Adele has become one of the greatest musicians of all time and she recently opened up about how Lauryn Hill inspired her career.
The ‘Someone Like You’ hitmaker attended the former Fugees star’s concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, and after ward she took to Instagram to share her own personal memory of seeing the 43-year-old star in London, when she was just 10-years-old in 1999.
Heaping praise on the ‘Ready or Not’ singer’s 1998 debut solo LP ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ and for reaching levels she doesn’t believe she herself is capable of, Adele, 30, wrote alongside the record’s artwork, “I saw Lauryn Hill in 1999 at Brixton Academy when I was 10 years old. Tonight I saw her play at the Hollywood Bowl. I’ve just turned 30! What a woman what a record, by far Miseducation is my favorite record of all time.”
She added, “Such an honest representation of love and life, I feel I can relate too but also I know theres elements and levels i never will be able to. Ms Lauryn Hill was on form in every way possible. Thank you for the record of a life time, thank you for your wisdom! Thank you for existing. Happy 20th x (sic)”
Lauryn was recently forced to defend herself against claims she stole music for the album.
She penned a lengthy essay defending herself after jazz musician Robert Glasper claimed last month that Lauryn had “stolen all of [his] friends’ music” whilst making the record.
In 2001, Lauryn settled a lawsuit with four musicians from the album who claimed they had been denied writing credits.
In her essay, she wrote, “I apologise for the delay in getting this posted, I was late in hearing about it. I understand this is long, but my last interview was over a decade ago.”
“The Miseducation was the first time I worked with musicians outside of the Fugees [whose] report and working relationship was clear. In an effort to create the same level of comfort, I may not have established the necessary boundaries and may have been more inviting than I should have been.”
She added, “In hindsight, I would have handled it differently for the removal of any confusion. And I have handled it differently since, I’m clear and I make clear before someone walks in the door what I am and am not looking for. I may have been inclusive, but these are my songs.”
She also refuted Glasper’s allegations that she was difficult to work with and she cut musicians’ pay when she was displeased with them.
Lauryn wrote, “Don’t have the details or recollection of cutting the band’s pay in half. If fees had been negotiated and confirmed without my knowledge, I may have asked for them to be adjusted. But I would never just cut a musician’s pay arbitrarily unless I had a legitimate reason. There are artists who do cut pay though, James Brown was notorious for docking musicians if they did something he didn’t like, I’m sure there are others.
“Men often can say ‘I want it done like this’ and not be challenged. The same rules don’t always apply for women who may be met with resistance. When this happens you replace that player with someone who respects you and the office you hold. (sic)”
Bang Showbiz
