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Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Lauryn Hill breaks silence on performing to almost EMPTY stadium at 3.30AM after massive delay
Just days after making headlines for performing until 3:30 AM in a practically empty stadium at Essence Fest, Lauryn Hill is breaking her silence. The 50-year-old singer was a late addition to the Friday night concert line-up in New Orleans ' Superdome, originally scheduled to close out the night at 12:35 AM. The entire night was delayed due to multiple late starts from earlier performers, which lead to Hill not taking the stage until 2:31 AM, nearly two hours late. Many videos went viral showing the Superdome - which has an official capacity of 83,000 - practically empty as Hill performed into the wee hours of the morning. While many fans bashed Hill for the late performance - since she has a history of late starts - the festival issued a statement on Sunday, taking responsibility for the delay. 'She arrived on schedule, stepped on that stage, and delivered the kind of performance only a legend can. The delay? Not hers. We will take that. The moment? One for the books. The legacy? Still unmatched,' the statement said in part. Now Hill herself has issued a statement, both thanking the festival for acknowledging their responsibility in the delay, and clearing up misconceptions about past tardiness. 'Thank you Essence Fest for clarifying that the delays were not my fault. Family, let me address a few things,' Hill began. '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 added. 'And for this reason: I rehearse and arrange the music diligently with my band. I am involved in every aspect of design, preparation and production of my shows while also being a parent, grandparent and steward to my immediate family and community,' she added. 'While some get to focus on a single discipline or category, my role requires that I have eyes everywhere and contribute to most if not every department and more,' she continued. She insisted, 'I do this without complaint because it is truly a labor of love and great passion for me to be able to perform meaningful music for my audience.' The news of Hill's delayed set was met with much ridicule online, with many fans citing numerous performances she was several hours late for, which she also addressed. 'There seems to be a misconception out there though that I am somewhere on the Riviera with my feet up, drink in hand, showing up to concerts whenever because I am too important to care. That's nonsense... and anyone who's been a part of these productions knows that IN FACT the opposite is true,' she insisted. '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 continued. 'There seems to be a misconception out there though that I am somewhere on the Riviera with my feet up, drink in hand, showing up to concerts whenever because I am too important to care. That's nonsense... and anyone who's been a part of these productions knows that IN FACT the opposite is true,' she insisted. 'Ask yourself how and why I'm still standing after years of public effort to defame me? Because someone has to do it!' she said. Hill admitted, 'I'm often quiet, knowing full well that God fights my battles, but this is not the first time production delays have delayed my performance.' '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 I'll allow production challenges to look like the fault is mine alone when they aren't,' she said. The singer then seemingly spoke to the haters, adding, 'Those of you who can no longer extend me grace, I'm OK with that, because it's not your grace that sustains me. It's God's grace that sustains me and the love of fans who appreciate that my message came for them when they needed it most and KNOW that I was probably being punished for being so honest in the midst of big business.' 'I will continue to push and play for these and other similar reasons. Those who can't see it yet, catch you when you do,' Hill said. She also addressed the media, stating, '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. Family, always remember: what the enemy means for evil God will turn around for good! Respectfully, MLH,' she concluded. Hill also shared a number of pictures of herself performing at the Superdome and a few of the fans in attendance as well for her set. The schedule for Friday's Evening Concert Series was supposed to start with Psyrin at 7:10 PM, followed by Lucky Dave at 7:30 and Coco Jones at 8:00. Glorilla was slated for 8:30, followed by The Isley Brothers at 9:15, Babyface at 10:10, Maxwell at 11:15 and Lauryn Hill closing out the night at 12:35 AM. Glorilla was slated for 8:30, followed by The Isley Brothers at 9:15, Babyface at 10:10, Maxwell at 11:15 and Lauryn Hill closing out the night at 12:35 AM. That schedule never stuck, with the whole night starting late, with reports stating that Glorilla finished her set at 10 PM, 45 minutes after the next act, The Isley Brothers, were supposed to start theirs. Maxwell's set was supposed to start at 11:15 PM but didn't start until 12:55 AM, with reports adding that Maxwell's