Cat Stevens' tour date in New York city have been cancelled. The singer, who now goes by the name Yusuf after converting to Islam, will reportedly re-route the slated concerts to Philadelphia.

According to a statement on the "Wild World" singer's website, the scheduled Cat Stevens tour dates in New York were cancelled because he was dismayed that scalpers were selling tickets for high prices.

"Unfortunately I will not be performing in NYC this time around," said Stevens/Yusuf in his statement. "But I am looking forward to playing for fans in Philadelphia on December 4 and hope to return to NYC at a future date."

He then explained why he decided to remove the New York shows from his tour, saying: "My fans will understand them and I thank them for informing me about the extortionate tickets prices already being listed on some websites. I have been a longtime supporter of paperless tickets to my shows worldwide and avoiding scalpers."

The singer also cited how a New York state law requires tickets to be on paper, rendering him unable to issue paperless tickets to his shows.

British-born Stevens has added a December 4 performance at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia, bumping off the previously scheduled show in Boston at the Wang Theater to December 7.

In an interview with The Huffington Post, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member discussed his long overdue North American tour, saying: "I've been a bit slow in coming around to the United States, but there were so many people asking me to do that, that I just felt an obligation."

Apart from Cat Stevens' tour in North America called "Peace Train ... Late Again" - his first after 37 years - a new album has also been reportedly in the works. "Tell 'Em I'm Gone" is slated to be released next month.