Tonight on FOX their blockbuster drama Empire airs with an all-new Wednesday, May 3, 2017, episode and we have your Empire recap below. On tonight’s Empire season 3 episode 15 “Angelo’s relationship with Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) turns toxic and leaves her questioning her decisions; at the same time, Hakeem makes a public plea for Lucious to give him paternity of Bella during his return to Empire Xstream.”
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Empire begins tonight with Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) and Giuliana (Nia Long) working on his music for Inferno in one studio while Jamal Lyon (Jussie Smollett) and his mother, Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) work in another. Both Jamal and Lucious are not happy with the final song for their albums, stressing everyone out.
Cookie approaches Lucious and tells him her and Angelo DuBois (Taya Diggs) have broken up. He is shocked and wants to know why but as she begins to explain why she said no, Giuliana interrupts them suggesting Lucious needs to talk to Snoop Dogg. After she leaves, Cookie wants to know why she is in the studio with Lucious after he said she was the devil? Giuliana reappears saying she needs her darling Lucious. Cookie is seething.
Lucious meets with Snoop. Thirsty Rawlings (Andre Royo) says they are ready to sign Snoop for the Las Vegas thing as soon as they are done with the album but Snoop reveals he never even said yes yet.
Giuliana assures Snoop that Inferno is going to change everyone’s mind and she has laid the ground work with the Nevada Gaming Commissions. Snoop insists that Jamal needs to be part of Inferno as he is Empire’s biggest artist; Lucious disagrees saying he doesn’t need any other artist to make Inferno a hot album. Snoop makes a valid point that Jamal brings a different demographic and with him they can do anything.
Lucious meets with Jamal, who asks if he dad is going to ground him if he isn’t on the Inferno album. Lucious first tries to strong arm him telling him he is under contract with Empire but after Jamal says he isn’t the only CEO of the company, Lucious tells him he is offering him an opportunity to make history. Jamal says he wants to make his own history with When Cookie Met Lucious and he can do Inferno.
Cookie goes to visit Andre (Trai Byers) after Nessa (Sierra Aylina McClain) contacted her worried Andre may do something reckless. She tells him to stop his revenge plot against his father, Lucious. She walks into the back room of the laundromat where Shyne Johnson (Xzibit) and his crew are preparing their guns.
She asks Shyne if he really wants to start this kind of war with Lucious? She turns around and begins to hug all of the crew, joking that Shyne has all of North Philly there. She tells them all to continue loading up. Cookie tells Andre that Giuliana is trash and Lucious will kick her to the curb and then they can run Vegas as a family; she reassures Shyne he is family too and she has his back. She tells the whole crew to come over for some home cooking.
Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) walks with Lucious and tells him he wants to have his name on his daughter, Bella’s birth certificate; but Lucious feels he isn’t ready. Their conversation is cut short when Lucious sees the fire marshall clearing out the club; it turns out Angelo called them and is sitting at a booth. Lucious attempts to kick Angelo out but Angelo asks if he got the memo saying his club is closed tonight. Lucious tells him to enjoy this but he needs to work on his game as this is pathetic.
Lucious yells at Cookie that this is all about her. She says they can fix this together, the two of them. Anika (Grace Byers) interrupts them asking Lucious when its a convenient time for her to get her things as she is living in a hotel. Just as Cookie asks why Anika is living in a hotel, Giuliana comes in telling her darling Lucious she is heading to the airport.
When Cookie realizes what is happening she scurries out of the room saying they can handle the Angelo stuff another time. Giuliana says someone isn’t happy and kisses Lucious as Anika quietly exits the room.
Hakeem is furious that Lucious is questioning his parenting skills to his own daughter. He is complaining to Tory Ash (Rumer Willis) and Tiana (Serayah) who are in the hot tub making out. Hakeem jokes about kidnapping Bella then suggest they both come with him to prevent him from snapping on his father.
Cookie has the North Philly crew over for dinner and shares with Andre that Lucious is just with Giuliana because of Angelo and she gives it a month before he tosses her away. Andre asks what happens if he doesn’t, she ignores the question and talks to everyone saying they should let Lucious set up Vegas with Inferno and if he doesn’t have everything together by one month, they will take it all from him.
Jamal is back in the studio and asks everyone to leave so he can be alone. He is upset saying his music sucks.
Snoop meets again with Lucious apologizing saying its strictly business and he needs to protect himself. Lucious tries to reassure him that it can happen but Snoop says its not about that. He says anything Lucious touches will succeed but he spoke to his investment banker who said the Vegas move isn’t for Snoop right now.
Lucious wants to meet his banker but Snoop refuses saying his banker, Ezekiel DuBois won’t want to see him. Thirsty and Lucious find it an odd coincidence. While Cookie and Jamal argue about his music, Lucious comes to the studio and orders Cookie to talk to him NOW!
Lucious shouts that she needs to take care of Angelo as he is pissing on their money tree. Lucious is so angry he grabs his gun and says he is going to take care of him. Jamal rushes out of the room and grabs his mother to stop, she yells at him to get his hands off her as she chases after Lucious.
