Another week brings more Cookie! The third episode of Empire was a good one so let’s get right to it!
Check out the recaps for Episode 1 and 2 if you haven’t already!
Cousin Mel – Tiana is at her video shoot and she gets into a little rift with Veronica, the singer who sangggg in the very first episode. Veronica’s manager/cousin Mel, tells Luscious that he and Veronica are unhappy with the way she’s being handled compared to what her contract says. Mel threatens Luscious and per Luscious’ request, the two go outside to talk in his RV, where Luscious’ ends up beating Mel up. Cookie pops up on the set questioning Luscious about Bunkie’s funeral arrangements and Luscious tells her he’s handling it and then tells her to leave. As she’s leaving, in true Cookie fashion, she reminds him, “You better be glad I don’t feel like no scene today, cause I’d shut it down!” HA!
Breakthrough – As Luscious is prepping Bunkie’s funeral, Andre comes in with a magazine showing him that Kid Fo-Fo has signed with another label…. Luscious’ enemy. A detective comes in Luscious’ office to update him about Bunkie’s murder, telling him that they have an eye witness. Luscious then tells Andre to call his city hall contact to do some more digging and Andre agrees. A few offices over, Cookie is auditioning songwriters to work with Jamal, when Andre comes in and tells her to go meet a Swedish songwriter/producer duo. Before she can even properly introduce herself, Lil’ Dip comes out and pulls them away from Cookie. When Jamal finds out what Cookie’s been doing, he gets upset because he ‘writes his own stuff.’ Meanwhile, Lil Dip’ goes to Luscious’ office with a private detective in tow, because she want’s Cookie followed since she doesn’t trust her. The detective pulls out pictures of Cookie and the agent talking that night at Leviticus.
RIP Bunkie – Cookie is at the funeral home grieving over Bunkie, when Luscious comes in questioning her loyalty. He thinks Cookie got of jail early because she snitched on him. The next day at Bunkie’s funeral, Cookie confronts her sister Carol and asks if she’s been talking to Luscious about her situation with the FBI and Carol denies it. During their conversation, Cookie sees Ronnie Brown, a one hit wonder from back in the day and Carol tells her that Wonder’s career failed after Puma stopped writing songs. This gives Cookie a bright idea and she leaves Carol with the task of finding Puma. Gladys Knight is giving us her signature soulfulness at Bunkie’s funeral. As she’s singing, Luscious is crying fake tears reminiscing about how loyal Bunkie was, and we see a flashback scene of when Cookie and Luscious were on the come up and Bunkie comes in telling them to leave the crack house because somebody was looking for them.
Old Salty – Per his father’s instructions, Andre goes to city hall to meet with the Deputy Mayor. She tells him he can get whatever he wants and in a repulsing twist, he bends her over the desk and the two get it on. Over at the Lyon mansion, Lil Dip tells updates Luscious on their artists and the fact that three Empire albums in the country. To celebrate, Luscious suggests a dinner party to celebrate Hakeem and Tiana’s relationship. Meanwhile, the police officer questions Old Salty, a homeless man who claims to have seen Bunkie being killed. Uh Oh! Later that night, Andre gets a phone call from his city hall boo and his wife overhears him. She begins to question how he was able to get the information from her. Just like earlier, he pushes her over the bathroom sink and she says “Call me her name Mr. Lyon!” HUH?!! And the two begin having sex.
Hakeem is at the club per usual with Tiana when his phone keeps going off. He gets a message from a chick named Camille who wants him to come over that night. Hakeem lies and says he’s at home sick and Camille is like ‘Nah boo-boo, cuz I’m right behind you!’. Camille struts her way in the club and sits across from Hakeem. As soon as Hakeem sees her, his vibe is ruined. Lulz.
