Empire Recap Episode 8 : Jamaal's Gay... AND?
Lawd... that opening scene had me getting all in my emotions. Now, at first I as thinking, why is Lucious dressed like a paperboy from the roaring 20's... and that sepia filter was doing a lot. But... when he started singing to Cookie and she started lovin on her kids... my thug tears started to swell... but i didn't cry though.
Cookie Lyons is a BUSINESS WOMAN. Didn't Lucious tell her he had ALS the night before. Less than 8 hours later... she's talmbout a compilation album, a documentary, a concert... COOKIE!!!!
All them thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighs on that bed. Taraji P. Henson. Got damn got damn!
Oh so NOW you wanna pray, Hakeem.
Jamaal: "Hakeem why we meeting at a Catholic church (YOU KNOW WE'RE PENTECOSTAL?!)--is what he wanted to say. Bahaha.
"I'll do it for dad if you do it for mom." "I'll do it for them both." If that exchange and olive branch extension between Jamaal and Hakeem didn't make you smile... you ain't sh*t. At all.
I'm just grinning from ear to ear. Now this first recording of "You're so Beautiful" was a lil rough, but to see Cookie, Lucious, Jamaal, and Hakeem all in the booth happy and joyful, made my soul soar.
Then here comes Andre's salty ass.... whatchu want Andre?!
Anika is maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad. Bahahahaha.
Wait... that has to have been the most calm cheating confrontation I have EVER witnessed. In my whole entire black life. And we're reminded that Lucious ain't sh*t.
These scenes between Ronda and Andre continue to creep me out. Nevermind Andre is essentially PIMPING his WIFE out to secure the interim CEO post... but all I could think of seeing him tonguing down Ronda in that mask was Elphaba from "Wicked." ::shudders::
Hakeem's reasons for acting like a spoiled twat towards Cookie: "She's always bossing me around, walking into rooms when she's not supposed to, and acting like she runs the show." Bahahaha. Hakeem shut your dumb ass up! That is EZZACKLY what Mama's are supposed to do!
"You love Jamaal more than me and you know it." And THERE we have it. The crux of the issue. The brass tax. The nitty gritty. The rooda to the tooda. Hakeem finally says what we ALL know he's been thinking. That kind of deeply seated anger is understandable given the circumstances.
Y'all see what COMMUNICATION can do?! Chile they talked for 2 minutes, and everything is [seemingly] GOOD. TALK to your family members. TALK to your frenemies. Get all that sh*t out in the table. COMMUNICATE!
And notice... Jamaal has the same relationship with Lucious.
Alright. So I didn't see the film director asking Jamaal out, coming. But I'd like to state, for the record, that "Hi" was literally the MOST lame pick up line...ever. It kind of made me chuckle about how unreal that moment actually is, compared to real life. But...hey, it's TV.
"Uuuuuuugh Did you get rid of FAKE ASS Lena Horne?!" Bahahhahahahahahahhahahahahahha The laugh I just let out from the depths of my inner being, y'all. I'm CRINE! Why is Cookie so damn petty!
Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard's onscreen chemistry is electrifying!
Ronda's face when she saw Mr. Blakely scoot up in that power wheelchair: PRICELESS.
Thank goodness Ronda is finally showing a moral compass. I thought homegirl was LOST. But she doesn't want to be a geriatric whore. Good for you Ronda. You go Ronda!
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Number 21 is me flatlining when Jamaal started singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." I can't tell if I LOVED IT or HATED IT. So I'm just gon die. And not say anything else. He sounds AMAZING though.
"Oooooh it's cooooooold up in here." It sure was. Because Andre had the DUMB FACE when Lucious said, "NAY!" Sorry Andre. Do not pass go. Do not collect Interim CEO status.
WHO. IS. THE. STYLIST?! Who?! Somebody! Tell! Me! WHO PUT JAMAAL IN TD JAKES' REVIVAL SUNDAY GOWN?! WHO DID THIS TO MY HOMIE JAMAAL?! I WANT ANSWERS! SWAY, WHERE YOU AT?! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE HELL THIS IS ALL ABOUT!
CHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILE! The saaaaaaaaaame people who made Jamaal's Sunday suit made Bishop Lucious "Lying Ass" Lyon's Purity Cloth Regalia, adorned with country diamond encrusted buttons and all.
Y'alllllllll this party looks FUUUUUUN! From that blonde white girl GETTIN it, to your boy doing to the slight two shoulder step all up in the camera.... I wish I was there!!!
Side bar... there is NOTHING more COUNTRY than an ALL WHITE PARTY.
"You look pretty." Look, I just want to say... Cookie is the HIGHLIGHT of my life. I thought I knew what petty was... But petty takes RARE form in Cookie Lyon!
Ruuuuuuuun Ronda, ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun. "You in danger girl." Andre WILL kill you.
OK. Bear with me because this one is about to be LONG. Now I had to go back and watch the interaction between both Cookie and Camilla, because it's GOLDEN. 1. Before Cookie even asked "Who's your friend" she knew who the hell Camilla was. This was just the set up for the petty parade. 2. "Wish I could say the same for you." So now we know, Cookie ain't having it. And Camilla knows too. 3. Cookie calls her "Ole Camilla" which in turn made me CACKLE! 4. Camilla "Excuse me. You're older than I am. Cookie: "Oh I don't think so Auntie Camilla." Aunite!!! AUNTIE!!!! Bahahaha 5. "So Yoko Ono wants to play on the song too? Can you play the tambourine?!" Got dammit Cookie you will NOT kill me from laughing myself to an early grave today! NO MA'AM!!! 6. "You look like you got a long tongue." **throws computer** **falls out** 7. "At least I got the junior, bitch."Now, at first, I was like... huh... what kind of comeback was that. But then I realized Ole Camilla saved the NAAAAAAAAAAASTIEST read for last. She was basically like... at least she can keep a Lyon. As opposed to Cookie being edged out of the picture by Anika. Well played Camilla... well played...
"Music is forever. They will dance to it forever. Tell your truth in the music." Awwwwww shit. I feel like this performance is about to be a fool. Because Jamaal got his pettiness from Cookie.
GO JAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL! Lawd I thought Lucious' ALS was gon' kick in RIGHT THERE on that balcony and he was going to fall over and die! The song was amazing! The people were happy!
"The moment you brought that white woman into my house... I knew then, I couldn't trust you." Welp Lucious, make it plain. Tell Andre why you're mad. Look at all his communication going on in this episode.
This conversation is very real "And they will never accept your black ass."
"I came brother to brother to tell you how proud I am of you." It's these moments that make me NOT hate Hakeem.
Andre playing Russian Roulette, had me SHOOK.
Every time you want to root for Lucious, he becomes an asshole again.
Laaaaaaaaaaaawd this closing scene with Cookie singing in her jail cell.... there go my emotions again.
This might've been the best episode... ever. I was hooked from beginning to end.