Photo Credit: Essence Fest (Instagram)
Essence Festival organizers come to the defense of the legendary Lauryn Hill after the singer appeared at roughly 2:30 AM for a stadium performance.
On July 5, Essence Festival attendees were not enthused when legendary singer Lauryn Hill appeared late—at roughly 2:30 AM—to perform for a mostly empty stadium. The festival issued a statement assuming responsibility for the late start, explicitly stating the delay was not Hill’s fault.
Essence Festival was fraught with delays throughout the entirety of Friday, according to reports. The first day of the four-day event featured late starts from GloRilla, the Isley Brothers, Babyface, Maxwell, and others. To make matters more hectic, Lauryn Hill was only added to the lineup a few days before the festival began.
“Family is family and around here we protect our own no matter what the people have to say,” began Essence Festival’s statement on social media. “Let’s be very clear—We don’t play about Ms. Lauryn Hill. Not for clicks. Not for headlines.”
“She arrived on schedule, stepped on that stage, and delivered the kind of performance only a legend can,” they added. “The delay? Not hers. We will take that. The moment? One for the books. The legacy? Still unmatched.”
“Put some respect on her name. Keep the takes, but keep her out of them,” the statement concludes. “All love and deep profound admiration for Ms. Lauryn Hill.”
It’s worth noting that the Fugees legend has a reputation for showing up late to her concerts. Famously, the group had to pre-tape their performance at the Global Citizen Festival in 2021 in anticipation of a late start. But Hill appeared on stage at Essence Fest ready to put on a killer show, and the fans who stayed were rewarded for their patience.
The lack of a huge crowd at the Caesars Superdome so late at night enabled Hill to interact freely with fans between songs. She even took requests, performing “I Gotta Find Peace of Mind” from her 2002 live acoustic MTV Unplugged album.
