!
- (CLAPPING)
Yeah!
Like that. (LAUGHS)
(MUSIC STOPS)
Ah, she think she cute.
- She think she cute!
- Do it, baby.
She cute. She cute.
She a'ight.
Yo, let's take a damn ten or 15.
I don't even care. (MUMBLES)
- Yes, sir.
- Yeah, take a break, guys.
Hey.
Oh, so you just gonna...?
Becky, how the hell'd you find me?
I have spies everywhere.
Is this why you've been ducking
and dodging my calls all day?
Because you up in here
working on something
other than your 20 For 20 album?
What is this?
It's not for Empire.
It's-it's my stuff.
Clearly.
Look, Becky can you just
keep it on the low?
Please?
What am I supposed to say to Cookie?
That's my mom, man. I-I'll handle her.
Look, it's really important
to all of them,
and-and it's-it's even
more important to me.
So, please.
I will keep this between you and I.
But only
'cause when I walked in here
and I saw you jamming with them,
you had a smile on your face
that I, frankly,
have not seen since you used
to perform at the coffee shop.
And I guess I miss it,
- but you owe me.
- Yes, I do. So much.
You owe me. You owe me diamonds.
- Diamonds and gold, son.
- Yes.
Come on, gold shoes.
- Come on, bun.
- You're welcome.
Thank you. I love you.
Walk away. Ow!
(GIGGLING)
See you later.
- Hey.
- I really thought I made myself clear.
You did. And now it's time
for me to make myself clear.
Look, baby, I know you are scared
because you have all of these ideas
of who you think your mother was.
A criminal.
A jailbird. A nobody.
I need you
to know her like I knew her.
She's the reason why I'm free today.
Poundcake.
POUNDCAKE: Who's there?
- Hey.
- Hey. How'd you get back here?
I did 17 years, man.
You think I can't pull no
strings up in this bitch?
Wait a minute. Well, aren't you
supposed to be gone?
Yeah, they about to process me
out, but before I leave,
I-I... got to know the truth.
When Burleson was tossing my
bunk, was those your drugs?
Come on, now.
Damn it!
I knew it, that son of a bi...
We need to tell somebody.
No. 'Cause it's his word against ours.
I knew he was gonna try
to do something shady
to keep you in here.
But you in the hole now.
Yeah, so what?
What difference does it make?
Look, I've come to peace with the fact
that I probably
won't see my kid again.
But you, you got a chance
to see yours.
And I'm not gonna let that
scumbag take that away from you.
Now listen, you just need
to leave this place
and forget everything in it,
including me.
No. Come here.
I'll never forget you.
It's all good.
I owed you.
And now I paid you back.
Stay up.
Poundcake sacrificed
everything for me.
So it's true.
She really didn't want to give me up?
No. She had a whole life planned
for you two.
It's just... (SIGHS)
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Why didn't my birth mother want me?
- Ah.
- That kept me up as a kid.
But I was able to put it behind me
because I had convinced myself
that she was some convict
I didn't want anything
to do with anyway.
No. Poundcake was dreaming
and making up all kinds
of stories about you.
Ever since you were
ripped out of her arms.
I don't even know her name.
It's Sara Lee.
That didn't really help.
She's dying, Maya.
And all she wants is to see you.
Please.
Uh...
O-Okay.
♪ This ain't no Call of Duty
♪ No regenerated life
♪ Incinerate a body
♪ Then I hide it in plain sight ♪
♪ I make the city riot
♪ I can give it the green light ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm just getting started ♪
♪ 'Cause everything starts
♪ In the heart of the artist
♪ For my dearly departed.
(LUCIOUS AND SHINE CHUCKLING)
BLAKE: Yo, for real, you took us
to school on that one, man.
You're like Mr. Miyagi or something.
Oh, yeah? Speaking of which,
Mr. Miyagi...
has some dry cleaning he needs
to get picked up.
(LUCIOUS AND HAKEEM LAUGHING)
Why don't you go handle that for me?
- (BLAKE SIGHS)
- Good looking out.
LUCIOUS: I don't know why you
still sitting there, Keem.
Now, you better wax on, wax off.
Dad.
Tell that to the number one single
I debuted at that basement party.
Anybody can have a number one single.
You better get out of here
before we make you walk
to Brooklyn and bring
us some cheesecake.
