Glastonbury fest defends Jay-Z booking

GLASTONBURY, England, April 16 (UPI) -- Emily Eavis, the organizer of England's famed Glastonbury music festival, said she is honored U.S. hip-hop artist Jay-Z is headlining the event.

The festival's bookers have come under fire recently by critics who think Jay-Z was a poor choice for the festival, which traditionally showcases rock bands, the BBC said Wednesday.

Eavis wrote a letter in The Independent newspaper, emphasizing the festival was "honored" Jay-Z had agreed to perform in Glastonbury.

"He is absolutely the right act for our festival," she said. "There is no reason why we should not have the greatest living hip-hop artist on at Glastonbury."

Oasis singer and guitarist Noel Gallagher recently told reporters, "I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong."

Oasis headlined the main stage at Glastonbury in 1995 and 2004.

Other critics have blamed the festival's sluggish ticket sales on the choice to have Jay-Z perform, the BBC said.

"Jay-Z is far from the first hip-hop artist to perform at Glastonbury," Eavis said in her letter to The Independent. "Glastonbury has always managed to attract a diversity of acts, which is, I hope, part of its unique appeal."