A 30-year-old Atlanta man, Kelvin Evans, has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from an alleged break-in of a rental car connected to Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” tour stop in Atlanta, where jump drives and hard drives containing reportedly unreleased music and tour materials were stolen. According to Atlanta News First and court records cited by The Source and HotNewHipHop, Evans entered his plea this week to charges of entering an automobile with intent to commit theft and criminal trespass, and is due back in court for a case management hearing on February 11 in Fulton County.
Authorities allege the break-in happened in July, while Beyoncé’s tour brought multiple shows to Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, drawing tens of thousands of fans to the city.According to The Source and HOT 97, the incident occurred in a parking deck near Krog Street Market, where Beyoncé’s choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue had parked their rental car before going inside the marketplace.[1][2][4] When they returned about an hour later, they reportedly found the trunk window smashed and multiple suitcases missing.[2][4] A police report quoted by HotNewHipHop and HOT 97 states that Grant told officers the bags contained sensitive material for Beyoncé, including watermarked unreleased music, footage plans for the show, past and future setlists, and other production information.[2][4]
In addition to the alleged theft of unreleased Beyoncé music and show plans, investigators say the stolen property included laptops, a MacBook Pro, AirPods or AirPods Max headphones, designer sunglasses, clothing, and other valuables.[1][2][4] Atlanta News First reported, via a televised segment, that Evans is accused of stealing jump drives containing unreleased music and show plans from the vehicle linked to Beyoncé’s team during the Atlanta tour stop.[3] The Source adds that police were called to the parking deck on Krog Street NE on July 8 after the break-in was discovered.[1] The case quickly drew attention because of the potential leak of high-value creative assets tied to one of the world’s biggest artists.
According to police and court records summarized by HotNewHipHop and HOT 97, Evans was identified as a suspect in September after authorities tracked digital signals from some of the stolen devices, which led them to the missing items while he was already in custody on an unrelated parole violation in Hapeville in late August.[2][4] He later posted a $20,000 bond and was released from Fulton County Jail in October before appearing virtually in court on January 7 to enter his not-guilty plea.[1][2][4] Evans has not been convicted and the allegations remain contested as the case proceeds.
The incident underscores the growing security concerns surrounding touring operations and unreleased music in the streaming era, where a single breach can jeopardize months or years of creative work. As Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” run continues to generate headlines and accolades, the Atlanta case highlights how vulnerable high-profile productions can be when crews move between venues, rehearsals, and public spaces. For artists operating at Beyoncé’s level, the outcome of this case may further influence how teams handle hard drives, jump drives, and other sensitive materials on the road.
