Summer is officially over. With concert tours by MIA, Kelis & Robyn, Rihanna, Maxell and Jill Scott among the big go-to “urban” cool radio monsters to sell-out concert halls and arenas, it’s cool to see that the autumn may also have its share of luster. Among the various tours that have been announced, there are two concerts we can not wait to attend:

Mary J. Blige, the undisputed queen of hip-hop soul, recently announced her ninth consecutive tour (the cheese-fest fromage titled Music Saved My Life). Why are we so excited in the first place? Well, “Bust Your Windows” princess Jazmine Sullivan and up-and-comer soulman Miguel (who crooned “All I Want Is You” aside J. Cole) will tour in her native United States. That’s why! Mobo-winner and Briton R&B scribe Lemar and the iconic El DeBarge will also make appearances…and with Mary J. Blige celebrating her 18 years of fabulosity, its easy to fall head-over-heels in love with the great expectations we know that she will fulfill on stage.

10/01/10: Mobile, Ala. (BayFest Mobile Music Festival)
10/02/10: Atlanta, Ga.
10/03/10: Virginia Beach, Va.
10/05/10: Raleigh, N.C.
10/07/10: Washington, D.C.
10/08/10: Atlantic City, N.J.
10/10/10: Mashantucket, Conn. (Fox Theatre at Foxwoods)
10/11/10: New York, N.Y. (Radio City Music Hall)
10/12/10: New York, N.Y. (Radio City Music Hall)
10/15/10: Detroit, Mich.
10/16/10: Chicago, Ill.
10/19/10: Los Angeles, Calif. (Gibson Amphitheatre)
10/20/10: Los Angeles, Calif. (Gibson Amphitheatre)
10/22/10: Las Vegas, Nev.
10/23/10: Oakland, Calif.

Then there’s the ultimate WTF, I mean, “OMG” zeitgeist; R&B dance-pop prince Usher—who abandoned his crunk and quiet storm ponderings for a Europop electro sound—tapped crooner heartthrob Trey Songz for his 25-date OMG Tour. Songz, who just wrapped up his Passion, Pain & Pleasure Tour in New York City with Monica, will embark on his third tour of the year after a guest appearance on Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 Tour.

There will be mayhem, bedlam and absolute pandemonium as sultry-and-sexy ladies go hoarse after bloodcurdling screams reverberate in the atmosphere and the smell of pheromones ooze from the arena walls. Get ready for all the shirtless and tightrope choreography of lifetime! And make sure to bring water. Fellas, be on your best behavior. Wink. Let the murderball began. The tour kick starts  November 10th at Seattle’s Key Arena!

11/10/10: KeyArena Seattle, WA
11/12/10: ORACLE Arena Oakland, CA
11/13/10: Mandalay Bay Events Center Las Vegas, Nevada
11/14/10: Honda Center Anaheim, CA
11/17/10: San Diego Sports Arena San Diego, CA
11/18/10: STAPLES Center Los Angeles, CA
11/19/10: Jobing.com Arena Glendale, AZ
11/23/10: Toyota Center Houston, TX
11/24/10: American Airlines Center Dallas, TX
11/26/10: Scottrade Center St. Louis, MO
11/27/10: Sprint Center Kansas City, MO
11/29/10: Air Canada Centre Toronto, ON
11/30/10: Centre Bell Montreal, QC
12/02/10: TBD Detroit, MI
12/03/10: Allstate Arena Chicago, IL
12/05/10: Phillips Arena Atlanta, GA
12/07/10: Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro, NC
12/08/10: 1st Mariner Arena Baltimore, MD
12/10/10: Prudential Center Newark, NJ
12/11/10: Scope Arena Norfolk, VA
12/13/10: Madison Square Garden New York, NY
12/14/10: TD Garden Boston, MA
12/16/10: Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
12/17/10: Verizon Center Washington DC
12/18/10: XL Center Hartford, CT

Rihanna Kicks It Poolside With Katy Perry [PHOTOS]

Drake Still Doesn’t Feel Completely Successful [VIDEO]

Fans are hyped over the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys duet performance (sans Lil’ Mama) on the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Listening to these two heavy hitters on the “Empire State of Mind” track recalls to mind all the other collaborations in music. Songs with one superstar are good, but songs with two or more superstars are even better.

Watch the music videos for some of the hottest track collaborations over the years:

Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West – “Run This Town”

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys – “Empire State of Mind”

Jay-Z and Mary J Blige – “Can’t Knock the Hustle”

T.I., Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and M.I.A. – “Swagga Like Us”

T.I. and Justin Timberlake – “Dead and Gone”

Ciara and Justin Timberlake – “Love, Sex and Magic”

Diddy, Jermaine Dupri, Murphy Lee and Snoop Dogg – “Welcome To Atlanta (remix)”

Diddy, Faith and 112 – “I’ll Be Missing You”

Busta Rhymes, DMX, Mary J Blige, Missy, Rah Digga, Papoose and Lloyd Banks – “Touch It (remix)”

Busta Rhymes and Janet Jackson – “What’s It Gonna Be”

Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson – “Scream”

R. Kelly and “Mr. Biggs” (The Isley Brothers) saga -

• “Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)”

• “Contagious”

• Kelly Price’s “Friend of Mine (remix)”

Drake and Trey Songz – “Successful”

Left Eye, Lil’ Kim, Missy, Angie Martinez and Da Brat – “Ladies Night”

Brandy and Monica – “The Boy is Mine”

Princess of soul music, Keyshia Cole, is no longer singing about heartbreak. Now, she’s teaching the fellas how to ”Trust.” The duet features R&B star Monica who we haven’t heard from in a minute, and the newly-released video was elegantly shot in Tuscany, Italy. Fans get to see a softer side of Miss. Cole – not to mention, the lovely piece of chocolate eye candy that plays her man. 

Keyshia Cole hits the road with The-Dream on their 21 city tour opening on May 13th at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati. 

- NAKIA HILL