Over at the Empire empire, Andre finds that Thirsty has slithered into Lucious' office and helped himself to his good liquor. Dre asks him why he's there, and Thirsty tells him that he's taken on Vernon's old job and already has an assignment to find out what Anika's up to within Lyon Dynasty. Andre isn't moved or amused. The liquor's got Thirsty still talking, though, and he asks Andre if he can help him get his hands on Lyon Dynasty's music for Lucious. Andre tells him hell to the nawl, to stay out of his family's affairs and to leave his daddy's office and not return until he's there. Thirsty does as told, but reminds Andre that he's got some dirt on him. So in other words, Thirsty's gotta die, too.
Back in the stu, Jamal and Ne-Yo are recording another boring song for this season's soundtrack. Ne-Yo tries to give him some direction, but Jamal is distracted by Michael blowing up his cell. Ne-Yo gives him some wise counsel based on his experience and tries to calm his nerves -- and takes Jamal's phone from him because it's working his.
Hakeem and his Latina girl group are getting well acquainted with each other at a party and he dances up on each of them. When he gets to Laura and attempts to kiss her neck, she goes off because she's not trying to be a part of his freaky ménage à quatre. She ain't bout that life and storms out. At another party at Jamal's spot, the libations are flowing and he's feeling nice. He shares his good news of touring with Ne-Yo with Becky and looks for Michael, who's on the balcony per Becky. Jamal bounces out there and sobers up real quick when he sees that Dora has gone exploring with the sketchy artist dude. (Who invited this guy?) Skeevy Wonder gets yoked up by Jamal who tells him to get the hell on before he throws him over the balcony.
Cookie and Laz are at Lyon Dynasty getting to know each other better during an after hours meeting. In the midst of their conversation, Whoopty Woo starts barking and they hear glass breaking. They go to investigate and find two thieves on the premises. The bad guys start to run but both Cookie and Laz draw their guns and stop them in their tracks. Cookie sees that they have a bag of her masters and finds out that Thirsty sent them. After singing like birds, the two would-be robbers run like cockroaches.
The next morning, Andre and Hakeem go to pay Jamal a visit at his crib. Hakeem is more put out that he didn't get invited to Jamal's party the night before, but Andre is there to confess to his brothers that he had Jamal jumped at Ghetto Ass Studios. His two younger siblings don't take too kindly to that revelation, but Andre had to get it off of his chest as he preps for his baptism that weekend, which he invites them to.
Andre also decides to confront his father about the break-in at Lyon Dynasty that was set up by Thirsty. Lucious tells him that the hit was approved by him and is pretty over their convo. Andre tells Lucious that he knows he's testing him and confesses that he convinced Cookie to blackmail him about producing Jamal. Dre's confession doesn't stop there, with the revelation that he almost committed suicide in his dad's studio. He tells Lucious, "You gave me life, but God gives me hope," and begs him to come to his baptism. Lucious sinks Andre's battleship yet again and bitterly refuses.
- Advertisement -Hakeem is still trying to make fetch happen with Laura, with her sweet floral print wardrobe. He rolls up on her while she's walking through her hood and against her better judgment she gives him a few minutes of her time to explain himself. Hakeem apologizes for coming on too strong and swears that he'll never push up again. She accepts his apology and a ride in his car to her destination.
The first tomboy of Gutter Life Records, Freda Gatz, is dropping a lukewarm 16 over an equally cold beat in the studio with Lucious and neither one of them are feeling it. Lucious gives her a pep talk about her father wanting the best for her and she gathers herself together, with the lyrics miraculously flowing out of her. Her lyrics speak to Lucious' cold, cold heart and he decides to make a surprise appearance at Andre's baptism. The rest of the family is already at the church. Cookie helps Andre to get his mind right and gives her oldest son a mother's loving advice. Lucious arrives at the church and somehow doesn't burst into flames upon entry. He struts in like Big Red at Tommy's funeral, introduces himself to Reverend Price, hugs Andre and finally takes a seat on the front pew between Cookie and Jamal. Cookie pulls his card as she is wont to do and throws the bug that his goons tried to plant at the Lyon Dynasty in his lap. She reads him for filth in the house of the Lord before turning her attention to Andre. Once the baptism starts, the reverend starts to dunk Andre underwater. The innocent scene triggers a violent flashback for Lucious who recalls his mother Kelly Rowland baptizing young Lucious in the bathtub during one of her psychotic episodes. Unable to sit through the baptism any longer for the memories rushing to the surface, Lucious storms out of the church. Unfortunately Andre sees Lucious rolling out, and it breaks his heart.
- Advertisement -In the following scene, Hakeem decides to go for a jog. He doesn't have his crew or security with him, but the streets are watching his moves and he gets kidnapped by three men who throw him into the back of a van that zooms off to the next episode. Unfortunately we won't find out Hakeem's fate until November thanks to the World Series preempting Empire for the next couple weeks. Since he's a main character we suspect he'll be aight, but we'll tuned in to see the bad guy body count pile up.
