Lauryn Hill has blamed “sensationalism and clickbait headlines” in the media as the reason for low ticket sales to a US tour, which was due to feature performances from her and her reformed group Fugees.
The 18-date tour, planned to begin on Friday in Tampa, Florida, was cancelled earlier this week without an official statement from Hill or the group, with Ticketmaster informing customers that they would receive refunds.
On Wednesday, Hill posted a statement addressing the cancellation:
Last year, I faced an injury that necessitated the rescheduling of some of my shows. Regrettably, some media outlets’ penchant for sensationalism and clickbait headlines have seemingly created a narrative that has affected ticket sales for the North American portion of the tour. The trust and faith I have in my intentions and my commitment to my art seem to have been overshadowed by this unfortunate portrayal.
She said that October dates in Manchester, London, Paris and Amsterdam were still scheduled to go ahead, and added: “For our fans in North America, when these unforeseen circumstances are resolved, we’ll be back in full force”.
Hill described performing live as “a profound exchange of energy and emotion that excites me every time. Every show is a piece of my expression and testament to our connection and shared love for music. I can assure you that no one is more disappointed about not being able to perform than I am.”
In November 2023, Hill postponed some dates of her tour due to vocal strain, and to reduce her use of the steroid prednisone that she was using to treat it.
That tour also featured performances by Fugees, the hip-hop/soul trio featuring Hill alongside rappers Wyclef Jean and Pras. The trio released their debut album in 1994 and had a global hit with 1996 follow-up The Score, featuring tracks such as Ready or Not and their cover of Killing Me Softly. They split in the late 90s, and in 1998 Hill released her solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of the decade.
Hill continued to tour but has never released a second solo studio album, and while Fugees reformed for a 2005 tour, they disbanded again shortly afterwards, with Pras saying: “Before I work with Lauryn Hill again, you will have a better chance of seeing Osama bin Laden and [George W] Bush in Starbucks having a latte”.
Fugees announced a 25th anniversary tour of The Score in 2021, but it was postponed and later cancelled, with a band statement saying Covid-19 “has made touring conditions difficult”.
Hill has earned a reputation for late starts to her live performances in recent years, which she addressed at a 2023 concert in Los Angeles. “You’re saying, ‘She’s late. She’s late a lot’. Yo, y’all lucky I make it on this … stage every night … God is the one who allows me to do it, who surrounded me with family and community when there was no support … When [the debut] sold so many records, no one showed up and said, ‘Hey, would you like to make another one?’”
Hill and Fugees will be joined on tour by Hill’s son, YG Marley, who she shres with Bob Marley’s son Rohan Marley. YG Marley has had a huge global hit this year with mellifluous roots reggae song Praise Jah in the Moonlight.
Since Fugees’ 1990s success, Jean had a successful solo career and moved into politics – he intended to run for president of Haiti, his country of birth, in 2010, but his application was denied on the grounds of not having lived in the country long enough.
Pras also entered politics but in April 2023 he was found guilty in the US of illegal lobbying. He was convicted on 10 counts, including the allegation that he illegally channelled funds from a Malaysian financier to Barack Obama’s 2012 election campaign, and acted as an unregistered foreign agent in liaising over the extradition of a US-based Chinese dissident.
He is awaiting sentencing, though is hoping for a retrial on the grounds that his lawyer, David Kenner, mishandled his defence. In January, Kenner was sentenced to a year’s probation and a fine after admitting to sharing protected material regarding the case with reporters.
