Lauryn Hill

Nas, Lauryn Hill, Wu-Tang Thrill Fans At Rock The Bells

04 Sep 2011 04:53:16 EDT

Mobb Deep, Slaughterhouse, Erykah Badu and more revisit classic material for a day of hip-hop celebration on New York stop.
By Rob Markman

NEW YORK — Thousands of rap fans gathered in hip-hop's birth city for a daylong celebration of the genre's classics. Nas, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and Wu-Tang Clan's Raekwon and Ghostface Killah all performed at the Rock the Bells 2011 festival on Governor's Island in New York City on Saturday (September 3).

The musical tour was comprised of four stages, including the main Rock the Bells stage, the Wu-inspired 36 Chambers stage and the underground-themed Paid Dues stage. More than 20 acts, including Mobb Deep, Slaughterhouse, Black Moon, Big K.R.I.T., the Immortal Technique and GZA, performed, with some dedicating their sets to their own classic albums; others devoted their shows to just a gang of fan-favorites.

The festivities kicked off at approximately 2 p.m. ET, and started off slow. Wu-Tang Clan's GZA fumbled through his 1995 sophomore album, Liquid Swords, as concertgoers ping-ponged back and forth between stages. Cypress Hill ran through selections from their Black Sunday LP. Marijuana anthems like "I Wanna Get High" and "Hits From the Bong" set the tone for a smoke-filled set that mixed equal parts rap, rock and Latin soul.

Mobb Deep didn't disappoint. Although they were advertised to perform only their 1995 breakout album, The Infamous, the Queens, New York, duo did so much more. In addition to tracks like "Shook Ones Pt. II," "Survival of the Fittest" and "Give Up the Goods," the Mobb dove into their catalog of street bangers, including "G.O.D. Pt. III" and "Quiet Storm," as well.

MTV Jams' 2011 Fab 5 inductee Big K.R.I.T. found his set overlapping with that of the Mobb's Havoc and Prodigy, but he was still able to draw a sizable crowd on the Paid Dues stage. The gatherers bounced energetically to Southern-fried selections like "Glass House" and "Country Sh--," proving that it wasn't just a day for rap veterans.

After drawing fan criticism about her previous live shows, Lauryn Hill promised at the beginning of her set to perform the songs from her The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album as they were recorded. Unfortunately, the plan was thrown out the window pretty quickly as she rapped to a ridiculously sped-up version of "Lost Ones." In fact, many of Ms. Hill's classics were performed quite differently from how fans may have remembered. Still, she did thrill audiences with almost-flawless renditions of "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and "To Zion." There was also a Fugees reunion of sorts when Pras joined his former partner to rock "Ready or Not," but the warring Wyclef was nowhere to be found.

Before Hill could finish her set, Raekwon and Ghostface took to the 36 Chambers stage on the other side of the field. They opened with "Striving for Perfection," the opening skit from Rae's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx ... , and then tore into "Incarcerated Scarfaces," "Criminology" and "Ice Cream." It was a '90s-era dream come true, but unfortunately hip-hop's faithful were forced to choose, because halfway through Rae and Ghost's set, the night's headliner Nas, started his show on the main stage.

At around 10:30 p.m., the crowd gathered at Nas' stage, which was decorated with props made to mirror his native Queensbridge, New York, housing project. There was a backdrop with buildings, a real lamppost, project benches and a gate that stood as the entrance. It was 17 years ago that Nasir Jones dropped his highly regarded debut, Illmatic, and on Saturday night he maneuvered through the 10-track masterpiece starting with its opener, "Genesis." With DJ Premier backing him, Nas rapped the words to "N.Y. State of Mind" and "It Ain't Hard to Tell" with a ferocity that recalled the young MC in 1994.

Nas did, at times, depart from the Illmatic theme, treating his day-one fans to something special. First, he brought out MC Serch to perform their 1992 underground banger "Back to the Grill." Next up, he invited Joe Fatal, Akinyele and Large Professor to do "Live at the Barbeque," the 1991 song that gave Nas his rap debut.

From there, it was a full-on party as the Braveheart MC did his new single "Nasty," invited Lauryn back out for their collabo "If I Ruled the World" and closed with the hyped-up "Made Ya Look."

Before he left closed out the night, Nas shouted, "I love you New York City," and it was apparent that NYC loves him back.

