AceShowbiz - Rapper Drake has been forced to pull out of plans to tour Europe so he can be by his sick mother's side as she undergoes "emergency" surgery for a mystery illness. The "Best I Ever Had" hitmaker was due to perform at a string of summer music festivals, including the Wireless, Oxygen and T In The Park events, in addition to a number of solo gigs across the continent.

But the shows have been scrapped so the Canadian star can fly home to support his mum. In a statement, he says, "Despite my best hopes, it is apparent that my mother will need surgery earlier than anticipated. In light of this news, I have made the difficult decision to cancel my European tour in order to support her during her recovery. I ask everyone to please respect my family's privacy during this time."

Drake recently opened up about his mother's ailing health, admitting she is so ill, he's "scared" of losing her. In his MTV documentary "Drake: Better Than Good Enough", he said, "My mum is sick. 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."