stage was cleared around 2:04 AM, though Hill didn't take the stage until 2:31 AM, wrapping up at 3:37 AM. Nola News shared video from the largely-empty Superdome with Hill on stage, while others like TikTok user MorganD.2 3 shared a video from her seat in the stadium as well. Hill has developed a reputation for going on stage much later than she was originally scheduled to, which many fans mentioned on social media. De Lewis (@shotbyde) said, 'Lauryn Hill is a scam artist and I don't know why yall keep supporting her.' Brit Williams (@DrBritWilliams) quote-retweeted another tweet that said her set ended at 3:37 AM, adding, 'Stop. Booking. Her.' However, others defended Hill, including Eric Lamont (@EricUnedited), who quote-retweeted Brit's tweet, clarifying what happened. Maxwell's set was supposed to start at 11:15 PM but didn't start until 12:55 AM, with reports adding that Maxwell's stage was cleared around 2:04 AM, though Hill didn't take the stage until 2:31 AM, wrapping up at 3:37 AM. De Lewis (@shotbyde) said, 'Lauryn Hill is a scam artist and I don't know why yall keep supporting her.' Brit Williams (@DrBritWilliams) quote-retweeted another tweet that said her set ended at 3:37 AM, adding, 'Stop. Booking. Her.' However, others defended Hill, including Eric Lamont (@EricUnedited), who quote-retweeted Brit's tweet, clarifying what happened. Another fan dubbed @tallyohhh added, 'I feel so bad for everybody making fun of Lauryn Hill performing late at Essence Festival, because it wasn't even her fault. I read that the performance schedule was off by like an hour or two and pushed everything back. I'm impressed that she still performed that late! I've seen her live before, I'm sure it was a dope show.' Still, some like Joe Arrigo (@JoeArrigo_) defended Hill, stating, 'this is a bit misleading because the essence festival was actually running behind schedule, which played a role in her coming on late, this one wasn't on her all the way. I have some friends that are/were there, so it's not 100% on Lauryn Hill (this time).' 'Or, let's post what actually happened. It's very easy to get Lauryn Hill trending with false narratives. Let's provide the facts. The entire festival was pushed back. This was literally not her fault. Me on the other hand, I would have gone home. Contract or not. Bye,' Lamont tweeted. Another fan dubbed @tallyohhh added, 'I feel so bad for everybody making fun of Lauryn Hill performing late at Essence Festival, because it wasn't even her fault. I read that the performance schedule was off by like an hour or two and pushed everything back. I'm impressed that she still performed that late! I've seen her live before, I'm sure it was a dope show.' Others like Tony Cardasco (@TonyDasco) mentioned Hill was, 'a couple of hours late in LA and late at Brooklyn Bowl.' Still, some like Joe Arrigo (@JoeArrigo_) defended Hill, stating, 'this is a bit misleading because the essence festival was actually running behind schedule, which played a role in her coming on late, this one wasn't on her all the way. I have some friends that are/were there, so it's not 100% on Lauryn Hill (this time).'
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lauryn Hill plays to near near-empty stadium at New Orleans festival
Lauryn Hill was a surprise late addition to the Essence Fest lineup in New Orleans, and played to a near-empty arena. The annual festival was held this past weekend at the Superdome in New Orleans, with festival organisers announcing on Wednesday that the hip-hop icon would be performing on Friday at around midnight. Due to a number of factors, Hill ultimately took to the stage at 2.31am local time, wrapping her up set at 3:37am, as reported by The Superdome - which has a capacity of 83,000 - was nearly empty when she took the stage. The schedule for the Evening Concert Series was to start with Psyrin at 7.10pm, followed by Lucky Dave at 7.30pm and Coco Jones at 8pm. Glorilla was slated for 8:30pm, followed by The Isley Brothers at 9:15pm, Babyface at 10:10pm, Maxwell at 11:15pm, and Hill closing out the night at 12:35am. However, all acts ran late and as a result, Hill's slot was not clear until after 2am. Hill has a reputation for showing up hours late to her performances but it seems this time was beyond her control. Hill is best known for her 1998 solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which is widely considered one of the best of all time. It has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Real reason global superstar Lauryn Hill performed to an almost EMPTY stadium at 3.30AM after video goes viral
