For years many awaited Lauryn Hill‘s return, following a decade spent living away from the public eye to raise her family.

Then, in the middle of last year, the vocalist returned to the stage delivering a number of well received sets at festivals around the USA- and dates in and around Europe.

However, just when her career seemed to be finding its footing, today saw a spanner thrown in her works. Reports claim she may be headed to jail for not paying taxes in the years 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Taxes, that add up to become a whopping $1.5 million.

Now she has responded to the claims with a chilling open letter, shedding light on what she purports to be a dangerous music industry.

For the past several years, I have remained what others would consider underground. I did this in order to build a community of people, like-minded in their desire for freedom and the right to pursue their goals and lives without being manipulated and controlled by a media protected military industrial complex with a completely different agenda. Having put the lives and needs of other people before my own for multiple years, and having made hundreds of millions of dollars for certain institutions, under complex and sometimes severe circumstances, I began to require growth and more equitable treatment, but was met with resistance. I entered into my craft full of optimism (which I still possess), but immediately saw the suppressive force with which the system attempts to maintain it’s control over a given paradigm. I’ve seen people promote addiction, use sabotage, black listing, media bullying and any other coercion technique they could, to prevent artists from knowing their true value, or exercising their full power. These devices of control, no matter how well intentioned (or not), can have a devastating outcome on the lives of people, especially creative types who must grow and exist within a certain environment and according to a certain pace, in order to live and create optimally.

I kept my life relatively simple, even after huge successes, but it became increasingly obvious that certain indulgences and privileges were expected to come at the expense of my free soul, free mind, and therefore my health and integrity. So I left a more mainstream and public life, in order to wean both myself, and my family, away from a lifestyle that required distortion and compromise as a means for maintaining it. During this critical healing time, there were very few people accessible to me who had not already been seduced or affected by this machine, and therefore who could be trusted to not try and influence or coerce me back into a dynamic of compromise. Individual growth was expected to take place unnaturally, or stagnated outright, subject to marketing and politics. Addressing critical issues like pop culture cannibalism or its manipulation of the young at the expense of everything, was frowned upon and discouraged by limiting funding, or denying it outright. When one has a prolific creative output like I did/do, and is then forced to stop, the effects can be dangerous both emotionally and psychologically, both for the artist and those in need of that resource. It was critically important that I find a suitable pathway within which to exist, without being distorted or economically strong-armed.

During this period of crisis, much was said about me, both slanted and inaccurate, by those who had become dependent on my creative force, yet unwilling to fully acknowledge the importance of my contribution, nor compensate me equitably for it. This was done in an effort to smear my public image, in order to directly affect my ability to earn independently of this system. It took a long time to locate and nurture a community of people strong enough to resist the incredibly unhealthy tide, and more importantly see through it. If I had not been able to make contact with, and establish this community, my life, safety and freedom, would have been directly affected as well as the lives, safety and freedom of my family. Failure to create a non toxic, non exploitative environment was not an option.

As my potential to work, and therefore earn freely, was being threatened, I did whatever needed to be done in order to insulate my family from the climate of hostility, false entitlement, manipulation, racial prejudice, sexism and ageism that I was surrounded by. This was absolutely critical while trying to find and establish a new and very necessary community of healthy people, and also heal and detoxify myself and my family while raising my young children.

There were no exotic trips, no fleet of cars, just an all out war for safety, integrity, wholeness and health, without mistreatment denial, and/or exploitation. In order to liberate myself from those who found it ok to oppose my wholeness, free speech and integral growth by inflicting different forms of punitive action against it, I used my resources to sustain our safety and survival until I was able to restore my ability to earn outside of it!

When artists experience danger and crisis under the effects of this kind of insidious manipulation, everyone easily accepts that there was something either dysfunctional or defective with the artist, rather than look at, and fully examine, the system and its means and policies of exploiting/’doing business’. Not only is this unrealistic, it is very dark in its motivation, conveniently targeting the object of their hero worship by removing any evidence that they ‘needed’ or celebrated this very same resource just years, months or moments before. Since those who believe they need a hero/celebrity outnumber the actual heroes/celebrities, people feel safe and comfortably justified in numbers, committing egregious crimes in the name of the greater social ego. Ironically diminishing their own true hero-celebrity nature in the process.

