Fans looking for a return performance by Jay-Z at the Tommy Hilfiger Jones Beach Theater in New York on August 16 are facing bitter disappointment as HOVA will call it a summer with the Roc the Mic Tour on August 5 at Atlanta's Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheater.

50 Cent will now be the sole headliner for the extended thirteen dates on the Rocafella Records branded Roc the Mic tour while Jay-Z and his Roc-a-fella camp will bow out in Atlanta as originally planned before the second leg was added. The tour will begin the new leg in Tampa, FL at the St. Petersburg Times Forum on August 7 and conclude August 21 in Detroit at the DTE Energy Amphitheater. Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliot, Fabolous, Busta Rhymes, Sean Paul, Obie Trice and Bone Crusher will continue with 50 Cent and share opening duties. Also, RollingStone.com reported that mega-producer Timbaland will turn up for a few dates on the extended leg of the tour.

Despite speculation of Jay's departure from the tour such as the recent arrest of Beanie Sigel or his riff with The Diplomats, it appears Mr. Carter is simply taking time to prepare for his final stand, The Black Album. The release, just four months away and already building heavy anticipation, is expected to show Jay returning to his roots with various producers including DJ Premier and Rick Rubin.
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The family of Samuel "Tone" Barnes, half of the production duo The Trackmasters, was held a gunpoint by three men, who robbed their Staten Island home and made off with jewelry and other items valued at almost $100,000.

Police said that Barnes' wife, two children and a baby-sitter were held hostage in the home for almost a half hour, while the robbers searched the luxury home for items to steal, making off with a large amount of jewelry.

According to police, Barnes' wife returned home after 8:30 p.m. when she was approached by a man with a gun, who had been waiting outside garage door.

Two more gunmen appeared and led the woman and her two children into the house.

Once inside two gunmen encountered the baby sitter and ordered the baby-sitter and the children to wait in a room, while the third gunman ordered Barnes' wife to show him where the valuable were located.

The three men then drove off in an unidentified vehicle. As of press time the robbers are still at large.

With his partner, "Poke," Tone, Barnes heads up Trackmasters Entertainment.

The duo's list of clients is a who's who in music and have produced platinum hits for Will Smith, Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Blaque, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Mary J. Blige and others.

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We've reported previous the rumors that Ashanti plans of leaving Murder, Inc after she fullfulls her 3 album contract. But now there are rumors that Ashanti is apparently getting hated on by the rest of the Inc. including Cadillac Tah and Charli Baltimore. They got pissed because their albums seem to be pushed back every time while Ashanti was rushed into the studio and now has another album coming out. Apparently their albums were first on the priority list before Ashanti and now they are last on the list. They said that if their albums are not out by the end of the year...they bouncing from the Inc. Instead of having turmoil inside the label, Ashanti, partly because of this, decided to leave before the end of the year so there wouldn't be any problems.

(Mark my words, once Ashanti leaves, Murder Inc will desolve within a year. Cadillac Tah, Charli Baltimore, and Ja Rule don't have the talent to maintain the label - Rob)