OMG y’all, look who kicked off her comeback at the Rock The Bells Festival in California last Saturday - none other than Lauryn Hill, whose last studio album, The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, came out 12 years ago.
From Rolling Stone:
Snoop Dogg, Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest, KRS-One, Slick Rick, and Rakim all performed their most notable albums, but the most anticipated set belonged to Lauryn Hill. “This may be some people’s favorite historic moment on a night of many” historic moments, said Paul Rosenberg, a D.J. at New York’s Hot 97, introducing the “true queen of hip hop culture.” Hill took the stage wearing a sheer black dress, black lace tights, black suede boots, and a red beret, then quickly launched into a frantic version of “Lost Ones,” the opening track from 1999’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Later, introducing “Zion,” a tribute to the oldest of five her children, Hill alluded to all the time she has spent out of the spotlight: “My son Zion is now 13 years old. Thirteen years … Can you believe that much time has passed?”
The crowd went wild as Hill performed Fugees songs like “Fu-Gee-La” and “Ready or Not.” During a seven-minute rendition of “When It Hurts So Bad,” she made eye contact with many fans, repeating “I gave you too much, I gave you too much, I gave you too much” during the drawn-out bridge. Her voice, grittier now than in the ’90s, cracked as she attempted to falsetto on “The Ex Factor,” but her passion came through. Watching from a small VIP section, MTV’s Sway sighed heavily, and described how “emotional” it was to see Hill perform.
Sigh. The Wall Street Journal helpfully notes that Rocks The Bells comes to NYC’s Governors Island this Saturday: ticket information here.
And click here to listen to her new single, “Repercussions.”
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