It was this schism and the hypocrisy, violence and social cannibalism it enabled, that I wanted and needed to be freed from, not from art or music, but the suppression/repression and reduction of that art and music to a bottom line alone, without regard for anything else. Over-commercialization and its resulting restrictions and limitations can be very damaging and distorting to the inherent nature of the individual. I Love making art, I Love making music, these are as natural and necessary for me almost as breathing or talking. To be denied the right to pursue it according to my ability, as well as be properly acknowledged and compensated for it, in an attempt to control, is manipulation directed at my most basic rights! These forms of expression, along with others, effectively comprise my free speech! Defending, preserving, and protecting these rights are critically important, especially in a paradigm where veiled racism, sexism, ageism, nepotism, and deliberate economic control are still blatant realities!!!

Learning from the past, insulating friends and family from the influence of external manipulation and corruption, is far more important to me than being misunderstood for a season! I did not deliberately abandon my fans, nor did I deliberately abandon any responsibilities, but I did however put my safety, health and freedom and the freedom, safety and health of my family first over all other material concerns! I also embraced my right to resist a system intentionally opposing my right to whole and integral survival.

I conveyed all of this when questioned as to why I did not file taxes during this time period. Obviously, the danger I faced was not accepted as reasonable grounds for deferring my tax payments, as authorities, who despite being told all of this, still chose to pursue action against me, as opposed to finding an alternative solution.

My intention has always been to get this situation rectified. When I was working consistently without being affected by the interferences mentioned above, I filed and paid my taxes. This only stopped when it was necessary to withdraw from society, in order to guarantee the safety and well-being of myself and my family.

As this, and other areas of issue are resolved and set straight, I am able to get back to doing what I should be doing, the way it should be done. This is part of that process. To those supporters who were told that I abandoned them, that is untrue. I abandoned greed, corruption, and compromise, never you, and never the artistic gifts and abilities that sustained me.

http://thatgrapejuice.net...-industry/

So much melodrama. She shouldn't have entered into the music industry when she was clearly so naive about its goings on. She could have just sang for money in local clubs for a living. Miseducation is awesome, but it ain't no Mama's Gun. Maybe if she had kept releasing new studio material, we would hear some kind of growth from her. She seems emotionally/mentally stunted. I bet she receives all criticism of herself as insults, instead of doing some self reflection.

Just wanted to add that I agee with almost all of her points surprisingly enough. She's just so melodramatic about it all. I bet she's exhausting to be around!

[Edited 6/8/12 18:15pm]

MidniteMagnet said:

So much melodrama. She shouldn't have entered into the music industry when she was clearly so naive about its goings on. She could have just sang for money in local clubs for a living. Miseducation is awesome, but it ain't no Mama's Gun. Maybe if she had kept releasing new studio material, we would hear some kind of growth from her. She seems emotionally/mentally stunted. I bet she receives all criticism of herself as insults, instead of doing some self reflection.

And thats where she has been for the past 10 years; out of the music industry.

I wish I knew what exactly made her feel revolted against releasing music again.

I'm still confused as to why she "left it". Even with the article I posted. Nothing she said makes sense as to why she didn't release nothing.

I'm scared for her. She's seems to have compleltely lost it

Timmy84 said:

I'm still confused as to why she "left it". Even with the article I posted. Nothing she said makes sense as to why she didn't release nothing.

Can you post it again? I've been meaning to read it but the damn thread got locked.

Harlepolis said:

Timmy84 said:

I'm still confused as to why she "left it". Even with the article I posted. Nothing she said makes sense as to why she didn't release nothing.

Can you post it again? I've been meaning to read it but the damn thread got locked.

Yeah I'll post it. Hold on.

http://web.archive.org/we...uryn_hill/

Thanks hun.

Harlepolis said:

Thanks hun.

No prob.

This Again Lauryn?

I love her to deah but fuck

(Sighs) I need for Lauryn Hill to really just get her shit together.

[Edited 6/8/12 18:50pm]

I defended her a bit last thread, i think Rohan Marley really fucked her up. And also that mysterious pastor the article RS posted about her speaks of.

But she has been talking about this since the unplugged album, it's kind of old hearing it over and over and over.

-

I hope she doesn't go to jail, but with a defense of "I didn't pay my taxes because I was in danger" she just might.

I wish her the best.

-

All because she got a holla from Uncle Sam...

She's a complete and utter loon. Jared Loughner could have written this kind of paranoid bilge.

Harlepolis said:

Dick is a helluva drug.