Did you catch the Rock the Bells tour this year? Tell us your thoughts!

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Lauryn Hill, Nas, Cypress Hill, Wu-Tang Headline Rock The Bells 2011

25 May 2011 11:46:42 EDT

Four-city festival, kicking off August 20, will feature several artists playing entire albums.
By Rob Markman

Lauryn Hill, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep and Cypress Hill — this year's Rock the Bells festival looks to be a hip-hop fan's dream.

Last year Guerilla Union invited headlining artists to play their classic albums in full for concertgoers, and it looks land they are continuing the trend for 2011. During the four festival dates, which kick off in San Bernardino, California, on August 20 at the San Manuel Amphitheater, Lauryn Hill is scheduled to play her 1998 multi-platinum, Grammy-winning The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill from beginning to end. Nas is tapped to perform his 1994 classic, Illmatic.

"For years, people have been asking me to do Illmatic in so many ways, from stage plays to movies to books, but the time wasn't right. Where music is going now, the time is right," Nas said in a statement. "This will be my biggest production, and it only makes sense to do it on the best rap tour, which also happens to be a brand I've built and am a partner in. Can't wait to kill it with my comrades AZ, Premo and Pete Rock!"

In addition to Nas' and Lauryn's sets, Cypress Hill will be performing their 1993 LP, Black Sunday; Raekwon and Ghostface Killah will reunite onstage for Only Built 4 Cuban Linx ... and Mos Def and Talib Kweli will join forces to play their independent fan-favorite Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star.

The festival, which will also hit Mountain View, California (August 27 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre), New York (September 3 at Governor's Island) and Boston (September 10), will have four stages. The Rock the Bells Stage will house most headliners, while the Paid Due Stage will feature independent and up-and-coming rap acts. RZA is the curator of the new 36 Chambers Stage, while the Grindtime Now stage will feature battles.

RZA, Murs and Supernatural will play host during the fest, which includes and other notable performing acts Erykah Badu, Slaughterhouse, Mac Miller, Curren$y, Souls of Mischief and Black Moon.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on June 4; pre-sale tickets will be available on June 3.

Artists confirmed for the Rock the Bells 2011 festival are:

Ms. Lauryn Hill (performing The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill)
Nas (performing Illmatic)
Cypress Hill (performing Black Sunday)
Erykah Badu (only select dates)
Mos Def and Talib Kweli (performing Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star)
Raekwon and Ghostface (performing Only Built 4 Cuban Linx)
Mobb Deep (performing The Infamous)
The GZA (performing Liquid Swords)
Immortal Technique
Slaughterhouse
Mac Miller (only select dates)
Curren$y (only select dates)
Souls of Mischief (performing 93 'til Infinity)
Black Moon
Childish Gambino
Blu & Exile
Fashawn
Random Axe (only select dates)
Masta Killah (performing No Said Date)
Evidence (only select dates)
Macklemore(only select dates)
Freddie Gibbs
Roc Marciano

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Lauryn Hill Announces More Moving Target Tour Dates

11 Mar 2011 16:47:46 EST

Former Fugees frontwoman also launches Twitter account.
By James Dinh

After wrapping up her first outing in years, Lauryn Hill is keeping her comeback momentum going strong by announcing the second leg of her tour, Moving Target: Extended Intimate Playdate Series.

Beginning Wednesday, the former Fugees frontwoman will kick off the 12-date outing in Florida before making her way to the West Coast, then wrapping up in May at the New Orleans jazz festival. More dates are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Like the first leg of the tour, Hill is making sure to visit smaller venues to give fans a more intimate experience. "One of the benefits of playing venues smaller than the ones I'm used to allows me the opportunity to not only reconnect with my supporters but to expose them to a portion of the musical journey I've been on which the world for the most part has not had access to," the 35-year-old singer said in a statement. "I've never shied away from being musically adventurous, nor am I known for being a lightweight when it comes to lyrical content or musical exploration."

The elusive singer/rapper also opened up about her hiatus from the big stage, admitting that she's still in the process of regaining all of her performance skills.

"Getting back out there to perform is a lot like resuming a strenuous sport after having been away from it for a while, but eventually the muscle memory kicks in, and each day brings progressive strength. It's an exciting and real process which these audiences will get to witness," she continued.

While Hill has remained shy of press in recent years, the iconic MC has launched a Twitter account to keep fans updated on the latest news and updates for the tour. The account hasn't yet been verified.

Lauryn Hill's Moving Target: Extended Intimate Playdate Series tour dates:

» 3/16 - Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
» 3/19 - Miami, FL @ Jazz in the Gardens Festival
» 3/23 - Tampa, FL @ The Ritz
» 3/26 - Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues
» 3/30 - Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage
» 4/3 - Oahu, HI @ Aloha Tower
» 4/9 - Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Hall
» 4/12 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
» 4/15 - Indio, CA @ Coachella Music and Arts Festival
» 4/18 - Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia
» 4/23 - Denver, CO @ The Fillmore
» 5/7 - New Orleans, LA @ Jazz and Heritage Festival

Are you excited to see Lauryn Hill on the second leg of her comeback tour? Tell us in the comments below!

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New Orleans Jazz Fest 2011 Headlined By Arcade Fire, Kid Rock, Bon Jovi

20 Jan 2011 16:45:50 EST

Robert Plant, Lauryn Hill, the Strokes, Lupe Fiasco also included on this year's lineup.
By Aly Semigran

The lineup for the 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was announced on Thursday (January 20), and the music extravaganza will once again offer up a genre-spanning array of talent on its 12 stages.

Among the performers for this year's Jazz Fest are Arcade Fire (who will also headline the recently announced 2011 Coachella), Robert Plant, Bon Jovi, Kid Rock, Lauryn Hill, Jeff Beck, John Mellencamp, Wilco, Mumford & Sons, the Strokes, the Avett Brothers, Cyndi Lauper, Tom Jones, Lupe Fiasco, Jason Mraz, the Decemberists, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Lucinda Williams, Gregg Allman, Amos Lee, and John Legend and the Roots. Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffet are just some of the scheduled acts making their return to the festival.

Because of the natural disasters experienced by both New Orleans and Haiti, both musically rich regions will be featured prominently throughout the NOJ&HF. The festival, which promises to "host the largest celebration of Haitian culture in the U.S. since the devastating earthquake one year ago" will include many Haitian performers, including Wyclef Jean, Tabou Combo, Emeline Michel, Ti-Coca & Wanga Neges and RAM.

Started in 1970, the New Orleans Jazz Fest has hosted an eclectic variety of musical acts (previous fests have included the likes of Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Dylan, Dave Matthews Band, Santana, Lenny Kravitz and Joni Mitchell). Since the late '80s, the festival has seen attendance from 300,000 to 650,000 fans.

Jazz Fest runs over the course of two weekends (April 29-May 1 and May 5-8) at the Fair Grounds Race Course. Tickets are on sale at NOJazzfest.com.

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Lauryn Hill Announces 17 Tour Dates

23 Dec 2010 12:43:12 EST

Outing kicks off Monday in New York.
By James Dinh

After a string of festival appearances, Lauryn Hill has announced that she'll embark on an intimate North American tour starting next week. The 17-date outing, which begins at New York City's Highline Ballroom on Monday, will venture throughout the East Coast and Canada before wrapping up in New Jersey in February.

In a statement, Hill said she "may never play venues of this size again." According to a press release, the rapper/singer will be accompanied by a live band and will perform a set list of the many hits from her celebrated 1998 solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

For those fans who are hoping to hear something new from Hill, they can expect to see some of her biggest hits "reworked yet faithful to the rigor, soulfulness and power of the original music." Initial news of the reclusive singer hitting the road for a series of East Coast shows broke a few weeks ago.

When MTV News caught up with the iconic artist in August, she kept mum on when the hungry public could expect a new album, saying, "We're getting closer. That's all I can say."

While the singer takes her time with new music, she revealed that she enjoys the versatility of today's artists. "I have respect for what people do," Hill said. "I also like to hear the eclectics, I like to hear the mixture. There's a lot of different creative energies out there right now. I respect the different sounds that I'm hearing. It's been such a long time since I've gotten my voice and my ideas [out]. In terms of collaborations, that's not even something I've been thinking about per se. I'm happy that people are still making music. That we still have a platform with which to make music. It's gonna be interesting to see what the future holds."

