EMPIRE: THE DEVIL QUOTES SCRIPTURE (TV)
Summary
One in this musical drama series about the members of the morally grey Lyon family and their struggles for control of the prestigious Empire Entertainment company in New York. In this episode, Tiana shoots her new music video, though Lucious tells Hakeem to continue recording before shooting his own. Lucious has a violent encounter with Mel, manager of Tiana's co-performer Veronica, and Cookie arrives to demand details about Bunkie's funeral. Lucious is then angered to see that Kidd Fo-Fo has signed with his rival, Creedmoor Records, and Detective Walker informs Lucious that there may have been an eyewitness to Bunkie's murder. Lucious recruits Andre to use his political contacts to make sure that "justice is served" in Bunkie's case, and Cookie attempts to poach a successful songwriting team, the Jorgensons, for Jamal, though Anika quickly intervenes. Jamal reminds his mother that he writes his own material, but she tells him that he needs a "breakout hit" unlike his usual work. Anika's P.I., Gus, shows Lucious photos of Cookie meeting with federal agents, and he finds her at the funeral home and demands to know if she "snitched" on him to secure her release. Cookie confronts her sister Carol, who swears that she told no one of Cookie's deal with Carter, and she suggests that Cookie use a former friend, the talented Puma, to write Jamal's songs.
Gladys Knight performs at Bunkie's funeral, and Lucious delivers a eulogy in which he admits to "feeling responsible" for his friend's death. Andre questions his mistress, Deputy Mayor Alvarez, about Detective Walker, and Lucious suffers pain from his ALS as Anika informs him that their business is doing well, thanks in part to Hakeem's high-profile romance with Tiana. Walker finds that the eyewitness, a homeless man known as "Ol' Salty," is mentally ill and likely unswearable, and Rhonda asks Andre about Alvarez's information, apparently entirely comfortable with their affair. Hakeem encounters his secret girlfriend Camilla at a nightclub, and Carter orders Cookie to keep Lucious from learning about their long-term case against Frank Gathers, another drug dealer, and Cookie requests her help in tracking down Puma. She introduces Carter to Lucious as her parole officer, and Lucious invites Cookie to a family dinner celebrating Hakeem and Tiana's budding romance. Cookie finds Puma, now going by "Dwayne," living peacefully on a farm, and though he tells her that he is through with show business, he agrees to give her an old song of his for Jamal out of lingering affection for her.
Cookie plays the song for Jamal, who decries it as "old-school," but she urges him to sing it for Lucious, knowing that it will bother him because of his former jealousy of Puma. Walker questions Ol' Salty again and has a realization when he rambles about seeing "a lion," and Lucious decides to offer a reward for more solid information about the murder. Cookie and Anika continue butting heads over dinner, and Jamal receives a positive reaction when he performs "his" new song for everyone. Lucious recognizes the song and announces that it is perfect for another artist, and Jamal storms out in disgust, realizing that his father will never respect him or his talents. Andre hints to Hakeem that Lucious will choose him despite his lack of talent, and Cookie observes that something is "chasing" Lucious apart from his fear of Jamal's success. Hakeem secretly spends time with Camille, who assures him that he will indeed inherit everything, and when Lucious arrives unexpectedly at Jamal's apartment, Jamal calls his father out on his cruel "toughen-up" attitude and states that his own obedience is no longer "for sale." Lucious points out that he supports him financially, and so Jamal immediately departs his apartment with Michael in tow, declaring that he will now "go after his empire." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: FOX
- DATE: November 30, 1999 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:43:59
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 121885
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; LGBTQ+ Collection - Drama; Drama; Families
- SERIES RUN: Fox - TV series, 2015-2020
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Brian Grazer … Executive Producer
- Francie Calfo … Executive Producer
- Lee Daniels … Executive Producer, Created by
- Danny Strong … Executive Producer, Created by
- Ilene Chaiken … Executive Producer, Writer
- Howard Griffith … Co-Executive Producer
- Wendy Calhoun … Co-Executive Producer
- David Rambo … Co-Executive Producer
- Sanaa Hamri … Co-Executive Producer, Director
- Attica Locke … Co-Producer
- Malcolm Spellman … Co-Producer
- Sean Sforza … Co-Producer
- Timbaland … Executive Music Producer
- Jim Beanz … Music Producer
- Joshua Allen … Writer
- Fil Eisler … Music by
- Terrence Howard … Cast, Lucious Lyon
- Bryshere Y. Gray … Cast, Hakeem Lyon
- Jussie Smollett … Cast, Jamal Lyon
- Trai Byers … Cast, Andre Lyon
- Grace Gealey … Cast, Anika Calhoun
- Malik Yoba … Cast, Vernon Turner
- Kaitlin Doubleday … Cast, Rhonda Lyon
- Taraji P. Henson … Cast, Cookie Lyon
- Cuba Gooding Jr. … Cast, Dwayne "Puma" Robinson
- Naomi Campbell … Cast, Camilla Marks
- Gabourey Sidibe … Cast, Becky
- Rafael de la Fuente … Cast, Michael Sanchez
- Serayah … Cast, Tiana Brown
- Antoine McKay … Cast, Bunkie Williams
- Tasha Smith … Cast, Carol Hardaway
- Gladys Knight … Cast, Herself
- Damon Gupton … Cast, Detective Calvin Walker
- Nealla Gordon … Cast, Harlow Carter
- Ta'Rhonda Jones … Cast, Porsha
- Kris D. Lofton … Cast, Kidd Fo-Fo
- Veronika Boseman … Cast, Veronica
- Tyler Ravelson … Cast, Tay-O
- Jerry MacKinnon … Cast, One Stop
- Chris Powell … Cast, L'il Prince
- AzMarie Livingston … Cast, Chicken
- Eric Staves … Cast, Ammo
- Alejandro Cordoba … Cast, Carlos
- Anton Bassey … Cast, Mel
- D'Wayne Taylor … Cast, Ennis Green
- Justin Cornwell … Cast, Songwriter
- Christopher Ash … Cast, Hans Jorgenson
- Gabriel Franken … Cast, Bjorn Jorgenson
- Howie Johnson … Cast, Gus Berger
- John Carrafa … Cast, Director
- Tyler Tharpe … Cast, Luther Holloway
- Shanequa Beal … Cast, Keisha Holloway
- Jeffrey T. Rogers … Cast, Detective Frost
- Sari Sanchez … Cast, Raquel Alvarez
- Brad Armacost … Cast, Ol' Salty
- Cyril Smith … Cast, Uniformed Cop
- Keith Gill … Cast, Little Boy
- Brittani Green … Cast, Young Mother