June 30, 2008 @ 12:44 pm

Jay-Z Live from Glastonbury Festival 2008

Check out footage from Jay-Z's controversial and historical performance at the Glastonbury Festival

Keeping with tradition, Jay-Z decided to kick off his highly controversial performance at the Glastonbury Music Festival with a little guitar number – “Wonderwall” by Oasis. For those who have followed all the hoopla surrounding the Brooklyn rapper’s headlining appearance, the irony of his introduction was not lost.

A while back Oasis’ lead singer, Noel Gallagher said having Jay-Z as a headliner for the traditionally guitar-driven Glastonbury Festival was insulting:

“If it ain't broke don't fix it. If you start to break it then people aren't going to go. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw the odd curve ball in on a Sunday night you go 'Kylie Minogue?' I don't know about it. But I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong.”

Initially, Jay-Z responded to Gallagher’s statement with a statement of his own:

"We don't play guitars, Noel, but hip hop has put in its work like any other form of music. This headline show is just a natural progression. Rap music is still evolving. 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. We have to respect each other's genre of music and move forward."

Below is a round up Jay-Z’s entire performance at Glastonbury. Fittingly, after “Wonderwall”, Jay delves right into one of his most guitar-laden hits, “99 Problems.” - Kofi Amankwaa Jr.