The finale season of the Fox hit show Empire was filled with even more
Drama, Suspense, Music, Sex and Loyalty all defining it in its glory, and I’m already amped up for the second season.
Many shows have come and go while few have lasted for new generations to enjoy, but this show has hit a new ultra high and raised the bar for its millions of viewers, as it doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down anytime soon.
With veteran actors, Terrance Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Malik Yoba and rising stars Jussie Smollett, Trai Byers and Bryshere Gray , this show has set a new platform for talented actors beyond being just another sing along.
All throughout this season the suspense has risen above any other ratings within the same time frame, where viewers from all walks of life have tuned in expecting nothing less than the scorching fire from the heat of this show. With most shows, we expect the cliché sex scenes, the retired agent back in the force, or the reoccurring superhero. Yet with Creators, Danny Strong and Lee Daniels, they have definitely brought Fox television to the top of the charts with unexpected rising numbers.
Empire is what many would consider a “HipHopera” Hip hop and Opera in one, where the intense and believable acting correlates with the music behind the story line of the show. Lucious Lyon played by Terrance Howard, is the king of all kings in the Hip Hop and R&B world. With his family of kingdom warriors
Jamal Lyon played by Jussie Smollet, Andre Lyon played by Trai Byers, Hakeem Lyon played by Bryshere Gray and Cookie Lyon played by the beautiful Taraji P Henson, there is no stopping them from sitting at the top.
Like with most families comes dysfunction behind closed doors, but this is one hell of an insane asylum surrounded with gold padded walls and diamond encrusted chains to keep them from going at each others throats in order to keep a strong hold of the empire they sit on. As Lucious oversees all that goes on in his company while battling the devastating disease ALS, his ex-wife, Cookie, who had been released from prison, aggressively fights to claim her right to the throne. Trying to reconcile and forming a bond after 17 years with her sons, she also battles the new love interest of Lucious, Anika Calhoun played by Grace Gealey, whom both have a mutual hate and shade relationship. The three sons passionately fight for the company crown, Trai being the CFO who deals with bipolar disabilities, Jamal the prodigy, estranged from his homophobic father and the youngest Hakeem whose rebellious and self-righteous ways get him into trouble.
With the real life idea that the writers have gained from actual artist in the Hip Hop/ R&B world, the show doesn’t stray away from all the creative chapters that each Wednesday nights have brought us. Real life imitating fiction has created major controversies in the public eye where actors have let the figment of their imaginations get the best of them when realizing that their lack of humility failed them due to greed and vanity.
I’d be kicking myself in the ass too if I messed up this opportunity .
One of the biggest controversies set for the next season is by getting even more real than its already gotten. So. Lets get real.
Using the phrase Nigger to gain higher ratings, I can’t see why Terrance Howard would want to use such a case sensitive slur turned into an urban terminology on the show in order to emulate the reality of the real world. Even in today’s society we still fail to truly understand and educate ourselves about the proper meaning centuries before it was ever used as a racial slur. So to what retrospect would we need to advocate it when it only deteriorates our intellectual identity? Will it set the new pace in our education from which we repetitively fail to learn? No.
In heated debates on CNN, its been questioned whether this show sets us back, where once again black actors are being type casted for the stigma of roles that are predominately written for us. Well, as an actor who has taken a back seat from the likes of that flawed system, I will point out that while this is made typically for an all black cast, It does show a black family in its royalty that is very much true to its nature. Realistically what other minority would fit these roles so accurately? With stereotypes comes truth and in order for Hollywood to make a change in their castings, we as a community need to make up for the many steps we’ve continuously fallen behind on. I see it as progress that we’ve taken an all black cast and moved it from an all black or predominantly black televised station hence BET onto a more wider range. Shows such as Blackish and How to get away with murder, is only the beginning from keeping us pigeonholed in a black and white market.
On another recent controversial article written by the bigoted Nellie Andreeva, where she clearly feels the minorities are finally making their mark in Hollywood and by their own rules. After years of fighting to be the token black friend and associating ourselves with roles that build us up in a positive light, this ignoramus is fearful for what the future might hold. That maybe we’re being seen more than a “Nappy headed slave”. Regardless if this show doesn’t portray us as a group living on a Malibu beach, it’s still a change in speed. Nellie, go crawl back into the grave you came out of from centuries ago. Clearly it wasn’t as deep as the hole you just dug yourself into.
This is definitely a show that I’ve come to appreciate for appealing to a more wider audience while showcasing the many talents of the actors. Think of it as an urban Glee, but with more edge and originality considering that the music isn’t being sampled by popular artist. Names galore have been scripted into each episode like Cuba Gooding Jr., Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Mary J. Blige, Judd Nelson the list goes on!
Courtney Love singing on the show as a reoccurring artist.
The Empire Soundtrack was an even bigger hit taking the lead on the billboard charts from Madonna herself. It would have only made sense to put together a list of songs from the show to capitalize off of. With popular tunes like Drip Drop and You’re so beautiful, which unfortunately didn’t make it to the actual list, you’d still find a few popular beats. With 11 tracks in total, I will admit I was a little disappointed that they didn’t take advantage of all the rights to their music that made the show really what it was. With songs like No Apologies Feat Yazz (Hakeem) and Jussie Smoklett (Jamal) Keep it Moving Feat Serayah McNeil (Tiana) and Yazz you’ll see why a show like this would become such a hit. Though it’s the more powerful lyrics such as Conqueror Feat Estelle and Jussie Smollett (Jamal) Remember The Music Feat Jennifer Hudson and Walk Out On Me Feat Courtney Love, is the prime reason why I had to pick up a copy for myself.
The concept of Empire had many elements keeping us at the edge of our seats with a tight grip, all while entertaining us with special guest appearances such as Courtney Love, Estelle, Snoop Dog (Snoop, Snoopy, SnoopLion, DobermanPincher) Jennifer Hudson and more. Each week the building up of story lines kept us in tune from the infamous way of giving oral pleasure with a bib and the secret Love Child of Lucious. Although the anticipation for the last chapter of season( 1 ) 2 hr finale had everyone throwing watch parties and gearing up for Social Media conversations
It left us wondering how much more drama awaits us. Some concerns about the finale was if they crammed more drama than necessary or could they have left us guessing what was to come next. A few scenes did feel as if they could of played it through as a nice starter for season two. Kind of makes us feel like we’ve seen all that there is to see, and the way they took out Vernon played by Malik Yoba
was a bit premature to say the least. They could have built his character more than just being the side man to Lucious. Anika and Hakeems steamy scene definitely could have been saved for a season down the road. Although it was unexpected, it just seemed like they threw that into the mix without anything leading up to it.
By next season I do hope to see if Camilla Marks played by Naomi Campbell comes back after being bribed off by Lucious which I could only assume was in Hakeem’s retaliation. And what about Tiana? Hakeem’s other love interest. Will she return under the Empire Umbrella? And what about supposed real life couple Grace and Trai dating rumors? So many questions, so many pieces to the puzzle. So yeah maybe there is a lot more to look forward.
Now that their lives are considerably in the limelight, I wish this entire cast all the amount of success and prosperity that the universe can and will offer them. Hopefully this will be the starter point to maybe jumping on board or finding an audition for a walk on role. “Rumor” has it that Hakeem is playing it single, but I’m sure that won’t be for long. Being that he has no type is the ages of his women, I would doubt all the ladies jumping on the #TeamYazz train. ♡
Xox
