Unreleased music by global pop icon Beyoncé was among several high-value items stolen from a rental car in Atlanta last week, according to police. Authorities say the suspect remains at large.
The theft occurred on July 8, just two days before Beyoncé kicked off the Atlanta leg of her Cowboy Carter tour. The stolen items were inside a vehicle used by Beyoncé’s choreographer, Christopher Grant, and one of her dancers. Grant, 37, told police he discovered the car’s rear window smashed and their luggage missing.
Among the stolen items were multiple computer jump drives containing watermarked and unreleased music, show footage, concert plans, and set lists for both past and upcoming performances. A police incident report also listed an Apple MacBook, headphones, and several pieces of luxury clothing as missing.
Atlanta Police tracked the MacBook and headphones to a location but did not confirm any recoveries. A warrant has been issued for an unnamed suspect, though no arrests had been made as of Monday.
The incident has raised concerns about the security of unreleased content for one of the world’s most influential artists. Beyoncé is currently on the final stretch of her Cowboy Carter stadium tour, which launched in April following her historic win of the Album of the Year Grammy for the genre-blending country album.
The Cowboy Carter project has been lauded for spotlighting the often-overlooked contributions of Black artists to country music. Beyoncé concluded her four-show run in Atlanta on Monday and is scheduled to wrap up the tour with two final performances in Las Vegas later this month.
Written By Rodney Mbua
