Lauryn Hill is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Despite her influence, some of her fans in recent times have taken issue with her work ethic, mainly citing her multiple concert cancellations and being very late to her shows.
The 49-year-old was set to embark on a U.S. reunion tour with her former Fugees band members, and their first event was set to take place in Tampa on Friday. But it was announced the U.S. tour had been canceled on Tuesday.
Following the announcement, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill rapper took to social media to issue a lengthy statement, explaining that the tour was canceled because of low ticket sales. She also claimed the low ticket sales were because of “clickbait headlines” that stemmed from her decision to cancel some of her shows last year, Variety reported.
“Last year, I faced an injury that necessitated the rescheduling of some of my shows,” she wrote on Instagram. “Regrettably, some media outlet’s 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 added: “The audiences in the UK and Europe not only haven’t seen the Miseducation Anniversary performance yet, they also haven’t seen the Fugees perform together in over 25 years!”
Hill also expressed her disappointment with the cancellation of their U.S. tour. “Performing for my fans, is a profound exchange of energy and emotion that excites me every time,” she stated. “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.”
She continued: “Know that I am not only grateful for those who appreciate and support my art, but that I FIGHT and push through all kinds of resistance to put together experiences that mean something for all of us. I love being able to bring these performances to you!”
Despite the cancellation of their U.S. tour, Hill stated that their shows in Europe will still go ahead. “I appreciate your understanding. We’re looking forward to performing at the shows in the UK and Europe in October — and for our fans in North America, when these unforeseen circumstances are resolved, we’ll be back in full force…,” she wrote.
Hill and the Fugees’ reunion tour in 2023 was largely successful as they mostly performed before packed crowds, Variety reported. But the latter stages of the tour had to be canceled due to vocal issues.
“As many of you may know, I’ve been battling serious vocal strain for the past month,” Hill explained in a November 2023 statement.
“I made it through each show by taking prescribed prednisone, but this can be detrimental to the body when taken in large amounts over long periods of time. In order to prevent any long term negative affect on my voice and my body, I need to take time off to allow for real vocal recovery so that I can discontinue the medication completely.”
Hill also previously addressed the concerns regarding her being late to her shows as well as not releasing a sophomore album. “You’re saying ‘She’s late. She’s late a lot’,” she said at one of her concerts in Los Angeles.
“Yo, y’all lucky I make it on this … stage every night. … I don’t do it because they let me do it. I do it because I stand here in the name of God and I do it. 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?’ So I went around the world, and I played the same album over and over and over and over again. Because we are survivors, and we’re not just survivors, we’re thrivers.”