Lauryn Hill's tour dates, according to a press release:

» 12/27 - New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
» 12/28 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
» 1/1 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
» 1/3 - New York, NY @ The Blue Note
» 1/4 - New York, NY @ The Blue Note
» 1/5 - New York, NY @ The Blue Note
» 1/8 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos' Southend
» 1/9 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
» 1/12 - Charleston, SC @ The Music Farm
» 1/14 - Atlanta, GA @ Centerstage
» 1/16 - St. Louis, Mo @ The Pageant
» 1/18 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
» 1/20 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
» 1/22 - Toronto, Ontario @ Sound Academy
» 1/23 - Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
» 1/29 - Atlantic City, NJ @ House of Blues
» 2/4 - Montclair, NJ @ The Wellmont Theatre

Are you excited to see Lauryn Hill on tour this winter? Tell us in the comments!

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Lauryn Hill Set To Perform String Of East Coast Concerts

10 Dec 2010 17:14:36 EST

The reclusive singer will hit the stage for stops in Boston, New York and Miami beginning December 20.
By Rebecca Thomas

Lauryn Hill is inching closer to a comeback. At this summer's Rock the Bells, the reclusive raptress emerged for four tour stops, giving front-to-back performances of her classic debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, almost a dozen years to the day after its release. Now, L-Boogie is set to meet her hungry public again with a grip of shows along the East Coast.

According to Brooklyn Vegan, Hill will hit Boston, New York and Miami for a string of shows beginning December 20. She'll make stops at Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg at the end of the month, and the Bowery Ballroom in New York City on New Year's Day. The "Ex-Factor" singer will then resume the jaunt in the spring with a pair of performances in the Magic City as part of Miami's Jazz in the Gardens Festival. Tickets for the first trio of shows went on sale on Friday (December 10); no additional dates have been announced.

At this summer's Rock the Bells, Hill chuckled when we asked her about a due date for fresh material, but told MTV News, "We're getting closer. That's all I can say."

The ex-Fugees frontwoman, who became something of a voice for a generation of pre-millennium girls drawn to her cerebral brand of rap&B, shunned the limelight not long after the jaw-dropping success of her debut. But in August, she remarked that the industry had changed in recent years, adding that she was feeling sparked by how eclectic music in the age of MP3s was sounding.

"You got a lot of young talent out there," Hill observed. "Because we don't necessarily have the same sort of industry complex that used to exist, people don't always give, I want to say, proper respect to. But they're doing it in a really kind of unusual, unique and hard-core way."

Lauryn Hill tour dates, according to Brooklyn Vegan:

» 12/20 - Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre
» 12/28 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
» 1/1 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
» 3/19 - Miami, FL @ Jazz in the Gardens Festival
» 3/20 - Miami, FL @ Jazz in the Gardens Festival

Do you plan to check out one of Lauryn Hill's shows? Tell us in the comments!

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Nicki Minaj's Femcee Handbook Has Shades Of Lauryn Hill

02 Dec 2010 17:23:16 EST

With 375,000 sold, Pink Friday is the highest-selling hip-hop female debut since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998.
By Paul Cantor

Nicki Minaj came out of the gate sprinting last week. Her debut LP, Pink Friday, racked up sales of 375,000 copies, making it the highest-selling first album from a female hip-hop act since Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill back in 1998 (which sold 423,000). It's almost appropriate that Minaj should share that distinction with Ms. Hill, because while they're definitely very different stylistically, they're actually very much cut from the same cloth.

"At one time, you had to sell a few kilos to be considered a credible rapper," Minaj says in the December 9 issue of Rolling Stone. "But now, it's like Drake and I are embracing the fact that we went to school, we love acting, we love theater, and that's OK — and it's especially good for the black community to know that's OK, that's embraced."

When Lauryn Hill skyrocketed to fame with the Fugees in the mid-'90s, and then later on her own, she was very much in the same lane as Minaj. Perhaps more artsy, more earthy, more organic and less glammed-up, but still, at the core, a lyricist who earned respect from the hip-hop community by showing and proving as a hip-hop act first and foremost before becoming a celebrated pop star.

Lauryn Hill sang a great deal on her debut LP. On Pink Friday, Minaj sings a bit as well.

Lauryn acted in the film "Sister Act 2" in 1993, before the Fugees were a household name. Minaj attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she studied drama, and has indicated many times that she thought she'd grow up to be an actress, not a rapper.

