It didn't end there either, further ridicule being harvested via a semi-cover of Oasis iconic Wonderwall, before the crunch of 99 Problems began proceedings in earnest. Designed to create headlines and carefully shorn of any special guest cameos to keep the focus totally on centre stage, it was a set rich in both entertainment and symbolism, saluted widely afterwards as the weekend's defining moment. More importantly, it completely dismantled any remaining prejudice towards the genre.
And yet as the dust settled, the feeling that either consciously or not the whole thing had been something of pantomime, was hard to shake. Talking about the spat in this week's New Musical Express, prominent UK DJ Tim Westwood, opined that the situation was in fact little more than a minor disagreement.
In comparing the gravity of the situation to other famous hip-hop beefs, he categorised the whole dispute as little more than a misunderstanding, stating, "This was fun". "Noel's comments were a rallying cause for Jay-Z, no question". Gallagher himself has also this week appeared to distance himself from the controversy, saying "For the record, I like Jay Z".
Any PR, as we also know, is good PR. Since Glastonbury both Oasis and Jay Z's British sales have, according to music retail chain HMV, increased by hundreds of percent. Already a perennial favourite in pub jukeboxes across the country, Wonderwall last week re-entered the Top 200. By pure coincidence, Oasis new album Dig Out Your Soul is released on the band's own label in October. It seems that the controversy may have definitively cemented Jay Z's persona in Britain's consciousness, whilst at the same time revitalising interest in the Mancunians, whose best work it could be argued is more than a decade behind them.
Oasis return to tour North America next month. Expect pickets, pro hip-hop demonstrations and strong ticket sales.
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