Dizzee Calls Glastonbury's Jay-Z Decision 'Funny'

Rapper Dizzee Rascal says it is a "funny" decision to give Jay-Z a headline slot at Glastonbury.

The star, who is also playing at the festival, believes mainstream hip-hop acts like Kanye West or Eminem would have had a wider appeal.

He told 1Xtra: "I don't know if Jay-Z has got that cross over element. Kanye West or Eminem, they've both got that. Jay-Z is a bit of a funny one."

His comments come after Noel Gallagher said Jay-Z was "wrong" for Glastonbury.

LONDON - Organizers of one of Britain's best-known music festivals on Tuesday defended their decision to book Jay-Z as their headline act after Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher blamed the rapper for disappointing ticket sales.

The outdoor Glastonbury fest is a cornerstone of Britain's music calendar. But it has yet to sell out this year, in contrast to past years when tickets were snapped up within hours.

Gallagher, whose band headlined the festival in 1995 and 2004, said rap was to blame.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Gallagher said in an interview, an audio of which was posted to the British Broadcasting Corp.'s Web site Monday. "If you break it, people ain't gonna go. I'm sorry, but Jay-Z? ... No chance."

He explained that the inclusion of a hip-hop act went against the festival's tradition of guitar music, adding: "I'm not having hip-hop at Glastonbury. No way. No. It's wrong."

Glastonbury Festival co-organizer Emily Eavis said the 38-year-old festival had a long history of attracting rap acts, including Cypress Hill and the Roots.