I've had a feeling for a while now...

[LondonTom]

!!!!IMPORTANT NOTICE!!!!

If the word "his" offends you, especially when used incorrectly please do not read the above post

[fatyeti24]

Nothing was offensive? I didn't say it was offensive? I was just pointing out the fact that people go on about him being black, when it dosn't matter?

[laid back in the sun]

of course his desperate to play again, his probably never experienced a crowd like glasto before and its certainly very different to he's usual crowd and thats why his always banging on about it but i cant see him ever headlining again, he's headlining slot caused too much of a furore and while not the sole reason for the festival being so slow to sell out it certainly played its part. imo his one of the dullest rappers around, sure the whole oasis thing as he came on was quite funny and he's medley of other glasto performers songs was pretty entertaining too, even he's version of ice t's 99 problems held the crowd but then he started playing he's own stuff and it all seemed to get very uninteresting very quickly resulting in quite a chunk of the crowd drifting off (myself included). his part of glastos history now but more for the controversy caused than he's performance

[beamends]

This guy came up with this when the US still had apartheid (just with a different name). To think he would perform this when he wouldn't even have been allowed to sit in the audience. He and his contemporaries, Fats Waller, Nat King Cole etc had, and probably still do, have far more influence than Jay-Z ever will.

[grumpyhack]

Jay-z is probably the most important artist this century.

[bamber]

What point is there to miss? Jay-cloth is just another artist that appeared in the long list of bands that have done so. Important how? important to US black culture? important to as a unifying force in the US? important as a bringer of peace and tranquillity? or just a successful hop hip artist that have made a successful transition across all genres?

[budvar]

I greatly enjoyed his set in 2008 and would be happy to have him back any time. I also like the fact that it clearly meant something for him to perform at Glasto. Bruce, Neil and Damon seemed to enjoy themseleves last year but it wasn't anything like as big a deal for any of them.

[lac999]

I guess I am older than a lot of people here. When I was a kid there was still segregation in the US. Young Shawn Corey Carter, born at the tail end of the sixties, raised in 70s Brooklyn knew a very different world to the one we live in today. That 40 odd year transition from the civil rights movement of the 60s through to the present day is the backdrop to Jay-z's life. He is a product of that transition and more to the point he articulates the experience with his art. That is why he is important. The African American journey from slavery to freedom is over. In reality there is still huge inequality but fundamentally the journey is done, the page has been turned. "Now that all the smoke is gone...and the battle's finally won ...History so long". He absolutely embodies the emotions and aspirations of his generation. That is why he is important. You can play this down and say that he's just another musician, you have every right to hold that opinion. I take the view however that this artist is paramount as a chronicler of our age.

Hell, he seriously divides opinions here though .

[ivan]

My mate cannot stand Massive Attack , but I do not think it has anything to do with race

He just can't stand em !

My view - I listen to a lot of music , and I can quite happily live without Jay Z !

[Ed209]

Saying he is the most important musical artist this century isn't the most ludicrous thing i've ever read, thats tame compared to some of the shit spouted on these boards. People who dismiss that i'm not totally sure understand the cultural importance of Jay-Z and everything he embodies.

I personally thought his '08 set was epic, and I wasn't a fan of his before, but everybody who i know who was there felt something important happened that night. Yeah sure, he was a hip hop artist headlining glasto, but I don't think that was the most important thing that night. It was the people of Glastonbury showing Jay-Z and the world that the bad press and the naysayers weren't speaking for them, that the people of Glastonbury are open minded and accepting of all forms of music, and that he was more than welcome at our festival. There was a lot of love in the field that night.

[ivan]

Saying he is the most important musical artist this century isn't the most ludicrous thing i've ever read, thats tame compared to some of the shit spouted on these boards. People who dismiss that i'm not totally sure understand the cultural importance of Jay-Z and everything he embodies.

I personally thought his '08 set was epic, and I wasn't a fan of his before, but everybody who i know who was there felt something important happened that night. Yeah sure, he was a hip hop artist headlining glasto, but I don't think that was the most important thing that night. It was the people of Glastonbury showing Jay-Z and the world that the bad press and the naysayers weren't speaking for them, that the people of Glastonbury are open minded and accepting of all forms of music, and that he was more than welcome at our festival. There was a lot of love in the field that night.

[beamends]

Saying he is the most important musical artist this century isn't the most ludicrous thing i've ever read, thats tame compared to some of the shit spouted on these boards. People who dismiss that i'm not totally sure understand the cultural importance of Jay-Z and everything he embodies.

I personally thought his '08 set was epic, and I wasn't a fan of his before, but everybody who i know who was there felt something important happened that night. Yeah sure, he was a hip hop artist headlining glasto, but I don't think that was the most important thing that night. It was the people of Glastonbury showing Jay-Z and the world that the bad press and the naysayers weren't speaking for them, that the people of Glastonbury are open minded and accepting of all forms of music, and that he was more than welcome at our festival. There was a lot of love in the field that night.

[strudders]

I think it's also very easy to over-state your case - Aswad and Steel Pulse performed in 1982, and Jimmy Cliff in 2003, with Bob Marley' kids in 2007, so a black acts are nothing new. As for " the people of Glastonbury are open minded and accepting of all forms of music" - sorry I find that a strange statement, Glastonbury even had the English National Opera in 2004! Bear in mind that Glastonbury only, for the headliners, reflects current tastes/trends in music - it has never been trend setter, and never tried to be, that's not it's job.

