Canadian rappers unite! Pioneering iconoclast K-os (pictured above) and Weezy-approved superstar-in-training Drake are heading out together for a tour of universities and, uh, “private locations.” I assume these “private locations” are RSVP-only affairs and frat-house parties booked by trust-fund idiots. You should be alright if you’ve got the hookup.

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Sage Francis has scheduled a series of tour dates in support of his forthcoming album, Li(f)e, which drops May 11. B. Dolan, who just released Fallen House, Sunken City; and Free Moral Agents will join him.

Check out the above video — it’s pretty amusing.

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2Mex (pictured right) is on the road again. This time, he’s not doing one of his stealth “house” tours, but playing small and mid-size clubs throughout the country. Now all we need is that Strange Famous album…maybe this year?

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If you still haven’t seen Nosaj Thing live yet (*raises hand*), you can catch him opening for overrated British band the xx this month. If that tour isn’t coming through your town (*raises hand*), then you’ll just have to wait a little longer to see him.

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I think this is the fourth video from A Strange Arrangement. This isn’t my favorite track on the album, and I think I liked the “Green Eyed Love” clip better. But check it out for yourself.

Directed by Henry DeMaio.

Here’s hoping Guru gets better:

• Walmart in trouble for promoting Ice Cube’s The Players Club as Black History (allhiphop.com)

• Jneiro Jarel announces Android Love Mayhem EP for April 13 (jneirojarel.blogspot.com)

• RIP Chilly B of Newcleus (pitchfork.com)

• Guru goes into cardiac arrest, currently in a coma (hiphopdx.com)

• Justus League members Big Pooh, Jozeemo, Joe Scudda, Chaundon and manager Big Dho injured in car accident (hiphopdx.com)

• KRS-One and DJ Premier working on Return of the Boom Bip, a sequel to 1993’s Return of the Boom Bap (hiphopdx.com)

• Arsonists raze Gamble & Huff’s Sound of Philadelphia studios (thedailyswarm.com)

You’ve read about it on your favorite blogs and websites. You watched the crazy teaser videos that ripped off the Brad Pitt flick Seven. You downloaded the free MP3s. Now it’s time to wipe away the drool, because the Meth, Ghost & Rae collabo album is coming out.

Set for release via Def Jam on March 30, Wu Massacre is mostly a Wu affair, with production from RZA and Allah Mathematics and guest spots from Inspectah Deck, Streetlife (Remember “PLO Style?”) and Trife. Interestingly, the Rhythm Roots Allstars, who were the backing band on many of those Scion Live mini-tours from a few years ago, and even showed up on Ghost’s The Big Doe Rehab, contribute to a few tracks.

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Rhymesayers road dog Brother Ali kicks off another North American tour next month in support of last year’s excellent US. L.A. upstart Fashawn lends support.

Publicity stuff:

This spring, acclaimed Minneapolis rapper Brother Ali will set out on his second extensive North American tour in support of his latest album, Us. The tour, called the “Breakin’ Dawn Tour”, also features one of the biggest new hip-hop acts to break in 2009, California-based MC, Fashawn. The trek starts on March 29th in Fargo, winding its way through Canada and hits new cities in the southern and eastern regions of America. An ambitious task yes but nothing new for the dedicated and laborious Rhymesayers wordsmith – a true testament to the dedication and reach of his fans who cannot get enough. His heavy sound and thought-provoking rhymes have created a high demand by listeners from the farthest reaches of the continent. Now even more fans will have a chance to see this legend live. Upon completion of these dates, Brother Ali will have played a total of 77 North American cities in support of Us, which Pitchfork called “the most deeply thought-provoking work of Brother Ali’s career”.

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In April, Lupe Fiasco embarks on a monthlong tour of major markets in support of his forthcoming album, We Are Lasers. Or is it called Lasers now? I’m not sure.

B.O.B., the talented ATL artist who will finally (fingers crossed) see his debut album The Adventures of Bobby Ray come out via Atlantic on April 27, opens.

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Flying Lotus is embarking on a brief buzz-building tour prior to the May 4 release of his third album, Cosmogramma. Dubstep scion Kode9 opens on most dates.

(February 26 update) Almost forgot to mention that FlyLo will support Thom Yorke & Atoms for Peace on a brief tour in April, too.