Cookie finds Angelo and tells him she wishes she was a good enough woman for him but she doesn’t belong in his world. He tells her she destroyed his world. She offers to make a public statement about him inadvertently confessing. He asks if she thinks that is what he is most upset about?
She tells him to stop firing at Lucious because he is going to light him up; security removes her from the premises. Angelo’s mother, Diana (Phylicia Rashad) tells Cookie her family hasn’t fired yet but when they shoot Cookie’s whole family will burn to the ground. She takes Angelo away telling Cookie she isn’t welcome there; Cookie leaves with tears on her face.
Cookie comes back to Empire screaming into her phone, she comes into the board room where Lucious, Andre and Jamal are sitting. Jamal attempts to calm her down and Lucious asks him how he thinks they should handle the DuBois family. Jamal says they should understand as one family to another that they do what they do to protect one of their own and they shouldn’t clap back; Cookie says that is what they do. Jamal offers to go over to the DuBois family to make peace.
Lucious asks Andre if Jamal is right? When Andre doesn’t give an answer and Lucious gives him the green light to make peace. Cookie tells them Diana has targets on all their backs and wants to know where Hakeem is. As Jamal leaves, Lucious tries to touch Cookie’s hand but she coils back in anger.
At home, Hakeem is on his channel asking his fans what clothes he should wear to this all girl party. He shows a family of lions on the television saying this is family.
Jamal comes to see Angelo at one of his functions. He apologizes on behalf of his family and admits he is sad this didn’t work out because he wanted Angelo for his mother. Angelo says Cookie warned him from the beginning that they were from different worlds. Jamal hands him a check for his program saying its totally anonymous and to make something good about the day he met Cookie. He leaves telling Angelo to take the check.
Jamal comes to see Lucious saying they are good with Angelo; Lucious thanks him for being right about Angelo. Jamal asks if Lucious has seen Hakeem streaming live all day saying he found the meaning of life after seeing a family of lions on tv. Jamal says it is really sweet and Lucious turns it on to see what he is saying. In the middle of telling the world about names on birth certificates he is inspired and calls Chicken (AzMarie Livingston) to come over.
Lucious is playing the piano as he watches Hakeem’s live streaming, where he talks about Bella and how they need each other. He says she makes him a better person and really doesn’t matter whose name is on the birth certificate. He jumps up and starts performing a new song. Lucious smiles as he watches his son “elevate”.
Jamal continues to struggle with everything that is happening and suggests he is going to quit and just be a backup singer for Lucious. Cookie stands up, claps her hands together tells him to get his head back in the game, find what he is looking for and deliver the two songs for the album to beat Inferno.
Cookie hears music, saying it is scorching and drags Jamal to listen to it. When Jamal says the beat is dope, she reveals Lucious created it. Lucious sees them, asking if they want something before he closes the studio door. Cookie grabs Jamal and when the beat starts, Jamal sings. Harry turns to Lucious and says he has found what he is looking for in Jamal.
Lucious calls Jamal a dirty rotten bugger but says Jamal’s melody with his arrangement is beautiful. Jamal says it was cool but when Cookie comes in, Jamal tells her to just listen. She winks at Lucious as Jamal belts out his lyrics to the beat. Lucious is very happy to be collaborating with his son, just like the lyrics say.
Lucious says Snoop will invest now that Jamal will be on the Inferno album; Cookie says that is great because the song will also be on the When Cookie Met Lucious album too. Lucious says it won’t work for Giuliana, Cookie doesn’t care. Jamal asks what about his wants and shares that he wants the Lyon family to work together.
He preaches that both his parents can change and just work together to make great music; Lucious says he is down but Cookie says he is shaking hands with the devil and she will be there to pick up the pieces of his heart when Lucious destroys it. Cookie leaves as Jamal and Lucious continue to work on the song.
At the Lyon mansion, the whole family gets together. Lucious says as a pride of lions, they are deeply blessed. He thanks Anika for getting rid of Tariq and thanks Jamal for making peace with the DuBois family. Lucious and Cookie both thank Jamal for making Inferno a go.
Lucious gives Anika divorce papers and a $25 million settlement agreement if she doesn’t contest it. Cookie is fuming and they bicker over it. Andre is upset about Jamal getting all the praise as Lucious quietly thanks Anika. Lucious has something for Hakeem too.
He says the live stream moved him and he will get his channel back. He says Hakeem is just like his mama and hands Hakeem papers. It is Bella’s birth certificate with his name on it. Juanita announces that Lucious has guests.
When he goes to the front door, he is greeted by Child Protective Services and they have an order to temporarily remove the child from his home. Lucious throws the papers on the floor several NYPD officers enter and hold him back. Thirsty tells Cookie to get the baby as Lucious says all these cameras are recording this. Anika sobs as Lucious comforts Bella, asking the worker if she works for the DuBois. He hands her the baby and tells her to say goodbye to her pension.
THE END!