Jay-Z: Glastonbury Row Is Ridiculous

Rap superstar Jay-Z has defended his controversial forthcoming appearance at legendary music festival Glastonbury - branding the furore around his headlining slot "ridiculous".

Festival organisers' decision to book the hip-hop mogul as a headliner for the festival next weekend has been widely criticised - with Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher insisting he was a "wrong" choice for the event.

But the rapper - real name Shawn Carter - is adamant that hip-hop does, infact, have a place at the annual British rock n' roll event.

He tells BBC Radio One, "It's ridiculous, if we don't embrace what is new, how do we progress?

"I've never actually experienced anything like that before. It's 2008, what is that about? That's such old school thinking, that's not even how the world thinks anymore. So I was really taken aback (by the criticism)."