‘Empire’ Finale: Bryshere Gray Says Hakeem is Growing Up, ‘Scandalous Things’ Still Coming (Video)

Hakeem Lyon, the enfant terrible of “Empire,” is growing into his father’s shoes faster than viewers might think.

TheWrap caught up with Bryshere Gray, who portrays the wild and angry young rapper, at a recent Emmy live event where he said it’s been a long road from the pilot to Wednesday’s highly anticipated two-hour finale.

“[It’s been] a great journey. He’s evolving each episode. It’s getting better and better. He’s learning, he’s growing up,” the Philadelphia native said.

While costars like Taraji P. Henson (as showstopper Cookie Lyon) and Terrence Howard are exemplary off set, Gray said his fictional universe revolves around Jussie Smollett’s Jamal Lyon — the middle of three boys in the recording empire.

“Hakeen has the utmost respect for Jamal, he looks up to Jamal. Lucious has been on a roll his whole life, Cookie been locked up, so his only guidance has been from … Jamal,” Gray said.

As far as hints about the finale, Gray said to “expect a lot of family drama, murder and some scandalous things going on.”

The two-hour “Empire” finale airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Fox.

Itay Hod contributed to this report.