It’s almost a week later since Lauryn Hill performed at New Orleans’ UNO Lakefront Arena (October 3), and it seems like it was just yesterday. That’s how good her show was, contrary to what we thought her show would be.
Let’s be honest: Purchasing tickets to an L. Boogie show is a bit of a gamble given her history of failed appearances and tardiness. Just days before her New Orleans show, she canceled her Houston performance, the day of, due to a cold. Prior to that, she bailed on multiple cities. Once news hit the internet, fans in New Orleans were not interested in getting played — no matter how cheap tickets were on Groupon. Up until the day of show, fans were on edge with anticipation to see what our fate was. But, I’m happy to say that Ms. Lauryn Hill showed up and showed all the way OUT.
Once the stage lights dimmed, Lauryn Hill was introduced to the crowd. Donning all black, tutu included, Lauryn stood center stage as the crowd went cray. She then dug into her catalog, giving us every bit of what the The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was 20 years ago: Amazingess.
Now, if you’ve been to a Lauryn Hill concert over the past years, you’d know that she never performs the album exactly how it was recorded — she always performs different renditions of her classics. It may be due to that super messy lawsuit between her and the group of creatives who helped shape her album; It could be because she never earned the rights to the music. There’s plenty speculation, but nothing’s been confirmed.
By the time she began performing “Ex-Factor,” the entire arena was in their feelings. Her soulful, powerful voice never skipped a beat; She was amazing! I just knew she’d transition from “Ex-Factor” into Drake’s “Nice For What,” which features a sample of the classic song. After all, she was in New Orleans, and it was only right. But she didn’t. She saved it for last, actually. At the tail end of her show, she claimed “they” tried to kick her off stage, but she refused to move and told the DJ to “drop that bounce for New Orleans.” When the beat dropped, the crowd went crazy.
From beginning to end, the concert was great and Lauryn did not disappoint. There were a lot of people regretting not going to the show, in fear of her not showing up. I’m so happy I took that risk. Here’s a snippet of Lauryn performing “Nice For What” via my Instagram. Check out my highlights for more videos from the show.
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