Redman, Raekwon lead Rock the Bells fest

Rappers Redman and Raekwon highlight the lineup of this year's Rock the Bells festival, a traveling hip-hop caravan headed for more than 20 cities beginning in late November.

Formerly a single-day event in Los Angeles, the inaugural multi-city version of the festival will kick off Nov. 21 in Washington, DC. The outing currently boasts 22 dates, and organizers plan on adding a few stops along the route.

Other acts set for the festival, which is concentrating on large clubs and mid-size theaters, include Keith Murray --part of the Def Squad rap group with Redman--and Supernatural , who recently set a Guinness record for Longest Freestyle Rap, clocking in at more than nine hours. DJ Kool will fill out the bill as "special guest."

"We hope that by bringing quality hip-hop shows to these other markets, eventually it will set the stage for something better," the tour's organizer, Chang Weisberg, said in a press release. "We want to expose new music, a new perspective, awareness and a fresh mindset. That’s what conscious hip-hop is about. That’s what Rock the Bells hopes to provide."

Redman, best known for his recent collaborations with Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man, has set a March 2007 release date for his next album, "Red Gone Wild." The set is his first since 2001's "Malpractice."

Wu-Tang member Raekwon released his third solo album, "The Lex Diamond Story," in 2003.

Previous Rock the Bells events have featured A Tribe Called Quest, Lauryn Hill, Black Star, De La Soul and others.

TOUR DATES
 tour dates and tickets
November 2006
21 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
22 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
24 - Greensboro, NC - The N Club
25 - Hartford, CT - Webster Theater
26 - Allenton, PA - Crocodile Rock Cafe
28 - New York, NY - BB King's
30 - Boston, MA - Avalon

December 2006
1 - Providence, RI - Lupo's
2 - Buffalo, NY - Buffalo Ballroom
3 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
6 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
8 - Park City, UT - Harry O's
9 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
12 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Plush Nightclub
13 - Seattle, WA - Showbox
14 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
15 - Sacramento, CA - Empire
16 - San Francisco, CA - Mezzanine
17 - Oakland, CA - Sweets Ballroom
20 - Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues
21 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
22 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues

 tour dates and tickets
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