Full Description
FOX's musical drama Empire has been hailed as the savior of broadcast television, drawing 15 million viewers a week. A "hip-hopera" inspired by Shakespeare's King Lear and 1980s prime-time soap Dynasty, the series is at the forefront of a black popular culture Renaissance--yet has stirred controversy in the black community. Is Empire shifting paradigms or promoting pernicious stereotypes?
Examining the evolution and potency of black images in popular culture, the author explores Empire's place in a diverse body of literature and media, data and discussions on respectability.
Contents
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction: The Empire State of Mind—The Birth of a Cultural Phenomenon
1. The Lyon Family Hustle: A New Look at the Black Family on TV
2. Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom: Lucious Lyon and the Black Outlaw's American Dream
3. The Name's Cookie, Ask About Me: The Fierce and Flawed Feminism of Cookie Lyon
4. My Three Sons: Reflections on Black Masculinity in Empire
5. Lee Daniels Doesn't Care About Black People! Representation vs. Exploitation
6. The Empire Effect: The Revolution Will Be Televised!
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
