Well, that didn't last long. Lucious Lyon is a free man again on "Empire" -- at least, for now. (Tbh, we really missed his ascots and pocket squares.)

But now that the Lyon has been released from his cage, what does this mean for Cookie's new business venture, Lyon Dynasty. After getting fired from getting the hell out of Empire Entertainment, Cookie decides to start her own record label from the ground up. You know, since she already has an amazing track record with starting billion-dollar companies. This time around she has a little help from her sons -- Hakeem and Andre -- and the very helpful personnel at Ghetto Ass Studios.

With Cookie's Lyon Dynasty threatening to unravel the Empire, how far will Jamal go to protect his father's legacy? Scratch that. How far will LUCIOUS go now that he's out of prison? Let's discuss the most bats--t crazy moments from episode 2, "Without a Country."

Cookie's new kingdom.

After their hostile takeover plan failed, Cookie, Andre and Hakeem were fired from Empire. However, Cookie saw this as an opportunity to create their own empire. So she, Hakeem and a reluctant Andre start their own company -- based out of Ghetto Ass Studios because obviously -- but they're not entirely starting from scratch. Empire artists Tiana and V (thanks to Boo Boo Kitty) decide to come with them. Yeah, Lucious wasn't exactly thrilled to hear the news when he found out. He told Jamal to do whatever he had to do to get Hakeem back as Empire because he knew just how big of an asset he is to Cookie and her new company. But 'Keem has way too much confidence and pride to go back to Empire now. Instead, he released his unfinished album -- aka the tracks Jamal wouldn't let him have unless he returned to Empire -- on his own. Oh, snap. Shots fired. Your move, Jamal. But do we think Jamal will actually sue his "little baby traitor?"

Hakeem finds his Beyoncé.

Even though he should be focussing on making new music, Hakeem set his sights on other ventures. 'Keem wants to do more than rap; he wants to be a hip-hop mogul. So, obviously, he decided that he needed to find the next Beyoncé and form the next Destiny's Child. He even had a name all picked out and ready to go: "Rainbow Sensation." LOL. (We wish we were kidding.)

During auditions, he met Valentina (Becky G), a fiery Latina with big-time pop star aspirations. She won Hakeem over with her attitude, but it was him that had to convince her to join his girl group. And this being Hakeem, he did that with some Netflix and chill, obviously. At least this time around, Valentina was actually around his own age.

Who is Lucious calling a "snitch bitch?"

We thought Drake had released the hottest diss track of the year... until we heard Lucious spit FIRE on this prison track. "Snitch Bitch" -- with lyrics like "Snitch bitch / snitching ass bitch" -- is the new "Drip Drop." The song that you know you shouldn't love but you kinda do anyway.

Lucious recorded "Snitch Bitch" on the DL with his talented prison pals and sent the track to radio by way of his slimy new lawyer Thirsty (yes, that's his actual name). And while it's entirely possible Lucious dropped the diss track for more street cred, he was most definitely sending a message to Cookie. He knows she snitched on Frank, and he knows that she's starting her own record company. "Snitch Bitch" was a warning.

Everybody hates Andre.

Andre decided that Ghetto Ass Studios wasn't for him, and Cookie understood. He then tried to get his job back at Empire -- even Rhonda and her lil' bun in the oven -- had to convince Jamal to talk to Lucious, but Lucious wasn't having any of it. (Despite the fact that he JUST asked Jamal to get Hakeem back. Yeah. Lucious is a d--k like that.) Poor Andre. After putting everything he had into Empire, he doesn't know what else to do with his life. "Why do you hate me?" he asked Lucious.

But Lucious doesn't hate him; he just doesn't know how to talk to him. In a flashback, it's revealed that Lucious' mom, played by Kelly Rowland, also suffered from bipolar disorder. Does Lucious somehow feel responsible for what happened to Andre?

TO THE... LYON DYNASTY.

Cookie was able to lease a floor in the same building as Ghetto Ass Studios. Upon checking out her company's new digs, she came across the word "dynasty" and just like that, greatness was born. Welcome to Lyon Dynasty, bitches.