[laid back in the sun]

I think it's also very easy to over-state your case - Aswad and Steel Pulse performed in 1982, and Jimmy Cliff in 2003, with Bob Marley' kids in 2007, so a black acts are nothing new. As for " the people of Glastonbury are open minded and accepting of all forms of music" - sorry I find that a strange statement, Glastonbury even had the English National Opera in 2004! Bear in mind that Glastonbury only, for the headliners, reflects current tastes/trends in music - it has never been trend setter, and never tried to be, that's not it's job.

[Ed209]

I think it's also very easy to over-state your case - Aswad and Steel Pulse performed in 1982, and Jimmy Cliff in 2003, with Bob Marley' kids in 2007, so a black acts are nothing new. As for " the people of Glastonbury are open minded and accepting of all forms of music" - sorry I find that a strange statement, Glastonbury even had the English National Opera in 2004! Bear in mind that Glastonbury only, for the headliners, reflects current tastes/trends in music - it has never been trend setter, and never tried to be, that's not it's job.

Edited February 20, 2010 by Ed209

[sdaveak47]

I'd like to add that every person on this tread other than me is a racist

[beamends]

Are you suggesting the Headline acts reflect current tastes/tastes in music???????????

[grumpyhack]

I'm sad to read that some people are seeing this as a black v white issue and have felt the need to cite the fact that other black musicians have played Glasto in the past to justify that Glasto isn't purely the province of white mainstream musicians.

Glastonbury has always had an element of music and culture from all over the world. Glasto has also always had a tradition of performers who have fought against inequality and justice. That's one of its glories.

If some people here have posted that they didn't enjoy Jay Z, you shouldn't conclude from that they are anti-black or anti-campaigners.

Equally just because someone is black or a campaigner it doesn't automatically make their music good or special or to everyone's taste.

[Ed209]

I'm sad to read that some people are seeing this as a black v white issue and have felt the need to cite the fact that other black musicians have played Glasto in the past to justify that Glasto isn't purely the province of white mainstream musicians.

Glastonbury has always had an element of music and culture from all over the world. Glasto has also always had a tradition of performers who have fought against inequality and justice. That's one of its glories.

If some people here have posted that they didn't enjoy Jay Z, you shouldn't conclude from that they are anti-black or anti-campaigners.

Equally just because someone is black or a campaigner it doesn't automatically make their music good or special or to everyone's taste.

[beamends]

I think you missed my point. Glastonbury has always been diverse in its musical tastes. More so than probably any other festival in the world. But there was a hell of a lot of bad press saying that he wasn't a "glastonbury headliner". That it should be a white indie/rock act etc ... there was so much fuss about it that Jay-Z offered to pull out. It was such a high profile gig, the UK and a lot of world were watching. I think a lot of Glastonbury punters were determined to show those watching that Glastonbury was totally accepting of all types of music, as it always had been, and that the press had totally misjudged glastonbury.

The pyramid field was totally loving Jay-Z that night, and Jay-Z was totally loving people of Glastonbury. It had a special feel to it

[Ed209]

I can't say what happened on the day, I wasn't there, but a least one post here implies not everyone was totally loving it. "It should be a white indie/rock act" - I don't get either, there's been plenty of Reggae from the word go for one! As for Steve Hillage/Gong and such, I don't quite know what that would be catagorised as these days, but Gong stated out in the Jazz world - they are certainly not white indi/rock though. And Tom Jones? I do well remember the furore at the time though, and can understand it. Jay-Z might not be like this, but Hip-Hop/Rap's attitude towards women, guns and violence is, to say the least, disturbing. Whatever the true facts, Hip-Hop/Rap seemed for many years dead set on getting itself a bad press, which it suceeded at spectacularly well. The naughty boys of rock might have thrown TV's out of the window and trashed the odd hotel room, but very, very few of them shot each other. That's why people were worried about Jay-Z, nothing to do with colour, or even his particular music. He may well have changed attitudes, but his appearance was not sea change in the festival's history - he just did a good gig and endeared himself to many, much like Rolf Harris - that's the reason I say you are over-stating his significance.

[beamends]

I have no idea what you're going on about.

[norainplease]

I'm sad to read that some people are seeing this as a black v white issue and have felt the need to cite the fact that other black musicians have played Glasto in the past to justify that Glasto isn't purely the province of white mainstream musicians.

Glastonbury has always had an element of music and culture from all over the world. Glasto has also always had a tradition of performers who have fought against inequality and justice. That's one of its glories.

If some people here have posted that they didn't enjoy Jay Z, you shouldn't conclude from that they are anti-black or anti-campaigners.

Equally just because someone is black or a campaigner it doesn't automatically make their music good or special or to everyone's taste.

[MEGABOWL]

Why the f**k does it matter if his black? This really annoys me when people point out that his black is there any need? His good at what his does clearly, his not alot of peoples thing. But the end of the day his just another artist whose one of the best in his genre. It wasn't important or anything that he did it, his not the saviour of black people or linked to the end of racism is he? Is being black some kind of handicap now? Should black people not being do this kind of thing? Just stop pointing out his black and judge him on artistic merit.

(Its nothing against you really, yours was just the last reply to mention him being black)

[refriedgenes]

What was particularly groundbreaking about Jay Zed at Glastonbury? I watched Eminem headline Leeds in 2001 (I think it was), Beastie Boys were high up the bill Reading '98, as were Jurassic 5. I've seen a fair amount of Hip-Hop at western culture based festivals, admittedly not Pilton, but I think drawing a distinction just because Jay Z is black is essentially racist. How many NME/Indie bands play at your local Mela? It's just culture.