Disgraced British glam rock star Gary Glitter has been charged with additional counts of child sexual abuse in the U.K.

The 82-year-old “Rock and Roll” singer (real name Paul Gadd) has repeatedly been convicted of pedophilia and is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in England for sexually abusing three young girls in the 1970s. On Thursday (July 2), London’s Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service accused him of abusing a fourth girl under the age of 13 during that same period at a home in Kensington.

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“This follows allegations made by a woman relating to a period of alleged abuse that took place between 1978 and 1981,” said lead prosecutor Bethan David in a public announcement. “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court and that it is in the public interest to do so.”

Glitter is charged in this new case with one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a child and three counts of indecent assault. Police say the victim reported the alleged crimes in January 2025 and that Glitter was interviewed as part of their lengthy investigation before charges were filed.

The former pop star is set to appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court to address the charges on Aug. 5. He could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday.

Glitter has been a convicted sex offender since 1999, when he pled guilty in the U.K. to possessing child sexual abuse material. In 2006, he was sentenced to three years in a Vietnamese prison for sexually abusing two girls aged 10 and 11 in the country.

The singer was then arrested again in London in 2012 as part of “Operation Yewtree,” a massive U.K. probe into historical child sex abuse that stemmed from allegations against late BBC television host Jimmy Savile. Glitter was convicted in 2015 of abusing three young girls and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

He was initially granted probation after serving half the sentence in 2023, but returned to jail within a month after breaching the terms of his release. He remains incarcerated at Channings Wood Prison in Devon, England.


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50 Cent has responded to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently telling Complex that he would invite the rapper to a dream dinner party at Gracie Mansion and the supposed beef between the two has been “one-sided.”

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“I would throw in 50 Cent, so that we could have a conversation around tax policy,” he told the outlet after naming former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia as one of his guests. “My tax policies are not his favorites, but Get Rich or Die Tryin’ is still one of my favorites of all time.”

He added: “It’s a one-sided beef, yeah. I think we’re always gonna have a disagreement on that tax policy. I wanna increase tax on the wealthiest; he does not want that to happen. But I will still appreciate the song ‘Many Men,’ for whatever our disagreements are.”

The Queens entertainment mogul then took to Instagram and told the mayor to focus on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce upcoming wedding at Madison Square Garden instead of on him. “Man focus on the wedding of the century, Taylor and Travis down at the Garden,” 50 wrote in a post earlier Thursday (June 2). “We don’t have beef, I just think some of these ideas are radical. Stay away from the taxes. OK!”

50 has voiced his displeasure with Mamdani’s “tax the rich” rhetoric and policy agenda since his mayoral run began to catch steam. He offered the then-Democratic mayoral nominee $258,750 and a first-class ticket to leave the city in a since-deleted post. He also posted a tombstone that read, “RIP NYC: FOUNDED 1624 – DIED 2025,” after Mamdani won the election back in November.

The latest trial in a long-running legal battle pitting T.I. and Tameka “Tiny” Harris against toy company MGA ended in a loss for the power couple — but they’re still walking away with millions of dollars.  

Lawyers for T.I. and Tiny confirmed on Wednesday (July 1) that a federal jury rejected their request to tack additional damages onto the $18 million they previously won from MGA — the toy behemoth behind successful brands like Bratz and Little Tikes — for copying their teen pop group OMG Girlz with a line of “O.M.G.” dolls. At this trial, T.I. and Tiny argued that MGA should pay extra because the infringement was intentional and malicious. But the jury was unconvinced, rejecting the couple’s request to add so-called punitive damages.

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In a statement to Billboard, the Harrises’ attorneys said they “appreciate the jury’s time and consideration but are disappointed in the verdict.”

“It’s clear from the evidence that MGA’s policies are inadequate to prevent this type of IP infringement and their document retention and collection procedures are equally as suspect,” said the musicians’ lawyers. “We will continue to fight for our clients’ rights and the rights of all creatives.”

Reps for MGA did not immediately return requests for comment on the verdict.

This was the fourth trial in six years of litigation over the O.M.G. dolls. T.I and Tiny began alleging in 2020 that MGA’s dolls ripped off the name, outfits and neon-colored hair of the OMG Girlz, a trio founded by the Harrises in 2009 and featuring their daughter Zonnique Pullins alongside Bahja Rodriguez and Breaunna Womack. MGA has consistently denied any infringement.