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When was the last time I posted a “Wrap Up”? I can’t remember…

• Google shuts down music blogs, Internet deems the action “musicblogocide” (guardian.co.uk)

• MTV/Viacom, Real Networks spins off Rhapsody (multichannel.com)

• MTV no longer known as “Music Television,” now known as “Crappy Reality Television” (rollingstone.com)

• Yet another requiem for MySpace (allthingsd.com)

• Great op-ed on Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger (nytimes.com)

• Excellent blog PoisonousParagraphs.com goes dark (poisonousparagraphs.blogspot.com)

• Akon’s Konvict label signs first African rap artist (hiphopdx.com)

• Beastie Boys’ MCA celebrates success of film distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories (laweekly.com)

• Travis Barker and A-Trak form new dance-rap-rock project (mtv.com)

• Pitchfork.com editor proclaims greatness of Pitchfork.com (thedailyswarm.com)

• Public Enemy’s proposed “fan-funded” album fails to ignite interest (billboard.biz)

• Drake warns of shady concert promoters who rip off gullible Drake fans (allhiphop.com)

• Donnis (pictured above with video hoe) signs with Atlantic Records (hiphopdx.com)

• Jay-Z brags that he’s a FOB (Friend of Barack) (mtv.com)

• Johnson & Johnson (a.k.a. Blu & Mainframe) launch new project, New World Color (okayplayer.com)

I woke up in a pine box: J-Live’s Do the Knowledge Vol. 1 (Late Pass) (jlive.bandcamp.com), Donwill’s Laura’s Tape (donwill.bandcamp.com), Exponential Records’ Kadohadacho (antipop.net), Reks’ In Between The Lines (mediafire.com), DJ Drama & B.O.B.’s May 25th (usershare.net), Joell Ortiz’ Defying the Predictable (onsmash.com), DJ Rhettmatic and Bobo from Cypress Hill’s Bobo Meets Rhettmatic (2dopeboyz.com)

This track dropped in spring 2009 under the title “Kids (MGMT remix),” but for obvious reasons it was retitled “Opposite of Adults.” Okayplayer.com uploaded an Onsmash.com embedded clip, but I did a little research and found an official version.

Taken from the Philadelphia duo’s Opposite of Adults EP, which drops via Parlophone on February 22 in the UK. No word on when it will be available in the U.S.

Remember DJ Spinna’s Sonic Smash from last summer? He finally completed a video for one of the tracks, “Get On Down.” New jacks Fresh Daily, P.SO and Homeboy Sandman provide raps.

Directed by Pacool for Chancleta Films. Spotted via Okayplayer.com. Taken from Sonic Smash.

Hmm…not exactly Nocando’s cleanest lyric, but it will do. And the video is very imaginative. Busdriver shows up for a co-sign.

Directed by Kyle Gray. Edited by Humberto Hidalgo. Taken from Jimmy the Lock.

Okay, some dudes front on Joell Ortiz. But the fact is he actually made a good album (The Bricks: Bodega Chronicles), and most rappers haven’t. So there.

This video is very sweet…it reminds me a lot of rap videos from back in the early 90s. Yes, it hit the Internets before Valentine’s Day, so give me a late pass, please.

Directed by Rik Cordero, and spotted via Okayplayer.com. Taken from Free Agent, which drops via E1 Music on April 20.

Wale and K’naan on the same tour? Sounds like a good idea.

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Hip hop DJ turned throwback soul loverman Mayer Hawthorne is headed back to the U.S. for another run of dates. The spring tour ends with an appearance at Coachella.

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Chicago duo Kidz in the Hall is kicking off a tour later this month to support its forthcoming third album, Land of Make Believe. Dubbed the “Crowd Control Tour,” the run also features 88-Keys, Izza Kizza and “Atlanta brave” Donnis.

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Little Brother has announced the track listing for their final album Leftback, which drops April 20 on Hall of Justus/Traffic Entertainment Group:

With production from the likes of Khyrsis, Denaun Porter, Zo!, Symbolyc One, J. Bizness and King Karnov, LeftBack is poised to take listeners on an epic auditory adventure. Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh will also be extending invites for the farewell party to fellow emcees Torae, Truck North, Jozeemo, Chaundon and Median, while crooner Darien Brockington and chanteuse Yahzarah are on hand to add a touch of the melodious to the album.

As the momentum behind LeftBack continues to swell, Little Brother is proud to unveil the official artwork and the track listing for the album. Fans will be excited to learn that LeftBack features 13 tracks of unadulterated hip-hop, while the album artwork finds Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh standing tall amidst the ghosts of albums past, press coverage and other memories accumulated throughout Little Brother’s celebrated career. “We wanted the fans to have that moment of nostalgia when looking at this artwork” says Rapper Big Pooh. “You are able to take a quick journey from the beginning of our careers to the end as Little Brother by glancing at the artwork.”

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You know how I feel about embedding players from other sites, but I don’t feel like searching for a non-affiliated version of this clip. Cyhi da Prince and Pill (who kills it) drop guest verses. Taken from Kanyeuniversity.com.