Wow, I've watched the show and a behind the scenes and there is no way I'll watch another anything Empire. I guess because I am sooo ancient and have watched sooo many tv & movies, I just have no tolerance for Black people continuing to coonin' and shinein' in the media. Just plain tired of it!! While having a talk with some other Empire fans I posed a few simple questions. Why couldn't this be a story about an airline empire, shipping empire or manufacturing empire??? "crickets".... then someone said "cause black folks don't have any of those....."!!! After I controlled my urge to slap da "heck" outta them, I said. "They do in Africa". I then posed the question, before some backward thinking person said "we ain't in Africa", since this is all made up stuff anyway, why couldn't they be one of those empires? "crickets"... The problem is most and far too many Black folks are straight up conditioned to "see us" in about the same size box as a music speaker.(pun intended) And we'z sooo glad to see us on da magical flat screen thingy in our livin' ruum an' dat dar' big white screen over at tat dar' movin' picture place" that we will accept any story line. Why the "heck" would I continue to watch the same ol' crap year after year, after year??? I am thrilled that black folks got some jobs and I'd be interested to see what the complexion of the production crew is, but you can bet this show makes sure it feeds you the same steady diet of darkies makin' music, gettin dat paper, doin' drugs and flingin' hoes. Cause they know most viewers have never considered Black folks doin' anything else and that's the way they want to keep it. God forbid a Black American family start an airline empire cause then other Black folks might even start thinking it could be done!!! "Richard, you mean in real life?? Yes Virginia, in real life"!!! Shows like these keep black folks in their lane fighting among themselves acting like buffoons! As long as YOU Do Not question, why a high budget show like Empire is being produced for consumption, then you will always settle for (Dare I say it) media approved, controlled and sanctioned from a white perspective. Don't be fooled cause there is a Black name attached to it as producer/director/writer!! He knows what side his bread gets buttered. When this show starts doing episode about how White record companies conspired together (like in the real world) and started manipulating this powerful medium of Rap wit mo' money, drugs, hoes, cars, and cribs to get away from delivering positive messages with the new "Idiot Rap" about all of the aforementioned crap, then someone call me... no wait.... they started their company "wit DRUG MONEY"! Sorry never mind, it would be too much like the Kennedy's or Rockerfella's. Not impressed with them either.