<Tr> <Th> Granddaughters </Th> <Td> Bella Lyon </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Other relatives </Th> <Td> Rhonda Lyon </Td> </Tr> <P> Lucious Lyon (born Dwight Walker) is a fictional character from the Fox drama series Empire, portrayed by Terrence Howard . Lucious is the main protagonist and anti-hero of the series . Created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, Lucious is the founder and CEO of Empire Entertainment, a world - famous and renowned record company that he runs with his family . Realizing he will need a successor after he is diagnosed with ALS, Lucious pits his three sons--the college - educated executive Andre Lyon (Trai Byers), the talented and gay singer / songwriter Jamal (Jussie Smollett) and youngest, rapper Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray)--against one another . The story parallels William Shakespeare's King Lear and James Goldman's The Lion in Winter . He is the husband of former drug dealer and ex-con Cookie Lyon (Taraji P. Henson). </P> <P> The company is preparing to go public on the NYSE . However, Lucious must contend with his wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) upon her release from prison as she demands her piece of the company . He also struggles with Jamal's sexuality and Hakeem's inability to step up to the plate and show maturity as an artist . At the same time, Lucious neglects Andre seemingly due to his lack of musical ability . Lucious and Cookie's love for each other further complicates his existing relationship with his head of A&R, Anika Calhoun (Grace Gealey). The character of Lucious who starts out selling drugs as a teenager and develops into a well respected rapper and music mogul is loosely based on several real life figures from rappers, record producers, to politicians with a criminal past . </P>

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