New Jersey lyrical icon Redman will join Wu-Tang Clansman Raekwon as part of the North American leg of the first ever Rock The Bells world tour.

The month-long event, which kicks off Nov. 21 in Washington D.C., will touch ground in more than 20 major markets in the United States and Canada, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Vancouver and Los Angeles.

Other performers include Keith Murray, Supernatural and special guest DJ Kool.

Redman will perform songs off his long-awaited Def Jam album Red Gone Wild, which hits stores March 2007.

The trek’s international focus serves as “a way to establish Rock the Bells in other markets that have not enjoyed the full festival experience,” said festival founder Chang Weisberg. “Rock the Bells started out the very same way in LA with multiple club dates and grew into something larger because it had integrity. We hope that by bringing quality hip hop shows to these other markets, eventually it will set the stage for something better.”

Launched in 2003 as a way to fill the void left by the lack of quality hip-hop events and tours, Rock the Bells has grown into annual staple on the West Coast.

The event follows in the vein of past festivals like Smoking Grooves and the Cypress Hill Smoke Out, while showcasing some of the biggest names in urban culture.

Past performers include A Tribe Called Quest, Lauryn Hill, Blackstarr (Talib Kweli and Mos Def), Dave Chappelle, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, Cypress Hill, Jurassic 5 and Wu-Tang Clan.

Overall, Weisberg hopes festival goers find something worth appreciating.

“We want to expose new music, a new perspective, awareness, and a fresh mindset,” he stated. “That’s what conscious hip hop is about. That’s what Rock the Bells hopes to provide.”

by Chris Richburg
The following are the 1st half of the North American dates for the Rock the Bells World Tour:
11/21
Washington, DC
9:30 Club
11/22
Myrtle Beach, SC
House of Blues
11/24
Greensboro, NC
The N Club
11/25
Hartford, CT
Webster
11/26
Allentown, PA
Crocodile Rock Café
11/28
New York, NY
BB Kings
11/30
Boston, MA
Avalon
12/1
Providence, RI
Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel
12/2
Buffalo, NY
Buffalo Ballroom
12/3
Burlington, VT
Higher Ground