Storm Caused 'Significant Damage' to Rogers Stadium in Toronto

The venue is assessing the damage, as it is set to host events including AC/DC's tour in the coming weeks.

Billy Eff is the Content Director for Rolling Stone Canada. An award-winning journalist and columnist, he has previously contributed to outlets including VICE and Urbania. A passionate advocate for underground music and a musician himself, he has conducted several hundred interviews with artists and industry professionals across a wide range of styles and genres over the past 15 years. He is based in Montréal, Québec.

Toronto's largest music venue's future is already uncertain, just over a year after opening. After the powerful storm that raged through Toronto on Wednesday, several parts of Rogers Stadium have been affected, Live Nation representatives has said.

Large portions of the venue, including bleachers, seats and structures, have been destroyed and strewn by the storm. Gusts above 110 km/h and large balls of hail pummeled the city, creating flooding in certain areas and leaving many thousands of households in the GTA without electricity.

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“As a result of yesterday’s extreme weather, Rogers Stadium sustained significant damage. We are currently assessing the extent of the damage and will provide further information as it becomes available,” Live Nation officials told CTV.

The 50,000-person stadium, which opened last summer, is set to host Australian rockers AC/DC on Sept. 16, though a replacement venue may now be necessary. Built and operated by Live Nation, the temporary music venue is slatedd to be demolished in 2030.

Jamaican producer Cleveland “Clevie” Browne and the Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson’s estate have been dealt a blow in a copyright case that opposed them to more than 150 different artists. The case centered around a sound called ‘dembow’, characteristic of reggaeton.

In July, lawyers for the artists asked the judge to reconsider a ruling a jury must determine whether roughly 1,800 reggaeton songs by more than 100 artists infringed the copyright to Cleveland “Clevie” Browne and the heirs of Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson’s 1989 song “Fish Market,” which the plaintiffs claim originated reggaeton’s defining dembow rhythm. Bad Bunny’s lawyers, later joined by attorneys for the other artists, asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that the allegedly protectable “Fish Market Elements” are merely a “pastiche” assembled from different parts of multiple songs.

The judge has now ruled that the plaintiffs failed to establish copyright ownership of the beat, Billboard reports.

The lawsuit, filed in 2021, targets nearly 2,000 songs and names artists including Karol G, Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Drake and Luis Fonsi. Bad Bunny’s legal team argued that the plaintiffs were attempting to claim a “Frankenstein” copyright built from elements of three separate songs. Birotte agreed, finding that the allegedly protected musical arrangement does not appear in any single copyrighted work.

Browne and Johson’s claims cast a very wide net, and though this particular instance has been resolved, there are other active lawsuits against artists for more specific sampling of their work without clearance.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are seen during the 2024 US Open Tennis Championships on September 08, 2024 in New York City.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift wanted their wedding to be “intimate and genuine,” Kelce said on the first episode of his New Heights podcast since the July 3 ceremony. Naturally, they went with the most famous arena in the world. Madison Square Garden perplexed some spectators as a venue choice, but it made perfect sense to Kelce and Swift. “We needed it to be a private feel and MSG went above and beyond to give us that,” Kelce said.

The athlete didn’t spill too many details about what happened in the room, which was populated by guests including Brad Pitt, Paul McCartney, Conan O’Brien, Gigi Hadid, Lena Dunham, Zoë Kravitz, and more. “It’s a night we’ll never forget. Me and Taylor are so thankful for everybody that showed up,” he said. “From the vows to seeing everyone to how much fun we had throughout the entire evening, and hearing that kind of be relayed through everybody’s stories of the night, and it was just so magical, man.”

If it were up to Kelce, they would have kept the party going all night. Unfortunately, “once the drinks stop being served, everyone kind of just starts to mosey out.”

Kelce also extended a special thank you to Adam Sandler, who officiated the wedding. Prior to recruiting the actor for a key role during their wedding day, Kelce appeared alongside Sandler in Happy Gilmore 2 and Swift has been “so damn nice to my family” over the years, Sandler said.

“He has been just the fucking best person on this planet,” Kelce said. “For him to be up for getting ordained in the state of New York and marrying me and Taylor in the way he did it — in the very, you know, Sandman style — and giving us more than we could have ever imagined in that moment, knowing that it was the biggest night of both of our lives, it was absolutely insane.”

Kelce and Swift made their wedding phone-free for ease of interaction. “With no phones comes people not having to be on guard,” he said. “It makes everyone be in the moment and be present.” Having been in the moment himself, Kelce has been collecting feedback and pieces of memories from the night from attendees, whether Hollywood stars or hometown figures, like old teachers and people Swift has known her whole life. “It’s just been so cool to see that world come together and hear through person by person after the wedding just how awesome of a time everyone had there,” Kelce said. “That’s what we wanted it to be.”

Alanis Morissette is suing her former tour manager for civil extortion, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation

Alanis Morissette is accusing her former tour manager of making “extortionate” threats to falsely implicate the singer in airport drug possession and trafficking allegations unless Morissette agreed to hire her under a 15-year contract.

