Jay- Z performed at the grand reopening of the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles in 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

Fans in three southern cities who were hoping to see the biggest rapper in the music industry will be disappointed. 

Jay-Z has cancelled the remaining three dates on his 2009 tour.  The concert’s promoter Live Nation said the concerts in Lubbock, Albuquerque and El Paso are canceled due to an unforseen scheduling conflict. 

It’s unknown exactly what that conflict is, but fans will be reimbursed in those cities.  The good news is Jay-Z will hit the road with Young Jeezy for a tour beginning in February. (assuming he doesn’t cancel those dates too)

Click here for the 2010 dates.

Kanye West signing autographs in Los Angeles in 2007. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)

Kanye West made a rare public appearance during the weekend.  The scandalous rapper appeared on stage Saturday at the O2 Arena in London during Beyonce’s concert.   

West is featured on the remix version of Beyonce’s song titled “Ego,” and he performed his verse during the show.  No one booed during West’s performance, according to MTV News.  

Maybe that’s a sign people are finally starting to get over that incident with Taylor Swift.  The West’s performance is posted below in the sketchy video.

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon arrived at the premiere of her new film titled "Precious." ((AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Unlike many celebrities, Mariah Carey won’t be ringing in the new year sipping on crystal or Belvedere vodka.

Instead, she will be performing a show for her fans.  Carey will host a concert the night of New Year’s Eve at Madison Square Garden. 

Carey made the announcement on her Web site.  Tickets will go on sale Nov. 9 for members of her fan club and Nov. 14 for the general public. 

Carey also recently completed filming a music video for her new song titled “H.A.T.U.”  The song appears on her album “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.”

Jay-Z performed during a music festival in New Jersey (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Jay-Z announced new tour dates for the second leg of his North American tour.  The second leg begins Feb. 22 in Houston and concludes March 26 in Los Angeles.

Young Jeezy will be the opening act.  Tickets go on sale Nov. 13.  The tour schedule for the second leg is posted below.

Feb. 22 Houston @ Toyota Center
Feb. 23 Dallas @ American Airlines Center
Feb. 25 New Orleans @ New Orleans Arena
Feb. 27 Atlanta @ Philips Arena
Feb. 28 Greensboro, North Carolina @ Greensboro Coliseum Complex
March 3 Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
March 7 Norfolk, Virginia @ Scope Arena
March 11 Boston @ TD Garden
March 16 Pittsburgh @ Mellon Arena
March 19 St. Louis @ Scottrade Center
March 20 Indianapolis @ Conseco Fieldhouse
March 22 Denver @ Pepsi Center
March 24 San Jose, California @ HP Pavilion
March 26 Los Angeles @ Staples Center

Rihanna performed during Conde Nast's Fashion Rocks show in 2008. (AP Photo by Jeff Christensen)

If you’ve ever taken a cruise vacation, I’m sure you’ve heard the mediocre amateur singers try to belt out tunes on stage during the nightly shows.

But Royal Caribbean will get a big-name performer next month for its Oasis of the Seas cruise ship.

R&B singer Rihanna will perform a concert on the ship Nov. 19 during the three-day cruise.  Oasis of the Seas is the newest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

Rihanna’s new CD titled “Rated R” will be in stores Nov. 23.

Tim McGraw performs on "Today Show" on NBC. (AP Photo by Richard Drew)

Country singer Tim McGraw is preparing to embark on a six-month tour next year to promote his latest CD titled “Southern Voice.”

The Southern Voice tour will kick off Feb. 11 in Omaha and conclude Aug. 15 in Virginia Beach.  The singer also will perform April 8 at the BOK Center in Tulsa. 

McGraw will be joined by Lady Antebellum on the tour.  The Lost Trailers and Love and Theft will take turns on the tour as the opening act.

The tour dates are posted below.

R&B singer Chris Brown is coming out of hiding.  The singer will embark on a 19-city tour titled “The Appreciation Tour” beginning next month. 

The tour kicks off Nov. 14 in Houston and will conclude Dec. 13 in Philadelphia.

The shows will occur at small venues.  Brown is promoting his upcoming CD titled “Graffiti.”  The tour dates are posted below.

Nov. 14: Houston, TX (House of Blues)
Nov. 15: Dallas, TX (Palladium)
Nov. 18: Los Angeles, CA (Avalon)
Nov. 19: San Francisco, CA (The Fillmore)
Nov. 22: Richmond, VA (Landmark)
Nov. 25: Detroit, MI (Royal Oak)
Nov. 26: Chicago, IL (House of Blues)
Nov. 29: Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Revolution)
Dec. 1: Orlando, FL (House of Blues)
Dec. 2: Atlanta, GA (CenterStage)
Dec. 4: Washington, D.C (Warner Theater)
Dec. 5: Providence, RI (Lupo’s)
Dec. 6: Boston, MA (House of Blues)
Dec. 11: Baltimore, MD (Sonar)
Dec. 12: Wallingford, CT (Chevrolet Theater)
Dec. 13: Philadelphia, PA (Electric Factory)

Members of rock group Def Leppard on the red carpet in 2006 during the VH1 Rock Honors concert in Las Vegas. (AP Photo by Jae C. Hong)

Rock legends Def Leppard have canceled the last leg of the North American north due to personal reasons. 

