Jamal: Yo, we're buying loyalty with hookers and blow? That's not Empire.
Lucious: Now this is a music business. And it may take hookers and blow to try and reclaim some of the artists that took off after you went prancing about with your little freak flag.

When a man like me says hear me out, you hear me out cause your life could depend on it.

Lucious [to Anika]

Anika: This is not even me. I am not a treacherous person, Lucious. But you, you, have twisted my love and made it some awful thing.
Lucious: I was wrong. But I'm scared. I'm dying. And you have to understand, when a man in my position says please, it means something. Please I need you to tell me what you planned with Baretti so I can fix it.

Jamal: You don't think it was a mistake?
Hakeem: Not all all. It was the bravest thing I've seen in my life.

Lucious: And you, I voted against you because I can't trust you.
Andre: Why don't you trust me, Dad?
Lucious: The moment you brought that white woman into my house, I knew then I couldn't trust you. I knew then that you didn't want to be a part of my family.

Andre: I thought you liked our games?
Rhonda: Tonight just made me sick. Literally. So maybe you could just be a man and get this done on your own and not turn your wife into a geriatric whore, cause I am so over it.

Cookie: Uh, did you get rid of fake ass Lena Horne?
Lucious: Come on!
Cookie: No, well then no nookie from Cookie til you do so. Get outta here!

Cookie: Baby, I don't love Jamal more than I love you. I just, I just know him better, that's all.
Lucious: Hakeem, do you think it's possible that you can get to know your mama better?
Hakeem: No.

I promise I'll marry you next weekend if you forgive me.

Lucious [to Anika]

Anything else you feel like you should tell me? Like maybe why you screwed Cookie last night?

Anika [to Lucious]

Cookie: You want Cookie's nookie, ditch the bitch.
Lucious: I'll do it. I'll ditch her.
Cookie: Promise me?
Lucious: I promise I'll get rid of her.

You still got it, old head.

Cookie [to Lucious]

Empire Season 1 Quotes

Cookie's coming home.

Cookie

I started selling drugs when I was 9 years old in Philadelphia. I did it to feed myself. But it was the music that played in my head that kept me alive when I thought I was going to get shot. And it was the melodies that I dreamt about that keep me warm when I was sleeping in the streets.

Lucious