Empire Season 2 is back with a bang and the 2nd episode, titled ‘Without A Country,’ aired last night.

[FLASHBACK:?WATCH Empire Season 2, Episode 1 RECAP + FULL VIDEO]

As as Cookie and her disgruntled brood plot & plan to launch their own company, Christopher ‘Ludacris’ Bridges and Terrence Howard ‘reunite’ onscreen.

The pair first bump heads on the big screen thriller ‘Crash,’ where Ludacris played?a misunderstood carjacker and Howard?played an upper middle-class husband impacted by police misconduct. The two actors both appeared in “Hustle & Flow” also.

Now they meet again on EMPIRE as?Luda plays a prison guard hell bent on blocking Lucious Lyon’s prison based record enterprise.

Watch the full episode + recap below…

VIDEO: Empire Season 2, Episode 2

Lucious Lyon already has evaded terminal illness and on Wednesday’s episode of Empire the hip-hop mogul surprisingly gained his freedom after blackmailing his judge.

The ruthless label owner, played by Terrence Howard, even managed to record an edgy hit single from prison.

The record, titled Snitch Bitch, was targeted at his diva wife Cookie [Taraji P. Henson] ?who has set out to destroy him.

Empire Season 2 started off with a bang last week but it may be losing some it’s appeal.?Preliminary reports are that the 2nd episode of Empire’s 2nd season was down in viewership.?Shocker? ?Not really.

With all the hype surrounding who’s joining the cast and the ‘celebrity’ surprises it was bound to happen.

RWS?reports:

According to reports a respectable 13.7 million viewers tuned in for the second episode of Empire season 2, a 19% drop from last weeks season premier. DVR totals not included

But I digress.

This week, we are also introduced to Luscious Lyon’s?savior. ?A ‘thirsty’ lawyer in a purple suit by the name of Thirsty Rawling. The attorney, played by Andre Royo of The Wire, conveniently earns Lucious’ trust by smuggling his medication and musical equipment into jail. ?He then gets Luscious released on bond by submitting incriminating photos of Lucious’ judge ahead of a bail hearing.

VIDEO: My Hair Is Layed Like Atrocious (Empire Season 2 Ep2 review)?

What did you think of the 2nd episode of Empire Season 2?