Television’s first great hour-long musical drama of 2015, Empire, has become a water cooler conversation initiator after making its debut earlier this month. Starring Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson, the FOX series has already been dubbed Hip Hop’s equivalent to ABC’s insanely popular country music-based Nashville. Focused on record label and media company Empire Enterprise, Howard stars as Lucious Lyon; former drug dealer turned rapper who has built the American dream through even more questionable means. This is where Henson’s portrayal of ex-wife Cookie Lyon comes in. Recently released from prison after a seventeen year sentence for drug charges, Cookie wants half of Empire Enterprise as cash gained through illicit dealings funded the company’s early beginnings. A huge bulk of the drama also comes through Lucious’ recent diagnosis of ALS and which of his three sons get control after his eventual death. This leads to an interesting power struggle between executive eldest son Andre, singer/songwriter middle child Jamal and hot-headed aspiring rapper and youngest sibling Hakeem.
Already a hit with both viewers and critics, Empire takes inspiration from news and rumors that have spread throughout Hip Hop for decades. Those with both underlying and surface level knowledge of the culture are bound to have a grand time naming those varying aspects. With that in mind, DX will be presenting a weekly series based around the show entitled “Empire State of Mind” which will recap episodes and offer insight into possibly inspired scenarios among others.
This week, we recap the story so far and attempt to find out how close Empire captures the music industry.
Episode Four: False Imposition
Empire Characters: Lucious, Anika, Titan, Bill Beretti
Real Life Counterparts: Titan as Tupac/Shyne, Lucious as Suge Knight
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Inspirations For Plot:Jay Z & Jay Electronica Addressed In Minister Louis Farrakhan Letter, Jim Jones Recalls Intimidating Louis Farrakhan Encounter, Clayton Hill: Confessions Of Fire, Marlon Wayans On Tupac: “He Wasn’t Real Gangster, But He Acted Gangster”
The previous episode featured one of Empire Enterprises’ aging emcees, Kidd Fo Fo, heading to a rival label after Lucious drops him for disrespecting Cookie. Well, looks like the Lyon patriarch may have found a way to get back at Creedmore Entertainment and owner/former mentor Bill Beretti. This is through Titan. Lucious apprehends Hakeem’s VIP tickets to the popular rapper’s concert so the young-one can hit the studio and places them in the hands of assistant Becky. While backstage at Titan’s show, a shoot-out emerges between the rapper’s entourage and rival crew leading to jail time when one is shot in the leg. Considering Hip Hop’s history with club and concert shootings, the ties to reality are numerous in scope. In terms of Tupac, the shooting that landed him in jail involved two off duty police officers in 1993.
Attempting to sweep him from Creedmore, Cookie is informed that Titan is a member of The Fruits of Islam after meeting with the rapper’s mother, also giving reason to the initial shoot-out. Apparently, the rival crew burned down the community center that gave rise to the incarcerated rapper’s career. Interestingly enough, it’s revealed that Lucious’ father was murdered by a member of The Fruits of Islam. Hip Hop has had an interesting relationship with this sect of Islam for quite a while. Making them center to a crucial plotline was a bold move.
Lucious visits Titan’s hood with Anika in order to convince his people and manager of moving him over to Enterprise before a drive-by nearly kills everyone.
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Pulling a move straight out of the Suge Knight playbook, he gains access to Titan’s jail cell. Promising to rebuild the now burned community center and get him out of his deal with Creedmore, Titan agrees to move over to Enterprise. The feeling of the deal is similar to Knight using Tupac’s jail sentence for leverage of getting him on Death Row. By the time Suge swallowed Pac into the fold, the rapper was broke and facing serious jail time after rape charges following the Quad Studios shooting. Beretti also meets with Lucious in demanding he cancels the upcoming IPO by threatening to reveal his drug dealing past. Clearly if this were to be revealed, the obvious Murda Ink ties are going to be clear as day.
Episode Five: “Dangerous Bonds”
Empire Characters: Hakeem, Tiana, Jamal, Cookie
Real Life Counterparts: Hakeem as Chris Brown/Tyga/Lil Wayne, Tiana Rihanna,
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Inspirations For Plot:Jam Master Jay’s Murder Is Still Unsolved After 10 Years, Yung Joc’s Atlanta Studio Robbed After Three Victims Tied Up At Gunpoint, Judge Refuses To Dismiss Indictment Of Lil’ Boosie’s Hitman-For-Hire, Gucci Mane Disses Young Jeezy, Yung Joc In New Songs, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian Nude Images Reportedly Leak; Stars Among Victims Of Alleged Hackers
Studio shootings happen quite frequently in Hip Hop let history tell it. By the end of this episode, Lucious’ gay middle-son Jamal is involved in a studio shooting following a robbery attempt set-up by oldest Lyon child Andre. His goal was to cause friction between Jamal and Hakeem in order to gain favor with Lucious. The singer/songwriter in an earlier episode financially cuts himself from his father, leading him to live less luxurious and using a rusty recording studio which leads the event. The relationship between the two really gets bad when Jamal and Hakeem get into a fight as the episode ends.
Meanwhile, Cookie finds herself paranoid after a black rose is found on her doorstep. It’s revealed she’s talked to the feds regarding one of Lucious’ drug connects leading her to put a hit on the wrong person. Labels and rap artist putting out hits isn’t anything new considering stories ranging from Jeezy’s bounty on Gucci to Lil Boosie’s alleged hit on local Baton Rouge rapper Nussie. Plus, there are a lot of rappers who have rhymed about putting hits on rivals.
Considering the music industry is in the internet age, Andre’s wife leaks nude photos of Tiana to Perez Hilton in attempt to sabotage an already turbulent relationship between her and Hakeem. It’s fact that most leaked photos are either hacked, from someone within a celebrity’s camp out of spite or orchestrated by the “victim.”
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Episode Six: Out, Damned Spot”
Empire Characters: Cookie, Elle Dallas, Jamal, Hakeem, Sway(as himself)
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Real Life Counterparts: Jamal as Frank Ocean/Ne-Yo, Elle Dallas as Courtney Love, Hakeem as Big Sean
Inspirations For Plot: Big Sean f. E-40 “IDFWU”
The majority of episode six revolves around Cookie’s acquisition of Empire Records’ first star Elle Dallas who has fallen into drug addiction and relative obscurity. Artists chasing the magic dragon are nothing new to the industry. Therefore, Courtney Love is essentially playing herself for better or worse. Jamal finally gets a hit song which starts a strain between him and boyfriend Michael. Things get progressively worse when the singer announces on Sway that he’s single. Then the shocker of the season; Jamal has a baby momma.
With authorities hot on Lucious’ tail over Bunky’s murder, his business partner Vernon finds someone to take the fall. As the Empire Records head battles his ALS disease and the IPO nearing, he begins to take experimental drugs to help curb the symptoms.
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Meanwhile, as Tiana’s lesbian exploits makes the internet rounds, Hakeem creates a song that’s comes off as a low-budget version of “IDFWU.” Pretty much both songs are about dudes way too much into their feelings. Anika even comments that the controversy behind the song will help sell records and Empire Records decides to push the record.