An initial trial in the case ended in a mistrial in 2023 due to improper testimony about racism, and a jury cleared MGA of all wrongdoing at a second trial the same year. But that verdict was wiped on appeal amid evolving Supreme Court precedent, teeing up a third trial in 2024. That time, a jury found that MGA intentionally copied the OMG Girlz and awarded $18 million in profits, plus $53 million in punitive damages for a total of $71 million.

Last summer, however, a judge wiped out the punitive damages after determining that the Harrises had not put forth “clear and convincing evidence of willful infringement or conscious disregard for the rights of others.” This led to a fourth mini-trial this month solely on the question of punitive damages, in which jurors sided with MGA on Wednesday and capped the verdict at $18 million.


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New evidence has emerged in Pooh Shiesty’s robbery case alleging that the Memphis rapper forced Gucci Mane to sign his release from 1017 Records at gunpoint while on federal home confinement.

After Shiesty’s (born Lontrell Williams Jr.) bail was denied in Texas federal court in May, the “Back in Blood” rapper’s attorneys filed a motion to review his detention orders. On June 24, prosecutors responded with a filing, viewed by Billboard, that alleges they have strong proof of Shiesty’s guilt — including video footage of the alleged armed robbery and kidnapping, along with a copy of the “release of contract” Mane was allegedly forced to sign to free Shiesty from his label deal.

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The prosecution claims that the footage shows Mane in the studio being forced to declare that Shiesty was “dropped” from 1017 and out of his contract. Prosecutors also allege that the video matches the victims’ accounts of the robbery, which took place in January at a Dallas recording studio. An 8GB USB drive was also put forth as evidence by the prosecution, with a photo of the device included in the court documents.

Prosecutors allege that the “release of contract” agreement constitutes a “full termination and release” of Shiesty from his deal with 1017 Records, which signed him in 2020.

“Reference is hereby made to the agreement between 1017 Global Music LLC (‘Company’) and Lontrell Williams p/k/a Pooh Shiesty (‘Artist’) dated as of April 1, 2020 (the ‘Agreement’),” the paperwork allegedly reads. “The following, when signed by Artist and by Company (collectively the ‘Parties’), will constitute a full Termination and Release of the Agreement by the Parties.”

Shiesty, along with his father, Lontrell Williams Sr., and rapper Big30 (Rodney Lamont Wright Jr.), were among eight individuals arrested on April 1 over the alleged dispute, which is said to have taken place on Jan. 10 in Dallas.

Prosecutors previously alleged that Shiesty and his co-conspirators drew guns and barricaded Mane’s team inside the recording studio while they forced Mane to sign the release. The group is accused of stealing jewelry, Rolex watches and cash during the alleged altercation.

Shiesty’s trial was originally set for July, before being pushed back to Feb. 22, 2027. The Memphis rapper remains in custody.


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At Sunday’s 2026 BET Awards, there were a lot of highlights, including Janet Jackson presenting Teyana Taylor with the Icon of the Year award, a jam-session tribute to late neo-soul star D’Angelo, and Cardi B’s motorcycle-riding victory lap. But the show-ending celebration of Living Legend Icon award recipient Lauryn Hill stood out as something truly special.

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On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith are discussing the overwhelmingly positive response to Sunday’s show and what other awards shows might be able to learn from it. The biggest takeaway seems to be the welcome return of Lauryn Hill, who enthusiastically enjoyed performances of her songs by Doja Cat, SZA, Lizzo, Doechii, Queen Latifah, Nas and more, as well as three of her children: Selah, YG and Zion Marley. Hill also gave a beautiful speech and performed two songs — “Ex-Factor” and “Everything Is Everything” — to wrap up the loving tribute.

Listen to our full conversation about what the BET Awards got right below:

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Ella Langley two-steps her way back to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with “Choosin’ Texas,” how the top three on the Hot 100 are all country songs by women — for the first time ever — and how the Toy Story 5 soundtrack debuts on the Billboard 200 this week, becoming the highest-charting Toy Story soundtrack yet.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

Over the weekend, Lupe Fiasco appeared on former battle rapper Breezy Nice’s YouTube page KoalaTeaReacts to discuss issues they’ve had in the past, when the discussion pivoted into a conversation about Kendrick Lamar.

The Chicago rapper has shared his opinion in the past about Lamar — opinions he thinks have been blown out of proportion by fans and the media — one of which is that he thinks he’s the better rapper.

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“I find it crazy that you can’t even say that you think that you are a better rapper than Kendrick Lamar,” he said in astonishment before conceding that the Compton rapper is better in other areas.

