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Essence Festival Defends Lauryn Hill’s Delayed 2 a.m. Performance: ‘We Protect Our Own No Matter What’

Essence Festival shows support for Lauryn Hill in a lengthy statement following her delayed 2 a.m. performance on July 5.

Essence Festival organizers have come to Lauryn Hill ‘s defense after the singer appeared at 2:30 a.m. to perform for the event at a nearly empty stadium on July 5. The eight-time Grammy winner has a reputation of showing up late to her concerts (the Fugees famously had to pre-tape their performance at the Global Citizen Festival in 2021 in anticipation of a delayed start), but she appeared on stage at Essence Fest in good spirits. According to multiple reports, the silence between songs at the Caesars Superdome allowed her to interact freely with fans; she took a request for “I Gotta Find Peace of Mind,” from her 2002 live acoustic album “MTV Unplugged No.

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