Filming in River North for pilot about hip-hop

25-Mar-14 – The hip-hop music industry is the subject of a television pilot episode being filmed in River North this week.

20th Century Fox is filming near North Wabash Avenue and West Kinzie Street for Empire, which would air on the Fox television network if picked up.

A filming notice informed buildings in the area of no parking from Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. to Friday at 10 p.m. on the south side of Kinzie from Wabash to Rush Street, and the west side of Wabash from Grand Avenue to Kinzie Street.

Empire is about a “street hustler” turned hip-hop record label executive named Lucious Lyon, played by Terrence Howard (left). Lyon’s wife, Cookie, played by Taraji P. Henson, has just been released from prison after serving 17 years for drug dealing.

Director Lee Daniels also directed the 2013 film, The Butler.

Production began in Chicago on March 19 and will continue through April 4, according to Rich Moskal, Director of the Chicago Film Office.