Lucious and Andre show up at Shyne’s place, and Andre notices Nessa’s voice right away. Before they head inside, a police officer creeps along, enraging Andre. Nessa’s belting it out in the studio. Andre can’t take his eyes off of her.
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Lucious and Andre are only there to lock down Nessa with Empire. But, of course, Shyne has to make things complicated by entertaining other offers. The look on Lucious’ face is pure rage.
Lucious takes out his anger on Becky, who thinks she should have signed Nessa already. Cookie walks in, and they immediately start bickering over business. Lucious is literally spitting jealousy over Cookie’s relationship with Angelo.
Pure & Cruel Intentions
Angelo makes Cookie swoon by having a few of his WOKE kids put on a performance for her. Afterwards, he asks her out on a date! Man, Angelo is one fine man. Cookie can’t resist! He’s actually the guy she should want to be with.
But Cookie just can’t help her feelings for Lucious. He comes up to Cookie and tells her that he’s worried about Angelo. “He doesn’t know you,” Lucious says. He wonders if Angelo’s intentions are pure.
Andre spills the beans that Jamal went to go see Freda in jail, and he’s planning on going back. Lucious is proud that Andre is back on his side, or at least he thinks that. When Jamal goes to see Freda, she’s beaten to a bloody pulp. He vows to help her.
Hakeem tries to officially get Nessa to sign with Empire during a live stream. Unfortunately, Shyne tags along. Hakeem is young and naive, so Shyne easily manipulates him. Hakeem writes down at $2.5 million offer for Nessa’s contract on a napkin, and Shynd ends up showing it to the world, letting everyone know where Empire stands. Oh, Hakeem…
Don’t Mess With Cookie
Cookie ends up wearing a very short but very sexy dress on her date with Angelo. He forgets to tell her the event they’re going to is a black tie affair, so Cookie feels like a fish out of water. Cookie immediately feels the judgment from the high society biotches in attendance. She screams in the middle of the opera performance, and all eyes end up on her. She’s in the bathroom when she hears two women walk in and call her a “hood rat.” Because she’s Cookie Lyon and fierce as hell, she walks out of the bathroom stall with so much swagger and gives them a piece of her mind. I am L I V I N G for this scene.
Angelo continues to call Cookie, but she won’t pick up. She’s listening to Tiana complain about recording a diss track. She doesn’t want her music to be about two guys.
Meanwhile, Angelo goes to see Jamal, who gives him some advice about how to impress Cookie. Angelo needs to be able to live in Cookie’s world, instead of trying to force her into his.
Andre goes to see Nessa, and he’s clearly into her. He dishes out some pretty obvious truths, like Shyne’s exploiting her. Andre urges Nessa to take what’s hers and not have someone like Shyne controlling her. Before he leaves, they get very, very close. I’m already shipping them. He easily got Nessa’s signature, so all Empire needed was Shyne’s John Hancock.
Well, Shynes comes into Lucious’ office and punches the bejeezus out of Andre. They get into an all-out brawl. He nearly shoots Andre, but Lucious hits him with a bat. Instead of just signing the contract, Shyne continues to put up a fight. So Lucious puts a gun in his face. Shyne quickly changes his tune.
World War III
Freda gets out of jail with the help of Jamal. But just when Jamal think he’s finally righting some wrongs, Lucious reveals that he’s the one who had her beat up in jail. Freda played Jamal. Because Jamal had her deemed temporarily insane, everything she says is not credible. Now Lucious can never go down for her father’s murder.
Angelo shows up at Tiana’s live stream event to see Cookie. Tiana performs her clapback song and is so fierce it hurts. The song is ALL about girl power. Lucious shows up and taunts Cookie and Angelo. Lucious tells Angelo how Cookie got her name. Lucious gave it to her, of course. “We always find ourselves back together,” Lucious tells Angelo. “We’ll see about that,” Angelo claps back.
The end of the episode features Shyne declaring war on Lucious. This war is going to become World War III when Shyne finds out what Nessa’s up to. Nessa and Andre end up having sex on his office table, while he’s hallucinating Rhonda. Don’t kid yourself. It’s SO HOT. Andre better watch his back, though.
HollywoodLifers, what did you think of tonight’s Empire? Let us know!