The new FOX drama, Empire, which premiered tonight on FOX after American Idol, is like the hip hop version of King Lear. Imagine P. Diddy cast in a Shakespeare play!
From Academy Award nominee Lee Daniels (“Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “Precious”) and Emmy Award winner Danny Strong (“Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “Game Change”), comes the story about the powerful head of a music empire whose three sons and ex-wife all battle for his throne!
The twist is that Lucious (Terrence Howard) a former drug dealer turned hip-hop mogul who runs the company, has just learned he has ALS. It’s not only a death sentence, but the doctor tells him he’s got only about 3 years to live. Upon hearing the devastating news, Lucious sets out to decide which of his three sons will take over the business. Will it be the uptight but savvy business school grad Andre (Trai Byers), the sensitive gay singer Jamal (Jussie Smollett) or the talented but out of control rapper Hakeem (Bryshere Gray)?
Throwing a wrench into the works is Lucious’ ex-wife Cookie (played deliciously by Taraji P. Henson), released from jail after a long sentance, as our story begins. She’s intent on getting her half of the company. You can’t blame her–there are hints in the premiere that she took a fall for her husband. Lucious, who pretty much abandoned her after she was sent away. She also turned Lucious into a star. He rebuffs Cookie’s demanda. As it turns out, however, it was Cookie’s drug money that seeded the fledgling company. And as Lucious is just about to take the company public, his canny ex-wife has him over a barrell. He has no choice but to cut her in.
Lucious’ relationship to all of his sons is complicated. His favorite, rapper Hakeem, can’t get it together. He shows up at the studio drunk and high. Jamal is easily the more talented of the two, but Lucious cannot accept that he is gay. There is a heartbreaking flashback to Jamal, as a young child, walking into the living room dressed up in his mother’s heels. His father, enraged, stuffs him into a trash-filled garbage can. Cookie, who had Jamal’s number from the get go, accepts him for who he is. Lucious, on the other hand, believes being gay is a choice, and suggests Jamal find a woman and get married. Cookie takes over Jamal’s career, supporting Jamal’s desire to come out as gay. I’m smelling a Frank Ocean-like storyline here. Andre has a degree from Penn and a white wife. He’s completely in control. But his stoic facade barely conceals his ambition. You get the sense that he’ll do ANYTHING to get ahead. His dad is unsure Andre has the charisma necessary to run the company. In any case, it’s brother against brother in the boardroom AND in the studio.
The end is shocking. Lucious murders his right hand man after learning that he’d fallen in with some enemies. I expect Lucious, as a man with absolutely nothing to lose, will be making some bold and audacious choices.
Doesn’t this sound delicious? IT IS. I loved the pilot, and plan to cover the musical drama on the blog (If you are interested in recapping Empire, give me a holler).
Original songs, produced by hitmaker, Timbaland, punctuate the drama and are performed by some of the show’s cast. Gabourey Sidibe (Precious) is pretty awesome as Luciuos’ no-nonsense assistant.
Did you watch Empire tonight? What did you think?
Check out a few videos from the premiere episode:
First Look
http://youtu.be/a96Cjx0vfFo
Official Trailer
http://youtu.be/dBzu_jKLJek
