Source: Leon Morris / Getty
The weeks leading up to the 20th anniversary of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill have been interesting to say the least. Many fans of Ms. Lauryn Hill were excited to celebrate the seminal album and everything it contributed to hip hop, the music industry and the personal lives of everyday people.
However, for some, a dark cloud also loomed over the work due to the accusations of musician Robert Glasper in a radio interview for 97.9 The Box.
Of the many things Glasper said about Ms. Hill, the accusations involved cutting musicians pay one day before a show and stealing music for her Miseducation album. Glasper even came after Hill’s guitar-playing skills, saying she often needed someone to tune her own guitar.
Love 97.9 The Box? Get more! Join the 97.9 The Box Newsletter
We care about your data. See our privacy policy.
It was quite the word spill and it left many Hill fans like myself feeling conflicted. Could we still celebrate Miseducation‘s anniversary in its full glory, or has our rap-singing queen fallen from grace?
Luckily, Ms. Hill addressed Glasper’s accusations and much more in an article published to Medium.
Her words once again reflect the complexities of being an artist and it challenges fans on how much we’re willing to support our imperfect stars. We might be willing to take some things into consideration, but other things might be left at the alter in disagreement.
With that being said, I’ve highlighted some of the most important quotes from Ms. Hill’s Medium article and explained whether I’m “taking it” or “leaving it.” Hit the next pages to find out if you agree or not!
Ms. Hill on auditioning band members:
“I have come across the occasional musician who thinks they already know what I want, feelings and egos can be easily bruised when you tell them they actually don’t. I am never trying to intentionally hurt anyone’s feelings btw, but when people insist that they know you and don’t, you may have to be equally as firm to demonstrate otherwise.”
“Auditioning, btw, may have nothing to do with how good a musician is. If a musician isn’t accomplished, he or she wouldn’t have been called. An audition or meeting could be about whether we vibe well, whether they understood my particular musical vernacular or direction at the time.”
Take it.
I’d imagine creating for any artist is a vulnerable and specific process. I completely understand “auditioning” folks to work with, even if they have a legacy behind them like Robert Glasper. Does it have to be a formal thing like Ms. Hill might’ve done it? Nope. It could be a jam session, a meet-up at a bar, etc. But, I definitely understand being specific about what you want and wanting people to match up with it.
On allegations of stealing music:
“You may be able to make suggestions, but you can’t write FOR me. I am the architect of my creative expression. No decisions are made without me.”
Leave it.
This is a tricky one. Unless you were in the studio the days Miseducation was made, no one can really know what melody, verse or line was Lauryn Hill and which wasn’t. Not to mention, the allegations that Hill stole music was already settled out of court.
But as someone who believes in giving proper credit AND since Hill wasn’t known as an all-around musician at the time (similar to a Stevie Wonder, who can probably say he wrote and composed everything), I can understand why musicians might feel some type of way around the specifics of who “wrote” a song.
On cutting band members’ pay:
“Don’t have the details or recollection of cutting the band’s pay in half. If fees had been negotiated and confirmed without my knowledge, I may have asked for them to be adjusted. But I would never just cut a musician’s pay arbitrarily unless I had a legitimate reason. There are artists who do cut pay though, James Brown was notorious for docking musicians if they did something he didn’t like, I’m sure there are others.”
Leave it.
You can’t play with people’s money. If something was agreed upon from the start and then drastically changes, you can’t be mad at musicians for getting upset. Sure Jame Brown and others might’ve done it, but that doesn’t mean we have to normalize it as being an okay thing.
On her rehearsal attitude:
“I didn’t scream or yell. Maybe I didn’t provide the experience that a musician may have wanted or expected during that time, but I was straight-forward, direct, and about the business at hand….During the time in question, I also believe I was playing a lot of new music with controversial content. FOR ME, rehearsal was about readying myself for the battle I knew I was entering into for simply not allowing a system to pimp me. If I was on edge, I had good reason to be.”
Take it.
I’m a firm believer in talking to people a certain way in the work environment, especially if you’re giving orders. A little kindness can go a long way.
But I also understand being direct about what you want, especially if you’ve been controlled in a lot of ways before. For this specific instance, I get it.
On her Harriet Tubman reference:
“Perhaps my seriousness and militancy in the face of tremendous resistance was misinterpreted as meanness, or that I was unloving or uncaring, when my true intent was to protect. I wouldn’t be the first Black person accused of this. I don’t think of Harriet Tubman’s skills as those of a hostess, but rather her relentless dedication to helping people who wanted out of an oppressive paradigm. #IGETOUT”
Take it.
I know, I know! Lauryn Hill is NOT Harriet Tubman! But how many times have male rappers compared themselves to Martin Luther King or Malcolm X when they haven’t done anything near the work they’ve done. When it comes to women freedom fighters known by the larger public (not just within your political circle), the pool is already small. So I’m not mad if a Black woman’s only go-to comparison is Harriet Tubman, especially if her intent is not motivated by money.
On being late to shows:
“Me being late to shows isn’t because I don’t respect my fans or their time, but the contrary, It can be argued that I care too much, and insist on things being right.”
Leave it.
Unless there are some MAJOR things out of your control, pleeease show up on time. A lot of fans are going to accept what you give us anyways. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect.
If it does, then refine it for the next show. We’ll still love you!
On Robert Glasper saying Hill hasn’t done enough to act the way she acts:
“Who are you to say I didn’t do enough? Most people are probably just hearing your name for the first time because you dropped MINE in an interview, controversially. Taking nothing away from your talent, but this is a fact. The Miseducation was my only solo studio album, but it certainly wasn’t the only good thing I did.”
Take it.
Hill went on to list her work with the Fugees, her inspiration to mothers, and her role as a Black woman in hip hop as “doing enough.” Not to mention, her MTV Unplugged album is an underrated gem. So yea, Ms. Hill wasn’t having that, and I must agree.
