Disproving the logic that rap music sells albums and not concert tickets, Jay-Z's Hard Knock Life tour is shaping up to be a major financial success. According to The Los Angeles Times, the tour is averaging a robust 13,000 tickets sold per show, or about $360,000 per date.

Such numbers make the Hard Knock Life one of the most successful rap tours ever mounted. According to Gary Bongiovanni, editor in chief of Pollstar, a concert industry trade publication, ''by any financial yardstick, it's a success.''

To celebrate the success of the outing, DJ Clue has announced plans to record a tour album from the road. Clue, the resident DJ for the tour, is recording tracks on a custom portable recording studio. The album will feature guest spots from the world of rap music and most of the Hard Knock Life family. Details are still sketchy, but it appears the record will contain new material as opposed to live cuts.

The lineup for the Hard Knock Life tour features some of hip-hop's most popular and hardest hitting acts, all of which have had major commercial impact in recent months.

Jay-Z has been on an uphill path for over two years now, culminating with the number one success of his recent release Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life. That album, fueled by monster singles like Money Ain't A Thang, Can I Get A... and the Annie-influenced title track helped Jay-Z top the Billboard Album chart for 5 straight weeks.

Adding to the package is DMX, who with his latest release, Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood, became one of a limited handful of artists to have two number one albums in the same year. Rounding out the bill are Method Man and Redman, who haven't shattered any records, but are clearly enjoying their strongest popularity to date.