In middle school, my Walkman only played about five CDs; one of them being The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. I learned all the words to all the songs and belted them out like I was Lauryn Hill. Whether solo or with The Fugees, Ms. Hill has remained in my top artists, "Killing Me Softly" is still to this day one of my favorite songs. Hill's morose and soulful voice sends shivers down my spine every time.
Despite being seen as a strong female presence in the R&B music scene, a national media icon, and a five-time Grammy award winning musical artist, between 2000-2001 Hill seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth. Devoting herself to the Bible, she refused to make public appearances. However, in 2001, she performed new material on MTV Unplugged. The album entitled MTV Unplugged No. 2 received mixed reviews; being called everything from "a public breakdown" by Rolling Stone, to receiving 4 out of 5 stars by AllMusic.
From 2004-2006 The Fugees reunited for a brief period of time. They performed on Dave Chapelle's Block Party, BET's Music Awards in 2005, and released an internet single called "Take It Easy" in September of that same year that reached as high as #40 on the Billboard R&B Chart.
Since 2006, Hill has been writing music for an album that has yet to be officially released and putting on concerts that have left much to be desired by fans. Hill's newest tour, "Moving Target", on the other-hand, has received pretty glowing reviews. It seems as though Ms. Hill has returned to her former glory: soulful, powerful and confident. I am sure her Tampa fans will be crossing their fingers that they get to witness the Lauryn Hill that we all fell in love with tomorrow night at The Ritz Ybor. Tickets can be purchased here. Enter the code "HILL" at checkout to receive $20 off!
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