The summer is getting a lot hotter as Drake just released new dates to his Club Paradise Tour. J. Cole, French Montana, Waka Flocka, 2Chainz and Meek Mill will join on select shows… including the just-announced HOT JAM 2012 right here in Hartford!!  Get all the details on Drake’s new tour…

MTV News spoke with Drake before the launch of the tour and he admitted his hesitation to perform in arenas.

“I just like the energy. I like people to feel close to me because at the end of the day, I’m still at the beginning of my career,” he said. “I’m 25-years-old so watching me from the 500 level of an arena, I don’t know if I’m mentally there yet. I don’t know if I can mentally accept that, but ironically enough I’m going on an arena tour in the U.K. So, I’m going to have to accept it sooner or later.”

The early stint of the Club Paradise Tour began on college campuses.

“I chose to do that because I just feel like those are the guys that have downloaded So Far Gone off of October’s Very Own that night and have been riding me ever since,” he said. “I don’t want them to ever feel like I left them or that they’re disconnected. So, I’m going to go back and bring them a real tour into those college spaces.”

On Friday, Drake will reveal the music video behind latest single, “Take Care.” Featuring a blonde Rihanna, the black and white photos that leaked earlier this month showcase the duo in a heated embrace.

Club Paradise Tour Dates

05.07 Concord, CA: Sleep Train Pavilion at Concord *
05.08 Irvine, CA: Verizon Wireless Amphitheater #
05.10 Phoenix, AZ: Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion #
05.11 Las Vegas, NV: MGM Grand Garden Arena #
05.13 Denver, CO: Comfort Dental Amphitheatre #
05.14 Albuquerque, NM: Hard Rock Casino Albuquerque Presents The Pavilion #
05.16 Dallas, TX: Gexa Energy Pavilion #
05.17 Houston, TX: Toyota Center #
05.19 Charlotte, NC: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte #
05.20 Atlanta, GA: Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood #
05.22 Raleigh, NC: Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek #
05.23 Virginia Beach, VA: Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach #
05.25 Washington, DC: Verizon Center #
05.26 Pittsburgh, PA: First Niagara Pavilion #
05.28 Cleveland, OH: Blossom Music Center #
05.30 Detroit, MI: DTE Energy Music Theatre #
06.01 Indianapolis, IN: Klipsch Music Center #
06.02 Chicago, IL: First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre #
06.05 Memphis, TN: FedExForum #
06.06 Cincinnati, OH: Riverbend Music Center #
06.08 Darien Lake, NY: Darien Lake Performing Arts Center #
06.09 Philadelphia, PA: Susquehanna Bank Center #
06.11 Hartford, CT: Comcast Theatre #
06.12 Holmdel, NJ: PNC Bank Arts Center #
06.14 Saratoga Springs, NY: Nikon at Jones Beach Theater #
06.16 New York, NY: Nikon at Jones Beach Theater #
06.17 Boston, MA: Comcast Center #

* with Waka Flocka Flame, Meek Mill, 2 Chainz, French Montana
# with J. Cole, Waka Flocka Flame, Meek Mill, 2 Chainz, French Montana

- Annie Reuter CBS Local