Thirty years ago, two of hip-hop’s most pivotal albums came out and made stars of New York-based rap acts Raekwon the Chef and Mobb Deep. And now, Raekwon and surviving Mobb Deep member Havoc have announced a joint tour to celebrate their classic 1995 albums’ 30-year anniversaries.
Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx was the Wu-Tang Clan alum’s debut studio album. Like all of the first wave of Wu-Tang solo releases, it was produced by The RZA; it’s one of two debuts to “feature” another Wu member, Ghostface Killah. Debuting at No.4 on the Billboard 200, it was eventually certified Gold by the RIAA and is considered a pioneer of the mafioso rap subgenre. It’s often listed among the greatest rap albums of all time.
Likewise, The Infamous similarly put Havoc and Prodigy on the map, despite being their second album after 1993’s Juvenile Hell. It was their first album under RCA Records’ imprints BMG and Loud, after the lukewarm reception of its predecessor led to the Queens duo being dropped by Island. It turned out to be an excellent investment for Loud, as it debuted at No.18 on the Billboard 200 and launched the rugged rhymes of Prodigy into mythic status, courtesy of hits like “Shook Ones Pt. II” and “Survival Of The Fittest.”
The month-long tour will see Rae and Hav circle the US, starting in Portland, OR, and wrapping up in Miami, FL, with a single set featuring both rappers. Tickets will be available starting with artist presales beginning Wednesday, August 13, at 10 AM local time, while the general sale begins Friday, August 15, at 10 AM local time at LiveNation.com. See below for the tour dates.
Raekwon & Mobb Deep – 30th Anniversary Tour Dates
11/13 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
11/15 – Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre
11/17 – San Diego, CA @ SOMA
11/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
11/21 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
11/24 – Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
11/25 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
11/28 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
11/29 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
12/01 – Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre
12/02 – Toronto, ON @ HISTORY
12/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
12/06 – Boston, MA @ Citizens House of Blues
12/07 – New York, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
12/08 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore Silver Spring
12/10 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte
12/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
12/14 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live (Co-Pro)
12/15 – Miami Beach, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre
