Friday, May 16, 2008

Jay-Z denies race card regarding UK festival

Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher last month vehemently criticized American hip hop mogul Jay-Z’s headline role at England’s annual Glastonbury Festival, but Jay-Z says it’s just an evolution. “This headline show is just a natural progression,” says the recently wed Grammy winner. “Rap music is still evolving.” Gallagher seemed outraged when organizers named Jay-Z as a headliner for the traditionally guitar driven festival; “I’m not having hip hop at Glastonbury…it’s wrong,” said Gallagher. “We have to respect each other’s genre of music and move forward,” says Jay-Z in a response that took about a month to reach the public. “From AFRIKA BAMBAATAA DJ-ing in the Bronx and RUN DMC going platinum, to JAZZY JEFF AND THE FRESH PRINCE winning the first rap Grammy, I’m just next in the line.”

Jay-Z recently completed a deal with concert promotion company Live Nation worth approximately $150 million. He last week made news by establishing a trust fund for the children of Sean Bell, who was murdered in a hail of bullets by NYPD officers the night before his wedding.

Jay-Z will perform on Glastonbury’s coveted Pyramid Stage Saturday June 28. The festival lasts the entire weekend. Other Pyramid acts include James Blunt and Crowded House. Glastonbury is reportedly the largest green-field performing arts festival in the world, last year attracting about 177,000 to see more than 700 acts on over 80 different stages. Besides music, the festival features dance, comedy, theater, and circus. (Source)
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