“Plaintiff Alanis Morissette is the victim of a calculated blackmail campaign orchestrated by a disgruntled former tour manager,” the new lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles federal court and obtained by Rolling Stone reads. “Morissette will not agree to work with an incompetent blackmailer for the next fifteen years or pay her a ransom under the gun.”

The six-page filing alleges that tour manager Keren Urinov was flagged for inspection and detained at a U.K. airport in 2025 while traveling with Morissette and her team for a concert in Spain. Urinov later told Morissette and others that British authorities had arrested her and issued a seizure notice stating that her bag contained marijuana and xylazine, according to the lawsuit. During questioning, Urinov allegedly told border officers that the bag and its contents, including the suspected drugs, belonged to her. She also showed officers an Israeli medical marijuana license and was released, the lawsuit claims.

According to the complaint, Urinov was detained again in Spain and later said she told border officials that the bag and the drugs belonged to her. After the tour ended, however, Urinov and her lawyer allegedly sent Morissette what the lawsuit describes as a series of “increasingly extortionate” letters threatening to sue.

Morissette alleges Urinov demanded that the singer tell British law enforcement that the drugs were hers or face litigation. According to the complaint, Urinov said Morissette could put “an end to the matter” by giving her a 15-year, full-time employment contract that would include significant compensation, annual raises, and bonuses. Urinov also allegedly demanded that Morissette hire an immigration lawyer for her.

When Morissette refused what the lawsuit calls the “brazen demands,” Urinov and her lawyer responded with a letter purportedly implying Urinov would accuse Morissette of drug trafficking. Morissette says she filed her own lawsuit “reluctantly,” knowing that “attacks on her character” could follow. She believed she had “no choice” to protect herself against “patently frivolous” allegations.

Attempts to reach Urinov were unsuccessful.

Morissette is suing for civil extortion, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation. She is seeking a jury trial, compensatory damages of more than $75,000, and punitive damages.

Tupac Shakur

Nearly 30 years after the death of Tupac Shakur, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, former Compton gang leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis was found guilty of orchestrating his murder. Davis’ conviction marks the first in a case that has gone unsolved for decades.

Davis was convicted on Monday of first-degree murder by a Las Vegas jury and faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In his closing argument, Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal accused Davis of organizing the Sept. 7, 1996, shooting as “gang retaliation” for a beating that took place about two hours earlier inside the MGM Grand casino. Davis, he alleged, had confessed his own role in the killing in a “secret 2008 interview” with authorities, later public statements, and his 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend.

Shakur’s family released a statement following the verdict. “Above all, we honor Afeni Shakur — a mother whose strength and unshakable belief in her son’s truth carried this fight long before any of us knew where it would lead,” read the post shared on social media by Shakur’s sister Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur. “The family of Tupac Amaru Shakur is elated and relieved by today’s verdict. We would like to thank the jury for thoughtfully fulfilling their duty and carefully listening to all the evidence.”

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The statement continued, “Our deepest appreciation goes out to our family, friends, loved ones and all of Tupac’s fans, who have always provided their love and support. We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to the marshals and advocates who supported and protected us throughout this process. Your steady presence and care did not go unnoticed, and we are forever grateful.”

The family’s message added that “this is not the end of the story” and said the rapper’s “legacy and impact on the world lives on and we will continue to do everything we can to keep his spirit alive.”

Shortly after hearing the verdict on Monday, Sekyiwa, embraced a man seated behind her and wiped her eyes with a tissue, according to a live feed of the proceeding from The Associated Press.

In June 2023, Shakur received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Sekyiwa, who is the president and CEO of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, accepted the award in her brother’s honor and told the crowd, “Today we’re not just honoring a star in the ground, but we’re honoring the work and the passion that he’s put into making his dreams come true. His heavenly star will shine a little brighter today. And once again, he has made us all extremely proud. We love you, Tupac.”

US singer actress Ariana Grande attends the 31st Annual Critics Choice Awards at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, on January 4, 2026. (Photo by Chris DELMAS / AFP via Getty Images)

During Ariana Grande‘s final stop of her headlining Eternal Sunshine tour, the star paused the London show to reflect on the moment and thank her fans for joining her along the way.

Grande, who was healing from a minor foot injury, addressed the crowd from the stage while sitting on a stool overlooking the thousands gathered at O2 Arena. “I just want to say thank you so much. This has been such an extraordinary experience. Thank you for 10 beautiful London shows and for 41 incredible Eternal Sunshine tour shows,” Grande said.“This has been one of the most beautiful, extraordinary experiences of my life and I just want to express my gratitude without sobbing completely. But really, thank you from the bottom of my heart, it’s been so special and I’ll cherish this experience always,” Grande continued, holding back tears as she spoke. “I have the best fans in the entire world and I always have.” The singer-songwriter acknowledged how her fans had made the journey “so special,” adding, “All your messages and your costumes and your wardrobe and makeup is just so beautiful.”

Grande emphasized, “I have loved every minute of this with you all and I just want to make sure I express how grateful I am. Thank you and I love you so much.”

Earlier this month, a rep for Grande stated that she plans to “step back” from public life following the conclusion of her tour. The singer-actress will no longer appear in a London West End revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park With George. (Actor Jonathan Bailey later dropped out of the musical as well following his co-star’s departure.)

“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” representatives for Grande said. “This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”