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Glastonbury

Michael Eavis to help Jay-Z overcome fear of Glastonbury crowd

Jay Z

Festival boss will personally introduce the rapper onstage

Apr 4, 2008
17 Comments
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Glastonbury Festival boss Michael Eavis will personally introduce Jay-Z to the crowd when he plays his headline slot on the Pyramid Stage on June 28.

Eavis explained that he is making the introduction himself to allay fears from the rapper and his manager about playing to an unfamiliar crowd.

Speaking to Glastonburyfestivals.co.uk, the festival boss said: "I was discussing it [the headline slot] with Jay-Z and his manager. They were slightly worried about the audience not being a London or Birmingham urban crowd.

"I said, 'OK, I'll do something that I haven't done for the entire 38 year history of the festival ? I'll take you on stage and introduce you to the audience.' And he Jay-Z said, 'Michael, I'll do your show'."

Tickets for the festival go on sale this Sunday (April 6) at 9am. Read NME.COM's guide to getting Glastonbury tickets now.

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Comments (17)

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micro_cuts

Apr 4, 2008

i think jay z will rock the main stage. In recent years i think the headliners have been average. Good musicians but definatly not ready to headline.

lovejoylovejoy

Apr 4, 2008

says it all doesnt it, how crap glasto is going to be. Eavis has to bodyguard the headline act. rubbish.

jordyshambles

Apr 4, 2008

Yeah I agree... The Who definately weren't ready to headline....

hness

Apr 5, 2008

i feel slightly ashamed that Michael Eavis feels he should do this....Jay Z is an international act of some standing, not a murderer!!! why must so many of you feel so parochial and stand offish when it comes to a non white musician, as im afraid it reeks of bigotry, which surely goes against the so called hippy ethos of Glastonbury...personally i think Eavis should apologise for dumping coldplay on us....bastard

wendytime

Apr 5, 2008

While I am not a huge fan of hip hop, I think Jay Z will do just fine at Glasto as Jay Z is not your typical rapper (i.e. 50 Cent, The Game, Lil' Wayne, etc.). Jay Z is a mighty fine beat and rhyme master. However hopefully w/Jay Z headline, it's not a sign of things to come with future festivals. Hip Hop in general has ruined the American music industry. It is so bad in the States that Hip Hop is like the only genre of music which exists and there are a lot of talented bands that are not getting a fair shake in being heard.

benjiesmith

Apr 5, 2008

Paul McCartney too... ;0)

ClassyRC

Apr 5, 2008

I dont know why people are being so up tight about Jay - Z i mean he's probably the best rapper in the world at the moment and although I dont really like rap and R&B music i think it would be really cool to go and see him it would be totally different to anything before and there are still plenty of other great bands playing. I'd love to go but as usual I dont have enough money to go so stop moaning! at least you can say you went to Glastonbury

ashabumbleb

Apr 5, 2008

Oh for heaven's sake. Look, I myself am not a great fan of Jay-Z, some of his stuff is okay though, and you'd soon be dancing away if you were in a club. What really really has annoyed me over the past few months is that people have completely slated this years Glasto based on the few acts that have been announced so far. Now if you ask me, 30 acts out of the however many play across the entire weekend on all the stages and all teh other places.......And what's the other one?! Oh yes, it become too commercial now......are you suprised by this?! Please name something big that hasn't become commercialised?! If you don't want to go, guess what?! You don't have to, but I am sure teh Eavis' have put their heart and soul into this festival, as they have every other one, and will continue to do so. Stop moaning. If you don't like it, forget about it this year and pick one of the millions more festivals on offer instead!! Rant over!!

kanejb

Apr 5, 2008

I think people dont want Jay z performing at glastonbury this year because people are used to bands like the kaiser chiefs and Artic monkeys headlining the festival and they are rock bands so its true that people are afraid of changes.

cursin_donkey

Apr 5, 2008

Didn't this guy grow up in one of Brooklyn's toughest neighbourhoods? (Jay-Z not Eavis).

weaguey

Apr 5, 2008

Ha what a joke "They were slightly worried about the audience not being a London or Birmingham urban crowd" Really??!?!?! Glastonbury is known for its Rock acts not RNB artists! And micro-cuts is completely wrong the headliners in recent years have been amazing......all aprt from this year. Jay-Z is (and the verve and Kings of Leon come to that!) simply does not fit into the headline slot of Glastonbury.

weaguey

Apr 5, 2008

Radiohead and Coldplay would be perfect for Glasto this Year!

KJS26

Apr 6, 2008

I feel annoyed by the comments of 'hness', so much so I have just registered so I could write this comment. I have lived down the road from the festival all my life and have been every year. I have also had my complimentary ticket for this year's festival confirmed for the last couple of months. I am looking forward to this year's festival but certainly will not be watching Jay-Z. Hness- this has nothing to do with him not being a 'non white musician' as you put it- its because Jay-Z and hip-hop is not what Glasto is all about and never has been. There is not enough of the regulars at the festival that enjoy this type of music and that is why there has been much controversy around the issue. I know of many locals that have sold on their free tickets as they are not impressed with this huge change in the line up.

mikeyboyc

Apr 6, 2008

I think its a real shame that people are not seeing the bigger picture. Ok it is a rapper from America but so what. If you dont want to see him you got the rest of the Glastonbury festival to fish through and find something you will like. I for one have just recieved confirmation of my tickets and yes im not overjoyed that Jay-Z is headlining but i think last year i only spent Friday night at the Pyramid stage, Most of my memories of the last few years have been spent away front the now commercial hub of Glastonbury and round the more unique fields they have. Any way I thought I would add my five pence worth. I hope the people going do have a great time and the people that arent going enjoy us all talking about it when we get back hehe.Ps I want to see coldplay too, (2005 was an amazing experience)

KJS26

Apr 7, 2008

Lets hope Jay-Z does pull out as the rumours suggest today. The fact that there are still 37,000 tickets unsold 24 hours later surely tells the organisers something... The festival needs to stay true to itself and that does not include hip hop acts. The history of the festival and the area is not about that...The headlining slot on the pyramid stage is a big deal and the ticket sales and crowd expect a big 'indie/rock' band- bring back Oasis or Radiohead- they are classics that people never bore of seeing at Glasto- this is what it is all about- not Jay-Z

lyno123

Apr 10, 2008

Jay-Z is too good for glastonbury full stop, I wouldn't say he is the best rapper out there but Neil Diamond and The Verve should be lucky there even in the same sentence, Eavis has tried to get a different audience in and thats fair play, give Jay a chance. 50 got bottled off at reading so its no surprise Jay is worried, give him the respect he deserves.

addy_bo

Apr 29, 2008

personally i think that jay z will be awesome, a true one off show! i admit that its not the usual glastonbury headline act of coldplay or radiohead but i truely beleive that jay z will deliver an awesome show, after all the hype of him backing down etc this show is definately one not to be missed!