086 ERNEST OWENS: "Empire or Bust?"

Empire. An entertaining tour de force, the hit hip-hop television drama starring Oscar nominees Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard is breaking rating records. But many in the African-American community are up in arms about its racy depiction of the fictional Lyons, a backstabbing black family perched at the highest echelons of entertainment.

Helmed by Lee Daniels (“Precious”)­–an openly gay African-American male, its toughest critics say the show is “an embarrassment that’s failing black people.” Others say its prominent LGBT storylines are “pandering and pointless.”

“Dear Empire Critics, Stop Hating. You Just Don’t Get it.” is Ernest Owens’ blistering blog that tackles all the criticism head-on. Passionate in his defense of the massive hit, Ernest’s article has created a sensation at Huffington Post, The Root, Black Voices and other online entertainment platforms.