5 Collaborative Tours We'll Never Forget

February 18, 2013 - 10:22 pm by Sowmya Krishnamurthy

Get your suit and tie ready. Rumors abound that Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z are planning a joint tour this year and if their performance at the 2013 Grammy Awards is any indication, this dapper duo could pull off something special. While we wait for the official announcement, here’s a look back at some of the biggest and most exciting joint tours.

Watch The Throne
Two of hip-hop’s biggest stars, a huge joint album and oh yeah, Kanye’s kilt. Jay-Z and Kanye West’s 2011 Watch The Throne tour was one of the biggest shows in recent history. Where else could you go to hear “In Paris” being played seven times in a row alongside Beyonce and Kim Kardashian?

Puff Daddy and the Family Bad Boy Records ruled 1997 and 1998 and Diddy (back then, Puff Daddy) brought his entire roster including Ma$e, The Lox and Black Rob on the road. Shiny suits, pyro and hearing “Mo Money, Mo Problems” every night. Take that, take that.

Hard Knock Life Jay-Z’s Hard Knock Life tour featured a who’s who of 90s rap from DMX and Ja Rule to Method Man and Eve. The tour proved especially successful at rebuilding Def Jam Records as a rap powerhouse. Additionally, Hard Knock life was one of the few rap tours to come with its own documentary, Backstage. In case you haven’t watched it, Backstage has one of the greatest spazz out scenes from Roc-A-Fella’s Damon Dash. Hit up Netflix.

Best of Both Worlds (Cancelled) The Best of Both Worlds tour featuring Jay-Z and R. Kelly barely made it off the ground back in 2004 before the plug was abruptly pulled. During the Madison Square Garden stop, R. Kelly ran off stage and Jay later told Hot 97 that his co-headliner was “insecure.” Ain’t no love in the heart of the city, clearly. The internal beef eventually killed what would have been one epic tour.

Fame Kills (Cancelled) Putting Lady Gaga and Kanye West on the same bill seemed like a good idea in 2009 but the eclectic pair’s Fame Kills tour was cancelled before it even began. Some speculated poor ticket sales while others blamed the rampant anti-Kanye sentiment following his infamous Taylor Swift diss at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Justified & Stripped From The Mickey Mouse Club to all grown up. Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera shed their kiddie star images and toured together in 2003 as veritable pop megastar.

Under the Influence Roll up with rap’s most friendly stoners, Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller. Under The Influence brought together the labelmates last year for a night of feel good vibes, not to mention, introduced many to then-newcomer Kendrick Lamar.

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