Lauryn Hill was a surprise late addition to the Essence Fest lineup in New Orleans, and her performance was just as late as the announcement. The annual festival kicked off this Friday at the Superdome in New Orleans, with the festival announcing on Wednesday that the hip-hop icon, 50, would be performing on Friday at roughly midnight. That didn't happen, though, due to a number of factors, with Hill ultimately taking to the stage at 2:31 AM local time, wrapping her up set at 3:37 AM, via It was one of the latest performances in the 31-year history of Essence Fest, with the Superdome - which has a capacity of 83,000 - nearly empty when she took the stage. Many fans took to social media to bash Hill - who is notorious for showing up hours late to her performances However, many others went online to defend Hill, since it seems this time her ultra-late performance was not her fault. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Times-Picayune | (@nolanews) The schedule for Friday's Evening Concert Series was supposed to start with Psyrin at 7:10 PM, followed by Lucky Dave at 7:30 and Coco Jones at 8:00. Glorilla was slated for 8:30, followed by The Isley Brothers at 9:15, Babyface at 10:10, Maxwell at 11:15 and Lauryn Hill closing out the night at 12:35 AM. That schedule never stuck, with the whole night starting late, with reports stating that Glorilla finished her set at 10 PM, 45 minutes after the next act, The Isley Brothers, were supposed to start theirs. Maxwell's set was supposed to start at 11:15 PM but didn't start until 12:55 AM, with reports adding that Maxwell's stage was cleared around 2:04 AM, though Hill didn't take the stage until 2:31 AM, wrapping up at 3:37 AM. Nola News shared video from the largely-empty Superdome with Hill on stage, while others like TikTok user MorganD.2 3 shared a video from her seat in the stadium as well. Hill has developed a reputation for going on stage much later than she was originally scheduled to, which many fans mentioned on social media. De Lewis (@shotbyde) said, 'Lauryn Hill is a scam artist and I don't know why yall keep supporting her.' Brit Williams (@DrBritWilliams) quote-retweeted another tweet that said her set ended at 3:37 AM, adding, 'Stop. Booking. Her.' Maxwell's set was supposed to start at 11:15 PM but didn't start until 12:55 AM, with reports adding that Maxwell's stage was cleared around 2:04 AM, though Hill didn't take the stage until 2:31 AM, wrapping up at 3:37 AM. However, others defended Hill, including Eric Lamont (@EricUnedited), who quote-retweeted Brit's tweet, clarifying what happened. 'Or, let's post what actually happened. It's very easy to get Lauryn Hill trending with false narratives. Let's provide the facts. The entire festival was pushed back. This was literally not her fault. Me on the other hand, I would have gone home. Contract or not. Bye,' Lamont tweeted. Another fan dubbed @tallyohhh added, 'I feel so bad for everybody making fun of Lauryn Hill performing late at Essence Festival, because it wasn't even her fault. I read that the performance schedule was off by like an hour or two and pushed everything back. I'm impressed that she still performed that late! I've seen her live before, I'm sure it was a dope show.' Others like Tony Cardasco (@TonyDasco) mentioned Hill was, 'a couple of hours late in LA and late at Brooklyn Bowl.' Still, some like Joe Arrigo (@JoeArrigo_) defended Hill, stating, 'this is a bit misleading because the essence festival was actually running behind schedule, which played a role in her coming on late, this one wasn't on her all the way. I have some friends that are/were there, so it's not 100% on Lauryn Hill (this time).' Some poked fun at the situation like @YoungQDogg, who joked, 'At this point Lauryn Hill just shows up whenever she wants doesn't she.' Jerry Boese (@JerryBoese) added, 'Lauryn Hill late ? That's never happened lol.' Popular Loner (@AlyxzandreaZnay) added, 'Wtf do Lauryn Hill be doing to be soo dam late to her shows? Im genuinely curious.' However, others defended Hill, including Eric Lamont (@EricUnedited), who quote-retweeted Brit's tweet, clarifying what happened. Another fan dubbed @tallyohhh added, 'I feel so bad for everybody making fun of Lauryn Hill performing late at Essence Festival, because it wasn't even her fault. I read that the performance schedule was off by like an hour or two and pushed everything back. I'm impressed that she still performed that late! I've seen her live before, I'm sure it was a dope show' Others like Tony Cardasco (@TonyDasco) mentioned Hill was, 'a couple of hours late in LA and late at Brooklyn Bowl.' Still, some like Joe Arrigo (@JoeArrigo_) defended Hill, stating, 'this is a bit misleading because the essence festival was actually running behind schedule, which played a role in her coming on late, this one wasn't on her all the way. I have some friends that are/were there, so it's not 100% on Lauryn Hill (this time).' Some poked fun at the situation like @YoungQDogg, who joked, 'At this point Lauryn Hill just shows up whenever she wants doesn't she.' Popular Loner (@AlyxzandreaZnay) added, 'Wtf do Lauryn Hill be doing to be soo dam late to her shows? Im genuinely curious.' SSDF Podcast (@SSDFpodcast) added, 'Lauryn Hill ain't even got that many slaps for y'all to keep letting her treat y'all like that. She just a culture icon but not finishing her show to 4am bcuz she came 2 hrs late is outta control. #LaurynHill #ESSENCEFest25.' Others like @siriusbrown007 shared a news article about her late performance, adding, 'Not her fault…..' Hill first broke through as a member of The Fugees in the mid-1990s alongside Wyclef Jean and Pras. Her 1998 solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is widely considered one of the best of all time, selling over 20 million copies worldwide.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lauryn Hill Played to a Near-Empty Stadium Until 3:37 A.M. at Essence Festival — and Fans Are Now Coming to Her Defense
