
Jay-Z will salute President-elect Barack Obama with a Jan. 19 concert at Washington, D.C.’s Warner Theater, at which he’ll be backed by a live band. Tickets for “An Evening with Jay-Z in Concert on The Eve of Change” go on sale Friday (Jan. 9) from Ticketmaster.
Jay-Z campaigned actively for Obama last fall, and even recorded a single, “History,” in honor of his election. Meanwhile, there’s no word on a release date for the rapper’s final Def Jam album, which is expected this spring.
— Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Pop singer Kat DeLuna, who left Epic Records last October, has found a new home at Universal Motown, label reps confirm. She is scheduled to release a new, as-yet-untitled single featuring Lil Wayne in the coming weeks.
In a YouTube video posted for New Year’s, DeLuna states the single is “a little bit different, but crazy,” and that the sophomore album will be coming in 2009. RedOne, who produced DeLuna’s debut album, “9 Lives,” has confirmed he will be re-teaming with the Dominican artist. “She is the new, modern-day Selena,” Red One told Billboard.com a few months ago.
“9 Lives” has sold 65,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen soundscan. Its lead single, “Whine Up,” featuring Elephant Man, peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100.
— Mariel Concepcion, N.Y.
Bob Mould’s next solo album, which is as-yet-untitled, will be released April 7. The 10-track set was self-produced and features Superchunk’s Jon Wurster on drums. It’s the follow-up to last year’s “District Line,” released by Anti-.
Mould will take time off from writing his autobiography to play a Jan. 17 show with his DJ duo BLOWOFF at D.C.’s 9:30 Club, and will also perform March 11 at an R.E.M. tribute at New York’s Carnegie Hall.
Here is the track list for Mould’s new album:
“Life and Times”
“The Breach”
“City Lights (Day Go By)”
“MM 17”
“Argos”
“Bad Blood Better”
“Wasted World”
“Spiraling Down”
“I’m Sorry, Baby, But You Can’t Stand In My Light Any More”
“Lifetime”
— Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.