Empire Recap Episode 7 – Our Dancing Days (VIDEO)

On tonight’s Empire, tension mounts between Hakeem and Jamal, as Lucious attempts to brand Empire Entertainment as a tight-knit, “family-run” company. Meanwhile, Cookie and Anika don’t hold anything back when it comes to taking over the company.

I’ll be back later with a longer recap! In the meantime, enjoy these videos and DISCUSS!

Empire gets ready for the big investor showcase.  It’s got to be REAL BIG. Break out the technology, says Lucious. MORE HOLOGRAMS.  Vernon does his research, returning with details on  Jamal’s ex-wife. That’s RIGHT. They were married.  It was Lucious’ idea to set his 18 year old gay son up with a beard.  Olivia has been living in Atlanta working as a hair dresser. Now she wants a father for her kid. A dude she was living with was abusing her, and she had to get a restraining order.   Cookie is furious that Lucious forced Jamal to marry, and is not convinced Lola is his baby because,”You gotta have sex to make a baby.”  She’s got a point.  But who knows.  Jamal prefers men, but that does not mean he couldn’t get it up for a woman.

Lucious isn’t looking too good. He’s sweating and seems out of it.  He’s surrounded by people wanting answers to questions–Anika, Cookie, his assistant, Becky, the money people.  Andre has found an important investor willing to partner with the company. You’d think Lucious would look happier, but he’s about to pass out. The dude is a real family man.  The showcase has to stress that Empire is built on strong family values. Good luck with THAT. Everybody has to get along, and as Cookie points out, Jamal and Hakeem can’t stand to be in the same room together.  As Cookie harps on Lucious about this, that and the other thing, he finally screams ENOUGH COOKIE and then collapses!  Who’s the dramatic one now?

ENOUGH COOKIE!

http://youtu.be/RWYspAB3quc

It’s off to the hospital for the barely conscious Lucious. Anika and Cookie argue over who will ride with him in the ambulance.  He looks at Cookie imploringly, but ultimately chooses his fiancé, Anika.  Cookie is pissed. He probably WANTED Cookie, but at this point, Anika is the only one aware of his health issues.

Outside of Jamal’s pad, Michael is packing his boxes into a car. “This is what you want, Jamal,” Michael insists.  He’s still upset that Jamal refused to acknowledge him during the radio interview with Sway.  Jamal reminds him that he said he had “no special girl” which is technically true. But still.  Being denied in front of the whole world was too much for Michael, who reminds Jamal that he does have a girl. A daughter. Michael feels it’s better to leave now before he has to walk out on Jamal AND a child.

Michael Leaves Jamal

http://youtu.be/6IqdpOewFuc

Jamal insists the kid can’t be his because he “slept with that girl once.”  Did Jamal skip health class? That’s all it takes, bud.  “I love you,” says Michael, “but you’re in love with your music.”  Bye Michael. Jamal is left in tears.

Rhonda chats up the big investor at dinner, as they wait for Lucious and Andre to arrive. Andre rushes in with the “news” that Lucious can’t make the meeting because his plane had to make an emergency landing in Baltimore, after catching fire. Wouldn’t an item like that be all over the news? In any case–Andre continues the tradition of providing bullsh*t alibis for his father.  He gets Lucious on the phone, who chats up Terry from his hospital bed.  The investor is gracious. Happy to have dinner with his kids, but he’s never invested in entertainment before. He has to be convinced.  Lucious barely finishes the conversation, before he becomes violently ill.

Cut to Hakeem, who has invited his older lover, Camille, to dinner.  He calls her Bae. She has to ask what that means.  Oy.  The private chef leans into Hakeem and notes astutely this his girl is on a completely different date than he is. Hakeem hands her a gift, all pleased with himself. It’s a giant, gold “Hakeem” necklace. Is he kidding? She laughs in his face, which he totally deserves. Could he be any more narcisistic? “You want to brand me with your name, but you won’t take me out in public.” She reminds him that she’s not one of his “backstreet sluts.”  She wants to be treated the way he treats Tiana. He swears their relationship is just PR.  She wants to come to the IPO concert.  Hakeem reluctantly agrees to put her on the list. But she has to pretend to be a private investor. She’s still pissed they’re on the down low. He promises that next time, she won’t be.  Yeah, right.

Tell Me What You Want

http://youtu.be/_IOfYKBiyxk

Back at the hospital, Lucious, writhing in pain, demands his “concierge” doctor.  The attending knows all about Dr. Mason.  He had his license revoked for administering the same dangerous treatments to another patient.  The weird Russian drugs Lucious is taking to treat his ALS are killing him. Liver damage is on the horizon. Lucious insists the drugs are saving him. The attending insists the drugs are killing him faster than his ALS.  “There is no cure for ALS, and anybody who tries to tell you that there is, and takes your money while they’re at it, is a criminal.” Lucious screams, “Get the hell out of here!”

Just then, Cookie shows up.  A staff member won’t allow her in the room, as she’s not technically family at this point.  When she gets a load of the huge security guard, she thinks better of kicking up a fuss.  She can only watch through the window, as her ex-husband suffers.