Lauryn Hill performed to a near-empty Superdome in New Orleans during the end of her Essence Festival set on July 5 The festival lineup had run hours behind schedule, and Hill reportedly took the stage at 2:30 a.m. local time Hill, 50, was seen bantering with the small crowd in the 83,000-person stadium and taking requestsLauryn Hill closed out her set at the 2025 Essence Festival of Culture to a near-empty stadium after taking the stage hours later than expected. The eight-time Grammy winner performed at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, starting her set at 2:30 a.m. local time and finishing at 3:37 a.m. on Saturday, July 5 — for what was supposed to be a Friday, July 4, performance, per and Stereogum. reported that by the time Hill took the stage, only several hundred people were in the crowd, which accommodates 83,000 people, and the evening ran behind schedule from the start, with some acts finishing almost an hour after the next performers were scheduled to begin. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Times-Picayune | (@nolanews) is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Hill, 50, who has been known for late performances in the past, appeared to take the scheduling issue in stride. reported that she bantered with the small crowd and even took a request. She also performed songs with her sons, Zion Marley, 27, and Joshua 'YG' Marley, 23. Videos of the near-empty stadium began circulating on TikTok on July 5. A number of fans took to social media to defend the 'Doo-Wop (That Thing)' singer, arguing that she was not at fault for the late start time. Or, let's post what actually happened. It's very easy to get Lauryn Hill trending with false provide the facts. The entire festival was pushed back. This was literally not her on the other hand, I would have gone home. Contract or not. Bye. — ERIC LAMONT (@EricUnedited) July 5, 2025 Stereogum additionally reported that Hill was added to an already packed lineup, which contributed to the late start. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Essence Festival 2025 is set to conclude on Sunday, July 6. Other acts include Jill Scott, Boyz II Men, Summer Walker and Jazmine Sullivan. Read the original article on People
American Press
02-07-2025
- Business
- American Press
Audit finds Louisiana stadium commission received less hotel tax revenue in 2024
Superdome By Steve Wilson | The Center Square According to a state audit, hotel tax revenues that support some Louisiana sports facilities, such as the Caesars Superdome, were down last year. The report by Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack said hotel tax revenues from a 4% levy in Jefferson and Orleans parishes for the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District were down by $1.88 million in 2024 at $56.1 million compared to nearly $58 million in 2023. It's part of an ongoing trend with the district's hotel tax revenues, which had a decrease of $5.5 million in 2023. The district's net position was $248.1 million, a 21.8% improvement from 2023, when it was $194.4 million. The district's liabilities were up $712 million, an increase of 5.5% from the year prior when they were $672.6 million. According to the report, the district's revenues decreased by $25.4 million in 2024 while total costs increased $33.67 million. The report says the revenue decrease is attributed to a net reduction in capital contributions and onetime contributions from state taxpayers, including a reduction in capital contributions from the Superdome's primary tenant, the NFL's New Orleans Saints. The district received nearly $68.7 million in capital contributions in 2024, a decrease of nearly $39 million from 2023. The report says the enlarged expenses are blamed on increases associated with event-related activity and an increase in accrued interest on bonds issued for stadium upgrades that were offset by a net reduction in amounts paid in interest. The Superdome hosted Super Bowl LIX in February. The $555 million renovation project for the nearly 50-year-old stadium is the biggest driver of the district's liability, with $85 million of that appropriated by the Legislature. The stadium has $392 million of improvement projects in progress, with $295.2 million spent on phase 3 of the master plan project and $15.8 million remaining as part of that commitment. In addition to the Superdome, the district manages the John A. Alario Sr. Event Center, the Smoothie King Center (home of the NBA's Pelicans), the New Orleans Saints Training Facility, the TPC Louisiana golf course and the Shrine on Airline, a former minor league baseball park in Metairie that is now home to a rugby team. According to the audit, the stadium deals for the Saints end in 2030 and Pelicans in 2029.
