Blige, Jay-Z team up for 26 shows

By Steve Jones, USA TODAY

Hip-hop fans will get two of the genre's biggest stars for the price of one on the 26-show Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z Heart of the City arena tour, which starts March 22 in Miami and wraps up in May.
Blige, who released her ninth solo album, Growing Pains, in December, is a six-time Grammy winner. She's up for three more at Sunday's Grammy Awards, including female R&B vocal for Just Fine. Jay-Z released American Gangster in November, scoring his 10th No. 1 album debut. He has won four Grammys and is up for five this year, including rap album for Kingdom Come.

"The (songs) we're playing are the soundtracks to people's lives," Jay-Z said in a statement. "We've poured our hearts out many a night in the studio and look forward to going one step further on stage."


I will post more news once it surfaces! Im super stoked to see these two!

Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige Reveal Tour Plans

February 07, 2008, 11:10 AM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige will tour this spring in what will be one of the most potent urban music bills in recent memory. The "Heart of the City" outing begins March 22 in Miami.

And while a full itinerary is still coming together, the artists are confirmed to hit markets such as New Orleans, Houston, Las Vegas, Boston, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale Feb. 15.

Blige and Jay-Z have been close collaborators since 1996, when she appeared on his early hit "Can't Knock the Hustle."

Here are the initial Heart of the City tour dates:

March 22: Miami (American Airlines Arena)
March 26: Baltimore (1st Mariner Arena)
March 27: Uniondale, N.Y. (Nassau Coliseum)
March 28: East Rutherford, N.J. (Izod Center)
March 30: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)
April 2: Toronto (Air Canada Centre)
April 3: Boston (TD Banknorth Garden)
April 5: Greensboro, N.C. (Greensboro Coliseum)
April 6: Washington, D.C. (Verizon Center)
April 16: Los Angeles (Hollywood Bowl)

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/..._id=1003708005