Got this from another board:

The story that's been on everyone's mind before yesterday was exactly what's going to happen to TapeMaster, INC. and their associates. Yesterday, TapeMasters, Inc. under Viacom license was sued by Sony Records International LTD., Columbia Records, and AOL/Time Warner after they released a pirated 2001 version of Lauryn Hill's song, "I Find It Hard to Say". TapeMaster, Inc. released the recording without permission after someone within Columbia sent it to them.

Well, at least that was the big story. Until leaks within Columbia released images of the cover, back cover, inside jacket, and title tracks to Hill's upcoming CD. The following information is taken from an article published by Tammy Ellen Horwitz:

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Lauryn's new album is called Guarding the Gates. It's a double CD recording featuring more than 28 songs. Justifiable since Hill has remained en vogue from the studio for the past 7 years since the 1998 studio release The Miseducation (of Lauryn Hill). The track listings are juicy:

1. The Conquering Lion

2. I Find It Hard To Say

3. Chains

4. Peace of Mind

5. One (Higher Soul)

6. Guarding the Gates

7. If I Should Lose You

8. Hanging Tree (feat Wyclef Jean and Pras)

9. Equilibrium Emancipated

10. I Get Out (feat. Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers)

11. Found A New Love

12. What Is This

Disc Two

1. Turn Me Loose

2. A Change Is Gonna Come

3. War In the Mind

4. I Had to Walk

5. Nothing New Is Old

6. Patronizing Sentiment

7. Social Drugs

8. Who Am I (Ruffneck Gong) (feat. Nas and Stephen Marley)

9. Damnable Heresies (I Got Out)

10. Nah Want Silver and Gold

11. Chickens from the Yard

12. They Always Come Quietly (feat Guru, Wyclef Jean, Pras, and Busta Rhymes)

13. Horseless Chariots

14. Where Does the Time Go

15. What More Do You Want (Ex- Factor ReInterpreted)

16. So Much Things to Say

-----



She even included a link in her article to pictures of the album cover and back cover on the associated press website:



http://pg.photos.yahoo.co....dir=/6819




The question on everybody's mind has been, where did she get such information. Since AOL/Time Warner owns Columbia Records stock, it quickly suppressed information regarding this, except to include listings about the leak with the Associated Press. When Ms. Horwitz was asked how she got the information, she gave two names: both workers within Columbia Records, one being the graphic designer for the album.



Columbia Records made the following statement: "Whenever someone does this, it doesn't hurt the artist or the record label. If anything it generates buzz and press. The only thing released was a track listing and pictures of the album which could be changed at anytime. This is a benefit to us. Unfortunately, the employees who released this information are being terminated from their employment. In trying to hurt Columbia and make a quick dollar, they hurt themselves"- Ted Delaney, Columbia Records Executive Board



Hill was not immediately available for comment, but she released a statement during an recorded interview, while in Paris preparing for her European and American tour:



"I have said in times before what I am saying now. I always look back at how much the music of my husband's father, Bob Marley, was bootlegged. And I am reminded that he would never have had all the fame he had if he hadn't been bootlegged and pirated. It's an honor for me that people consider my music so important so to make such a big deal about it. I don't want to worry myself with the details of this, so I've removed myself from the situation. I have tried to stop the legal suits and the court room agendas, but I don't control Columbia or Sony, just as they don't control me. There was nothing I could do to stop the suits. I don't necessarily believe anybody has to be sued over bootlegging. It's not as if the music industry has not made millions of the latest trend of hiring musicians without talent. Why then shouldn't it loose money every now and then. It's a matter of the chickens coming home to roost, as Malcolm X said. To me this is all music, it's just music. The album is not changing, the track list is set, so now people know before they were supposed to know. This may have been meant to happen. I don't presume to know. I'm touring, I'm spreading my message, and since all of you are now obsessed with following me again, I guess my message will get more detail. I don't worry myself with the affairs of man. I'm getting beyond that more and more".



