Contamination

Seems like Jay-Z at Glastonbury is the hot topic today. It's been a hot topic to me for a while now; I mentioned it in the last issue of Artrocker. I don't know if I'd go as far as to call the current anti-hip-hop feeling in the indie world "Racist" but it's definitely suspect. Jay-Z is one of the absolute elite artists of our age, he's the greatest rapper of all time and is easily one of the greatest solo performers that ever lived. I get that not everybody likes him, of course they don't, I personally winced at the thought of him headlining Glastonbury just because I remember G-Unit at Reading. But I absolutely considered pulling every string at my disposal to possibly get into Glastonbury for the first time in my life this year so that I could see Jay-Z. I will now turn my attention to his gig with Linkin Park at the O2 this summer because I don't want to be around the people who have said such things as "Glastonbury has been contaminated". I don't even want to analyse that statement with any depth, I don't think I'll be happy with what I come up with.

I hope Jay-Z headlines Glastonbury and I hope it goes down well, but I can't see a hip-hop headliner again the near future. Ultimately though, if it were Coldplay we'd be getting no complaint, Jay-Z is way more rock and roll than frigging Coldplay.

Guardian feature on the subject: Where's your guitar, Jay-Z?