November 1, 2016 | Alfonso Gonzalez-Francois

Lauryn Hill: Defending The Liar vs. Dissing The Legend

I usually straddle the fence on certain subjects-mostly to avoid getting my head chewed off by extremists, but primarily because I tend to believe in my own POV. However, this time I admit with a heavy heart that I’m not too fond of how Lauryn Hill handles business. There’s been backlash in the past of her *clears throat* tardiness when it comes to her live performances, however it seems like her Atlanta show (or lack thereof?) was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

 

I’ve been in and out of Twitter in an attempt to actually have a life, but I managed to jump right in the middle of a storm surrounding a certain word, and that word is legend. I saw a tweet that Talib Kweli pushed out regarding what he thinks constantly brings people to Lauryn’s shows… hope. While I do think Ms. Lauryn Hill’s lyrical and vocal skills have both created a lane that she and she alone can stand in, I do not consider her a legend. And as far as hope goes… I’m sure fans don’t pay to see their favorite artists in “hope”.

 

I have nothing but respect for Lauryn’s artistry, but I have to call a spade a spade. I spin Miseducation as frequently as every other lover of good music, but the best way I can put this in perspective is if any artist I pay money for is late on a consistent basis, then there’s no amount of hope in the world that can help them uphold a legendary status in my eyes. I think her music is iconic, and it’s most definitely sitting in the canon of coveted albums that should be cherished until the end of time, but this doesn’t overshadow the fact that she is human, with issues of professionalism.

 

I don’t put the blame entirely on her, though. Any artist is as great as the team behind them, I’d like to think. Punctuality is important. Not everybody is as forgiving of constant unprofessionalism simply because you are who you are, something Lauryn and her team should probably understand more. Criticism aside, Ms. Lauryn Hill took to Facebook and shared this message:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While I understand her sympathy for the fans who did not get what they invested their time, hope, and money in, I’m still at odds with this. I respect the creative process. I newly consider myself a writer, and I do believe that there’s something which cannot be labeled that must be in order to give any performance, recital, exhibit, or so on. HOWEVER, we can’t forget that this is a time where scrutiny arguably does discriminate. As an artist… no, as a black artist…. no, excuse me, as a black woman artist, you have to give 500%:

 

• 100% because it’s the bare minimum for your demographic, according to society,

• another 100% because black men are given more room to slack creatively and professionally,

• another 100% because white women are allowed to be mediocre performers and will still be more commercially successful than you,

• another 100% because white men have their fingers on the pulse of the music industry, and

• another 100% because why the hell not?

 

Do I want to see Ms. Lauryn Hill catching more L’s than accoLades? Hell no! But this is what the media will focus on and tear you to shreds over. While I don’t agree with the way folks are dragging her on social media, underneath most of the criticism are hurt fans and admirers who want her to win. And that, I simply cannot be mad at. Clearly, Lauryn Hill knows better. She just has to do better.

 

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