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New York Post
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Lauryn Hill addresses the ‘nonsense' after her delayed Essence Festival set
Lauryn Hill is finding peace of mind in speaking her truth. The singer, 50, is opening up about her Saturday set at the 2025 Essence Festival of Culture at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Despite Hill's original time slot being slated for 12:35 a.m., she didn't start until 2:30 a.m. local time. The artist's performance ran until 3:37 a.m. 11 Lauryn Hill performs during 2025 Essence Festival Of Culture at Caesars Superdome on July 4, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Getty Images On Sunday, the Essence Festival released a statement taking accountability for Hill's set time. Now, the hitmaker is setting the record straight. Hill wrote in a lengthy Instagram post, 'Thank you Essence for clarifying that the delays were not my fault.' 11 Lauryn Hill at the 2025 Essence Festival Of Culture. Getty Images '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,' she continued. Hill added that she rehearses and arranges her music 'diligently' while 'also being a parent, grandparent and steward to my immediate family and community.' Although it is hard work, the Grammy winner does so 'without complaint because it is truly labor of love.' 11 Lauryn Hill performs late at the 2025 Essence Festival Of Culture. Getty Images '[It is] a great passion for me to be able to perform meaningful music for my audience.' 'There seems to be a misconception out there that I am somewhere on the Riviera with my feet up, drink in hand, showing up to concerts whenever because I'm too important to care,' explained Hill. 'That's nonsense… and anyone who's been a part of these productions knows that IN FACT 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,' she detailed. 'We are here, pushing through the resistance.' 11 Fatlip, Jermaine Dupri, Imani, and Slimkid3 perform onstage during Day 3 of the 2025 Essence Festival. Getty Images for ESSENCE Hill acknowledged that she is no stranger to production delays, but appreciated the festival for taking responsibility. 'This IS however the first time a promoter has acknowledged the slip up on their end, (thank you Essence!),' she wrote, 'and this will be the last time l'll allow production challenges to look like the fault is mine alone, when they aren't.' Concluding her message, Hill signed off: 'Media, fact check and watch what you irresponsibly put out there— there are consequences for misrepresenting the facts. Despite the late start, I appreciate those who stayed and rocked with us.' 11 Dj Mars, DJ Trauma and Lala Milan onstage during Day 3 of the 2025 Essence Festival. Getty Images for ESSENCE Fans flocked to the comments section to share their support for the legendary artist. 'I would wait however long it takes to catch a Lauryn Hill set. I'm about to go listen to that unplugged album RIGHT NOWNOW,' one fan wrote. Another added, ''I'm savin souls and yall complaining bout my lateness…' tell them!' 11 Lauryn Hill. Getty Images However, not everyone was as understanding. 'Not cool. You were late at lovers at friends didn't hit the stage until 3am. We had to leave. It's disappointing,' one social media user chimed in. A second follower noted, 'I want to love this but I've been to like 3 shows in the last couple years and stayed/waited/danced my butt off when you got there. But they all started uber late. I guess alllll these production peeps in different states need to get it together.' The 2025 Essence Festival of Culture took place from Thursday, July 3, to Sunday, July 6. 11 Lauryn Hill performs in nearly-empty stadium. morgand.23/TikTok Hill's set was supposed to hit the stage Friday night, following GloRilla, the Isley Brothers, Babyface, Maxwell, Lucky Daye and Psiryn. But most of the other performers also didn't go onstage until at least an hour after their scheduled sets. While onstage, Hill sang her hit 1998 song 'Ex-Factor.' The superstar also brought her sons Zion Marley, 27, and YG Marley, 23, out to perform with her. 11 Lauryn Hill performs later than scheduled. morgand.23/TikTok During her set, Hill performed 'Killing Me Softly With His Song' and closed out the show with 'Fu-Gee-La,' a song from her hip-hop group, the Fugees. Shortly after, Essence Festival released a statement on Instagram defending Hill. 'Family is family and around here we protect our own no matter what the PEOPLE have to say,' they said on Sunday.' Let's be very clear— WE don't play about Ms. Lauryn Hill. Not for clicks. Not for headlines.' 11 Lauryn Hill performs on Night 1 during the 2025 Essence Festival Of Culture. WireImage 'She arrived on schedule, stepped on that stage, and delivered the kind of performance only a legend can,' the statement added. 'The delay? Not hers. We will take that. The moment? One for the legacy? Still unmatched.' 'Put some respect on her name. Keep the takes, but keep her out of them,' the festival concluded. 'All love and deep profound admiration for Ms. Lauryn Hill.' Over the years, Hill has been notorious for arriving late to her shows. 11 Lauryn Hill attends The 2025 Met Gala. Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue In 2023, during a delayed concert of hers, the singer told the crowd, 'Yo, y'all lucky I make it on this blood ras stage every night.' 'I don't do it because they let me do it,' she shared. 'I do it because I stand here in the name of God and I do it.' 'God is the one who allows me to do it,' Hill stated as the crowd went wild. 'Who surrounded me with family and community when there was no support. When the album sold so many records and no one showed up and said, 'Hey, would you like to make another one.'' 11 Lauryn Hill in NYC. Walik Goshorn/MediaPunch/INSTARimages 'So, I went around the world and played the same album over and over and over, because we're the survivors.' Hill formed the Fugees in 1990 with Wyclef Jean and Pras. Their second album, 'The Score,' in 1996, made Hill the first woman to win a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Then, in 1998, Hill released her debut solo album, 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.' She took home the award for Album of the Year at the Grammys, becoming the first rapper to win in that category.
