NEWS: Drake Postpones European Tour Due to Mom's Surgery

get well soon momma drake

MTV: Drake announced on Thursday (July 1) that he'll postpone the European leg of his Away From Home Tour, set to begin Friday, to tend to his ailing mother, who has been battling an arthritic condition and an illness that affects her entire body, often leaving her unusually fatigued.

The rapper released a statement explaining the last-minute decision to his fans.

"Despite my best hopes, it is apparent that my mother will need surgery earlier than anticipated," Drake said. "In light of this news, I have made the difficult decision to cancel my European tour in order to support her during her recovery, just as she supported me through the years. I cannot thank my European fans enough and look forward to performing abroad soon. I ask everyone to please respect my family's privacy during this time."

The Toronto lyricist has postponed shows in Paris, Amsterdam and London; the shows will be rescheduled for November 2010. A number of his European appearances, however, were festival appearances that Drake will no longer make. The So Far Gone star will resume his tour on July 16 for the Canadian leg, which includes dates in Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.

In the MTV documentary "Drake: Better Than Good Enough," the rapper opens up, abeit briefly, about his mother's illness.

"My mom is sick," he says in one scene. "So that scares me a lot. She's been the most supportive person I've ever had in my life — the only person that loves me unconditionally, really. I know a lot of people love me and I love a lot of people. But to love somebody unconditionally is different."