Jay-Z and U2 to take on Sydney

THERE are not many musicians bold enough to ask Jay-Z to open for them on stage.
Jay-Z is considered the best rapper of all time, has won 10 Grammys and his 11 No.1 albums beat Elvis Presley for the most chart toppers by a solo artist in US history.
He's married to Beyonce and has President Obama's private telephone number.
The rapper may have 99 problems, but warming up the crowd for U2 in Australia is not one of them.
When it comes to concert billing, he has zero ego.
"They deserve it," Jay-Z says. "They are the biggest band in the world. It's out of respect to them, the legacy they've created. It doesn't matter to me. I'm concerned with having great shows and putting on a great show for the people.
"The people don't care who goes on first, that's something the industry created. They're happy to get a great package, they're like 'I get to see Muhammad Ali and the Beatles?"
 Great.
The rapper pauses for a moment, laughs and clarifies, "I'm not saying we are Muhammad Ali and the Beatles, I'm just saying it's a great package."


After a brief retirement (where he was CEO of his old record label Def Jam) last year's Blueprint 3 saw Jay-Z score his first US No.1 hit on his own terms Empire State of Mind with Alicia Keys having previously been on top via guest raps on Rihanna's Umbrella, Mariah Carey's Heartbreaker and Beyonce's Crazy in Love.
He's had the most US Top 10 hits of any rapper and is forging new ground in the relatively young hip hop genre; still at the top of his game despite turning 41 in December.
In the past he's called himself the U2 of hip hop.
"I just mean as far as impact and longevity," Jay-Z explains.
"I mean, in rap 10 years is like 40 years.
"I've been able to record at a high level for a long time and still be not a heritage act but somebody that's still competing for the No.1 position (on the chart). It feels really good."
He's also established himself as a live act with a fully live band, previously a rarity in hip hop where budget tours would see a rapper, an MC and a DJ.

He's also become a festival act; headlining Glastonbury and Coachella.
"It's a new feeling for me. I love having to woo so many different people. It was challenging, I almost felt like a new artist which was cool. It's almost like a discovery. I know there'll be U2 fans (in Australia) who'll go I know the name, I don't know the music and they'll go I know this song and they realise it's just music, let's have some fun."

"Music is music. As far as the commerce of music, yes, there's some challenges there. As far as people making music theres great music there you just have to look for it. There aren't 50 good albums anymore, there's maybe 15, but you just gotta look around for them."Last November Jay-Z joined U2 on stage at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin to add a rap to Sunday Bloody Sunday; they also performed together at this years Hope for Haiti telethon.

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