The night I flew into Rio 2 weeks ago, I was supposed to go to the Lauryn Hill concert with some of my girlfriends. The show was sold out, but the plan was to get box tickets - expensive, but if we could get 3 or 4 girls in a box, it would be pretty reasonable. Unfortunately (or fortunately...), Rafa found out that the box ticket price was per person, not for the space. So, not wanting to stand out in the cold and haggle with scalpers, we all decided not to go to the concert.
I was disappointed, as Lauryn Hill has been one of my favorite artists since her time with The Fugees. I especially liked her solo work.
The next day, I found out from some acquaintances that did go to the show that it was horrible. Lauryn started nearly 2 hours late, then played for barely 90 minutes. She didn't include barely any of her hits in the repertoire, and her voice was hoarse and off-key. The audience in Rio was so disappointed by her performance that they booed and cat-called the entire time.
Also, I heard that in the days leading up to the concert, Lauryn accepted to be interviewed by Brasilian press, but only if the interviewer was Black. In the interview, which was done as per her request, it came out that before leaving the US Lauryn asked her agent for a load of cash, as she didn't think they used credit cards in Brasil.
Sigh. I have issues with both of these things, but am not in the mood to get into it.
So, in surfing the internet today, I came across this article. Seems Ms. Hill's antics were not confined to her show in Rio...
Meh. I respect her desire to be non-mainstream and do things on her own terms, but I really feel like we've lost exposure to a great artist in the process...
5 comments:
Sounds terrible! But not impossible. I've heard stories of people asking Romanian exchange students if we know what TVs were :P
Too bad for Ms. Hill, I always loved her recorded voice :)
"not unlike a bag lady one might encounter at a taco truck on International Boulevard"
Oh my ...
And I have heard about this for a while. I think she just has her priorities WAY off and it has not to to with being a black recording artist (as she put it, not me).
What a shame
I have heard things like this for a while... It is pretty sad to me. I really liked Lauryn Hill. I have difficulty with several things about this. There is a price to be paid for being an entertainer. It seems that she somehow became resentful somewhere in the midst of success and rather than channel her efforts elsewhere, has decided to put down the very people who built up her success. For instance, I have seen quotes where she's called her own music (her first solo album) too commercial and mainstream with a certain distain that almost demeans the people who purchased it. It seems like she's battling with this idea of 'selling out" and rather than simply allowing her talent to be whatever it is, she's chosen to lash out.
As for her remarks about wanting a black reporter I have seen remarks written where she was quoted saying she didn't like 'white' people. This seems asinine that someone would be so close minded and worst yet, that they would allow themselves to be shut off from such a big segment of the population. Oh- I could keep going with more reasons why this is ridiculous but I won't...
Anyway, I guess I will stick to listening to my CDs and not try to go to one of her concerts...
~Alina - We had a Romainan exchange student in my class when I was in high school - Raluca. She told me that several people had asked her similar questions, all under the impression that Romaina was the end of the earth and ruled by Dracula. Sigh...
~Lacithecat - From the picture along with the article, I can't help but to agree.
~Laundrygirl - You nailed it. I totally agree, 100%.
I know the feeling- coz people often ask whether lions and elephants walk around the streets of Africa!
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