Shawn Corey Carter known professionally as Jay-Z is an American rapper, songwriter, record executive, businessman, media proprietor, the list just goes on and on. Hova is widely regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop artists of all time. With over 125 million records sold, 23 Grammy Awards, and a record amount of number-one albums in the process, it is fair to say that Carter is arguably one of the best ever.
This week, Jay-Z was acknowledged for his musical greatness by being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside the iconic band, Foo Fighters, and Carole king. Meanwhile, the likes of Dave Chapelle, Barack Obama, Paul McCartney, and Taylor Swift all participated in speeches to congratulate the New York rapper.
However, Jay-Z being labeled as a ‘Rock n Roll’ star has not always pleased everyone. When Jay-Z was announced to headline Glastonbury in 2008, Noel Gallagher of Oasis stated: “Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music. I’m not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It’s wrong.” Noel’s comments didn’t go unnoticed by the Brooklyn rapper, who decided to address the cutting remarks in the most rock n roll star way possible.
Making his appearance to the crowd, whilst also silencing the critics (notably Noel), Jay-Z walked on stage with Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall’ as the opening track of his show on the Pyramid Stage. During the show, Jay-Z rapped: “That bloke from Oasis said I couldn’t play guitar. Somebody should have told him I’m a fucking rock star.” and with his induction into the Hall of Fame, he is living proof.
Dave Chapelle hosted the historical event of Jay-Z’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and went on to recall several anecdotes from encountering Jay over the years while heaping praise on his artistry. Upon inducting Jay-Z, Chapelle engaged in a lengthy speech praising Carter’s success, the positive impact he posed on the black community, and the belief that he instilled in a generation that felt they could never achieve the impossible:
“I could sit up here tonight, I could talk about his acumen as a businessman. I could talk…
