LaVerne "Jukebox" Ganner

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LaVerne "Jukebox" Ganner

LaVerne "Jukebox" Ganner is a supporting antagonist in seasons 3 and 4 of the Starz TV series Power. She is a corrupt cop and the cousin of drug dealer and street thug Kanan Starks.

She is portrayed by Anika Noni Rose.

Biography

LaVerne Ganner, who goes by the street name Jukebox, who knows Ghost from back in the neighborhood. She’s ruthless and runs a side business, which includes using young punks to pull armed robberies. She’s not above taking lives.She also got a girlfriend at her place, who looks like she takes care of the household, and Jukebox. Jukebox is Kanan's cousin so she had been very close with Kanan since they were kids and has always been able to trust even when her father kicked her out of her own home. She revealed how Kanan was the first person she revealed her sexuality to (how she is a lesbian), while Kanan was also very comfortable sharing intimate details about himself with her.

Season 3

She first appears as she foils a robbery in a drugstore and openly kills both the robber and the clueless clerk. The police officer then returns to her home to a waiting girlfriend, Candy. She’s also got a temporary house guest, Kanan which is her cousin. He’s recovering from a showdown with Ghost and was turned to a crisp, with a stapled-together gut, but alive and humbled. He and Jukebox go way back and she owes him for getting her out of her family home when it became necessary.

Kanan had to be deprived of pain meds to tell his cousin the whole story of how he ended up in this state, including murdering his own son. Shawn picked Ghost over him, then Ghost left Kanan for dead. How he got out of that fire, without losing all his blood in the process is still a mystery, but he’s got revenge on this mind and now he’s got help.

Jukebox told Kanan that his son had to go if he was disloyal and that Ghost has it coming. She’s got some new job coming up and Kanan wants in, but that won’t happen, according to Jukebox until he’s fully recovered. After Kanan and a couple of thugs rob a jewelry store, Jukebox advises Kanan to use Ghost for his own purposes and then kill him.

Jukebox appears later as Kanan is bonding with Ghost's son Tariq and tests him to see if he is loyal to them, which he passes. Jukebox then advises his cousin to kill the boy. In order to lure Ghost out, they later drug Tariq and then text a picture of him to Ghost's wife Tasha demanding a ransom for their son's life.

Season 4

Jukebox and Kanan are waiting for Tasha to respond to their ransom demand when Dre shows up, informing them that Ghost was arrested for FBI agent Greg Knox's murder.

After hearing of Ghost's arrest, Jukebox sees Ghost being locked up as an opportunity to put even more pressure on Tasha and Ghost to deliver the ransom money. Dre interjects and tells Kanan that he is in a better position to put some money in his hand by getting Kanan back in the drug game. Dre proposes that he can get Kanan 10K a week, Jukebox and her friend jump in and says 15k a week for each of them. Tariq is later released as plans changed.

When Ghost is released from jail, Jukebox (realizing Ghost could access his money again) seizes the opportunity and kidnaps Tariq to continues to carry on with their ransom plans to get money and kill both of them. Jukebox has Kanan track Ghost down, which the latter does by ambushing him outside his club as Ghost is surprised to see him alive. Kanan and Ghost rob Tommy's operation in order to save Tariq from Jukebox's clutchess.

Just as Tariq tries to leave, Jukebox knocks him out and ties him up. Jukebox finds out that's she’s getting double crossed. She pulls a gun on Tariq and starts spilling secrets. “Tell him who you really are,” she commands Kanan, who does as she says, confessing that he’s a “no-good motherf–ker” who wanted to hurt Ghost, “so I used you.” and Kanan even admits to killing Shawn.

Jukebox has enough and Ghost comes towards his son and she warns him to back up. As she is about to kill Tariq, Kanan takes her out with a bunch of bullets to the chest. Kanan then tells her, "F--kin b--ch running ya mouth..."

Trivia

• When Anika Noni Rose was first cast on the show Deadline reported her character would be named LaVerne “Jukebox” Thomas. However during her first appearance on the show a news report mentioned her name to be LaVerne Ganner.
• Jukebox was a member of the National Black Police Association.