Columbia has threatened to change the album cover and back cover as well as the album jacket but as of yet have said nothing else on the matter.



The two employees who were fired after leaking the information have released a statement that they will counter sue Columbia, AOL/Time Warner, and Virgin Records for character defamation claiming that there is no proof they released the album.



Further information is likely to follow after AOL/Time Warner, which currently owns 96% of liberal international media, removes the ban on the story at Sony's request.



-James Tindy, Associated Press, Los Angeles


http://associatedpressmainframe.8m.com/

that's some cheesy-ass album cover art. lauren, honey - call me.

Fuck the artwork

At this point, I'm willing to listen to her junk,,,,,I don't even complain that she's re-producing some of her Unplugged meterial,,,,all I want from her is to come back

that cover art makes 'musicology' look like a damn pink floyd record.

It is rather cheap but @ least its different

Hope they make another ARTCOVER and not a PHOTO cover. Sick of seeing artists put their faces in the cover,,,,something different for a change would be nice.

my problem is with the design.

the lettering looks like it was done on a cheap CD-R labelling program, which leads me to believe that it's either a really preliminary mock-up of the actual cover, or else it's a complete fake.

the actual artwork on the cover (front and back) is just fine, i think.

Anxiety said:

the font reminds me of musicology....

sosgemini said:

i'm pretty sure i own that font as part of a "1,000 FUN FONTS!" CD-ROM i bought at the grocery store for 3.50 a while back.

Bring it on.

Anxiety said:

It reminded me of X-Clan

I'm digging what Lauryn had to say about bootleggage.

TheOrgerFormerlyKnownAs said:

Yeah. It's not something you can fight (Not once it's out anyway).

Besides the time may come where CD's will simply be promo for touring.
Artists may beg/pay to have their work "out there". That time may not be far off.

Harlepolis said:

GrayKing said:

ARRRR!











(sorry. had to be done.)

Anxiety said:

i love lauryn and i'm SO excited about the prospect of a new cd! that said, i need to comment on that crazy line in her statement, "and since all of you are now obsessed with following me again..." Um, hello, earth to lauryn, lol! she truly is out of her mind. its ok, i love her anyway!

i am glad we're gonna get finished versions of the demos from unplugged. she mentions on the disc that some of the songs had only just been finished while others were still in progress without titles and such. this cd will be even more interesting since i'll be able to see the evolution from demo to finished track.

SassyBritches said:

Let's just hope she hasn't crawled too far up her own ass.

I NEED THIS ALBUM!!! Come on Lauryn,bring it on!!

GangstaFam said:

i'm not worried. i know she has a lot to say and i know she's been doing a lot in her personal life. this record is sure to reflect that.

Anxiety said:

man, the hell with the design...U guys are so picky sometimes. Just give me that good Laren Hill music.

im pretty sure that artwork is fake. look at the tracklist.
for cd1 the tracks are listed in numerical order vertically. on cd2 its done horizontaly. thats not very professional, or real.

its all a hoax...government cover-up. they got rid of the real lauryn years ago when her first cd came out, you know, they same thing they did with the black michael jackson when thriller popped

I actually like the front of the cd artwork, but the back is hideous

It's all quite nice and colorful but the actual text font on the back is so Microsoft Publisher.

CinisterCee said:

She's even psychic! There are songs on there that won't even be written til 2006.

goat2004 said:

Downloud this ya'll:

[no file sharing sista girl...sowwy- orgnote folks..orgnote...sos]

so,is there an official release date?

Where is Mr. Intentional?

love

Anxiety said:

Oh u Anxiety


Anyway yeah the front looks very 'bootleg' like. Like an intended bootleg cover for now, the type is so cheap I 4got the name of it but I have it on my computer, and never use it.

I don't even have the first album guys so just SLAP MEH!

i JUST got Urban Hang Suite...good stuff.