Bluesfest director and promoter Peter Noble has defended Kendrick Lamar‘s somewhat controversial inclusion on the Bluesfest 2016 lineup, by offering some advice to the haters and calling the rapper’s latest album “a work of genius”.
In a video posted to Facebook (below), Noble says he listened to Lamar’s latest full-length effort, To Pimp A Butterfly, six times in a row while on a flight.
“I realised what a work of genius it is,” Noble says. “It’s hard for some people to jump over their shadow and go, ‘I like rap music.’
“I couldn’t deny the genius of this album… I realised I was listening to a work of greatness and I had to jump over my own shadow and go, ‘It doesn’t matter what form it’s in — it could be in Klezmer music — if it’s a work of genius it’s a work of genius.’”
Noble also offers up some advice for anyone who isn’t so positive about Lamar’s spot on the Bluesfest 2016 roster. “If you don’t feel that you want to hear that, there’s five other stages going on at Bluesfest,” he says.
“Don’t feel threatened because we’re going to put some rap on. Glastonbury’s done it. All sorts of festivals have.”
Noble’s comments come after Dallas Green, the singer-songwriter behind City And Colour, defended Bluesfest’s inclusion of his fellow headliner Lamar last month.
Lamar is set to perform during Bluesfest 2016’s opening night on Thursday, 24th March, and also has two Bluesfest sideshows lined up. Catch his tour details alongside Peter Noble’s Facebook video, below.
Kendrick Lamar - Opening Night At Bluesfest 2016Peter Noble, our festival director shares why Kenrick Lamar is a must see at Bluesfest Byron Bay 2016 on opening night, Thursday 24 March. Posted by Bluesfest Byron Bay on Wednesday, 11 November 2015
