{blackbabes} Album of the week: 'Empire' soundtrack

For a show about grooming the next generation of hip-hop hit-makers, Empire does a pretty fine job of creating them itself, as its new soundtrack (**1/2 out of four) makes clear.

Transplanting Dynasty to a modern, powerhouse record label, Lee Daniels' soapy family drama charts the juicy power struggle between ailing label head Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) and ex-wife Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) as they ready their sons for the spotlight — and, potentially, the label's next head honcho.

Empire has become a record-breaking ratings juggernaut for Fox, thanks in no small part to the twisty plot, Henson's meaty performance and Cookie's acidic one-liners. But a great deal of credit should be given to its music supervisor Timbaland and producer/songwriter Jim Beanz for creating scores of original music week after week, primarily performed by reckless rapper Hakeem (Bryshere Gray) and his brother, gay R&B singer Jamal (Jussie Smollett).

Original Soundtrack from Season 1 of Empire, which pulls from previously aired and upcoming episodes, kicks off with what remains the series' musical highlight: Good Enough, sung by Jamal as he grapples with his father's homophobia. The song itself made waves on iTunes when it was first released, and it's easy to hear why, with its thumping, snappy beat, and Smollett's velvety voice seemingly channeling Justin Timberlake.

The compilation continues with a string of winners, including the aching, downtempo What is Love (tremendously performed by V. Bozeman); Jamal and Hakeem's overproduced but still dynamic No Apologies; and Keep Your Money, which makes up for its asinine hook with a sticky, sinister beat and another rich performance from Smollett.

After the admittedly silly but catchy Drip Drop — which has turned into something of an Internet sensation with its "Drip drippity drop" hook and Saturday Night Live parody — the soundtrack's quality also tends to, well, drop.

Conqueror, while beautifully sung by Smollett and Estelle, has the sort of sappy, empowerment lyrics usually reserved for an end-credits anthem, rather than a legitimate chart-topper. And while it's always a treat to hear Jennifer Hudson, her lack of vocal restraint on Remember the Music gets in the way of what should be a low-key, piano ballad.

With the exception of Hudson and Juicy J's high-octane Whatever Makes You Happy, the last song on the soundtrack's standard edition, the back half of the album relies too heavily on balladry, so much so that they all start to run together.

That said, when Timbaland and Beanz perfectly match song and performer, they can create magic, and there are enough quality songs that stand alone to potentially draw in new fans.

Download Good Enough (Jussie Smollett), Drip Drop, Whatever Makes You Happy

http://youtu.be/KCDMJyKPiLo