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Dizzee Rascal Gets Digital-Only U.S. Release

Dizzee Rascal and his U.S. label, XL/Beggars, have announced the U.S. release of his third album Maths & English on June 5. However, you'll have to head to your laptop and not your nearest record store to buy it. The label (whose headquarters are based in the UK) has decided to release the grime-rap star's third album as "digital only" in the U.S..

Billboard.com reports that the decision came based on the slumping records sales of his sophomore album, Showtime. That album has sold 16,000 copies to date, which pales in comparison to the 58,000 copies of his debut album, the critically acclaimed and Shortlist Music Prize nominated Boy in da Corner.

The decline in numbers has even made Dizzee himself more reluctant to promote his records in the U.S. There are no U.S. dates yet, as Dizzee will be making his rounds at nearly all of the major European music festivals this summer. However, die-hard U.S. fans can get a sneak peek at the rapper's forthcoming documentary, Dizzee Rascal: Bow Selecter, which is set to air on U.K. televsion sets June 3, but will also see a home online at the XL/Beggars U.S. site.

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
05.23.07