Is Lauryn Hill back? It’s a question so many of us have been asking since she released her landmark album, ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill‘ and she won all those Grammys. The fact that so many keep asking the question is a testament to how dope she was.. and also how there is such an absence of female artists within the mainstream. She left folks with a lot of questions when she hit the stages for Rock the Bells in both SF and NY..
During her performance in San Francisco she started out strong, but many of her songs took on vastly different flavors from the original causing many to complain. The sista standing near me during her set was over heard complaining she did not recognize any of her Lauryn’s songs.
“She’s doing too many remixes”, she said.
During her New York performance on Governors Island similar complaints came up. Popular reporter Toure said she “was more Twista than Lauryn Hill” beccause of the uptempo remakes of her soulful songs.
Artist and TV talk show host Amanda Diva said: “Lauryn let me down bcuz her performance was completely disconnected from the sound that folks love her 4. + Band was sloppy/vocals strained”
Her tweet was in the same vein as many who were at the NY show and tweeting about it.
However Sway of MTV and the Wake Up Show who saw her during the San Bernardino show near LA tweeted that Lauryn had killed it.
Again the question, Is it unfair to expect Lauryn Hill in 2010 to be the same as the one we admired in 1998? Is she not allowed to grow and experiment as a musician or should she stay locked in a box?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKIZu0eUrM8&feature=related
The best live artists perform differing versions of their songs every time they perform. I would be disappointed to hear Lauryn perform her songs the same way they were performed more than ten years ago.
I love that Lauryn showed the other seasoned artists who are still in the game after more than ten years (Mary J, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Jay Z, Chris Rock, etc.) who were backstage showing her love.
You know, that’s probably why she dropped out of the biz in the first place…Negroes telling her what to do, how to do it, and who to be. Questlove also said one time that black people don’t allow musicians any kind of artistic growth and exploration.
Who in their right mind would expect a 35 yo woman to act and sound like she did at 23? Can we as fans be a little more sophisticated for once?
i agree with Nappy Mind, the new approach to old songs is preferable – and live band music is beautiful.
Ms. Hill is a Gemini and gem’s need variety or else get bored 😉