No Apologies

Album: Empire Season 1 (2015)
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Songfacts®:

  • This energetic, uptempo track is played during "The Outspoken King" episode of Empire at the opening of Empire Entertainment CEO Lucius Lyon's club "Leviticus." His sons, Jamal [Jussie Smollett] and Hakeem [Yazz] perform the song together.
  • Before it was broadcast, Columbia Records released this as a buzz single on iTunes to help build the show's hype. "We wanted to give people an idea of what's coming," said Shawn Holiday, Columbia Records' senior VP of A&R.
  • Empire cast member Grace Gealey, who plays Anika, told The Hollywood Reporter she feels the song embodies the first season of Empire. She explained: "It reflects how we've approached a lot of the topics. We're not sorry for none of it. We had some things to say, and we've said them."
  • The Empire original soundtrack album topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It was the first TV series soundtrack to reach #1 on the list since the tally premiered in 1965. The long player also debuted at peak position on the Billboard 200.

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