“I’m not talking about album, I’m not talking about making songs, I’m not talking about being an artist. All the things that I’ve said all these years: He’s a better artist than me, he makes better albums, he has a better team, he has better beat selection, he has better production, right? He has all these better things, right? When it comes down to lyricism, when it comes down to these lyrics and putting these bar-for-bar-for-bar? No. Everything else? For sure. 100 percent.”

However, what’s been causing chatter in rap social media circles is that he said he can name “hundreds” of rappers better than Dot. This is because Lupe has said that battle rappers are better lyricists than mainstream rappers and can name a bunch that are better than most, including Kendrick. “I said it was hundreds and I’ll name ’em, and we could list them,” he doubled down. “We gonna just start listing n—as and then let’s see how long that list get before we start naming one n—a with a record deal? As the better rapper? Stop.”

Back in 2014, he made headlines after he claimed King Los, Logic and Cassidy were better rappers than Kendrick during an appearance on Hot 97. Fast forward to 2018, Fiasco took to Twitter and criticized the “Control” verse. “The only issue that the world thinks I have with K. Dot and I actually do is that I think his ‘Control’ verse was wack and super overhyped to be a verse claiming you are the best rapper,” he quote-tweeted a troll at the time who suggested Kendrick’s “Look Out for Detox” is better than every Lupe song ever. “It was very weird. I was told it was just bait, but still.”

He later apologized a couple of months later and said he’ll never talk about someone else’s career again. “Maybe I should have just left it alone. Even though my impetus was the ‘Control’ verse,” he said. “I mean you put yourself out there like that. So, you opened yourself up to critique, but even that still, I should have just shut my f—ing mouth. I apologize for even engaging and talking about n—as’ careers, I’ll never do that sh– again.”

You can watch the full convo below.

A jury has ruled that Chris Brown should pay nearly $13 million to a woman who was mauled by the R&B star’s 200-pound dog while working as a housekeeper at his California home.

Jurors determined on Tuesday (June 30) that Brown and his company Black Pyramid LLC owe $12.9 million in damages to Maria Avila for negligence, according to Michael C. Murphy Jr., an attorney representing the victim’s sister, Patricia Avila. Patricia, who was working alongside her sister on the day of the attack, was separately awarded $885,000 for emotional distress. Maria’s husband Oscar Olivo won another $50,000 in the verdict, Murphy said.

The incident occurred in 2020, when Maria was emptying trash outside Brown’s Tarzana, Calif., home. She was attacked out of nowhere by Hades, the singer’s Caucasian shepherd — a massive, aggressive dog breed notorious for their use as guard dogs at Russian prisons. Maria claims Hades ripped off “large chunks of her skin,” ultimately leading to permanent facial disfigurement, scarring, vision loss and nerve damage.

Maria sued over the incident in 2021, and a two-week trial was held in June. Brown accepted some liability for negligence ahead of the trial, but he disputed the extent of Maria’s injuries and argued that she was partially at fault for the incident. Brown testified on June 18 that he personally warned both Maria and Patricia that multiple dogs on the property were “absolutely not” friendly, and that they shouldn’t go outside unless accompanied by security staff.

The star also testified that Hades was not his personal pet. Rather, he said the dog was purchased and looked after by his security guards to help protect the house from break-ins. “I get a lot of stalker-type situations,” he told the jury.

Murphy, Patricia’s lawyer, told Billboard following Tuesday’s verdict, “After more than five years of litigating against Chris Brown, we are thrilled that we were able to get justice for our client, Patricia.”

“We are so happy for her and her family after everything they went through on that horrible day,” added Murphy. “It was an honor to represent her.”

Reps for Maria, Olivo and Brown did not immediately return requests for comment on the verdict. Brown is currently on the road co-headlining his Raymond & Brown Tour with Usher.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Millions of viewers from Latin America are expected to be glued to their TV sets tonight, as Mexico takes on Ecuador in a Round of 32 matchup at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The match takes place live from Mexico City Stadium with a kickoff time of 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. Current weather conditions are cloudy in Mexico City with a chance of rain, no doubt adding to the already tense atmosphere for the knockout game.

How to Watch Mexico vs. Ecuador World Cup Match on TV

You can watch the Mexico vs. Ecuador soccer game on TV on FOX or on Telemundo for a Spanish-language feed.

