Empire

Previously on "Empire"... Family day's next week.

Why don't you show up and do a little show at Wallace?

I'm-a have my own summer jam.

Cookie's Cookout.

All them dudes that kidnapped me had a brand on their back.

Like this?

I had no idea I was gonna fall in love with you. Mm-mm.

When I got the word I was in full remission, I said,

"I'm gonna have a lot of fun with the rest of my life!"

Is that the wifey or the girlfriend?

Hakeem, it's me. Give me a call back.

Babies are like kryptonite for Lucious. Really?

Wasn't that the song that you wrote for Camilla? Who?

You won't ever be a Lyon.

I am devoting the rest of my life to LGBT people.

And I'm gonna help you, Jamal.

Leverage whatever we have to. Just get me Swiftstream.

I am the O.G. Skye Summers fan.

If I sang my whole truth,

my fans would turn on me.

What up? What up?

I'm Jason Derulo, live in L.A.,

big city of dreams, where it's all going down today.

It's ASA nomination day.

All day long, you're gonna be hearing from

some of your favorite music artists

giving us the nominees

of some of the greatest music acts this year.

So the nominations will be live-streaming on the screens

all day long, and every Empire artist has been put on notice.

Everyone that gets a nomination and comes to town

will be doing press.

And then Skye does the Empire party.

How many nominations you expect for Empire, Pop?

I expect to lose count.

But getting the nominations ain't the thing.

I mean, I got 19 of them over the years and never won one.

This'll be the year you break the streak, boss.

Yeah, whatever. What I'm most interested in

is our Swiftstream announcement.

It's my honor and pleasure to announce

the very first nomination of the day,

for Best R&B Song.

First up, we got Chalayne for "Last Breath,"

Gordon Treble for "Opus,"

Niles Porter for "Live and Direct,"

and, first time ever, my boy Jamal Lyon for "Heavy."

It's happening! It's happening!

There's a lot of ASA parties going on,

performances, lot of crazy things happening.

So I would stick close to my Twitter notifications,

Instagram-- like, all of that.

This is Questlove.

More nominations throughout the day,

every hour on the hour.

Don't miss out.

Listen, man, our permits are good for two months.

All right? No.

Look, we're bringing our new promoter in, okay?

All right, I'll call you back.

Well?

Everybody keeps saying we're a security risk.

I'm sorry, Hakeem.

It's not your fault, Ma.

Can't believe I let that bitch play me.

Do you know what today is?

ASA nomination day.

The day where I get my "Best Rapper" shout,

and that'll help us land a better venue for your Cookout.

Thank you, baby.

Oh, and thank you and Laura so much

for agreeing to perform at the family day show

at Wallace today.

Are you sure we got to do it today?

It's not good timing.

Walking back into that prison in this headspace

is the last thing I want to do, believe that,

but I owe Pepper 'cause she helped me find your Aunt Carol.

Ooh, plus,

there's somebody I want you to meet-- Jezzy.

She's this rapper.

Oh, my God, she's so amazing, Hakeem.

I'm gonna put her on that stage.

Wait until you hear her spit.

She's the real deal.

Congratulations on your nomination.

Hey! (laughs)

Hey. I'm so excited for you.

Thank you. I can't wait to celebrate.

You look so nice. Yeah. Thank you.

We should get to the, um, ASA party quick though, 'cause

we got a song to debut.

You know what I bet?

I bet you're gonna get Song of the Year, too. No, I'm not.

Yes. Watch. No, I promise I won't.

I'm telling you. I see it. You trippin', stop.

I'm telling you. Watch. Stop, you're gonna make me all nervous.

You're acting nervous. I am nervous.

But, look,

it's gonna be even better next year.

Best Duet: Skye Summers, Jamal Lyon,

"Powerful."

Yes! That's what I need.

That's got to be that. Hey, um...

Listen,

we should probably, um,

talk about what hap...

Dad. What's up?

Hey, Lucious.

We're on our way to the Charlamagne ASA event

to debut our new song we've been working on.

I can't wait for you to hear it.

I'm so excited. I'll meet you in the car, babe.

All right. All right.

Bye. Summer.

Babe?

Dad, just...

chill on it, all right?

Are you hitting that?

Look, well, I'm still gay, all right?

So don't get weird.

She fixed you.

Yeah.

No, Mimi, it was you that told me that if we're not

in music streaming, we're in the dust, right?

I never thought you'd go off and leverage

whole divisions of the company.

The board's going to want to review those kind of decisions.

No, the board don't like risk, Mimi.

That's their problem; they're not like us.

You got to trust me on this one, baby.

I trust you, Lucious.

But I have to answer to the board.

I told you before, to hell with that damn board.

I didn't ask the board's approval when I risked my life

to build the damn company, and I'll be damned

if I'm gonna ask a board of directors

how to move my pieces on my chessboard.

Oh, you're a grandmaster, Lucious.

Damn right.

And when this deal closes, I'm cleaning house.

Whoever stood against me is out.

So the question is:

is you is or is you ain't my Mimi?

Because I always thought we saw the world

the same way, darling.

Mm.

I'm learning to see the world the way you see it, Lucious.

I'm learning something new every day.

My wife just flew in from Milan.

Can't wait for you to meet her.

Does that mean we won't have

any more of our private celebratory parties?

Oh, maybe another time. I have to go back

to Rancho Mirage for some follow-up treatments.

Is everything okay?

Staying positive.

Getting everything done that I need to get done.

I am so glad we closed this Swiftstream deal.

Big dog stuff.

Good morning, y'all. What's up?

It's Angela Yee, and we're here live

at Charlamagne Tha God's ASA nomination jam!

Give it up for Tiana!

She's fire, Ma.

Lyon Dynasty's gonna get so many nominations.

We're going to Empire afterwards

to show the Pepsi commercial. You coming?

I wish I could, baby,

but I got to go back to Wallace prison.

The girls-- they expect me to perf...

Ma. It's all right.

You're always there for me; go be there for them.

I love you. Are you sure?

I'm sure. Okay.

Thank you, baby. I love you.

I love you, too. Hey, Dad.

Hey, boy.

So Rico Suave's not cleaning your pool no more.

Shut up, Lucious.

Look...

I need Laviticus.

I lost the venue for my Cookout.

You mean the Cookout you was planning

with that dude that kidnapped my son?

I'm serious, Lucious. I need this.