Why did Lauryn Hill stop making music? Singer sparks controversy with justification for lateness

On November 4, Grammy-winning rapper, singer, and songwriter Lauryn Hill cleared the air surrounding her tardiness, after appearing late at her Los Angeles concert. In the now-viral video, she can be heard saying:

“Yo, y’all lucky I make it on this blood rah stage every night…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. God is the one who allows me to do it, who surrounded me with family and community when there was no support.”

The clipping of Lauryn Hill talking about her punctuality issues has sparked controversy among netizens.

For those unaware, Lauryn Hill’s last EP was released more than two decades back, and she did not continue making music thereafter. She once said during an interview that it was because she “retired from the fantasy part” of the music industry, according to the New York Post.

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Lauryn Hill stopped making music because her label allegedly stopped with their offers

Lauryn Hill’s debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, released in 1998 and won five Grammys, selling 10 million copies, as per the New York Post. Later, in 2002, she released her second solo album, MTV Unplugged: No. 2.0 which earned mixed reviews. However, she stopped making music thereafter.

During a 2021 interview on the podcast Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums released on Amazon Music, she had a candid conversation and explained why she never made more albums.

"The wild thing is no one from my label has ever called me and asked how can we help you make another album, ever. Did I say ever? Ever!"

She further continued by saying how for her debut album, she was “free to explore, experiment, and express.” However, after that, there were various obstacles including “tentacled obstructionists, politics, repressing agendas, unrealistic expectations, and saboteurs everywhere.”

Hill also added that during that time, many artists tried to include themselves in her success story, and if she ever tried to contradict their narratives, she was considered an “enemy.”

Lauryn also told the podcasters how she believed that her albums addressed “systematic racism” which may not have received well in the industry. She also said that she was put under public abuse and even ostracized for what she did. However, her protest did not last and nobody ever acknowledged her standing up against racial discrimination.

As per the New York Post, Lauryn Hill may have also struggled to juggle her celebrity status with motherhood. Besides, she was fighting a lawsuit filed by four musicians who claimed that she didn’t credit them for co-writing and co-producing her debut album. Eventually, Hill settled the suit outside court by paying $5 million in 2001.

She was also rebuked for her chronic tardiness and was accused of losing her touch. Later, she also served a three-month prison sentence for tax evasion.

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“She’ll never get one red cent from me!”: Twitteratti slams Lauryn Hill for her latest justification for being late

On Saturday night, Lauryn Hill was in Los Angeles as part of her ongoing tour commemorating the silver jubilee of her debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. There, standing on stage with her mother and daughters, she addressed the audience about the controversy surrounding her constant lateness at shows.

She said that people were lucky she always made it to the stage, even if she was often late, and justified that she didn’t do it because her fans found a way to deal with it, but because it was the almighty who permitted her to be late. She also mentioned how it was only God, her family, and her community who were her pillars of support when she was at her lowest.

She further continued by saying:

"When the [debut] album sold so many records, and no one showed up and said, 'Hey, would you like to make another one?' So, I went around the world, and I played the same album over and over and over and over again. Because we are survivors, and we're not just survivors, we're thrivers."

Since the video of her clarification went viral, many came together to slam her for her tardiness and for defending it. Here are some of the reactions in this regard from the comment section of @myabriabe’s tweet.

It is noteworthy how this is not the first time Lauryn Hill has addressed her punctuality issues. In 2016, the songstress took to her Facebook to explain that her lateness was not because she did not care for her fans but was all about “aligning her energy” with the moment, as reported by Uproxx.

“I have nothing but love and respect for my fans. The challenge is aligning my energy with the time, taking something that isn't easily classified or contained, and trying to make it available for others.”

She further added how she did not have an on/off switch and performed best when she was “open, rested, sensitive, and liberated to express myself as truthfully as possible.” Hill also stated that whenever she arrived late, she compensated by performing extra hours.

Lauryn also stated how she valued the spontaneity of the artistic process above all, gave her best whenever she was on stage, and poured all her soul into it.