How to Watch Mexico vs. Ecuador World Cup Game Online Free

Don’t have cable? There are also ways to find a live feed of the Mexico vs. Ecuador game online, including ways to livestream the Round of 32 match for free.

directv

TOP PICK

DirecTV (Free)

We like DirecTV, which is a live TV streaming service that offers a free trial for new users. DirecTV carries a live feed of FOX as part of its “MySports Genre Pack” package. Regularly $69.99, get FOX and more than 20 other live TV channels to stream online for just $49.99 right now as part of a limited-time World Cup deal


Your MySports Genre Pack subscription also includes free access to ESPN and ESPN Unlimited for post-game analysis, highlights and more live sporting events. Not ready to commit? Test out DirecTV with a five-day free trial here and use it to watch Mexico vs. Ecuador live online free.

directv spanish

ALSO CONSIDER

DirecTV Spanish Feed (Free)

If you want to watch tonight’s Mexico vs. Ecuador soccer match in Spanish, DirecTV offers the “MiEspañol Genre Pack” for $32.99 per month for the first two months of service ($37.99 per month afterward).


The package includes Spanish-language channels like Telemundo and Universo, that you can watch online without needing cable. Use this free trial to watch the World Cup match on Telemundo in Spanish for free.

fubo

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Fubo (Free)

I watch all my World Cup games using Fubo, another live TV streaming service that carries FOX, Telemundo and 200 other channels as part of its “Core” plan ($62.99/month).


Fubo comes with a five-day free trial, so you can try out the service before you commit to a monthly plan and livestream Mexico vs. Ecuador without paying. Fubo’s free trial includes free DVR so you can record tonight’s game to watch all your favorite moments back on-demand.

fox one

OFFICIAL STREAMER

Fox One

Fox One is the official streaming home of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and it will let you watch all the soccer matches online without needing cable.


Pricing starts at $19.99/month but new users can get a three-day free trial here through Amazon Prime Video.

All of the above streaming services have been vetted and approved by our editors, and they all let you watch the Mexico vs. Ecuador soccer game on your computer, phone, tablet or TV.

Mexico vs. Ecuador Odds, Favorites

Mexico is currently ranked ninth in the latest FIFA rankings and El Tri are favored to win over the 24th-ranked Ecuadorians. Mexico advanced to the knockout rounds by winning Group A, while Ecuador placed third in Group E.

Watch tonight’s World Cup match online free with DirecTV here.

When the Rodgers family began restoring Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, Okla. — roughly eight months after purchasing the dilapidated 1924 building and business — they found handfuls of ticket stubs that read “dime-a-dance.” The tickets dated back to when venue founder Madison Cain opened the space as Cain’s Dance Academy in the 1930s, during which men who lived off Tulsa’s booming oil and gas business would spend 10 cents for a dance lesson taught by a man named Howard Turner.

“Turner would hold these dances where he would have women…there to provide dances for men who would buy a 10-cent ticket and come in,” says Chad Rodgers, who currently co-owns Cain’s Ballroom alongside his brother Hunter Rodgers. “Then [he] and the venue would split the proceeds with the women.”

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More than 100 years later, the venue still has a painted sign inside advertising dancing at Cain’s on various nights of the week — and it’s not the only relic that remains. The log cabin-patterned dance floor still bounces as it did in the 1930s on what was rumored to be truck springs under the floorboards. The ballroom walls also boast large sepia-toned portraits of folks like Oliver Wheeler “O.W.” Mayo — who managed Bob Wills, known as the founder of Western swing — and Turner, as well as other luminaries who helped make the honky tonk a historic spot off the iconic Route 66. They include Wills and Gene Autry, along with Pat Breene, the queen of Western disc jockeys, and big band leader Spade Cooley, whose life took a dark turn when he was convicted of murdering his second wife in 1961.

“When we took over in 2002, it was like, ‘Should [these portraits] still be there?’ It gives the building and the performance area such a cool historic thing,” says Chad. “A lot of the artists on stage will say it’s so cool to look out there and see all these famous people, or people from the past that have [put] a stamp on either music history or just history.”

For the Rodgers family, their hefty investment in Cain’s was always about preserving its history for the city of Tulsa, not replacing it. In the 1930s, Cain’s became a literal beacon of culture, broadcasting live radio shows hosted by Wills and his brother, Johnny Lee Wills, that “popularized Western swing,” says Julie Watson, Cain’s Centennial coordinator. (Cain’s still flies a banner over the stage that reads, “The Home of Bob Wills.”)

This golden era ended by the 1960s, when Cain’s fell out of popularity. It wasn’t until 1976 that its fortunes began to change: That year, Cain’s was taken over by promoter Larry Shaeffer, who brought such stars as U2, Van Halen, Tom Petty, Metallica, Eric Clapton and Elvis Costello to the venue.

