Glastonbury: Kanye West divides festival-goers
Petition calls on Glastonbury to drop 'egotistical disgrace' Kanye West as headline act, but his fans are fighting back
Kanye West will headline Saturday night at this year's Glastonbury festival, it has been confirmed.
We are thrilled to let you know we have the one and only Kanye West headlining Saturday night on the Pyramid stage!
— Emily Eavis (@emilyeavis) March 16, 2015
The appointment of the self-confessed musical "genius" has angered some festival-goers – "because it wouldn't be Glastonbury without people kicking off about the headline acts," says The Independent.
A petition has already been signed by thousands of people who say hip-hop does not belong at the festival, echoing arguments made by Noel Gallagher against Jay Z's Glastonbury performance in 2000.
The petition also brands Kanye an "egotistical, maniacal, disgrace" and "an insult to music fans all over the world" and calls on organisers to sign a rock band instead.
Kanye West to headline Glastonbury on the Pyramid Stage, while his ego will perform on the Other Stage.
— Tiernan Douieb (@TiernanDouieb) March 16, 2015
I think you mean "Glastonbury to headline Kanye West's evening".
— Keri (@kerihw) March 16, 2015
But others defended the rap icon, arguing that no-one is forced to see him perform.
- I DON'T WANT TO SEE KANYE WEST HEADLINE GLASTONBURY!
- Don't go then.
- OK! THANK YOU!
— Dean Rutland (@Herne_TheHunter) March 17, 2015
"Kanye West is too egotistical to play Glastonbury"
[signs petition to get Oasis to play instead]
— Ryan Bassil (@ryanbassil) March 17, 2015
The petition to ban Kanye from Glastonbury is stupid! He's a showman and has amazing songs. I'm incredibly jealous of anyone going!
— MattBrown. (@MilkyBrown_) March 17, 2015
Fans also point to the fact that Kanye is one of the bestselling artists of all time and was named by Time magazine as one of the most influential people in the world.
However, "his live sets are notoriously unpredictable," says The Guardian. Last year, Kanye was booed off stage at Wireless festival after he stopped his set to deliver a bizarre rant about creative freedom and media attention.
On the other hand, his Watch the Throne tour with Jay-Z has been hailed as one of the greatest hip hop tours of all time. Regardless of what happens this year, "it is unlikely West's Glastonbury appearance will be uneventful", says the newspaper.
