Empire and Black Images in Popular Culture

<p> FOX's musical drama <I>Empire</I> has been hailed as the savior of broadcast television drawing 15 million viewers a week. A hip-hopera inspired by Shakespeare's <I>King Lear</I> and 1980s prime-time soap <I>Dynasty</I> the series is at the forefront of a black popular culture Renaissance--yet has stirred controversy in the black community. Is <I>Empire</I> shifting paradigms or promoting pernicious stereotypes?</p><p> Examining the evolution and potency of black images in popular culture the author explores <I>Empire</I>'s place in a diverse body of literature and media data and discussions on respectability.</p>