'Empire' recap: Except for Lucious, the Lyons unite for Hakeem

Nov. 4, 2015 10 PM PT

Thankfully, baseball season is over and "Empire" popped back into our lives, bringing the drama, and a little romance for our beloved Becky.

At the start of the episode titled "A High Hope for a Low Heaven," Becky has her beautiful brown legs wrapped around a gangster with a soft side by the name of J-Poppa (Mo McRae). Though she has to be at work in the morning, she can't pull herself away from her boo.

[Let me take this moment to bring your attention to the gravity of Becky -- a full-bodied, darker-complected woman -- being in a romantic relationship on broadcast television. Surely I don't have to say it, but this doesn't happen often. Our larger black women are often the domineering boss chicks devoid of sexuality. Touche, Lee Daniels!]

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At the Lyon Dynasty the next morning, Cookie receives a ransom video message from the folks who kidnapped Hakeem. Initially ignoring it as another attempt by Lucious to kill her new business venture, she makes her way to Empire to put papa Lyon in his place.

But Lucious had nothing to do with it. A group of gangsters, with a Texas Longhorns-like brand on their backs, is making an effort to show the Lyon Dynasty how the 'hood actually operates -- especially since their headquarters are in the heart of it at Ghetto (something-that-rhymes-with-"class") Studios. Every moment Hakeem is not found, though, the less time he has to prepare with Menage a Trois for its Apple concert spot.

Meanwhile, Jamal is in the studio with Lucious singing the beginning of “You Broke Love,” which borrows the calls a pilot might make over an intercom: “Delta John to Alpha One, blah blah blah.” But he’s using his full voice -- not the squeaky, auto tune-ish part of his voice -- so the lyrics of the song don' t really matter.

Jamal, nonetheless, isn't delivering on Lucious' expectations. His mind is still focused on finding Michael on the balcony having sex with the Rolling Stone photographer from a couple weeks ago. Like a woman once scorned, though, he channels that energy into a powerful vocal pleasing to his father.

Once Lucious is made aware of Hakeem's snatching, he unites with Cookie to get his cub back.

When we last left Andre, he was getting his Jesus on as a newly baptized man of the cloth. Professionally, however, he's being tested as the leader of Gutta Life Records, which houses the rawest, toughest Empire artists. But Andre, straight-laced business aficionado that he is, feels the need to make some cuts. He has Becky set up meetings with each label's artists, one of whom is her cuddle buddy J-Poppa.

After paying the kidnappers $40,000, Hakeem is released from captivity, but he hops out of the delivery van before it makes it to where Cookie and Lucious are waiting for him. Cut to Miss Boo Boo Kitty, who's on the phone with her mom having a panic attack about her life left in pieces. As she returns home, apparently from a workout that left her emotional and sweaty, Hakeem accosts her in the doorway. And because he's been completely emasculated after being snatched and sees sex with older women as a way of demonstrating how much of a man he is, he hooks up with Anika.

Following the booty call, Hakeem shows up at Lucious' home, where the family is waiting. A doctor looks him over for injuries: His eye is busted, and there are a number of scratches on his back, resembling the Longhorn-like symbol of his captors.

Back at the ranch, or studio, Jamal's manning up himself following his rejection to a concert at the Staples Center. He calls out his father and their marketing team for positioning him as a gay artist, as opposed to an artist that just happens to be gay. He hires Jameson (William Fichtner), a former record exec, LGBT advocate and Staples board member, to rectify the issue. But Jameson and Lucious have history.

We find out that when Lucious parted ways with Creedmore (remember, his rival record company that tried to poach Anika and their artists), he was set to sign with Jameson. Then he found out Jameson was gay and ran the other way with his tail tucked between his legs.

In between all of this, we get a taste of two new songs. Jamal tackles the emotional "You Broke Love" -- which is actually amazing, the pilot talk notwithstanding -- and Hakeem and Menage a Trois have "Runnin' " complete with stripper kicks.

While Hakeem is practicing with his girl group for its major performance, we see a little more of the effects of his kidnapping. His timing is off and his confidence shaken.

In the Empire conference room, Andre begins the meetings with his label's artists. It's as if he's interviewing them for jobs: "Who are your hip-hop inspirations?" "What is one thing about hip-hop that you would change if you could?" He really isn't cut out for this label, but when chatting with Becky's lover J-Poppa, church boy is given a little hope.

J-Poppa is a PK (preacher's kid), or, rather, a preacher's grandkid. "Poppa" is an homage to his grandad and the "J" is the initial of his first name, Job -- as in the Bible book, not work. After trading Bible verses, the two agree to gamble with incorporating God into J-Poppa's raps.

We're then reintroduced to Cookie's budding romance with Laz (Adam Rodriguez). As he continues to broker performance deals for the Lyon Dynasty, the ex-cop encourages Cookie to hire security to protect her assets. He suggests putting the gangsters who kidnapped Hakeem on payroll to prevent them from wreaking havoc once more.

With Hakeem in tandem, Cookie takes Laz's advice. At the meeting, however, Hakeem goes rogue, whipping out a gun in the face of his attackers. Cookie convinces him to lower the gun, at which point she uses it to lay down the law -- reminding the thugs that she too is from the streets.

At Leviticus (the club), Gutta Life is putting on a concert. While J-Poppa is performing, Andre lets Jamal know that he's aware, and disproves, of the fraternization between his artist and VP of A&R, though he's not going to nip it in the bud (yet!). J-Poppa uses this concert to try Andre's new gospel rap plan to bring the church to the rugged masses.

In the midst of "Ear 2 Tha Street," he recites Romans 7: 15-16. And Becky and Lucious are not here for it.

Next up, Freda Gatz aims to please the crowd. But a heckler won't let won't up. He goes home with her footprint on his forehead. All this gives Andre reason to kick her off the label, but Lucious won't let it happen.

"You put me in charge," Andre asserts.

"No," Lucious retorts. "I put you in place."

The day of Hakeem's big Apple performance is now upon us, and he's visibly nervous, taking a break in the alley behind the building. Lucious rolls up offering an "olive branch" in the form of a beat. Hakeem declines (again) and returns to the building to prep for his concert.

Backstage, the whole family is reunited, momentarily. As Lucious tries to play concerned disciplinarian, the brothers arrive to support their bro's biggest career moment to date. After kicking out their parents, Jamal and Andre make an effort to rebuild Hakeem's oh-so-fragile masculinity. Though it seems to have worked, when Hakeem takes to the stage, he's met by his father's menacing and maniacal eyes and chokes. With the help of the lead of Menage a Trois, though, he rebounds well.

Lucious leaves Hakeem's concert early to go find Freda, who left Leviticus mid-performance following her altercation. He woos her into his car with a beat he says he's made for her -- the same beat Hakeem refused. They share a father-daughter-like moment over freestyling, something he really should be trying to do with his sons.

At last, Cookie has come to her senses that Lucious is far from the man she needs to be with. And she wants Laz to show her what she’s been missing. Her legs wrapped around his waist, she tears off his shirt. On his back is the same Longhorn-ish brand of Hakeem's kidnappers. But she doesn't see it.

Other moments of note:

‘Empire’ recap: Except for Lucious, the Lyons unite for Hakeem

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