No one here has seen her recording contract or has sat in on her label meetings. Yet we are so quick to judge. It happens with here on the org all the time. Especially when an artist we all think should be doing more isn't. We are entitled to our opinion, but sometimes people want to just live their life out of the spotlight. The music industry is dangerous. It is all about the bottom line. Shareholders determine what is played on the radio, not the fact that a song is great. People are more concerned with a Billboard chart position, than how good the damn song actually is. Just because it sold lots of copies doesn't merit greatness. Of course every artist wants to sell many records or downloads, but not everyone is willing to compromise themselves for that. I respect Lauryn Hill for her choice. She is a real person with real feelings and children to nurture and care for. Nothing is more important than that. I have a friend that auditioned for her band a couple years ago to fill the guitar spot. He said the two of them were jamming one of her tunes and as soon as he started to solo, she got up and walked out. Not a word. Nutty an act as that may have been, he still had respect for her genius and nothing but kind words to say about her. More than I can say for many in the last few threads I've read here. Same thing for D'angelo. These people don't owe us a thing. We just want them to do what we want them to. Make a record we like, tour in support of it and continue to do it again ad nauseum. Whatever Ms. Hill's obligation to the feds is, I'm sure she will work it out. Sorry for the rant, I just get tired of these negative group think style attacks everytime I get online. She is by no means following the crowd. She is much stronger than most here give her credit for. I'm not defending Lauryn Hill, but the fact that she is not willing to release music that isn't true to herself says a lot.

ABeautifulOne said:

Dick is a helluva drug.

HuMpThAnG said:

ABeautifulOne said:

Dick is a helluva drug.

Hahaha!

sunlite said:

No one here has seen her recording contract or has sat in on her label meetings. Yet we are so quick to judge.

That's liabel to happen when you make a public statement.

ABeautifulOne said:

Dick is a helluva drug.

I've always believed that she never really wanted to be an artist in the first place. I think singing and rapping was something that she just enjoyed as a past time and it was through the prodding and poking of others, that she jumped into it as a profession, not really knowing what being in the spotlight was really, all about. I also find it funny that, just like Bobby and Whitney, people want to blame Rohan for her behavoir and her actions due to that behavior. Lauryn is big girl and should be held accountable for her own shit. Those who blame Rohan, for her "out of pocket', behavior are just as delusional as Lauryn is. She has had issues long before Rohan, ( Just look at her relationship with Wyclef.) I have always said that when a contract is given to a young athelte or artist of color, they should also be assigned a shrink, who will be there to help them with this new experience called, "The Business". A business that will eat you alive.

shorttrini said:

I've always believed that she never really wanted to be an artist in the first place. I think singing and rapping was something that she just enjoyed as a past time and it was through the prodding and poking of others, that she jumped into it as a profession, not really knowing what being in the spotlight was really, all about. I also find it funny that, just like Bobby and Whitney, people want to blame Rohan for her behavoir and her actions due to that behavior. Lauryn is big girl and should be held accountable for her own shit. Those who blame Rohan, for her "out of pocket', behavior are just as delusional as Lauryn is. She has had issues long before Rohan, ( Just look at her relationship with Wyclef.) I have always said that when a contract is given to a young athelte or artist of color, they should also be assigned a shrink, who will be there to help them with this new experience called, "The Business". A business that will eat you alive.

Pretty much.

Lauryn and Axl Rose should become Pen Pals.

She bores me. I just think she's been long overdue for a shrink. That.is.all.

No one cares what you have to say, Lauryn.

VoicesCarry said:

No one cares what you have to say, Lauryn.

Cold but ultimately the truth. Why? Because maybe her words would have some weight if she actually was productive or part of the machine for the last 15 years.

I mean all these diatribes over the "system" that made you, which included her rants and release of the skeletal demo called Unplugged, but no mention of her children born out of wedlock.

Thats the diatribe that should be spoken, not about the fuckin record company.

See..some of these "leaders" in the media who are musicians etc all think they are saying something and are a teacher when they really should just sing and then shut the hell up. Making a hit record, a mvement in music or whatever still doesnt make you anything great in social science. This goes for folks like MJ (a sham), Marley (no comment), Madonna (a hypocrite), etc etc. Im not trying to take away from folks like Neil Young or some others who are actually authentic and get it right, but these pop stars are freakin pretenders to the throne when all is said and done.

When I want to stimulate my mind or learn thngs about my surroundings and society ills and needs and whats goin on Ill look to my politi...oh wait.....

.

[Edited 6/9/12 8:39am]