'Empire' Season 2 Ep 7 Recap: Jussie Smollett/Jamal, Bryshere Gray/Hakeem's “True Love Never"

Fox continues with the musical Season 2 soap opera of Empire. In Episode 7, the music industry will never be the same as Jamal Lyon (Jussie Smollett) and Hakeem Lyon (Bryshere Y. Gray) suddenly learn there's True Love Never?

Laz Delgado (Adam Rodriguez) and Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) are in bed together for most of three days. Their lovemaking is interrupted many times by his cellphone ringing. Inspired by Laz's work, Cookie wants to make her own summer jam. She doesn't realize Laz is responsible for Hakeem's kidnapping.

Luscious (Terrence Howard) tries to keep his protege going and lay down their new track. Elsewhere, Jamal is practicing his own track but needs his mother's feedback. Luscious though wants his son to hurry up and get it ready. Laz meets with the kidnappers, who wants to get paid. 

Luscious meets with Huey Jarvis (Clarence Williams) and demonstrates his new track. Huey thinks he knows the track is almost there when he hears the girl's voice. Luscious needs to dig deeper into his past. At the Lyon Dynasty party, Hakeem's girl group performs for the crowd.

Hakeem is ordered by his mother to switch singers but he has doubts. Mimi (Marissa Tomei) gives the worts case scenario as Andre (Trai Byers) has plans for music streaming. Andre has to cross the line again in order to get his father out of trouble.

While Tiana (Serayah McNeill) teaches Hakeem's girl to be confident, Jamal meets with his mother at a restaurant. Andre tells his reverend that he's worried about falling back into old habits. While listening to his mother's feedback, Jamal is drunk when he visits Lyon Dynasty and records a track. 

Cookie has to distract Hakeem after Jamal has been practicing all night. Luscious has to get in the boxing ring to impress a client. As they trade punches, Luscious knocks him out after being insulted. To lift a gang injunction, Andre blackmails the Deputy Mayor with his sex video. 

Impressed with himself, Andre sleep with his wife Rhonda (Kaitlin Doubleday). Luscious revisits memories of his childhood when Jamal shows up. Luscious and his protege will go up against Jamal for Huey Jarvis. 

Cookie is back at it with Laz, planning their concert in Harlem. Unfortunately, Cookie has to pay the kidnappers  to perform in the park. Hakeem gets his singer to perform in front of the public and win the crowd over. She then kisses Hakeem after her performance.

Luscious visits his client in the hospital, fills him up with morphine, and gets him to sign a contract. Hakeem isn't too happy seeing the kidnappers and Laz with Cookie. After the meeting, Hakeem warns his mother to be careful around Laz. 

Huey Jarvis listens to Jamal's track as Luscious hears Cookie's touch all over it. Cookie is finally impressed with Hakeem's singer as she proves himself. Mimi and Luscious get drunk and have three-way sex with an escort. Unfortunately, they both freak out as Luscious remembers his mother playing Russian roulette. 

Playing with his mother's gun, Luscious has finally dug deep enough to record with his protege. 

Readers, what did you think of True Love Never?