‘Empire’ Season 2, Episode 6 recap: ‘High Hope for a Low Heaven’

Note: spoilers ahead

No surprises here.

The men that kidnapped Hakeem are so-called in with the Lyon pride.

The shakedown

Amid her discovery that Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray) has been kidnapped, Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) heads to Empire's studio where she shows Lucious (Terrence Howard) and Jamal (Jussie Smollett) a video. Yep, it's extortion with a going rate of $40,000 for the missing Lyon son.

As seen on tape: the kidnappers bare longhorn tattoos and knock out Hakeem when he dubs them cowboys.

The hunt

This isn't your typical "snatch and grab" according to Lucious. After all, the kidnappers only asked for a little bit of money.

 But Cookie doesn't care about the moola. She just wants her youngest safe and sound. They agree on a drop-off spot.

Back in business

 

Andre (Trai Byers) is back in the boardroom, but facing some adversity by Lucious' ex-assistant Becky, who has a fancy for one of the acts that Dre thinks isn't bringing in profits to the new label, Gutter Records. Don't make Becky mad.

Where's my son?

At the drop-off, the Lyon parents impatiently await — money in hand — to be reunited with Hakeem.

Then cue to a screenshot of Anika and Hakeem. Wait, he wanted to be dropped off at Boo Boo Kitty's house?

Cut back to Hakeem, back in the Lyon mansion where he doesn't want to be checked out by doctors, insisting he's "fine." An unusually frightful mama Lyon sees markings on his back. But baby Lyon is playing tough even when dad says "what happen to you is my worst nightmare."

 "Can't be worse than than being your son," Hakeem says. Mic drop.

Enough with the labels

Jamal takes out his family turmoil in the studio. He's especially mad when the Staples Center cancels an upcoming performance because he's "too narrow of an artist to fill their stadium," which he calls a "code word for gay." This is a Lee Daniels moment of course.

Post-stress

Hakeem practices with his girl group but has a mini-meltdown during the session. Clearly, the beatdown got the best of him and he's got a mild case of PTSD.

Parents know best

 "There are two types of security in hip hop" Lucious says. " The house dog and the junkyard dog."

 Papa Lyon says his son's need to be both. Poor sheltered Hakeem doesn't stand a chance, dad says. But Cookie has faith. Her baby may not be street savvy, but he's no punk.

Turning the tables

If you can't beat them, join in the fun. The sexy promoter (played by Adam Rodriguez and seen in episode 5 ) advises Cookie to hire Hakeem's kidnappers as bodyguards in attempt to make friends with the people on the street.

But Hakeem comes "packed" to the chance meeting set in a warehouse with guns ablazing. Eventually Cookie calms him down only to draw the gun on the hoodlums herself.

beat down

The beatdown

Back in the club, Empire's star rapper Frank Gathers' daughter Freda (the talented freestyler Bre-Z ) kicks a guy in the face. Lucious doesn't mind the publicity, but of course the newly found Christian Dre sees her as a problem. More to come.

You're my brother

Lucious shows up at Cookie's studio to once again tempt Jamal back to Empire. This time he brought a fresh hip hop track hoping to get his son's input. There's always strings attached though, or like Jamal tells dad more like "ropes that choke everyone around you.

Enter Jamal and Dre. The "three of us can't be broken up by thugs or kidnappers," Dre tells a weary Hakeem. Adding: "We already survived Lucious and Cookie Lyon ... we're already ahead of the game."

Hakeem and his girl group then go on to do a killer performance at a club while his parents and brothers look on. Lucious is jealous, of course.

Cut from the same tree

Lucious confronts Freda as she's leaving her home in the projects.

"I identify with you anymore than them, " he says making reference to his "pride."

He then presents her with the song "Boom, Boom Boom" that was originally intended for Hakeem.

Cue into to Cookie, who is seen knocking on the sexy promoter's door. "Make me forget everything that happened this week."

One thing she forget about: his tone back pecs, which has (gasp!) a longhorn tattoo. Watchout, Cookie!