Lauryn Hill has addressed the complexities of her Essence Festival performance, which saw her perform in the early hours of the morning to a shrunken crowd.
On Saturday (July 5), the eight-time Grammy winner stepped in as a last-minute headliner at the Caesars Superdome stage for the 31st iteration of the festival. Hill’s set began around 2:30 a.m. before ending close to 4 a.m. in front of a small crowd of several hundred attendees, as many had left earlier in the evening.
After Essence Fest took accountability for the delay and defended Hill in a social media post on Wednesday (July 9), the Fugees member clarified the “misconception” of her shows running notoriously late and being cancelled altogether.
“Thank you Essence for clarifying that the delays were not my fault,” Hill began. “Family, let me address a few things: I am involved in every aspect of what it takes to put on my shows, because it requires THAT much involvement to protect the integrity of my message and the quality of what I do.”
Hill added that she rehearses and arranges “diligently” with her live band, in addition to “every aspect of design, preparation and production” while still being a “parent, grandparent and steward to my immediate family and community.”
She said she works “without complaint,” calling shows a “labor of love” and a “great passion” of hers. She went on to address the “misconception” that she’s “somewhere on the Riviera with my feet up, drink in hand, showing up to concerts whenever because I’m too important to care.”
After calling the assumption “nonsense,” Hill said that those who’ve assisted her with shows know that “the opposite is true.”
“Those of us who are still out here grinding to present an alternative to the divisive, to the shallow, to the controlled, and to the intentionally limiting narrative of our representation do what it takes to do so. We are here, pushing through the resistance,” she explained.
“This is not the first time production delays have delayed my performances,” she wrote. “This IS however the first time a promoter has acknowledged the slip up on their end, (thank you Essence!) and this will be the last time l’ll allow production challenges to look like the fault is mine alone, when they aren’t.”
Hill ended by saying that it’s “God’s grace” and the “love of fans” that kept her motivated despite the audience knowing that she was “probably punished for being so honest in the midst of big business.”
The vocalist concluded by warning the media to check stories that are “irresponsibly” shared and that there are “consequences for misrepresenting the facts.”
“Despite the late start, I appreciate those who stayed and rocked with us,” she continued. “Family, always remember: what the enemy means for evil God will turn around for good!”
Last year, Fugees member Pras Michel filed a lawsuit against Hill for fraud after the abrupt cancellation of the group’s 2023 tour. Hill responded to the lawsuit as “baseless” and full of “false claims,” among other accusations.
In November 2023, the vocalist told a Los Angeles crowd that fans are “lucky” that she makes it to the stage.
