A rap mandarin, Lucious Lyon, after discovering that he’s ill, must decide which of his three sons will take over his music empire. Written by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, Empire also features Taraji P. Henson alongside Gabourey Sidibe and original music courtesy of Timbaland. But who will become the next apparent heir to the throne between his three sons and his ex-wife?
The first season sees of Lucious, who is Empire’s Entertainment CEO, when getting ready for the upcoming Empire’s IPO pronounced with ALS, a neurological condition and can only live up to a maximum of three years. Still keeping a secret about the diagnosis, he heads on to announce that he is to select a successor from one of his three sons.
In the meantime, “Cookie” Lyon, Lucious’ ex-wife is just from prison after spending close to 17 years and is demanding half of Empire Entertainment, of which Lucious turns down. Hakeem, their youngest talented rapper son but somehow spoilt, resents Cookie and barely recognizes her. Cookie on the other has Jamal, their talented middle son, as her favorite successor for Empire but as a result of him being a homosexual, Lucious always detested him and he always considered it destructive for him career-wise.
The eldest son, Andre, is Empire’s CEO despite him having no musical talent, and this is what Lucious deems fit as an essential to being CEO. Andre alongside his wife, Rhonda is both zealous and hatch a plan to gain control by turning the rest of the family against each other.
Cookie, on the other hand, is threatening to disclose to the SEC that her foundational stake of the company was drug money and this sees her sign an NDA (Nondisclosure Agreement), in return of a managerial position in Jamal’s music career. On the other hand, Lucious feels intimidated by Bunkie, who threatens to report the murders committed by Lucious, but he takes no chances, and ends Bunkie’s life!