“There’s some good pictures of Van Halen in the Cain’s office when they played here. They weren’t even the headliner,” says Chad. “They were opening for Montrose, and they got paid like $500. I think it was ‘82.”

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“Shaeffer was just taking anything he could get,” Hunter Rodgers tells Billboard. “He says it was lucky for him to get these acts. He didn’t really know what he was doing at the time, I don’t think.”

That openness to book even the most chaotic of bands led to Cain’s becoming part of punk rock history. In 1978, the Sex Pistols scheduled a run of nine U.S. tour dates (only ever completing seven), including a Jan. 11 show at Cain’s.

“Sex Pistols [were booked because] Shaeffer got a phone call and they said, ‘We’re gonna route this tour, do you want a date?’ And he was like, ‘Sure,’” Chad says.

After the Pistols finished their rowdy set at Cain’s, an angry Sid Vicious punched a hole in the wall. The piece of drywall with the hole is now framed in the venue’s office.

“The looks of it aren’t great, but it’s the centerpiece of our office. Everyone wants to see it,” says Chad. “I took a picture of Bono putting his fist up to it.”

Despite bringing the venue back to prominence, Shaeffer’s legacy was marred by some of his bad business practices, which reportedly left him broke by the 1990s. “It was a different time then,” says Chad. “We have people all the time that say, ‘I remember when people had cocaine on the tables, and there’d be beer bottles getting smashed and people dancing on the tables.’”

After more than 20 years, Shaeffer sold Cain’s in 1999 to new owners who did not last long. By 2002, Chad and Hunter’s parents, James and Alice Rodgers, saw that the iconic venue was for sale. The next morning, James called his son Chad and said, “Let’s go down and look at Cain’s.” With the revitalization of downtown Tulsa at the time, including an upcoming arena (now the BOK Center), the nearly 80-year-old Cain’s seemed like a good prospect.

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“There was dust all over everything. There were chains on the doors. There had never been central heat and air. There were buckets collecting water coming through the roof,” says Chad. “Most people couldn’t have seen through what luckily our father and mother saw.”

James and Alice purchased Cain’s and subsequently handed the keys to Chad and Hunter, the latter of whom was studying audio engineering in Florida at the time. The family knew that if they were going to make Cain’s a legitimate business again, they would have to renovate the venue and its reputation.

“When the news came out that we were going to [restore it], we got a lot of letters,” says Chad. “People were really concerned that we were going to take away from the history and the authenticity of what Cain’s was.”

In May 2003, the Rodgers family temporarily closed Cain’s to work on a full restoration that included the venue’s first-ever fire sprinkler system and air-conditioning unit. They also redid all the electrical and plumbing and put in new bathrooms, replaced the roof, removed the drop-down ceilings, updated the bar and concessions area, and added a small mezzanine. At a certain point, they also had to decide what to do with the “spring-loaded” floors.

“At the end of the life of that old floor, you could stand at the back of the room, and a four-foot person may be able to dunk on a 10-foot basketball hoop,” jokes Chad of the floor, which was springy not because of actual springs but because it hadn’t been properly reinforced. “We were very insistent that when we redid it, that it had to flex. It had to still have the same feel because of that rumor of the spring-loaded was there for so long.”

“Since then, we have replaced it twice,” Hunter says. “Now, it is basically concrete, but it does still flex because there’s some neoprene pads throughout the floor.”

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By October 2003, the venue’s initial renovation was complete, allowing Cain’s to open its doors to the community with a show by Dwight Yoakam.

“The Rodgers family, when they bought it, put a lot of money in to renovate it, but they kept all of that feel that makes it completely unique,” says Watson. The family didn’t have much experience running a music venue, however; Chad’s only experience in live music at the time was running a sports bar that occasionally hosted a local band.

“We took our lumps until we renovated and even for a little bit, for about a year afterwards. It took a lot of campaigning getting agents to realize that Cain’s is back,” says Chad. “We also had to patch up some wounds because there was an owner that we bought the business from, and they had burnt a bridge with Willie Nelson and his agent.”

Nelson and his team agreed to return to the venue on the condition that they get a cut of the bar sales. To get more artists through the door, Chad took to cold-calling booking agents.

“I felt like for a long time they were taking advantage of me. It was like, ‘This guy needs shows. He’s going to pay. Just quote him something,’” he says. “Initially, we were blood in the water and sharks just circled us.”

