Years ago a lethal but impacting voice graced us with its presence.
Rocking with the Fugees, "the voice" gave us a TASTE of its heavy heart ache and pain.
August of 98' we were blind sided by this artist ONLY album; The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Filled with her sorrows, love, joy, happiness, disparity, and her deep intimate thoughts we as an audience found ourselves in her music.
Her lyrics and raspy voice captivates ME. Making me recognize my own inner thoughts and fears. Lauryn always reminds me that "Jah" is the way out!
Then just like that Lauryn Hill vanished for a decade..Highly talked about and anticipated, she didn't give the people what they wanted. She finally gave Lauryn what she wanted; Sanity, love for herself, and her power as a woman and an artist!
Last night I had the honor to see Lauryn Hill LIVE at the Blue Note down in the west village..
Check in time was 8pm and the small intimate crowd was ready. Time began to tick and it was 10 pm and no Lauren. As I grunted and laughed amongst my friends, we all became anxious, but no one dared to leave. The band and then the back up singers came up on the stage around 11:15pm. As the crowd hearts began to flutter, there was still NO LAURYN!!!
Finally....11:45 swings around, the band gets louder, her intro gets stronger. This small framed coco brown, balloon pant black jumper wearing, with a skinny black tie and tweed blazer enters to the right of me. stepping over the speaker I was next to, she was PRESENT!
I must add that my friends, Cassie, Cali ( biggest Lauryn Hill fan ever), Tony, and I had the best seats in the house. Right up front center stage, we were all drawn in by her expressions, interactions, eye contact and her moods behind each verse!
I've never been apart of something so intimate. Hitting us with the classics and new joints, we were in a daze.
Her laughter and smile makes you wonder, "Lauryn, where have you been?" and 'Why wont you come back?" After last night, her coming back would be a epic moment in time, but if she doesn't, Lauryn definitely made up for much time lost.
Lauryn Hill, you inspire me to be great and to not fall subject to who you are NOT!
Lauren you are a beaming ray of power that cant be forgotten!
"Time Flies While Wearing Vintage."
JEC
JEC!! This is an amazing blog!! I remember once hearing Sade say that she will only put out an album when she "feels" that she has something to say to the public.... Lauryn is much the same way! She has never!!! been one to put out music for commercial purposes or to deaden ones mind, soul or spirit! One can learn so much from both Lauryns presence and abscence. Although Miseducation was a timeless and phenomenal album, She did release an unplugged album which transcends time....an album which is full of GROWTH, HEALING, TEACHING, STRENGTH, PAIN, JOY AND OWNERSHIP IN SELF AND "REALITY"!.... The unplugged album will never! and I repeat never be outdated!!.... There are even songs which belong to no album at all such as "social drugs", which has tons of... for a lack of better words...."WAKING UP" in the lyrics! In my opinion Lauryn Hill has transcended music and has became a doctor if you will, giving the masses concentrated doses of REALITY that is very much needed in Music for the sake of not getting lost in the HYPE!!! I enjoyed sharing that special occasion with you Joyce Elaine, and Cassie and Maurice.....So much so that I purchased tickets for her upcoming show in NY on Feb 1st ;-).... Once again I will feel the rush of Ms. Lauryn Hill!!!
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