Jay Z, Beyonce to Tour Together this Summer

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Concerts / Tours, Hip-Hop & Rap, Pop, R&B / Soul, New Releases,

Hip-hop's royal couple, Jay Z and Beyonce, are taking their duet act to cities everywhere this summer.

After months of rumors circulated in anticipation of the event, Beyonce confirmed the news by posting a photo of the pair (seen above) wearing ski masks with the words "On the Run Tour" written across it. The tour - which will stop by at least 13 cities this summer - will kick off on June 25th in Miami and end August 5th in San Francisco.

Tickets for general sale are expected to be available this Friday.

Read More | People

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Beyonce Knowles Changing Her Name

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gossip, Hip-Hop & Rap, R&B / Soul,

Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z are about to change their names. Jay-Z - whose real name is Shawn Carter - will now be known as Shawn Knowles-Carter, while Beyonce is to become Beyonce Knowles-Carter.

“They want to keep Knowles because Beyonce’s parents didn’t have any sons and they’re keen to keep the name going strong, especially if they don’t produce any children themselves,” a source told the Daily Star.

Earlier this week, the Knowles family suffered a blow when it was announced that Beyonce’s parents Tina and Mathew would be divorcing after 29 years of marriage. In October, rumors surfaced that Mathew may have been unfaithful. Alexandra Wright filed a paternity suit, though Matthew has denied being the father of her unborn child.

In a statement the estranged couple claimed their divorce would not be “an ugly, messy fight” and that they would continue working together amicably.

Read More | Daily Star

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Pharrell Williams Inspiring Kids with Anger

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Collaborations, Gossip, Hip-Hop & Rap,

Pharrell Williams and Jay-Z made an “angry” record so young people would relate to it.

The duo collaborated on “So Ambitious” and the 36-year-old Neptunes star said they deliberately give the track - which is about adults who attempt to curb younger people’s dreams - a “spiteful” edge so that it would have more appeal.

“We wanted to make a record that speaks to kids. There’s a couple of lewd words there, but I wanted to make sure that kids heard this record and felt inspired,” Williams said. “That’s why there’s a little bit of anger to it. There’s anger in his verses, there’s anger in my chorus. That’s why I say spiteful things at the top of the record. There’s anger there, because there’s heat. Because you’re young and people are telling you what you can and can’t do. Unacceptable.”

Pharrell and 39-year-old Jay-Z - real name Shawn Carter - have previously collaborated on several occasions, but “So Ambitious” was the first time they had not worked in the same place.

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Read More | MTV News

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Jay-Z Working to Stay Relevant

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Gossip, Hip-Hop & Rap,

Jay-Z fears he is growing too old for hip-hop.

The “99 Problems” hitmaker admits he is aware that most artists in the genre are under 30, and as he approaches 40, staying relevant is harder - unless audiences change. He said:

“Hip-hop saved my life. When someone does something for you, it’s only right you repay that tenfold, and that was what hip-hop did for me. How could I not protect that or leave it in a good place for the next generation? The reason you turn off the hip hop as you mature is because there’s not enough of what you’re going through in your life currently. There’s not a lot of people who have come of age in rap because it’s only 30. As more people come of age, hopefully the topics get broader and then the audience will stay around longer. But it’s so much viewed as a young person’s sport right now at this present moment that it’s very difficult. You want to get on the radio, and you’ve got to make a jingle that’s catchy, that sounds like everything else that’s on the radio. Not me, the other guy.”

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Read More | The Scotsman

Gallery: Jay-Z Working to Stay Relevant