Cain’s was inadvertently making amends for past owners who didn’t handle deals correctly or had gone back on their word. For a time, the Rodgers overpaid for certain acts, spending portions of their own cut to cover everything on the artists’ riders.

“The first time we brought [Bone Thugs N Harmony], I booked 12 [hotel] rooms for them and spent like $1,000 at that time when I really didn’t have to. Then they trashed the rooms, and I had to pay all the damages,” says Chad, who admits the show was still amazing. “I didn’t realize the contract and riders for every artist are pretty much the same, regardless [of whether] they’re playing a 400-cap room or an arena, other than their sound and lighting stuff. I’d get a contract that’s like, ‘We want 16 single rooms and we want a limo or a van and all these things,’ and at that time I didn’t realize that this is [a] negotiation.”

The Rodgers wised up and got a lawyer to help hammer out the details. They also discovered folders of old offer sheets and budgets from previous owners that they used to determine what to spend on advertising and deal breakdowns. Slowly, they began to put Cain’s back on the map.

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“I realized that we were doing the right thing when Bob [Dylan] wanted to come play,” says Chad. Dylan took the stage in 2024, and things have “kept flourishing” ever since, he says.

Under the Rodgers family, Cain’s has hosted artists that run the gamut, including Snoop Dogg, Jason Isbell, Chappell Roan, Turnpike Troubadours, Beck, The Strokes, Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton, Wilco, Brittany Howard, Mavis Staples, The Descendants, Colter Wall, Flogging Molly, Iron and Wine and Tech N9ne.

Jack White, who first played Cain’s in 2010 with supergroup The Dead Weather, came to love the venue and Tulsa so much that he later purchased property in the city. In 2019, White’s band The Raconteurs became the first act to play Cain’s three nights in a row. Later that year, the band released the live recordings as a special vinyl package. In a press statement announcing the release, White wrote of the venue, “This is my favorite place to play in the world.”

In 2021, Green Day performed a surprise show just days before the band’s stadium concert at the 40,000-capacity Global Life Field. And this past April, GWAR performed and brought the owners a framed poster from when they played Cain’s 30 years ago. Teaming up with the local Woody Guthrie Center and the Bob Dylan Center, the venue has also put on once-in-a-lifetime events, including an acoustic set with Bono and The Edge in 2025, marking the band’s return to the venue for the first time since 1982. “They said the first time they were at Cain’s, only one person in the band was legal age and could get any alcohol. So, this time when they went on stage, they said, ‘Well, now we can get served,’” says Chad.

Since purchasing Cain’s in 2002, the Rodgers family has felt the weight of being the custodians of such a historic venue — yet that remains a driving force for them. Says Chad, “We like the challenge of trying to stay relevant.”


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Memphis Bleek was “happy” to see his mentor Jay-Z address his haters during his Roots Picnic freestyle.

The Brooklyn rapper turned podcaster recently sat down with Boardroom and gave some insight on how Jay operates

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“Jay just be having verses. I know,” he said after admitting that he didn’t really get to hear the freestyle until it hit social media due to how chaotic it was backstage. “I be trying to get him to spit, but he got too many verses that he just tucks. When you’re a writer, you’re a rapper, you’re an artist, you’re gonna continue to write. Whether you release it or not.”

Bleek then explained why the people Jigga dissed had it coming because it’s easy to lie in today’s digital climate. “Everybody get hit. He put the fully on,” he began. “These kids got the switch, they don’t know about the fully. They know Shawn Carter, they know Jay-Z, they don’t know Jigga. That’s Jigga. Welcome, man.”

He added: “I’m happy he did ’cause a lot of people they just talk and talk and talk and its no one to rebuke it, to go against it, speak the truth, so lies get spewed all over the Internet and turned into truth. Because, you know, these guys are gonna believe what they want, but it’s not the other side fighting against it, only the lie seems like the truth. So, I’m glad he put belt to ass on certain people. They deserved that spanking.”

He then continued by saying that if you’ve paid attention, Jay-Z almost always talks about what he’s going through in his music. “Jay always responds through music,” the Memph Man explained. “Anything he’s feeling or going through, it’s always been in the music. That’s how we’ve always been. All of us. We really don’t get on here like, ‘Yo, I hate this rapper. When I see you, I’ma catch you.’ It’s on the record. If we’re going to entertain, I’ma make money off it. I’m not gonna just go on here and just be on everybody platform. Your algorithms go up and I’m just angry.”

You can watch the full conversation below.