(LAUGHS)
You trippin'.
I don't believe this.
Nah, you the one trippin'.
- You better grow up.
- I'm out of here, man.
LUCIOUS: Do we have a choice?
He's got some
serious growing up to do.
Hey, boss, can we talk for a sec?
Look, anything you need
to say around me,
you can say around Shine.
He already know.
Well, all righty. (CLEARS THROAT)
So, I, uh, I got
the whereabouts on Eddie.
His jet lands in a few hours.
Do you want me to set up a meet?
Since he's coming in on a jet,
let's, um, make it the hangar.
- He'll know which one.
- You sure?
Can you believe I'm about
to pay this dude off?
(SCOFFS) Honestly? No.
I can't.
Look, I've known Lucious Lyon
since I was knee-high
to a grasshopper.
That Lucious...
the one we was just reminiscing
about on wax...
he don't pay nobody.
You right.
Okay, sounds like this
conversation is about
to go left, so as your attorney,
I'm going to excuse myself
to maintain deniability.
I-I'll get on it.
So what do you think? Um...
This cat, he deserve the...
the Philly treatment?
I'm not gonna tell you
how to handle your business.
But this I do know:
there's dudes you pay
and there's dudes you end.
What kind do you think Eddie is?
As I recall,
his people are from Philly.
So you know how we gonna handle it?
(EXHALES)
Will you ride shotgun, man?
I could use a friend.
Bet.
Thanks, man.
Take note of the projected
revenue under our proposal.
Now, of course,
I didn't just bring you here
to impress you with our numbers.
So why don't we hear from Empire's
number one asset herself?
Eddie Barker is the reason
why I'm here today.
I mean, topping three charts
all at once.
That was all him.
I'm impressed.
But Eddie resigned.
EDNA: And, to be honest,
there were concerns about his
multiple ex-wives and messy finances.
LEONARD: You were the
only one concerned
- with his personal life, Edna.
- ANIKA: Now, unfortunately,
the Lyon family coerced Eddie's
resignation, as they did mine.
Now, Eddie is the only reason
why Empire is on the upswing,
and I, as you all know,
was the head of A&R during
the most profitable period
of the company's history.
So Eddie wants to stay on.
Oh, absolutely.
You need to reject his
resignation and reinstate him.
Leadership has changed hands far
too many times for my comfort.
ANIKA: I understand, Edna.
Believe me, I do.
But any whiplash
that you might have felt
has been completely from the Lyons.
Now, all respect that we have
for them aside,
aren't you just a little tired
of all the drama
that they consistently bring?
I mean, Cookie destroyed
Empire's lobby
with a baseball bat for God's sakes.
Now I am sorry, but this is business.
So are you willing to accept
this uncouth behavior
for the sake of just a few songs
that barely crack the top ten?
Listen, I need Eddie Barker back.
And... so does Empire.
(MONITOR BEEPING)
She's a little out of it,
and she hasn't been able
to speak for a while.
But I'm glad you're here.
She doesn't have much time
before she transitions.
- Thank you. Mm-hmm.
- Excuse me.
Come on, don't be scared.
It's okay.
Hey.
Hey.
Cake?
Hey, girl. It's Cook.
It's Cook. I found her.
I found your baby.
- (POUNDCAKE MURMURS)
- Look.
- She wants to meet you.
- Mm-hmm.
Go ahead, say something.
(VOICE BREAKING): Hi. Um...
I'm Maya.
Cookie told me so much about you.
I just wish I could have known you.
Mm.
(MAYA SNIFFLES)
Oh. Here.
- Is that the letter?
- Mm-hmm.
(COOKIE CLEARS THROAT)
"To my baby.
"I don't know
if you will ever read this,
"but if you do,
"I just want you to know some things.
"I'll make a list
so I don't get emotional.
"NUMBER ONE:
"If you hate onions,
you got that from me,
because I do, too. They give me gas."
(LAUGHS)
(SNIFFLES, LAUGHS)
Uh...
Here, you-you should read it.
Go ahead.
She should hear your voice.
(SNIFFLES)
"NUMBER TWO:
"If you got a short temper,
that's me, too.
"I'm sorry.
"Just count to ten or 20.
"NUMBER THREE: If you are reading this
"at your college graduation,
"dump whoever you're with.
"Kick him, or her...
