Lady Gaga says West taking time off

NEW YORK, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. singer Lady Gaga says rapper Kanye West, her former co-star on the "Fame Kills" tour, is taking time to get out of the public spotlight.

The "Poker Face" singer said she and West reached a mutual decision to cancel their concert tour after negative publicity erupted in response to West's actions on the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Billboard.com reported Friday.

West was the subject of scorn from the media and the general public after the rapper interrupted an award acceptance speech by country singer Taylor Swift at the September awards show.

Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, added she would be starting her own headlining tour in the wake of the "Fame" tour's demise.

"It was a mutual decision," Gaga said at the Billboard Women in Music Event Friday. "Kanye's going to take some time off. But the good news is that I'm going on tour in a few weeks."

Billboard said Live Nation will issue refunds for tickets sold for the canceled "Fame" tour.