The band canceled 23 concerts in the Canada and the U.S. 

A statement was issued on their Web site that said “Due to unforeseen personal matters, the third leg of Def Leppard’s North American Tour, set to begin on October 22nd, has been cancelled. We know how truly blessed we are to have such committed fans,” said the band in a statement. “That’s why we’ve agonized over this decision. Even if just a single concert, we don’t take cancelling shows lightly, but unfortunately life’s commitments need to be the priority.”

Ticket refunds are available at the point of purchase, according the band’s Web site.

Lady Gaga attend the Human Rights Campaign national dinner. (AP Photo by Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Pop singer Lady Gaga announced the new dates for her upcoming tour titled The Monster Ball.

Gaga had to rearrange the dates when Kanye West back out of their joint tour.  Now she’s hitting the road solo with rapper Kid Cudi as her opening act. 

The 22-city tour kicks off Nov. 27 in Montreal.   The tour dates are posted below.

Nov. 27 – Montreal, Quebec, Canada @ The Bell Center
Nov. 28 – Toronto, Ontario, Canada @ Air Canada Center
Nov. 29- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada @ Scotiabank Place
Dec. 1 – Boston, MA @ Wang Center
Dec. 2 – Boston, MA @ Wang Center
Dec. 3 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna
Dec. 9 – Vancouver, BC, Canada @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Dec. 10 – Vancouver, BC, Canada @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Dec. 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic
Dec. 18- Las Vegas, NV @ To Be Determined
Dec. 19 – San Diego, CA @ San Diego Sports Arena
Dec. 21- Los Angeles, CA @ Nokia Theatre
Dec. 29 – Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theater
Dec. 31 – Miami, FL @ Knight Center
Jan. 3 – Orlando, FL @ The Hard Rock
Jan. 7 – St. Louis, MO @ The Fox
Jan. 8 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
Jan. 9 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
Jan.12 – Detroit, MI @ Fox Theater
Jan. 16- Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata
Jan. 20 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
Jan. 21 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall

Janet Jackson attended a charity dinner in Milan, Italy (AP Photo by Alberto Pellaschiar)

Janet Jackson signing CD's in New York City (AP Photo by Paul Hawthorne)

Michael Jackson’s baby sister Janet Jackson is preparing to release her second greatest hits package.

The two-disc set will be in stores Nov. 17, and it will feature Janet’s biggest hits throughout her career, plus a few new songs. 

Her last greatest hits album “Design of a Decade” was released in 1995. 

Janet, 43, released her first album in 1982.  Since then, she recorded 10 albums throughout her 27-year musical career. 

The track listing for her new greatest hits CD titled “Number Ones” is posted below. 

I was fortunate to attend her concert last October and saw her perform most of those songs at the BOK Center in Tulsa.  Click here to read my review from last year. 

TRACK LISTING

Janet Jackson performed during a Michael Jackson tribute segment at the MTV Video Music Awards (AP Photo by Jason DeCrow)

“What Have You Done for Me Lately”
“Nasty”
“When I Think of You”
“Control”
“Let’s Wait Awhile”
“The Pleasure Principle”
“Diamonds”
“Miss You Much”
“Rhythm Nation”
“Escapade”
“Alright 7″
“Come Back to Me”
“Black Cat”
“Love Will Never Do (Without You)”
“The Best Things in Life Are Free”
“That’s the Way Love Goes”

Disc 2:

“If”
“Again”
“Because of Love”
“Any Time, Any Place”
“Scream”
“Runaway”
“Got ‘Til It’s Gone” featuring Q-Tip and Joni Mitchell
“Together Again”
“I Get Lonely”
“Go Deep”
“What’s It Gonna Be?!” (with Busta Rhymes)
“Doesn’t Really Matter”
“All for You”
“Someone to Call My Lover”
“All Nite (Don’t Stop)”
“Call on Me” featuring Nelly
“Feedback”
“Make Me”

Whitney Houston at a Grammy party in Beverly Hills (AP Photo by Danny Moloshok)

It’s been 10 years since pop music legend Whitney Houston has performed a full-length concert tour.

Now, her fans will finally get to see her show.  However, this tour will be good news for European fans, and bad news for her U.S. fans. 

Whitney’s tour only consists of European dates.  The tour will kick off April 8 in Manchester followed by shows in Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle, London, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium. 

