Bozeman's despairing ballad 'What Is Love' is, by far, the standout of that bunch (and perhaps of the series as a whole). Bozeman (Veronica), Courtney Love (Elle Dallas), Serayah McNeil (Tiana), and Terrence Howard (Lucius Lyon) are also selected. Rapper Yazz, who portrays the spoiled but eager youngest Lyon sibling, shines most on the unassisted 'Power of the Empire.' Contributions from V. Smollett, who signed a real-life recording deal with Columbia just before the compilation hit shelves, is showcased best in pilot episode track 'Good Enough,' which resembles a decent album cut from Justin Timberlake's Timbaland-assisted 20/20 Experience.
It's anchored by performances from lead artists Jussie Smollett (Jamal Lyon) and Yazz (Hakeem Lyon). Just prior to the initial airing of the first season's 10th (of 12) episodes, Columbia issued this season-spanning compilation, 11 tracks in CD form. Each batch consisted of two to five tracks and arrived a day before the original broadcasts. Throughout the first season of Fox musical drama Empire, the Columbia label released episode-specific digital download bundles of the series' original music, executive produced by Timbaland.
