A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RISE AND FALL OF MISS LAURYN HILL
(OR WHY LAURYN HILL IS A PROPHET FOR OUR TIMES)
What happened, Miss Hill?
Maya Angelou once spoke these words about the legendary performer and activist, Nina Simone. Simone was known for being volatile - later being diagnosed a manic depressive - and went through periods of strife and struggle before her death. There are many similarities between the highs and lows of Nina Simone’s career and the epic rise and fall of Miss Lauryn Hill. For one, both women were branded by the public as “madwomen” with no control over their minds or bodies. By the end of the 1990s, Lauryn Hill was being hailed as the pop star prophet of an entire generation. A mere three years later, Hill was practically a leper in the music community; so, what happened, Miss Hill?
Lauryn Hill began performing at a very young age. In a now infamous story, Lauryn Hill performed in Showtime at the Apollo when she was only 13 years old. (If you haven’t seen, it'll definitely give a little second hand embarrassment). The audience greeted her rendition of Jackson 5’s “Who’s Lovin’ You” with jeers and boos, and the young Hill left the stage in tears. In a Rolling Stone article from 2003, Hill’s mother remarks on the incident: “I said ... now, if every time they don't scream and holler you're gonna cry, then perhaps this isn't for you," Valerie recalled. "And she looked at me like I had taken leave of my senses. To her, the mere suggestion that this wasn't for her was crazy" (Toure 10). By her late teens, Lauryn Hill has a role in the daytime soap As The World Turns and a starring role in the Whoopi Goldbeg vehicle Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. (One of my all-time favorites and what introduced me to the greatness that is Lauryn Hill). While starting her film career, Hill began making music with high school friends, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel (Toure 10).
Hill, Wyclef, and Pras made up the hip-hop rap group by the name of Fugees. In 1994, the trio released their first album, Blunted on Reality to bad reviews and even worse record sales. Lauryn was only 18 at the time. Two years later, the band experienced massive critical and popular success when they dropped their second and last album, The Score. Featuring a now iconic cover of Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly,” the album and song set Hill apart as a merging superstar with vast potential. Throughout their time in the band, Wyclef Jean and Hill were reportedly in an on and off again relationship. While on tour in 1996, Hill was introduced to Rohan Marley (son of Bob Marley). Before long, Hill was pregnant with Marley’s child, cementing an already growing rift in the band between her and Wyclef. There was much debate at the time over whether the baby was Wyclef’s or Rohan’s, none of which was resolved by any of the parties involved (Toure 17).
While Hill was pregnant, she began work on a solo album. The album was intended to set her apart from the Fugees and set her apart from Wyclef in particular. When the album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, dropped in 1998, it was immediately hailed as a masterpiece. Hill was considered, “a musical genius and pop-culture prophetess” (Bruce 1). The album was not only a popular success but a critical one. In 1999, at the young age of 23, Hill was the first black woman to win Album of the Year at the Grammys. Miseducation was also the first hip hop album to win the Grammys highest honor. The album launched her into global superstardom. She was on the cover of magazines, being offered movie deals (including what eventually became Lucy Liu’s role in the Charlie’s Angels remake from 2000), and was essentially being ushered into the world of A-list celebrities and everything that entails.
According to Toure’s Rolling Stone article, it was a big deal for Hill that she be credited as the sole writer, producer, arranger, and singer on her album. However, this later caused problems as four of the men who had worked on record sued Hill, claiming that she was receiving full credit for an album that they were partly responsible for. The suit marked what would become the beginning of the end for Hill. Though the suit was settled without much of a financial hiccup, sources close to Hill said that the ordeal really messed with the artist on an emotional level (Toure 23).
During this time, Hill began to struggle with her public image. Sources close to the artist said that she hated having to get dressed up everytime she left her house - hating the model expectations being placed on her. It has also been said that Hill and Marley began to experience troubles in their relationship. Hill began to hang out with a mysterious figure by the name of Brother Anthony. The pair would attend bible study multiple times a week and were considered to be practically inseparable. Around this time, in 2001, recorded her MTV Unplugged 2.0 album. The album was different from anything Hill has ever released before, featuring songs that sounded more like sketches that fleshed out songs and a single guitar played by Hill (who had just learned to play a few months prior). While the album was a critical and commercial bomb, it led many people to question Hill’s sanity. Lauryn never released another album. Since then, Miss Hill has remained touring songs off of Miseducation but has mostly remained out of the spotlight (Toure).