The team assembled in the conference room,  including Anika and Andre, work on the IPO presentation with Lucious dialed in from his hospital bed.  He doesn’t like Andre’s idea to begin the presentation with a crowd pleaser, sports. Lucious insists that Empire begins and ends with music. Andre looks deflated.  Lucious insists on opening the show with Empire’s first artist, Elle Dallas. Sentimental favorite. Cookie promises them she’s off drugs at the moment. You can see the wheels in  Andre’s head turning.  He’s scheming!

Hakeem and Jamal rehearse their number with Cookie.  Jamal plays all passive aggressive, shoving Hakeem “accidentally” as they work the stage.  Cookie notices. She’s annoyed.  Hakeem cuts, and they argue.  “SHUT UP,” Cookie screams.  She calls them both selfish ingrates. Andre has been hustling up the investors to fulfill their father’s dream. It’s a dream that he worked his way out of the projects to achieve. JUST FOR THEM. Can’t they just do this one thing for him

Cookie gets right into Hakeem’s face.  At that moment, Lucious enters the room. “Listen to your mother!” he commands. “Very wise woman,” he says.  Yep. He heard all that. Lucious tells Cookie his illness was just food poisoning.  “What’s really going on with you, Lucious,” she says.  “Those were some nice words you said there,” says Lucious.  Cookie insists it was only about the boys coming in between “me and my money.” You’re a liar, Cookie.

Back at Empire, Lucious assistant, Becky, can’t get the elevator. It’s stuck on 17. She calls over Hot Security Chief (“How are YOU” she asks him coyly). He saves the day with a key. The doors open, and there’s Jamal’s “daughter” standing there all alone with a little purple suitcase and a stuffed animal.  “I lost my mommy,” she says.

Lost

Becky and Malcolm find Lola lost in the elevator.

http://youtu.be/PWJHhZRqoSo

It turns out, Jamal’s ex-wife deserted her child.  Jamal, needing to blow off some steam, drives off. Meanwhile, Elle is missing in action. “Miss thang is gonna love that, Elle making you look bad to Lucious,” says Porsha.  Cookie snaps at her.  Porsha rubbing it in. Could she be seriously considering Anika’s generous job offer?

Finally, Elle arrives.  It’s time to rehearse!  Thank God she’s not high. Not yet, anyway. I expect Andre to be slipping something in her drink any minute.  Courtney Love is back in the role, and she sounds great. It’s hard to believe that a hip hop outfit like Empire would have had a punk rocker on their roster in the early years, though.

Elle Rehearses “Walk Out On Me”

http://youtu.be/-RVVTMmsmKU

Jamal walks into Lucious office, where Becky is babysitting Lola. “That’s my daddy,” she says to Becky. Awkward.  He breezes past them to Lucious’ inner office.  He reminds Jamal to thank Becky for minding his kid. Jamal is all “what makes you so sure she’s my daughter…our marriage was a sham.”  Lucious insists he did it to protect Jamal’s promising career.  “It’s the same thing you did the other day on the radio.”  Hm. Telling a fib on the radio doesn’t come close to entering a fake marriage. In any case, Lucious commends Jamal on doing the smart thing.  Which of course, at that instant, reminds Jamal what a horrible thing it actually was.

Lucious heard that Michael left. While he’s not sorry he’s gone, he is sorry that Jamal is unhappy.  He promises his son that he’ll eventually meet someone who understands what it means to be with an artist. “It’s hard,” says Lucious. They have a moment. This is sweet.  Jamal admits that the little girl COULD be his daughter.  Lucious offers to take her in until they find the mother. “You’re not on your own here,” he promises.

Cut to Leviticus. It’s time for the IPO concert!  Hakeem and Jamal perform outside as the red carpet arrivals leave their cars.  Elle makes a big splash as she blows air kisses, slightly embarrassing one of the money dudes.  Becky, always on top of things, gives Lucious the rundown on all the investors and media people before she introduces them.  He’s sweating. Is he going to last until the end of the event?  Cookie and Elle have a little green tea before her performance. Elle is really nervous. She doesn’t want to let Cookie down.

When Cookie excuses herself for something, Anika takes cozies up next to Elle.  Dripping with insincerity,  Boo Boo Kitty goes on about how HAPPY she is for Elle. When the singer gets up to take a selfie with a fan, Anika slips something in her tea. I KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. But I expected those shenanigans from Andre. Boo Boo Kitty is a bitch. I can’t wait until Cookie kicks her ass.

Hakeem spots Camille at the bar. He wasn’t gonna drink. But that changed his mind, as he grabs Andre’s drink right out of his hand.  Lucious is curious about that “Liberian girl over there.”  Becky recites Camile’s fake deets before she introduces them.  Lucious instantly begins flirting with her. UH OH. SUPER AWKS. She mentions that “her people” say that Hakeem is very talented and destined for super stardom.  Hot Security Chief calls Lucious away, as if he senses something.

Cookie finds Elle in the restroom high off of her ass. Cookie is furious.  Now, she’s got to tell Lucious that she cannot perform. Elle swears she didn’t take anything. She’s not lying.

