Hakeem, No Lyon! Hakeem, No Lyon!

Is it wrong that I was genuinely nervous during the rap battle between Freda and Hakeem on Empire Season 2 Episode 8?

I've really grown to like Hakeem and his growth this season, so the last thing I wanted him to do was get beat by Lucious's little puppet.

Watch Empire Season 2 Episode 8 Online

If there's one thing I can't stand, it's seeing selfish Lucious win. In his typical Lucious manner, he's mad that Hakeem has chosen Cookie over him, so instead of swallowing his pride and maybe slowly earning his son's trust again, he decided to humiliate him. Although you'd think after all those years rearing him, he'd know that Hakeem is no amateur.

Freda Gatz has not been for me since she arrived on the scene this season. I think she's very talented, but her attitude and aggressive nature have pushed me away. Jamal is pretty spot on in his assertion that she's a one trick pony. Her one trick being that she's a very skilled rapper.

When she called out Hakeem and the battle lines were clearly drawn in the sand, it seemed like it would be a slam dunk for her to take Hakeem down. I'm not claiming to be the authority on rap, battles or anything of the sort, but I do think there is a distinct difference between being a good MC and being a good performer.

There are a ton of talented rappers in the world, but not everyone can achieve the status of Jay Z or Kanye West. They're blessed with both the talent and the showmanship. And that's something Hakeem can claim as well.

Freda Gatz is a animal. Now I'm not taking anything away from your talent baby, but that is not what you do.
Cookie [to Hakeem]

Permalink: Freda Gatz is a animal. Now I'm not taking anything away from your talent baby, but that is...

That may be true, but Hakeem came into that battle looking to draw blood. After a great chat with Jamal, Hakeem brought the fire you need in a freestyle contest and the performance skills he's honed over the years. Those two things together made him a winner.

It also allowed him the public platform to tell Lucious to kick rocks. Hakeem will no longer be carrying the Lyon last name. I'm not really sure how long that will last, but any shots taken to Lucious's ego are fine by me.

Now, I wonder if Hakeem's child will take the Lyon last name, now that he and Anika are expecting! As many of you guessed, that random afternoon rendezvous after Hakeem's kidnapping has seemingly left Anika with child.

Anika's mental status was all over the place this hour. She was clearly in denial for awhile as she took multiple tests to confirm the news, while also clutching a knife at one point.

After a random meeting with Rhonda, she jetted off to seduce Hakeem and tell him the news, but she never got a chance to once she realized Hakeem was not even slightly interested in her anymore. Part of me assumed after the rejection she would just fade away and maybe keep the baby a secret for a long, long while, but no.

It appears she's going a little cray cray, as she ends the episode donning a blonde wig and driving Laura to parts unknown. All the rejections and pitfalls of the past few months have clearly caused Boo Boo Kitty to snap. She hasn't been given much to do in Empire Season 2, but a crazy arc may really do her character some good.

Random Notes

The Cookie and Jamal pairing was finally outed, and I'm glad that's out in the open. Hakeem handled the news better than expected. And Lucious handled things like a child, just as expected. How in the world Lucious and Cookie are going to come together to produce Jamal's next album is beyond me.
Jamal's song was really nice and clearly takes the Empire song of the week honors. Combining the two songs was a genius idea that really paid off.
Lucious has inked the deal with Swift Stream, but the whole thing was fraught with tension. Maybe you guys can fill me in on just what has crawled up his butt in regards to Mimi and the deal. Speaking of Mimi, she's shady.
Jamal and Hakeem's bromance level? 10! Hallelujah, the boys are back!
Vivica Fox made her first appearance as Cookie's estranged sister, and she didn't disappoint. It looks like the two of them will be teaming up to find Carole, and that trip should be full of great insults.
Mr. Delgado has a first name! Laz Delgado. Sexy name, sexy face...why must you be so evil????
Cookie's real name is Loretha?!?! I don't know how to process this.

After some okay outings, Empire came back strong with "Bad Parts." Were you glad to see Hakeem win the battle? What's next for Lucious and his new beef with Mimi? What are Cookie and Candace going to find in Philadelphia?

The fall fine is approaching quickly, so you're going to need to watch Empire online right now so you don't miss a second of the action.