Kanye, Jay-Z Prove Hip-Hop Tours Can Be Big Business
Page: 13,
Date: 06/12/2008
Full Text:
Two of the biggest names in hip-hop, as well as music, went on high-concept tours early this summer and each have turned hip-hop into a blockbuster touring business. Jay-Z's tour with Mary J. Blige ended in early May and grossed over $23 million. Kanye's tour finished up in mid-June and is expected to make over $21 million. These tours are seen as hip-hop "maturing" and giving growth to the business of this genre of music. The only hip-hop tour to make close to this amount of money before was Eminem and 50-Cent in 2005 that made $21.6 million. Between then, many hip-hop artists, like T.I. and the Game, have sold millions of records, but failed to hit it big on the road. West and Jay-Z have helped change that by moving away from small productions to large bands, big productions with pyrotechnics and video, an teaming up with R&B artists for a broader fan inclusion.