New York Post
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Lauryn Hill performs in nearly-empty stadium until 3:30 A.M. after Essence Festival starts late: ‘Unacceptable'
Justice for Lauryn Hill. The Grammy Award winner, 50, took the stage at the 2025 Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans over the weekend hours later than expected, forcing her to perform in front of a nearly-empty crowd at Caesars Superdome. 9 Lauryn Hill performs during the 2025 Essence Festival Of Culture. Getty Images Hill's set was supposed to take place late Friday night as part of the rest of the lineup which included GloRilla, the Isley Brothers, Babyface, Maxwell, Lucky Daye and Psiryn. However, the event ran late and most of the performers didn't go on stage until at least an hour after they were scheduled to do so. In Hill's case, she finally started her set at 2:30 A.M. on Saturday, just minutes after the festival announced there were 'technical difficulties.' By that time, only several hundred people were in the stadium, which can accommodate over 80,000 people. Hill's performance lasted about an hour and ended at around 3:37 A.M., according to Despite the delay, Hill put on an electric performance for the crowd. She wore a blue polka dot full-length dress with a gele atop her head as she sang some of her classics including 'Ex-Factor' from her critically acclaimed debut album 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.' 9 Lauryn Hill performs onstage at the 2025 Essence Festival Of Culture at Caesars Superdome. WireImage 9 Lauryn Hill during her performance at the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Getty Images for ESSENCE 9 The stadium before Lauryn Hill's performance. morgand.23/TikTok Hill even brought out her sons Zion Marley, 27, and YG Marley, 23, on stage to perform with her. After belting out a rendition of 'Killing Me Softly With His Song' as a tribute to the late Roberta Flack, Hill took a request from the crowd for her final song of the night. She choose 'Fu-Gee-La,' a song by her hip-hop group, the Fugees. 9 Lauryn Hill's performance at the 31st ESSENCE Festival of Culture ended at 3:30 A.M. Soul Brother/Soul B Photos/Shutterstock Following the event, Essence Festival released a statement defending Hill over her delayed performance. 'Family is family and around here we protect our own no matter what the PEOPLE have to say,' the festival wrote on Instagram Sunday.' Let's be very clear— WE don't play about Ms. Lauryn Hill. Not for clicks. Not for headlines.' 9 Lauryn Hill takes the stage at the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture in New Orleans. Soul Brother/Soul B Photos/Shutterstock 'She arrived on schedule, stepped on that stage, and delivered the kind of performance only a legend can,' the statement continued. 'The delay? Not hers. We will take that. The moment? One for the legacy? Still unmatched.' 'Put some respect on her name. Keep the takes, but keep her out of them,' the festival added. 'All love and deep profound admiration for Ms. Lauryn Hill.' Hill's devoted fans showed her support on social media as well. 9 Lauryn Hill performs during the 2025 Essence Festival Of Culture. Getty Images 'If I'm Lauryn Hill, I'm probably cussing out Essence cause this is just unacceptable,' one fan wrote on X. 'It's very easy to get Lauryn Hill trending with false narratives. Let's provide the facts. The entire festival was pushed back,' another fan said. 'This was literally not her fault.' 9 Lauryn Hill during her set at the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture. Getty Images for ESSENCE Someone else tweeted, 'I think a few blogs and publications owe Ms. Lauryn Hill an apology. I know she's had TERRIBLE time problems in the past, but that Essence Fest situation didn't sound like it was on her. No need for them (or the event) to use her as a scapegoat.' 9 Lauryn Hill at the 2025 Met Gala. Getty Images The Post has reached out to Hill's rep for comment. Ironically, Hill has a history of being late for performances. She even addressed her constant tardiness during a delayed concert in Los Angeles in Nov. 2023. 'Yo, y'all lucky I make it on this blood ras stage every night,' Hill reportedly told the crowd at the time. 'I don't do it because they let me do it. I do it because I stand here in the name of God and I do it.'
