Thanks to the (somewhat) success of The L.A. Complex, we’re about to see a new black gay character in the world of Hip Hop on network television. Openly gay filmmaker Lee Daniels is producing a new show on FOX debuting in January called EMPIRE, set in the world of the rap music business.
Cypher Avenue hip hop heads, don’t get too excited. This is Lee Daniels we’re talking about so expect the show to be more like Scandal and Real Housewives of Atlanta than HBO’s The Wire.
“Actually, it’s more like Nashville” said Lee Daniels to The Hollywood Reporter. “…there is not much violence. And Dynasty. I wanted to make a black Dynasty. You sit there and go, “No, this bitch didn’t! Oh my f—ing God!””
Sigh.
Added to that, the show features a (soft) black gay character played by Jussie Smollett (one of the feminine guys in Patrick Ian Polk’s The Skinny). Unlike Kaldrick King, however, this character isn’t hyper-masculine, he’s openly gay…and he’s in an interracial relationship with a handsome white man.
With the recent buzz about interracial gay relationships dominating mainstream media, this comes as no surprise.
Admittedly, we’ve seen a lot of FICTIONAL interracial couples on scripted television and film lately. With the mixed race couples prominently showcased on Tyler Perry’s The Haves and Have Nots, Logo’s DTLA and Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine…seeing fictional black-on-black gay relationships in narrative content may have to be relegated to Web Series for now [or you can watch the new episode of The D.L. Chronicles for a small fee] .
Also, I couldn’t help but notice that most of the main cast for this show is light skinned. Like really light skinned. Seriously, look at the cast photo embedded above.
So you have television show about the world of Hip Hop primarily featuring a light skinned cast, most of them in interracial relationships.
I may be reading too much into all this but it looks like the producers were aiming for a large demographic by making the show as neutral, diverse and non-threatening as possible.
Official Fox Synopsis:
From Academy Award nominee Lee Daniels (“Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “Precious”) comes EMPIRE, a sexy and powerful new drama about the head of a music empire whose three sons and ex-wife all battle for his throne.
LUCIOUS LYON (Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard, “Crash,” “Hustle & Flow”) is the king of hip-hop. An immensely talented artist, the CEO of Empire Entertainment and a former street thug, his reign has been unchallenged for years. But all that changes, when he learns he has a disease that is going to render him crippled and incapacitated in a matter of three years. The clock is ticking, and he must groom one of his three sons to take over his crowning achievement, without destroying his already fractured family.
Lucious’ favorite is his youngest son, HAKEEM (newcomer Bryshere Gray), a gifted musician and a spoiled playboy who values fame over hard work.
The middle son, JAMAL (Jussie Smollett, “The Skinny,” “The Mighty Ducks”), is a sensitive soul and a musical prodigy who, unlike Hakeem, shies away from the spotlight. Jamal also happens to be gay, which infuriates and embarrasses his father.
ANDRE (Trai Byers, “90210”), the eldest son, is CFO of Empire Entertainment. Wharton-educated with a brilliant business mind, Andre lacks the charisma that Lucious believes is crucial to running the company. But in his quest for power, Andre is assisted by his manipulative and like-minded wife, RHONDA (Kaitlin Doubleday, “Hung,” “Catch Me If You Can”).
As Lucious prompts his sons to vie for the empire, his plans are thrown into chaos when his ex-wife, COOKIE (Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson, “Think Like A Man”), mysteriously emerges seven years early from prison, where she’s been for almost two decades. Brash and fearless, she sees herself as the sacrificial lamb who built this empire with Lucious and then took the fall for running the drugs that financed Lucious’ early career.
For now, Lucious remains firmly in control of Empire Entertainment. He is attended to by his hard-working assistant, BECKY (guest star and Academy Award nominee Gabourey Sidibe, “American Horror Story,” “Precious”), and relies on longtime friend and Chairman of the Board VERNON TURNER (Malik Yoba, “Revolution,” “Girlfriends”) for advice and support. He relies on a whole lot more from ANIKA GIBBONS (newcomer Grace Gealey), the head of A&R for Empire, and his current girlfriend.
As the Lyons slug it out, an emotional chess game begins that will either cause the family’s destruction or redemption. Lives and loves will be lost as the complicated family will come together and fall apart over the elusive throne, all set to an original soundtrack written and produced by legendary hip-hop hitmaker Timbaland. Will the family unite and learn to love each other before it’s too late? Love, war, family, sacrifice, money and music: this is the story of the Lyons’ EMPIRE.
