‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’: Why Did Jukebox Become a Cop?

Set in the ’90s, Power Book III: Raising Kanan is the origin story of pivotal Power Universe characters Kanan Stark (Mekai Curtis) and his cousin Jukebox (Hailey Kilgrove). The adult versions of the character came to life in the original Power series through Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Anika Noni Rose respectively.

Though Raising Kanan is mostly centered on Kanan’s relationship with his mother Raquel “Raq” Thomas (Patina Miller), who runs her own drug empire, Jukebox’s story is just as pivotal. In fact, clues from season one of the series hint at why she eventually became a dirty cop.

Jukebox and her father Marvin don’t get along in ‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’

Though she’s Kanan’s best friend and she’s well aware of her aunt Raq’s business dealing with her father Marvin (London Brown) and her uncle Lou Lou (Malcolm Mays), Jukebox has carved her own path amid her desire to become a singer. It’s also clear that she and Marvin barely have a relationship.

In fact, Brown explained that he and Kilgrove barely spoke on set to make sure their strained relationship appears to be as authentic as possible on screen. “I just didn’t allow myself to get really close to Hailey the actress,” Brown explained to Express. “I purposely just kind of kept distant so that I can really play the distance on-screen. We didn’t really have our first kind of scene together until months in after doing this project. And so we realized that we both were a little bit awkward about the scene because we’ve never been around each other.”

Why does Jukebox become a dirty cop?

Knowing what we know about Jukebox in Power Book III: Raising Kanan, it seems incomprehensible that she will become the vicious dirty cop that we meet in Power. Thus far, though Jukebox doesn’t indulge the the family business, she does have her own stealing schemes.

Moreover, following episode 106 “Level Up” it looks like Jukebox is going to find an unlikely mentor in Detective Malcolm Howard’s (Omar Epps) rookie detective partner, Burke (Shanley Caswell). Burke approaches Jukebox after seeing her with her girlfriend Nicole (Annabelle Zasowski) and offers to be a listening ear.

Though Jukebox brushed Burke off at the moment, we have a feeling that the pair are going to form an unlikely bond as the series progresses.

‘Power Book III: Raising Kanan’ Season 2 will introduce Jukebox’s mom

Though fans are slowly trying to piece together Jukebox’s home life, we’re going to get more information when Power Book III: Raising Kanan returns for season 2. Destiny’s Child alum LaToya Luckett has been cast as Jukebox’s mother, Kenya and we have a feeling that Kenya’s return will explain a lot about Jukebox and the dynamic that she has with her father.

According to the Starz press release, “Luckett will play Kenya, Jukebox’s mother, and Marvin’s ex. She left their family when Jukebox was very young, tried to make it in LA as a singer, but three years ago, she moved back to New York. Upon her return, she settles in Harlem where church is a big part of her life.”

Now that Kenya is so involved in the church was have a feeling that she’s going to clash with Jukebox when it comes to her sexuality.