DMX, Jay-Z, Method Man, & Redman Announce Tour Of A 'Life'-time

01/26/1999 4:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Billy Johnson Jr

(1/26/99, 1 p.m. PST) - Life is looking pretty good for Def Jam Records these days, despite the title of its new tour, Hard Knock Life, which begins Feb. 27 in North Carolina. The lineup of chart-topping rappers DMX and Jay-Z, as well as Method Man and Redman, promises to be one the best lineups in some time, outshining the successful Smokin' Grooves tours and even Def Jam's own Survival Of The Illest tour.

Hard Knock Life, which runs through the month of March, will pass through major venues in Washington, D.C.; East Rutherford, N.J.; Dallas; Houston; Columbus, Ohio; Philadelphia; Providence, R.I.; Hampton, Va.; Hartford, Conn.; Albany, N.Y.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Baltimore; Boston; and Long Island, N.Y.

Just before the tour begins, Jay-Z is planning to protest the Grammy Awards. Though he has been nominated for three awards, he is not happy that his labelmate DMX did not receive a single nomination. Last year, DMX released two albums, It's Dark And Hell Is Hot and Flesh Of My Flesh Blood Of My Blood. Both debuted at No. 1. "Jay-Z knows hard work and talent when he sees it," reads a comment from Jay-Z on the Def Jam website, "and DMX being absent from the nominations has got to tell you something."

To read a feature on Jay-Z, click here. A LAUNCH.com feature on Method Man is coming soon.

-- Billy Johnson Jr., Los Angeles

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