With the release of her unplugged album, the public received an entirely different image of the once beloved artists. Gone were her trademark braids, replaced by a scarf and baseball cap. Her voice was scratchy, tired, and ragged, sounding nothing like the immaculate instrument displayed on Miseducation. On the album, Hill sings and talks about the world, her struggles with stardom, religion, racism, and everything in between. She even remarks that people are saying she’s crazy, and she finds being called crazy preferable because people leave her alone. In La Marr Jurelle Bruce’s article from the Aftican American Review the academic theorizes that Hill’s descent into so-called madness was nothing but an act and political statement. In picking apart her unplugged performance, commenting on everything from her opening statement about talking to the people in her head, to the ways in which she uses her voice throughout the performance, Bruce finds little nuggets that suggest Hill isn’t crazy at all - she’s pretending to be (Bruce 5).
The rise and fall of Miss Lauryn Hill is as epic and baffling as they become. How does someone at the height of their popularity and powers fall from grace in such a masterful way? Perhaps she did it on purpose. Hill has always considered herself a prophet. Indeed, her music and her life have reflected that. What if Hill’s fall from grace was merely Hill using her story to teach lessons about society and the ways in which artists - in particular black women - are treated in society?
Bruce, La Marr Jurelle. “‘The People Inside My Head, Too’: Madness, Black Womanhood, and the Radical Performance of Lauryn Hill.” African American Review, vol. 45, no. 3, 2012, pp. 371–389. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23783546. Accessed 18 June 2021.
Touré. “The Mystery of Lauryn Hill.” Rolling Stone, no. 934, Oct. 2003, pp. 75–80. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.shsu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=11154736&site=eds-live&scope=site.
THE GENIUS OF LIL NAS X
As we’ve entered into the 2020’s, a new class of pop stars and musicians are making themselves heard and are changing the music we listen to and the culture as a whole. Lil Nas X is certainly one of these young stars. His star making single “Old Town Road” broke record upon record, and he has only outdone himself since then. One of his most recent singles, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” and its accompanying video, made a statement by featuring Lil Was X himself giving satan a lap dance. As you probably already know or can guess, this led to a lot of outrage. On top of this, he released what he called “satan shoes,” which were basically repurposed Nike’s with satan paraphernalia added to them. These shoes led Nike to then sue the rapper over trademark infringement. In the lead up to the trial of Nike v. Lil Nas X, the rapper released this video, parodying what the trial will be like:
It’s genius. With his new single coming out, he has found the perfect way to capitalize off of what most would consider a bad situation. Lil Nas X is a master at social media. He is truly changing the game in terms of how celebrities use social media. It’s exciting to watch, and I can’t wait to see what is in store for him.
(He’s also beautiful, and I would very much like him to date me. Just sayin…)
MEGAN THEEE MF MODEL
Megan Thee Stallion has become the first ever rapper to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated’s annual Swimsuit Issue. While I find the swimsuit issue to be a patriarchal mess along the lines of Playboy, it is refreshing and exciting to see someone traditionally shut out to be invited to the table - not only that but celebrated!
Plus, she looks absolutely amazing:
WOW. Just WOW.
SEX & THE CITY UPDATES
Another week brings another week of the filming of the Sex and the City reboot. Am I bitter that I’m not in NYC and able to be there for this historic event - yes. But, boy, is it fun to see what the girls are wearing and who all is joining them. Speaking of which…
NATASHA IS BACK. I’m intrigued. I have questions. Why is she here? Are her teeth still two different colors? (For those out of the SATC loop: Natasha was married to Mr. Big - Carrie’s main love interest throughout the series - and Carrie and Big have an affair, etc etc etc).
Obsessed with this pic of the three girls (sorry Samantha):
What the hell are they looking at? Is it Natasha?? God, my little gay ass is so fucking excited for this reboot. BRB, rewatching the original.
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s aging party girl Lexi Featherston!
I CAN’T GET THIS LINE OUT OF MY HEAD
Whilst recovering from a cold this week (I know, I forgot they existed, too.), I watched the latest season of Mindy Kaling’s gem of a show, Never Have I Ever. I’m halfway through the season (yes, I watched it all in one sitting - I was sick, bitch), when this line literally punches me in the face:
I— don’t even have words. I love those birkenstock, canvas tote bag bitches with my whole heart. Comparing them to the Bronte sisters? Miss Kaling needs to be sent to the Red Table. It just be one of the funniest lines I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing with thine own ears. And where can I get a copy of this paper?…for research…
TOMMY DORFMAN (SHE/HER)
Queer actor, activist, and model Tommy Dorfman has come out as a trans woman! Very, very excited for her! Now, can we please be friends??
To close, I’m leaving you with this photo Kelly Ripa decided to share on her insta this week…
KELLY!!!!! I don’t know if Regis is dead yet, but this will certainly get the job done lmao.
The newsletter has a little different look this week. My very talented friend, Michaela Bollinger (@artsyinmyheartsy on insta) designed a logo for the column, and I’m absolutely obsessed!
In other news, I started a pop culture instagram to go with the column. If you haven’t yet, check it out (@popstarbiitch)!
Hope everyone had an amazing week!
X, Bryce