Within the past few years, a number of US actors and actresses have migrated their talents from the big screen onto television sets, with the result being shows that frequently deliver a higher caliber¹ of entertainment. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson shine in True Detective, Kevin Spacey channels Sun Tzu in House of Cards, and Glenn Close redefined the meaning of “shrewd” in Damages. Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow, Iron Man, Crash) is the latest star to pursue success on the small screen, and with Empire, he accomplishes this transition with ease.

过去数年间，美国有一大批演员将表演阵地从大银幕转到了电视荧幕上，凭借自己的表演天赋，不断拉高电视剧的水准。其中，既有在美剧《真探》中大放光彩的马修•麦康纳与伍迪•哈里森，也有在《纸牌屋》中玩转“孙子兵法”的凯文•史派西，还有在《以法之名》里重新定义了“八面玲珑”的格伦•克洛斯。最近，曾出演《川流熙攘》、《钢铁侠》、《撞车》等影片的泰伦斯•霍华德也加入了电视剧的表演行列，在美剧《嘻哈帝国》中担纲主演；不过，这种“转型”对他简直是轻而易举。

Howard plays Lucious Lyon, the ailing² head of a wildly successful record label whose criminal past haunts his present. With death looming³ heavy over his head, Lucious must decide which of his three princeling sons will assume his place on the throne. But the decision becomes more complicated once Lucious’ scheming ex-wife and business partner (Taraji P. Henson) is released from prison.

霍华德在剧中饰演的卢修斯•里昂是一家唱片巨头的大老板，但他身患重病、饱受过去罪行的困扰。当死亡离他越来越近，卢修斯不得不在他三个年幼的儿子中选出一个人，继承他的“帝位”。卢修斯诡计多端的前妻也是他曾经的合伙人（塔拉吉•P•汉森 饰）却在此时刑满出狱，使情况变得更加错综复杂……

Empire’s already potent⁴ dose of melodrama⁵ is strengthened by stellar performances from both Howard and Henson. Cookie, Henson’s character, steals each and every scene that she’s in, and Howard gives a strong performance as a cutthroat, calculating and intensely homophobic record executive. Henson and Howard’s characters play off of each other fluidly, with each bringing out both the best and the worst in each other.

霍华德与汉森一流的演技更是让《嘻哈帝国》这部实力派音乐剧锦上添花。汉森饰演的琦琦在每一幕中可谓抢足镜头，而霍华德则将这个残酷、工于心计、严重恐同的CEO演绎得淋漓尽致。两人角色间的你来我往更是酣畅淋漓，将各自的光明与阴暗面一一呈现出来。

In addition to holding its own as a drama, Empire’s musical elements also manage to impress. Two of Lucious’ sons are gifted with creative talent, one as a singer and the other as a hip⁶ hop⁷ artist. Whoever writes the lyrics⁸ for the two’s performances deserves tremendous credit. Choosing to include musical performances in a show is a risky⁹ move, as there’s always the danger that the songwriting will come across as cheesy. With Empire, the songs are convincing, so much so that they sound much like anything that might be played on the average US radio station.

除了剧情，《嘻哈帝国》的音乐元素也令人印象深刻。剧中，卢修斯有两个儿子极具创作天赋，一个做了歌手，一个是嘻哈艺人。而不论是谁为这二人填词，都值得大获赞赏。其实，在剧中加入音乐表演并非保险之举，因为专门为剧写歌可能会显得不自然。但是《嘻哈帝国》中的歌曲却极具说服力，每首歌听上去都像是可以在美国电台播放的。

Created by six-time Oscar nominated producer, director and actor Lee Daniels (Precious, Monster’s Ball), it’s no wonder Empire is so entertaining. The show blends drama and music together to create a genuinely original and compelling tale of familial conflict.

嘻哈帝国》由六获奥斯卡提名的制作人、导演兼演员李•丹尼斯亲自操刀编剧（《珍爱》《死囚之舞》也是他的作品），其娱乐性自是不言而喻。该剧将剧情与音乐完美结合，打造出一个新颖独特、扣人心弦的豪门争斗故事。