(LAUGHS) "I ain't judging...
- (LAUGHS)
- "to the curb.
"You can do better, and you will.
"Number four."
It's okay, baby. Go ahead.
- It's okay.
- (SNIFFLES)
It's okay.
"Number f..."
(SIGHS)
"NUMBER FOUR:
"When you think of me,
and I hope you think of me,
"because I think of you every day,
"please be forgiving.
(MAYA CRYING)
"I never wanted to give you up.
(SNIFFLES)
"And if you hear something
in the quiet moments,
"and you're not sure
where it comes from,
"it's me,
"'cause I'm gonna find you.
I'll be with you, watching over you."
Hmm.
"I love you more than you...
you could ever know."
(CRYING)
♪
(SNIFFLES)
(SOBBING)
- It's okay.
- (SOBBING CONTINUES)
It's okay.
SHINE: So what's the plan?
You want me to keep watch
once Eddie gets here?
Well, I figured
we'd confront him together,
teach him a thing about manners and...
loyalty, you know.
Loyalty?
Loyalty. (CHUCKLES)
It's amazing, you know.
(LAUGHING): You spend
your whole life around somebody.
You go to birthday parties
with them, play ball with them.
You even go
to holiday things with them.
Spend hours upon hours
in the studio, making bangers.
And the moment you turn your head,
they try and stab you in the back.
Turns out you never really
knew him at all.
I guess this is why you got
to always watch
who you got around you.
(CHUCKLING) Ain't that the truth.
- (LAUGHS)
- You damn right about that, man.
Look at this. Ooh.
I mean, somebody be standing
right next to you
after trying to kill you,
and smiling in your face
like nothing ain't never happened.
There's no jet, is there?
Eddie's not coming.
(LAUGHING): Come on, Shine.
How many chances have I given
you to tell me the truth?
You've been setting me up all day.
No. You've been setting you up
all day.
COOKIE: Thirsty. Hello, everyone.
I got confirmation. It was Shine.
He had Giuliana killed
to cover his tracks. I'm on it.
Dilly dilly.
How long have you known?
I got confirmation this morning,
but I've suspected for a long time.
When I saw you in my son Andre's
hospital room, what do...?
Shine don't visit people
in the hospital.
And you ear-hustling when
I'm in the booth with Cookie.
Why does an innocent man
need to ear-hustle?
Well, if you knew all this time,
why wait so long?
I wanted to get you on wax.
(YELLS)
See, I got you in the crossfire there.
Don't shoot his ear off.
See, now I know that
track's gonna be worth
a whole lot of money.
So what you...? You just gonna
kill me right here, huh?
(LAUGHING): That was the plan.
♪ I done make sacrifices
♪ Aye, aye
♪ So many sacrifices
- (LAUGHS)
- ♪ Straight up
♪ I done gave up
so much free time... ♪
Man...
I was just following
your son's playbook.
♪ She know I make sacrifices
'Cause he was too pathetic
to do it himself.
♪ Then you make sacrifices
All you Lyons are soft.
You wouldn't last one day
in the streets anymore, Lucious.
I knew that the first time I saw you
in one of them wack-ass ascots.
And that's why
you played me all these years.
'Cause I was better than you.
Rhyming, hustling...
I was always better than you!
So no matter what you do to me now...
you got to live with that.
♪ From sacrifices
♪ Why can't y'all recognize
♪ That we all came from sacrifice ♪
(LAUGHS)
(LAUGHING): See, I ain't
gonna shoot you, Shine.
♪ So many sacrifices
♪ Why can't y'all recognize
♪ That we all came from sacrifice... ♪
(SHINE WHEEZES)
♪ That we all came from sacrifice. ♪
- Just let it go.
- (COUGHING)
(CHOKING)
I know you like them ascots.
(GRUNTS SOFTLY)
Clean it up. Erase the cameras.
Hey, baby. It's done.
Did he see it coming?
(SCOFFS) Nah. Not at all.
Are you all right?
Yeah, I'm fine.
About to head home. Where are you?
I got something of my own
I need to take care of first.
Are you all right?
No.
But don't you worry.
I'll be home, okay?
Yeah.
See you at home.
(PHONE BEEPS)
(SIGHS)
(SIGHS)
(DOORBELL RINGS)
Hey, Mama.
Uh...
Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.