No disrespect to Europe, but I don’t understand why some American musicians avoid touring in the U.S. 

When Michael Jackson was preparing for his final concerts, he chose to perform 50 shows in London and zero in the U.S.

I hope Whitney decides to alter her tour by adding a few U.S. dates for her fans in North America.

Snoop Dogg is teaming up with Method Man, Redman and Devin the Dude for a joint concert tour this fall.  Snoop Dogg will promote his upcoming CD titled “Malice in Wonderland.”

The hip hop artists will perform concerts in 12 cities.  The tour dates are posted below.

Oct. 27 – Baltimore, MD at Rams Head Live

Oct. 28- Sayreville, NJ at Starland Ballroom

Oct. 29- New York, NY at Nokia Theatre Times Square

Oct. 30- Providence, RI at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel

Oct. 31 – Atlantic City, NJ at House of Blues

Nov. 01 – Boston, MA at House of Blues

Nov. 03 – Indianapolis, IN at The Vogue Theatre

Nov. 04 – Chicago, IL at Congress Theatre

Nov. 05 – Minneapolis, MN at Epic

Nov. 06- N. Kansas City, MO at Harrah’s Voodoo Lounge

Nov. 07- Robinson, MS at Events Center, Harrah’s Casino

Nov. 08 – Dallas, TX at House of Blues

Kanye West dropped out of his joint ”Fame Kills” tour with Lady Gaga.  

Kanye and Gaga were expected to embark on a three-month tour together beginning in November.

The reason for Kanye’s cancellation is unknown, but I think it’s safe to assume the negative publicity surrounding Kanye after the MTV Video Music Awards incident had something to do with it.

Lady Gaga will tour without Kanye beginning next month in the same scheduled cities, but the dates will change.

Rapper Warren G is returning to the music scene with a new CD in stores Tuesday (Sept. 29). The CD titled “G Files” will feature collaborations from Snoop Dogg, Ray J, Nate Dogg, Travis Barker and Raekwon.

Most people remember Warren G from his 1994 hit song “Regulate,” which dominated radio airwaves for two years. 

He has since released five CD’s, but none had any success since his debut album.  To support his new CD, Warren G is going on the road during a concert tour beginning Oct. 1.  The tour dates are posted below

October 1             Los Angeles, CA             The Roxy Theatre
October 27           Austin, TX                       Emo’s
October 29           Dallas, TX                       Granada Theater
October 30           New Orleans, LA             House of Blues
October 31           Nashville, TN                   Haunted Valley
November 3         Charleston, SC                Music Farm
November 4         Asheville, NC                   The Orange Peel
November 5         Charlotte, NC                   Amos’ Southland
November 6         Brooklyn, NY                    The Music Hall of Williamsburg
November 7         Allston, MA                       Harper’s Ferry
November 10       New York, NY                   The Bowery Ballroom
November 12       Indianapolis, IN                The Vogue
November 13       Chicago, IL                       The Metro
November 14       Madison, WI                     Majestic Theatre
November 16       Council Bluffs, IA              Whiskey Road House
November 18       Boulder, CO                      Fox Theatre
November 19       Ft. Collins, CO                  Aggie Theatre
November 20       Aspen, CO                        Belly Up
November 22       Seattle, WA                       Neumo’s
November 23       Portland, OR                     The Roseland Theatre
November 24       San Francisco, CA            The Independent

R&B singers Trey Songz and Mario are teaming up this fall to co-headline the BET 106 & Park Tour. 

The tour kicks off Sept. 29 in Los Angeles and concludes Nov. 25 in Las Vegas.

Trey Songz is promoting his latest CD titled “Ready” which features the song “I Need A Girl.”

Known for his 2002 hit song “Let Me Love You,” Mario’s latest CD titled “D.N.A.” 

The opening acts for the tour are Day 26, Sean Garrett and RydazNRist.  The tour dates are posted below.

29-Sep Los Angeles, CA House of Blues

30-Sep Anaheim, CA House of Blues

5-Oct Houston, TX House of Blues

6-Oct Dallas, TX House of Blues

8-Oct New Orleans, LA House of Blues

9-Oct Atlanta,GA Tabernacle

12-Oct Charlotte, NC Fillmore

14-Oct Baltimore, MD Main Stage at Sonar

15-Oct Cleveland, OH House of Blues

16-Oct St Louis, MO The Pageant

19-Oct Chicago, IL House of Blues

20-Oct Detroit, MI House of Blues

21-Oct Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room at Murat

13-Nov Myrtle Beach, SC Location to be determined (TBD)

14-Nov Orlando, FL TBD

15-Nov Miami, FL TBD

17-Nov Washington, DC TBD

18-Nov New York, NY TBD

19-Nov Philadelphia, PA TBD

24-Nov San Francisco, CA TBD

25-Nov Las Vegas, NV TBD