Taraji P. Henson Says Lil Kim Is Inspiration Behind Cookie character. In her recent interview with Vogue magazine the “Hustle and Flow” actress talked about Fox’s new hit Tv show ‘Empire’. Viewers have fallen in love with Taraji’s character Cookie. She’s sassy, intelligent, stylish,(in her 90’s fashion) and business minded. She’s literally “Every Woman”. Taraji credits the females of hip hop; she says that Foxy Brown, Salt and Pepper, and Lil Kim were a huge influence on her character Cookie. Taraji fails to put Nicki in the same category;in fact she states Nicki Minaj got everything from Kim. Shady or Nah? More details after the jump.