'Empire' Star Terrence Howard and Executive Producer Lee Daniels Reveal Which Real Artists Would Make the Label

Empire is FOX’s new hit-series and follows the family behind a powerful, fictional record label and all the drama that comes along with it. The show takes a behind-the-scenes look at the music and hip-hop industry and is unique in many ways, one being the music that the show’s artists put out is actually good and readily available for download in the real world.

Terrence Howard, who plays the vicious businessman at the head of Empire, Lucious Lyon, and the show’s executive producer, Lee Daniels, made appearances at SCAD’s aTVFest over the weekend and took the time to speak with us about which real-life musicians would make the cut at Empire Records and even addressed the possibility of an Empire tour.

In the series, Lucious’ son Hakeem (Bryshere ‘Yazz’ Gray) is Empire’s biggest artist at the moment, but the label is always looking for the next new, hot talent to sign. When asked about what kind of real-world talent would have what it takes to make it at Empire Entertainment Terrence stated, “There’s the usual suspects that are out there. You have Rihanna, you have Drake, Lil Wayne we would definitely want. Lil Wayne is who Hakeem has the potential to be… All of the ones that are really making waves in music. Not the followers that hear a great beat, and then they reproduce it 100 times. We want the people that’s really going to push it. Like over the next couple of years, once we start introducing the pop artists and the country artists, as Empire broadens and tells its full story, I think you’re going to be very, very impressed. A lot of those artists are probably going to want to be on the show, that may not be allowed to.”

Interestingly enough, Lee hasn’t been the biggest fan of the hip-hop genre revealing, “My history of music stops at Diana Ross… Ok, maybe, maybe Whitney Houston… ok, maybe, maybe Beyonce, a couple of songs. The thing is, I don’t know about hip-hop so, my kids hipped me to Timbaland.”

Regardless, we’re glad he made what he knew work for Empire because the original music from the show is just as good as what you’ll hear on the radio (and in some cases better).

Fans of the series should keep an ear out, because it seems that an Empire tour could be headed our way at some point! When I mentioned to Lee and Terrence that fans would love to see a tour happen they both replied, “That’s already happening!” so keep your eyes and ears peeled for more details about that when they emerge.

You can catch an all-new episode of Empire tonight at 9pm on FOX.