The youngest Lyon son wants to prove his worth after leaving Empire.
Hakeem Lyon is bound and determined to create the “new Destiny’s Child” in an effort to prove to his family that he can be more than just a rapper. The youngest Lyon son will spend much of this season on “Empire” working to launch the next great girl group.
“It’s something he really believes in and he’s certainly not ready to give up on it,” showrunner Ilene Chaiken told Variety. “He will continue to fight for his girl group.”
Hakeem (Bryshere “Yazz” Gray) still feels burned that his father Lucious (Terrence Howard) didn’t choose him as the heir to Empire Records so he split from the company to join his mother Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) in creating their own music label, Lyon Dynasty. The new partnership has already helped heal the old wounds between mother and son.
“Hakeem is starting to love his mom, which makes me very happy because I love my mom,” Gray told MTV News. “He’s growing older. He’s more mature, more confident and as a result, his music is getting more serious.”
That doesn’t mean the two won’t butt heads from time to time, especially when Hakeen gets back in the studio. But their creative differences will inevitably lead to amazing songs.
“Hakeem doesn’t get along with Cookie in the studio, so it’s very intense whenever they’re in the studio together,” Gray said. “Cookie will boss him around and Hakeem will be like, ‘No mom. I’m not doing anything!’ Then they fight, and then they make up – and they make a good hit.”
Hakeem also gets a little help from his girl Tiana (Serayah), who has ditched Empire for Lyon Dynasty. She may not have accepted the invitation to join his girl group, but she’ll factor in greatly to Hakeem and Cookie’s plans.
“Professionally, that relationship certainly will develop. Tiana is family now – she’s music family,” Chaiken told Variety. “She’s in Cookie’s world, Cookie is very devoted to her and she and Hakeem seem to me to have maybe a little flirtiness, but it’s almost a sibling relationship. Her drama will come into play, but she’s a part of their world and their dynamic.”
How Tiana will react to Hakeem’s new playmate Valentina (Becky G) remains to be seen. He and the Latin lady already went skinny-dipping in his hot tub, but don’t expect a love triangle between him and the two ladies.
“There will be love triangles with him, though not with Tiana and Becky G. Hakeem is just prone to love triangles,” Chaiken said.
“Empire” airs on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on Fox.
