'Empire' Season 2 Episode 2 Recap: Are Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson 'Without A Country?'

The wait is over as Fox finally airs the Season 2 premiere of Empire. In Episode 2, the music industry will never be the same as Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and Lucious (Terrence Howard) Lyon are back in Without A Country.

Cookie is seriously thinking about starting her own company. Hakeem Lyon (Bryshere Y. Gray) and Andre Lyon (Trai Byers) have their doubts but Rhonda Lyon (Kaitlin Doubleday) thinks it might work. Cookie has actually found a spray painted and dilapidated building to run their business. 

As Anika Calhoun (Grace Gealey) is unable to control a music starlet, Luscious discovers his medical records are missing. With his boyfriend watching, Jamal Lyon (Jussie Smollett) is finally singing his song. During his press interview, Jamal discusses the admiration from men and men, but avoids mentioning his boyfriend. Jamal hardens when he's pressed about his father's incarcerations. 

After his interview is interrupted, Cookie tries to cool things between Jamal and Hakeem. Cookie then reveals she is starting her own company against his. In the prison yard, Luscious starts singing but ends up coughing. A guard (Ludacris) walks in and gets Luscious' boys in confinement.   

Hakeem meets with potential candidates but isn't having any luck with this three-member girl group. Andre isn't too happy with Hakeem running things without permission. Luscious discovers the guard has been secretly keeping his medicine away. 

Andre has to bring in Anika because Hakeem needs to be controlled. Luscious and Jamal end up meeting with a new lawyer during visiting hours. After Tiana Brown (Serayah) bursts into song, Hakeem is picked up by Jamal. Cookie though isn't too happy seeing the two brothers talking though.

Rhonda meets with Jamal to talk about Andre. She asks him to forgive Andre and bring him back to Empire. When Jamal says he misses him, Rhonda reveals that she is pregnant. After getting his medicine, Luscious is able to secretly record a track behind bars. 

Unfortunately, the guard comes in and ruins everything. After being sent to solitary confinement,  the guard gets beaten up by a gang. The beating was ordered by Luscious' new lawyer. Hakeem leaks his own album onto the internet.

After the leak, Andre has had enough and asks his mother to let him go. She doesn't worry about anything like he does. Cookie is unable to say anything to get him to stay. Andre then visits his father in prison but Luscious doesn't forgive him. Luscious then remembers his mother sang to him.

It turns out whatever Andre has, he inherited from Luscious' father. Jamal tries one more time to convince Hakeem to return to Empire. With the leak, Jamal promises to sue Hakeem before he leaves. Hakeem ends up mopping the floor with his mother. 

Luscious' song makes its way onto the radio. Luscious' lawyer finally shows up at court with new evidence. Because of the provocative photos of him, the judge orders the bail of Luscious Lyon. 

Readers, what did you think of Without a Country?