Also: Lucious is still a demon, and Anika debuts akillernew set of lingerie.
Its now or never, he tells her.
The Tiana performance, though, is becoming an issue.
Credit: Chuck Hodes/FOX
Cookie advises Helene that the performance should have a little bass, a little Black Girl Magic in it.
But Helene is actually a secret/not-so-secret racist!
Tianas natural hair doesnt really go with the aesthetic of the collection, Helene says.
Im sure you’ve got the option to make it work, Helene tells Cookie.
God, I hate this woman and weve known her for three minutes!
And hell do anything to make it happen.
So Andre goes to Cookie, acting like a soft, sensitive, recently bereaved son.
Cookie offers to give him whatever he needs, and he lights up immediately.
You know what would be great?
Could Nessa shadow Tiana for this HVW fashion show?
Cookie allows it but tells Nessa to come correct because Tianas extremely nervous.
Yeah this isnt going to end well.
Also, he doesnt seem to be acting erratic can we assume heistaking his meds?
Maybe Jamal did actually make him a schedule?
Or is Andre being scary because he doesnt have his stuff under control?
We know how muchthosetwo love each other.
Well, I hope the butter knife is dull!
The conversation is overheard, though, by one of Shynes associates whos sitting at a table nearby.
Over at HVW, things arenotgoing well.
It immediately bursts into flames.
Ill get you another one.
This sets Tiana off: This is couture, there isnt another!
Are you stupid?!
Shes definitely recording and its online in no time.
NESSA IS COLD!!!!!
I was on her team before, but I dont think so anymore.
Tiana didnt do anything to you!
Tiana is an angel!
Youre supposed to be on the same team.
That Lite-Brite wife of his, shes evil, Leah tells Tariq.
Tariq replies that if she can help him prove it, he can make Anika go away.
They meet again later, and Leah lets slip that Anika and Lucious are sleeping together.
Specifically, doing dirty, nasty sex.
(Also Lucious father).
What was he like?
I spent my whole life wishing Id known him.
Is it wrong that Im on Tariqs side?
Heisthe good guy here, after all!
But back to the Tiana issue.
Cookies got a problem to solve, and Andre pipes in, Nessa feels terrible, truly.
YEAH, RIGHT!!!
and this video, people are calling her a diva.
Of course, Andre says hell be the one to talk to Helene and fix things.
Now for some Jamal we hadnt gotten enough of him this week.
The technology is laughable its hilarious to watch the audience get downloaded into the virtual stadium.
Is thisreallythe way to get over PTSD?
I mean, Im no doctor.
But this seems harsh.
You got electricity running through your nipples now?
Basically, hes here because hes angry Jamals going to help Angelo.
Hes also still furious about the song Jamal played for Cookie last week.
That song you played at your mamas house?
I donteverwant to hear that again, he says.
It gets worse: He says if Jamal screws upthisperformance, hell kick him off Empire.
Hell be an independent artist.
Hows that for motivation?
Write a song about that.
When he leaves, Philip has had an epiphany: Luciousis your PTSD trigger!
He thinks Jamal will need to work on his Lucious issues to get better.
But Jamal isnt so sure.
Lucious is everyones damn PTSD trigger, he says.
I think Lucious ismyPTSD trigger sometimes.
Meanwhile, Mr. Wharton himself, Andre, is over at Helenes trying to remedy things, a.k.a.
trying to get his girlfriend Tianas job.
Turns out shes worse than we even thought.
If I were racist, would I let her play with Michael Strahans girls?
Someone whos more black like Nessa Parker.
Im going to see if Ellie Goulding is available she has the right look.
You mean the white look, Andre counters.
THE NERVE OF THIS B-!
But then he turns back: You know, your daughter has such beautiful hair.
I see why you love it.
Hes going to do something to that childs hair.
Its cruel, but also … its just hair, right?
And it gets the job done.
So Nessa gets her Destinys Child on and performs a song on the runway, surrounded by black girls.
Its Empire world and not everything is normal.
But Andre is cruel.
Are you feeling Tiana again?
Careful baby brother, Im gonna have to get at Tiana, too…
They circle each other like actual lions and get into a quick fight.
That feels like forever ago.
Watching the show at home with Hakeem, Tiana says she knew Nessa was shady.
She should never have let her shadow her.
Hakeem tells her it isnt over, then gives her ice cream and braids her hair.
I got a daughter now, he says.
I gotta practice.
I miss sweet Hakeem.
I miss Hakeem and Tiana!
They just work well together, dont they?
The show is a hit but not with everyone.
Helene pulls Mrs. DuBois aside afterward and says, Get away from those Lyons while you might.
The music, the violent lyrics, its not just for show.
You cannot have Angelo associate with them.
The question is: Will Mrs. DuBois trust the Cookie she learned to love at that dinner?
Or listen to her hoity-toity jerk of a friend?
Cookies not 100 percent pleased either.
Youre changing some way that Im not sure I have a handle on.
He assures her hes up, and hes awake.
You know who else is up?
Anika, and shes wearing aninsanely sexylingerie/bodysuit thing that only Grace Gealy could pull off.
(How is she not more famous?!)
She walks around Lucious dining room shattering vases while he freaks out.
Calmly, she just says shes redecorating.
Isnt that what good housewives do?
The ones who dont have jobs?
So this is about the A&R thing.
Of course, thats just when Leah walks in saying, STOP IT!!!
which is kind of hilarious.
Hes jealous of everything you got, she says, especially the memories of your daddy.
You know who doesnt have fond memories of his daddy?
Jamal whos gathered the family to perform a new song.
Its hard to call you Dad, he sings.
Youre something like the worst nightmare Ive ever had.
The hook is that hes a cold, cold man, and he taunts, Your judgments coming.
Its all past due.
Wow Jamal, tell it like it is!
The whole family ends up hearing about Cookies fathers death, which Lucious absolutely wont accept the blame for.
Ill be damned if I will ever apologize for loving you, he says eventually.
But he expects the family to support him, and theyre silent, on both sides.
What are Cookie and Hakeem and Andre thinking right now?
Jamal swears it cant be true, but judging by everyones faces, I think he knows it is.
So… where do we go from here?
Who is on whose side?
Will Jamal become an independent artist and go live on an island with Philip?
Will Tiana become Bellas stepmom?
Only time will tell…
