Despite all the controversy over Summer Jam, Nas went through with his surprise performance at MetLife Stadium, bringing Lauryn Hill with him. The New York veteran, who was originally supposed to appear during Nicki Minaj’s headlining set, spoke exclusively with Rap-Up.com about returning to the Summer Jam stage for the first time in nearly a decade, reuniting with L-Boogie, and his thoughts on Nicki’s cancellation.
Nas butted heats with Hot 97 during his performance at Summer Jam in 2001 when he was beefing with Jay-Z. But he remained neutral this time around, showing support for both camps. Hear what the Don had to say.
Lauryn Hill was rumored to be a guest of Nicki Minaj’s at Summer Jam, but the former Fugees member is going on the record to clear up the rumors. In a letter posted on Twitter, Ms. Hill explained that she was not scheduled to be Nicki’s guest at Sunday’s show. Instead, Nas was the one who invited her to perform.
She also addressed Nicki’s absence and supported her decision to pull out from the concert after being dissed by Hot 97 jock Peter Rosenberg. “We have to find a better way to commercially exploit music, while giving artists their proper respect,” wrote Hill.
Nicki responded to her letter on Twitter. “Thank u Lauryn. Nas was coming out on my set, u were coming out 2 perform w/him. That was within my set that was going 2 continue w/foxy,” she tweeted. “Coming from Lauryn it means the world. No one deserves this treatment. We’re all out here working. Have respect for your guests.”
Hip-hop royalty graced the stage at Hot 97 Summer Jam. Following sets from Big Sean, Young Jeezy, J. Cole, and Waka Flocka Flame, Nas made a surprise appearance at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
“We back up on this motherfu**in’ stage like we never left,” said the Queens MC, who pleased the hometown crowd with hits from his expansive catalog including his latest “The Don.”
But he wasn’t the only surprise of the night. Lauryn Hill emerged to the tune of “Ready or Not,” taking hip-hop heads back with “Lost Ones” and uniting with Nas on “If I Ruled the World.” The former Fugee was seen driving around backstage on a golf cart with her kids.
Nas and Lauryn were rumored to be Nicki Minaj’s surprise guests before she pulled out of Sunday’s show. Watch the living legends perform below.
Lauryn Hill headed overseas for her first U.K. performance in five years at the indigO2 in London on Saturday (April 14). Despite her unpredictability, she silenced even the harshest of critics with over 90 minutes of Fugees classics and material off her groundbreaking album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Wearing a long metallic dress and natural hair, the former Fugees frontwoman delivered an energetic set including a cover of Bob Marley & The Wailers’ “Don’t Rock My Boat.”
At one point during the evening, the mother of six laughed off a near wardrobe malfunction. “Too much baby, no more breasts/ I’m losing my dress,” she said.
The Arts Desk praised Ms. Hill, writing, “She silenced the doubters with a fully commanding and controlling show,” while The Guardian said, “Her full control over her instrument is clear.”
Nicki Minaj collaborated with everyone from Nas to Beenie Man on her star-studded album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, but there was one elusive artist she was unable to land.
Fresh off the release of their debut single “Crash Your Party,” YouTube sensation Karmin shared which hip-hop artists have inspired them. “As far as rappers go, first is going to be Lauryn Hill,” Amy told MTV Buzzworthy. “Hearing her Miseducation album basically changed my life and got me into rapping. And then more recently I would have to say Missy Elliott, Eve, and Nicki Minaj.”
The hip-pop duo, whose debut album is due next year on Epic Records, also expressed their desire to work with another one of their inspirations. “I think the one I’m looking forward to the most would probably be Kanye West,” revealed Amy. “I think he kinda inspired us to even start doing this hip-hop thing more aggressively, his [My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy] album really inspired us.”
Nick chimed in with his list of favorite rappers. “Of course the Jay-Zs, the Drakes, the Lil Waynes,” he added, while eyeing a collaboration with Busta Rhymes and Nicki Minaj.
Karmin has racked up millions of views on YouTube with their covers of Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, and Eminem, but don’t expect to see them take on a Whitney Houston song anytime soon. “Have you ever seen a really good Whitney Houston cover?” asked Amy. “I don’t know if I have.”
It was a family affair as the normally private Lauryn Hill brought five of her six kids onstage with her at the Rock the Bells Festival on Governors Island in New York on Saturday (Sept. 3). The children, ranging in age from three to 14, joined their mother as she closed the hip-hop fest, performing her classic album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in its entirety.
She also surprised the crowd by reuniting with her fellow Fugee Pras for the first time in years. “Just got off the stage with Miss Lauryn Hill we rock the stage on rock the bells, clef where you at?” tweeted Pras.
Ms. Hill wasn’t the only mom on the bill. Erykah Badu rocked the mic with material from her debut Baduizm and was photographed backstage with her young son. The day-long festivities also included sets from Nas, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, The RZA, and others.
Lauryn Hill reminisces on her 1998 Grammy-winning solo debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in a rare interview for the film series “Classic Albums by Classic Artists” presented by Reebok Classics and Rock the Bells.
“I was excited about taking this music that I thought was beautiful—old school, doo-wop music, cats used to harmonize—just taking that and making something contemporary that my generation could get excited about,” explained the former Fugees member, who is headlining the Rock the Bells Festival.
“I acted as sort of a bridge between an older generation and younger generation and how to put those styles together,” she continued. “I think Miseducation was really what that was all about, being a bridge between generations that could very well have drifted off in separate directions. I made a piece of music from a sincere place. I think that sincerity has no choice but to resonate with people.”