But their similarities come into full view when you examine how both artists embrace their female power in a male-dominated industry. At the time of Lauryn's ascension, she was the counterpoint to the hyper-sexual Lil' Kims and Foxy Browns of the hip-hop world — artists who were selling their sexuality just as much as their music.

Minaj entered the music industry doing much of the same, but in the past year, has noticeably turned away from an overtly sexual image. She also has moved away from being one of Lil Wayne's underlings and carved her own identity, much like Hill did with bandmate Wyclef Jean.

"I have the same power as these boys," Minaj says in the Rolling Stone profile. "I have the same magic carpet. There's nothing different between me and them except they have a twig and berries, and I don't. I no longer feel lesser than. I don't want my girls to feel that way.

"I want them to feel that, even if you have a 9-to-5, if you grow up to be vice president of the company, you should earn the same thing the male vice president earned. You should demand the same thing."

What artists would you compare to Nicki Minaj? Share your ideas in the comments below!

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Beyonce Inspired By Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill For New Album

23 Nov 2010 13:15:59 EST

'I'm mixing every type of genre that I love,' singer says of follow-up to I Am ... Sasha Fierce.
By Jocelyn Vena

Recently Beyoncé revealed that she wants to make her "own genre of music" for her next album. So when MTV News caught up with the singer at the New York screening of her concert special, "I Am ... World Tour," we asked her to clarify what exactly it is that she's creating in the studio.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm inventing a new genre," she said. "I'm mixing every type of genre that I love and I'm inspired by every type of genre."

Beyoncé went on to say that people should throw any preconceived notions about the follow-up to 2008's I Am ... Sasha Fierce out the window. "I'm not in a box," she said. "It's not R&B. It's not typically pop. It's not rock. It's just everything I love all mixed together in my own little gumbo of music."

The singer says that quite a motley crew of musicians have inspired the album. "Definitely Fela Kuti, the Stylistics. How random, right?" she laughed. "So many people ... Lauryn Hill, Stevie Wonder, of course, Michael Jackson's Off the Wall ... all of those things I'm kind of mixing together."

For the album, Beyoncé has been hitting the studio with many of her usual collaborators including Ne-Yo, Sean Garrett and Jim Jonsin. And her mom, Tina Knowles, has given the tracks she's heard so far her seal of approval, saying, "Of course [I heard it]. It's amazing. It's so amazing!"

Are you looking forward to new music from Beyoncé? Let us know in the comments!

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Lauryn Hill Gets Fresh At Rock The Bells

01 Sep 2010 10:15:07 EDT

Check out what Lauryn Hill has to say on her Rock The Bells performances.
By

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Lauryn Hill Says She's 'Getting Closer' To Releasing New Album

01 Sep 2010 06:50:56 EDT

The singer also praises the crop of 'young talent' who are unafraid to be 'unique and hard-core.'
By Shaheem Reid

Lauryn Hill was feeling jovial on Saturday at Governors Island in New York City. One of the main attractions on the lineup, Hill was making her second stop on the Rock the Bells Tour, where we grabbed the opportunity to ask her when she might release her first studio album since 1998.

"We're getting closer," she said with a chuckle. "We're getting closer. That's all I can say."

One thing seems certain when she does drop the follow-up LP: There won't be many, if any, collaborations. She has too much to express after being mostly gone for more than a decade.

"I have respect for what people do," Hill said. "I also like to hear the eclectics, I like to hear the mixture. There's a lot of different creative energies out there right now. I respect the different sounds that I'm hearing. It's been such a long time since I've gotten my voice and my ideas [out]. In terms of collaborations, that's not even something I've been thinking about per se. I'm happy that people are still making music. That we still have a platform with which to make music. It's gonna be interesting to see what the future holds."

When Hill thinks about the current musical landscape, the iconic MC/songstress said she realizes it's very different from the '90s, but that there is nothing wrong with that.

"It's a lot going on," Hill said. "It's interesting energy. It's not what it was, it's different. That doesn't necessarily means it's a bad thing — it's a different thing. Just like any new opportunity, it's ripe for a lot of different things. You got a lot of young talent out there. Because we don't necessarily have the same sort of industry complex that used to exist, people don't always give, I want to say, proper respect to. But they're doing it in a really kind of unusual, unique and hard-core way. Because the system is not necessarily in place like it used to be."

Are you excited to hear Lauryn is working on new music? Tell us in the comments!

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