Call it their second Best blockbuster collaboration.
R. Kelly and Jay-Z, who put out a joint album two years ago titled The Best of Both Worlds, are now planning to release The Best of Both Worlds: Unfinished Business, a follow-up to go along with their long-awaited tour.
Jive, Roc-A-fella and Def Jam will team to release the disc in North American stores on Oct. 26 while Jive and BMG will issue it internationally.
Unfinished Business will feature 11 previously unreleased tracks, including the new singles "Big Chips" and "Don't Let Me Die," which will hit radio stations on Oct. 4--a few days after the duo kicks off their nationwide trek at Allstate Arena in Chicago Sept. 29.
The 40-city Best of Both Worlds Tour marks the first time Kelly and Jay-Z have teamed together onstage, save a joint appearance at the latter's sold-out 2003 Madison Square Garden concert to hype the release of Jigga's supposedly final solo collection, The Black Album.
The performers were supposed to hit the road two years ago in support of The Best of Both Worlds. But those plans were derailed in June 2002, when Kelly's infamous sex tape found its way to the media and he was rung up on charges of possessing child pornography.
While Kelly asserted his innocence, the tour was scrapped, promotion for the album was scaled back and sales were disappointing. The disc, which had been expected to sell several million copies, has only moved 869,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen Soundscan.
But the Teflon-esque Kelly returned to his chart-topping ways with 2003's multiplatinum Chocolate Factory and his new double album, Happy People/U Saved Me, which sold 403,000 copies upon its debut earlier this month.
Kelly has persuaded the judge in his case to allow him to resume touring, provided he doesn't miss any court dates.
Given Kelly's resurgent popularity, Jay-Z apparently felt no harm in picking up where the two left off and the two camps initiated talks to join forces again.
After crisscrossing the country, the Best of Both Worlds Tour is scheduled to wrap up in Phoenix on Nov. 28.