For the first time in a while an episode of Empire truly had me on the edge of my seat.
Anika comes into Lucious' office to beg him for a little bit of freedom. Luscious is focused on Empire Xtream which needs 10 million subscribers by Thursday to remain afloat. Anika asks to return to Empire's A&R team before noticing her former assistant giving Luscious ...well we won't say, there may be kids reading this recap.
Lucious tries to get Cookie to release 5 new songs so that Empire Xtream can use the content to gain subscribers. Lucious also tells her he's releasing Jamal's Black and White Album against his wishes. Cookie insists that she'll worry about new content after her lunch date. Luscious is less than thrilled to find out that Cookie is meeting Angelo for lunch to meet some of the teens from his Woke program.
After his arrest, Andre leaves the police station with his friend and lawyer, Max. Max instructs him not to go all "Black Lives Matter," (whatever that means). After a reporter asks Andre if he's a gangster, Andre is just about to talk about wrongful police brutality when he hallucinates Rhonda again.
Jamal attends a PTSD support group but the other members of the group are less than sympathetic to his trauma from being shot and Jamal decides not to come back, continuing to self medicate with painkillers.
Andre goes to Empire headquarters where Cookie and Lucious express their intent to fight the charges against him head on by having Thirsty, who apparently is now an omniscient legal problem-fixing being who we never see but constantly hear about, take care of it. Andre insists that he's to blame for the incident because he gave the cop "attitude." Andre believes his Wharton degree and business stature will help him but Luscious feels he's headed for trouble.
At yet another Empire event, Tariq and another cop are staked outside attempting to build a case against Luscious and gathering intel on everyone associated with Empire, except for Porsha. Inside, Tiana performs a song with new boyfriend and Empire rapper Graham (Romeo Miller). In his rap, Graham takes several shots at Hakeem who is less than pleased. Jamal tries to calm an enraged Hakeem and Luscious encourages him to clapback with a diss track.
In an effort to get Jamal back on the stage, Cookie sets up an opportunity for him to tour and sing a duet with singer Kitty (Mariah Carey---yes). Jamal backs out but after hearing that his appearance requests have dropped by half he decides to record with Kitty and live-stream the session for Empire Xtream in exchange for Lucious shelving The Black and White Album.
Hakeem is recording his diss track with Shine who intends to have Nessa sing the hook. Nessa isn't happy about the idea of disrespecting another girl for Hakeem's song causing Shine to choke her after she refuses to sing. My blood pressure just isn't safe as long as Shine Johnson is on the screen.
Disturbed by Shine's violent behavior, Hakeem tells Lucious. Lucious says that Shine's abuse isn't their problem and Hakeem's song doesn't work without a female vocal.
Leah and Anika continue with their verbal sparring, during which we learn that there apparently is a market for Boo Boo Kitty Anika-shaped voo-doo dolls. Sparks appear to fly between Anika and a USP (not UPS, apparently) delivery man. Given the opening scene of tonight's episode I don't like where this is going.
Cookie meets Angelo but finds that he is upset with her for offering Zaya a recording contract. Cookie says that it was Lucious who offered the contract so that Angelo could be upset with her but also acknowledges how many people would kill to have a contract with Empire. After Angelo insults Cookie he apologizes and takes her to see what he does in the community. This includes a coding seminar (shout out to Black Girls Code). Cookie is impressed.
Jamal and Hakeem show up to support Andre in court, expecting that the misdemeanor charge should be resolved in no time. However, Andre learns in court that the charges have been padded to include battery assault and assaulting a police officer. Max says that they should take a deal but Andre wants to fight the case knowing he didn't do anything wrong. Lucious picks up all three of his sons outside the courthouse and takes them to the old neighborhood where they grew up. Lucious admits that he was mistaken about what his sons issues were and deduces that they don't know they're black. Lucious says that no matter how much privilege his sons have they're one mistake away from being a hashtag, causing Andre and Jamal to leave.
Hakeem and Lucious head to the studio where Hakeem finishes his diss track. Rather than have Nessa sing the hook, he decides to rap over a beat that has Tiana's new song interpolated into the track. I'll admit, this was savage, even for Hakeem. Anika calls Lucious over to his house. And now it's time for another round of good news bad news!
The good news: Empire Xtream reached 10 million subscribers (presumably before the deadline set by the board of directors) and won't fold.
The bad news? Yep, I was right, Anika pulled a Lucious and got some "under-the-table" action from the USP delivery guy.
Where's some Lysol when you need it?
Anika says that she married Lucious to save him from the FBI and she didn't testify against him so that her baby wouldn't have to grow up without a mother. She says that as long as she stays in the marriage, she will do whatever she wants.
Jamal visits Freda in prison and initially tries to be sympathetic towards her but lashes out after his PTSD is triggered multiple times. Jamal goes to the studio to record with Kitty and after popping multiple painkillers is able to sing the way he normally does.
Zaya is just about to sign with Empire before Cookie comes in and tears the contract assuring Zaya that if he is still committed to the music business he can come back after he graduates. Angelo thanks Cookie and tells her how much he respects her. But, when he leans in for a kiss, Cookie swerves him.
Jamal is furious after learning that Lucious has gotten rid of the Cookie-produced songs on Jamal's album and is releasing the songs he produced with Jamal as The Black Album. Cookie confronts Lucious who tells her that he plans to retake control of Empire because Cookie hurt his feelings. Why can't Lucious just go off by himself and pout like the rest of us? Cookie tells Lucious to prepare for war.
While walking home, Andre runs into Tariq who implies that he is the reason behind the trumped up charges against him. Tariq tries to convince Andre to inform on Lucious in exchange for dropping the charges but Andre declines. Tariq says that Andre's decision makes the target on his back larger.
Next week:
Cookie brings Angelo further into her world (probably not a good idea...)
Shine declares war on Lucious
Andre is Lucious' right hand man again
Nessa's loyalty to Shine is tested
and Lucious tries to drive Angelo and Cookie further apart