Taraji P. Henson stars in “Empire”

Following two Academy Award nominations and a number of box office hits, Hollywood film director Lee Daniels ("Lee Daniels' The Butler," 2013) has assembled an all-star cast for what's been dubbed a "sexy and powerful new drama," based on the king of a booming hip-hop empire and the battle for his once coveted throne.

Terrence Howard ("Sparks") and Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," 2008) will again step into the limelight together as a hip-hop power duo following Craig Brewer's 2005 film "Hustle & Flow," but it's clear "Empire" -- airing Wednesday, Jan. 7, on Fox -- is neither an extension of the "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" storyline, nor an expansion of those roles, Howard said during an interview with AndWePresent.com.

"Djay [Howard's "Hustle & Flow" character] is a completely different animal; as far as I know, he doesn't exist anymore," said Howard, who would be nominated for an Academy Award for the role. "This guy [in 'Empire'] is someone who finds himself at a strange road in life ... where you have to make a decision about who are you and what will you become."

Critics have recently compared "Empire" to the likes of "Entourage" and "Dallas," only this program is set to an original urban soundtrack produced by Timbaland, an industry giant who has worked with the likes of Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake and Missy Elliot since his music debut more than 20 years ago.

Television programs tuned to catchy soundtracks have been major crowd-pleasers as of late, with shows such as "Glee" and "Nashville" gaining widespread popularity among viewers from all demographics. But according to Malik Yoba ("New York Undercover"), "Empire" will strive to widen its audience with a predominantly black cast, breaking barriers and creating space for blacks in mainstream television.

"A show like this with a cast of people of color, the perception could be this is a show for people of color," Yoba said during a backstage interview with AndWePresent.com. "But music has proven that 75 per cent of consumers are [non-blacks]."

Daniels and the cast are also using the show to stray away from generic stereotypes, leaning towards healthy images of blacks in the media. "We're more than just the hired help, the best friend of or the cute girlfriend of," said Academy Award nominee Henson in a similar interview with AndWePresent.com. "We have lives and stories, and I feel like it's my obligation to portray and bring those stories to life."

As for the storyline, Yoba says in the interview that Lee Daniels' work never lies on the surface, and viewers will have to look deeper to see how challenging social topics are first exposed and then discussed as a result. From dealing with fatal illnesses to homophobia to sibling rivalries to nepotism, Henson says these are things most other big-name directors tend to avoid all together. "[Lee Daniels] pushes envelopes where a lot of directors in Hollywood are scared," Henson said. "I don't like to do projects unless they scare me, and [my character] scares the hell out of me."

Terrence Howard as seen in “Empire”

Remaining faithful to his longtime colleague and the show's executive producer, Howard steps in to star as Lucious Lyon, a former street thug whose raw talent and thirst for innovation built Empire Entertainment from the ground up. The record label -- working within the ethos of the American dream -- could be compared to real-life Roc-A-Fella Records, founded in part by hip-hop icon Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter.

Lucious' hard-earned success, however, comes crashing down when he is diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, rendering the music giant unfit for business in a matter of just three years. Forced to preserve his hard-earned legacy, Lucious begins grooming a successor and looks no further than his three loyal sons. What better way to ignite 99 problems between three ambitious siblings?

As Lucious breaks the fateful news to family and friends, including longtime business partner Vernon Turner (Yoba), his children want nothing more than to take the helm, but each will have to prove himself fit for CEO.

According to an early preview released by Fox, Lucious' favorite son is Hakeem (Bryshere Gray, a.k.a. rapper Yazz The Greatest), who also happens to be the youngest of the sibling pack. Hakeem is a gifted but spoiled lyrical genius who appears to value fame over the kind of hard work his father deems necessary.

The middle son, Jamal (Jussie Smollett "The Mighty Ducks, 1992), is a different kind of music prodigy, but unlike his baby brother, he shies away from the spotlight in favor of a simpler life and is further pitted against his eldest brother, Andre (Trai Byers, "90210"), who acts as the company's chief financial officer.

Henson's fiery character, Cookie, is Lucious' hardened ex-wife who is released from prison seven years early, claiming it was her money -- to the tune of $400,000 -- and sacrifice that made Empire Entertainment possible.

With a star-studded cast and an Oscar-nominated director, producer and writer at the helm, "Empire" is shaping up to be a huge hit for Fox. Catch the series premiere of the hip-hop drama when it airs Wednesday, Jan. 7, on Fox.