Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson eats up the scenery on this show as Lucious’ ex-wife Cookie. She’s steely, streetwise and savvy about the music industry. But she took a fall for Lucious, going to jail for 17 years so he could use $400,000 in drug money to start their company.

As the show begins, she’s fresh out of the slammer and threatening to derail everything if she can’t manage her son’s career.

“I’ve been living like a dog for 17 years, and now … I want what’s mine,” she tells Lucious while plunking on a piano in his office. “I want Jamal.”

This sets up one of many conflicts on the show, as Cookie takes over managing their gay son, Jamal, and Lucious backs in-your-face rapper son Hakeem. Clean-cut son Andre has subtly encouraged this — egged on by his white girlfriend — in hopes that his two other brothers will destroy each other.

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By KINGSMEN

'KINGSMEN' -Atlanta's Photographer|Videographer|Blogger|Editor

39 thoughts on “Did ‘Empire’ Live Up To All The Hype?? How Do You Feel About the Show??”
  1. Empire is dope! I had to digest it all in! The Industry is a dirty game and everyone wants position! This is some real stuff that goes on behind the scenes!

  2. It was really good, I have some ideas about how it will unfold. I wish we didn’t have to compare the two. They are both based on rises from the street, yes, but two totally different people, situations, mindsets, etc…similar reasons why in the black community individuals cannot rise amongst instead of against. Why can’t they just be two great shows? I feel like they address totally different issues…one’s focal point is family legacy (music saved him and that’s his gift & his family’s, dealing with brokenness, identity issues, maternal/paternal divide, childhood pain, loyalty and lack, fear of the past, inside infiltration, etc)…the other displays more of the struggle trying to achieve/maintain legitimacy, but in too deep illegally (corruption, turf war, self conflict, deception, addiction, perceptual confusion, living double lives, etc) both can and will be relatable to many…I think they can coexist and both still maintain their greatness. Hello Shonda Rhimes-great example!!

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