Puma – Cookie meets up with the FBI agent from the last episode and she tells Cookie that she’s being followed due to Anika’s orders. The two come up with a plan to get Luscious off of their back and Cookie obliges but only if they agree to help her find Puma. Later on, the agent and Cookie are at Empire, with the agent pretending to be Cookie’s parole officer. Luscious invites Cookie to the family dinner party for Hakeem and Tiana. The next day, Cookie goes to Puma’s ranch and she tells him that she wants a song from him. He’s reluctant at first, but eventually gives in and sends her a song he wrote for Luscious way back in the day. Cookie goes to Jamal’s to let him hear the song and he begins to sing over the beat. As he’s singing, we see flashbacks of young Cookie and Luscious as he’s writing the song and Cookie giving him advice on the song’s sound. Back in present day, Cookie tells Jamal that he’s going to sing that song at the dinner party. Later that night, the police officer goes back to talk to Old Salty. Salty starts muttering about animals,“wolf, lamb, leopard, goat, lion,” and the officer connects the dots. He pulls up a picture of Luscious on his phone and asks Old Salty if that’s the Lion he’s talking about. Old Salty says yes. Lordt.
Takeem – Everyone is gathered at the Lyon household for the dinner party. As people are taking their seats, Lil Dip walks up to Cookie and says:
Anika: “I know you don’t know because you don’t live here but this is my house and that’s my chair!”
Cookie: “Aww girl, go sit down over there with your daddy and be a good little girl!”
CRYING. Lil Dip sits by Luscious and everyone begins to eat until Cookie stops them so that she can bless the food and in true Cookie fashion, she blesses them saying:
“Lord, we want to give thanks for so many blessings in our lives! We want to thank you for the most precious blessing of them all….our family. I prayed on bended knee, on many a night that this day would finally come. And God please do not withhold your blessings, even from hoes who hire skanks to spy on me! In Jesus name, I pray Amen!”
After dinner, everyone gathers to listen to Jamal’s new song. As soon as Jamal starts singing, Luscious is visibly bothered. When Jamal finishes, Luscious has the nerve to suggest giving the song to John Legend, since he owns the rights to the song. He suggests Jamal take up a career in arranging and not singing, and Jamal gets up and leaves, but not before he says:
“She told me back in the day that you couldn’t make the song work. How does it feel that your little girl could do something that you couldn’t. You washed up and the songs that I’m writing will only further prove that I’m you….but on steroids!”
15 Minutes – As she’s getting ready to leave, Cookie sees Luscious in his study. She tells him that she knows that something has him shook and that something is Jamal:
“I watched you while Jamal played tonight. You’re afraid of him aren’t you?! You’re afraid because he’s a true artist and you can’t deny it anymore. Something’s got you shook Luscious, like it’s chasing you and you don’t want it to catch you! Now I don’t know if it has anything to do with Jamal, but whatever it is, you’re trying to hide it. But you know you can’t hide from me! You can’t hide from me Luscious!”
Goodness. Later that night, Hakeem is caked up on the pool table with Camille. He tells her that he has to keep them on the low, but Camille’s really not trying to hear that. She asks him who is she to him, and he says “You’re my mama!” Meanwhile, Luscious comes over to Jamal’s apartment trying to be ‘supportive’ with his words of wisdom, but of course he’s failing. Luscious tells Jamal that he tried to toughen him up as a child to prepare him for the world, and Jamal responds “Since I was a baby you beat me. You told me that was to toughen me up and that was a lie! You beat me because you hate me and you always will because I’m always going to be who I am!” Jamal is fed up with his sh*t, throws the apartment keys, tells Michael to pack their bags and they leave. Luscious is clearly amused so he tells Jamal he’ll leave the keys on the table. Outside with all their belongings and no where to go, Michael asks Jamal is he sure about this decision and Jamal says yes because he’s going after the empire. Bless.
This episode was something else:
- It’s too early to tell what’s really going on with the situation-ship between Camille and Jamal but hopefully, he doesn’t let her ruin his relationship with Tiana. I’m still #teamTakeem and I still believe she will make him a better man…which is exactly what he needs.
- I’m not feeling the relationship between Camille and Hakeem. It’s disturbing. But since he is an adult, there’s nothing to say!
- I really don’t understand the marriage dynamic between Andre and his wife.
- I feel that Puma kind of set up Cookie. He knew that Luscious bought that song for him and since that was the case, he shouldn’t have sent it to Cookie KNOWING that she and Luscious are divorced. But then again, he probably doesn’t know the ins and outs of whats going on with them. Still sketchy to me.
- Still tired of Anika [Lil’ Dip].
- I’m SO proud of Jamal for standing up to Luscious not only once, but TWICE!!! FINALLY!!! I’m excited to see how he’s going to take down the empire.
- Luscious is going to try and get back with Cookie. I feel it!