Also off his nut, is Hakeem, who is swigging Champaign straight out of a bottle.  Since Elle can’t perform, Hakeem and Jamal have to put aside their beef and perform.  They’re up first.  Cookie insists they shake hands. “Tonight isn’t about you.”  They do.  Finally, they relent and hug. Differences are put aside, for now.  “My boys!” Cookie beams.

Lucious introduces his “wickedly gifted” sons to the investors.  “The future of the Empire!” he crows.  HAKEEM AND JAMAL LYON!  They sing a hip hop version of the classic 80’s Dire Straits hit “Money for Nothing.”  Chick dancers dressed like retro MTV robots, dance around them. Important Investor Man, Terry, appears to be impressed.  During the performance, Lucious isn’t looking good.  He pulls Cookie aside.  He can’t talk. All of a sudden!  Anika offers to do the speech. She knows it.  She wrote it. Andre insists HE should give the speech.  The money people are getting nervous.

Hakeem and Jamal perform “Money for Nothing”

C’MON PEOPLE IT’S OBVIOUS WHO SHOULD BE GIVING THE DAMN SPEECH.  And Lucious knows it. “I need somebody who can excite those damn people, ” he croaks out.  He asks Cookie to do it. She can represent Empire as a family business.  She’s a little freaked out, but agrees to do it.

Anika wants to sue the concierge doc, but Lucious insists that it’s a tremor, and an ALS symptom.  Cookie takes the stage. Important Investor Man, Terry, wonders where Lucious is as Cookie begins reading off the teleprompter.  She stops and waves her hand. “Child, I ain’t reading that.”  Andre has his head in his hands. But you know Cookie’s got this.

She talks about their humble beginnings in West Philly. About how Lucious is a musical God.  A crazy son of a bitch who had a dream!  She hits it off with the money men IMMEDIATELY. Because when it comes down to it, they’re hustlers, just like she is. They speak the same language. THEY LOVE HER.  “Everything Lucious touches turns to platinum, and that’s a fact,” says Cookie.  “Lucious and I had three sons before he dumped me,” she cracks, calling Andre brilliant. He’ll make every last investor filthy rich. Jamal and Hakeem, the artists, exemplify Empire as a dream come true.  She convinces the suits that the company will be handed down from generation to generation.  Lucious claps and smiles. The two of them have a bond not even his children can understand.  The crowd cheers for Cookie. Anika sits with a big ole stank face as a teary Lucious whispers, “I love you.”

Cookie did good. Terry needed to be convinced they were a solid, family driven company, and he’s sold.  Anika wants to cancel a business trip to Chicago. Lucious persuades her to keep her plans.  BYE FELICIA.  Lucious already has his voice back.  He promises Cookie he’ll tell her what’s really going on.

A family meeting at the Lyon household.  Jamal is still getting the hang of daddyhood as he hands his daughter over to Cookie.  Lucious and Hot Security Chief discuss their plans to turn Empire and the homestead into impenetrable fortresses.  Cookie seductively wonders if he could beef up the security at HER place since she lives alone (bat eyes here).  Lucious just rolls his eyes. The maid takes the baby before they begin. All hell is about to break loose.

Lucious does not beat around the bush. “I’m sick,” he says, “I have ALS.”  He explains what it is, and that he’ll be dying sooner rather than later.

Hakeem is angry. Lucious explains that the IPO is his legacy for the family.  Andre flips out. He want to know WHO knows.  He’s worried about the IPO. “He’s dying and your worried about the IPO?” Hakeem goes for him. Jamal breaks them apart. Rhonda attends to Andre. His bi-polar symptoms kick into high gear.  He better be taking his medication.  He snaps at her and storms out.  “I’m sorry Lucious,” she says as she follows.

Lucious takes Hakeem and Jamal aside. He needs them both to be strong.  “We will dad,” says a clearly devastated Hakeem. “Just tell us what you need,” says Jamal.  He hugs them. They are taking it immeasurably better than Andre, who is sitting, catatonic, with his clothes on, under a running shower.  Rhonda finds him. She’s freaking out. He’s hyperventilating.  She slaps his face to get him breathing and paying attention. She promises him he’ll run the company. He’s going to have everything he’s ever worked for.

Cookie and Lucious are alone, reminiscing over old times.  The things she said about him from the podium made Lucious feel really good.  He feels like he owes her. YOU DO LUCIOUS.  She reminds him that it was her dream too.  In fact, her dreams were always bigger.  It’s because she knows what he’s capable of. Cookie tears up. “That’s why you got to beat this Lucious.” Gah. She’s in denial. “You gonna beat this thing, because I can’t lose you again.” HEARTBREAKING.  “You have me now,” he says as he takes her drink and asks her to dance.

OMG CRYING NOW BYE. They dance to a song that Lucious admits was about her.  THEY KISS AND KISS AGAIN. YES.  They can’t get to the bedroom fast enough, as she jumps into his arms.  UH OH. Anika is home from her business trip. Early. She sees the half empty snifters, enters the bedroom. And there’s Cookie with her legs wrapped around Lucious. Woops. Anika walks away without a word. DUN DUN DUN. Until next week…

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