So that’s it.
Does the show look interesting?
Will the black gay character be accurately represented?
Will this be the successor to The L.A. Complex for black gay men?
Will we actually watch the show on television instead of bootlegged YouTube edits featuring only the gay storyline?
Nick Delmacy
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I’ll probably watch just because I like Terrance Howard and Taraji.
@Nick
I didn’t think Magnus (Jussie Smollett from “The Skinny”) was all that feminine. Sure, he wasn’t as masculine as Kyle but I didn’t get fem dude from him. He was most certainly more masculine than those other two cats.
Also, the cast is light skinned because they are supposed to be Terrance’s sons. You couldn’t have a father as light as Terrance with a dark son looking like Tyrese. I’m glad the sons favor the father somewhat….It makes the show more believable.
Shit to me ALL the sons look gay as hell! Especially the HAKEEM character. I just wish that at least one of the sons had some type of hip hop or singing ability so that we get some good music from the show.
note: we should start a petition. This would be the perfect opportunity to reintroduce the Kaldrick King character back onto television.
“You couldn’t have a father as light as Terrance with a dark son looking like Tyrese.”
So all of Barack Obama’s children are light skinned like him, huh?
@Nick
Good point! I stand corrected…
But I don’t really consider Barack all that light either. He is one of those mixed people that have to tell you that they are mixed. It is not necessarily obvious that he is mixed with white. You must forgive me, I was born and raised in Louisiana where a “mixed” person is light bright damn near white.
LMMFAO @nick
“Will we actually watch the show on television instead of bootlegged YouTube edits featuring only the gay storyline?”
I’ll give the first episode a shot but if it’s whack, then i’ll probably watch it on youtube. LOL But if it’s Scandal or Dynasty, both shows I’ve never seen, then I know I probably won’t even care for the edited youtube version.
But Damn, it looks like their is a straight interracial couple according to one of the pictures posted here too. Can you say watered down? If this is supposed to be set in the rap world, you would think Lee Daniels could create one couple that was different and by different I mean not interracial or so light-skinned that it’s almost a white couple. SMDH
The premise definitely looks interesting. I suppose we’ll have to wait and see how the characters actually develop, but I’m gonna remain optimistic about this show. Especially with Terrence and Taraji.
I’ve never understood the gay mans fascination with shocking people and creating a finger snap moment as opposed to just telling a compelling story.
Looks like it could be interesting.
This may be the only show I watch from the start next season while it airs as I can see people flocking to this and it actually making it a second season.
These TV execs are quick to axe a show if momentum doesn’t last. I have gotten tired of getting into shows and then they get canceled in the first season. Hopefully, it will run 13 eps and if it does get cancelled, I hope they at least wrap it up without a cliffhanger so it can be streamed.
I’m still mad about Undercovers getting canceled.
Its all light skinned people because its FOX…
I’m kinda mad that the name of Taraji’s character is Cookie. Really???COOKIE????! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve known a few black women named Cookie, but this is just too stereotypical. It’s like they didn’t even try to be creative.
Well, I’m gonna make a special effort to watch the show. It’ll be great to see Taraji & Terrence together again (‘Hustle & Flow’) and I’m crazy about Jussie.
i’ll give this show a shot, if for no other reason, i need to see more black ppl on tv, n we have to show up for that to happen
I am waiting with baited breathe for its release. Why not the fall line up? Got to wait 7 months almost to see it
Looks promising…I will give it a shot. Lucky for me I’m into light skinned kats LOL
Eh, I’ll check out the first few shows just because I like Taraji Henson. Other than that it doesn’t sound like something that could hold my attention.
Don’t forget the interracial gay couple on “Being Mary Jane”: her gay BFF is in a stable ltr with a white man.
While I can understand the real-life relationships — it is what it is, you love who you love — I don’t for the life of me understand the resistance to creating black gay MALE couples on mainstream television outside of “The Wire.”
i will watch anything that Taraji P. Henson is in!!! I think the gay black character will be represented quiet well. doesn’t seem to give off that stereotypical vibe. finally a change
I don’t think you are reading to much into it. I also believe this is what ppl meant when they said no black couples in the media. Let’s face it black is already intimidating and the darker it is the scarier it gets. Let’s just be happy that the mother and father are black.Hell I don’t think the Jussie is black at all. I remember reading somewhere that his whole clan is Brazilian…don’t quote me on that.