Empire Season 1 ⇒

The gold-plated walls of Empire Entertainment couldn't muffle the roar of Cookie Lyon’s return. After 17 years in prison for a drug deal that financed the company's start, she didn't just walk back into the boardroom—she kicked the door down, demanding her half of the kingdom.

‘Empire’ Cast, Creators Pick the Quintessential Songs of Season 1 Empire Season 1

: The youngest and a fame-hungry rapper. As Lucious’s favorite, he was pampered and reckless, resenting the mother he barely knew. Secrets and Sacrifices As Lucious’s favorite, he was pampered and reckless,

: The middle son and a brilliant songwriter. Despite his talent, he faced his father’s open homophobia. Cookie immediately took him under her wing, determined to make him a star on his own terms. Cookie immediately took him under her wing, determined

As the company prepared to go public, the bodies began to pile up—literally. To protect his legacy, Lucious murdered his long-time friend Bunkie, a secret that would eventually become his undoing. Meanwhile, Jamal ’s public "coming out" during a remix of "You’re So Beautiful" at the White Party sent shockwaves through the industry, finally forcing him out of his father's shadow. The Final Note

: The eldest and CFO, business-savvy but lacking the "musical soul" Lucious demanded. His struggle with bipolar disorder was a secret he and his wife Rhonda guarded like a weapon.