Ms. Lauryn Hill & The Fugees
Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
11.09.23

Ms. Lauryn Hill may be the most enigmatic artist of the last 25 years. One year after dropping one of the biggest rap records of the 90s, The Fugees’ “The Score”, Hill returned with an even more lauded classic: 1998’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” The album scored Hill 5 Grammys, including album of the year. For years, millions of music fans anticipated her sophomore album. The aughts turned to the tens, the tens to the twenties, the twenties to the present day. While it’s disappointing we may never receive another album from the legendary Ms. Hill, her astonishing performance in Seattle at the Climate Pledge Arena on the 25th anniversary tour of the album proved that this album is so timeless, so vibrant, and so immediate that if this is the end of the discography, it’s enough.

For those wondering, yes, the concert did start well over an hour after the scheduled time. But for the next two hours and change, the capacity audience at Climate Pledge Arena was treated to such an audio visual feast that one would be hard pressed to find many attendees who took umbrage with Ms. Lauryn Hill’s tardiness. The performance was that great.

“The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” is packed with classics, and performing the album backed with a live band that more closely resembled a symphony gave the songs such an unexpected breath of life and expansion. Ms. Hill and her team should strongly consider releasing a live version of the best of each track – it would instantly grab a hold of the Billboard charts. From “Lost Ones” to “Doo Woo (That Thing)”, “Everything is Everything” to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” her energy was dialed in and on point. She had the crowd engaged from the first to the last note. This was a classic performance if ever there was one.

A break of only a few minutes ushered in the arrival of The Fugees, with Pras and Wyclef joining Lauryn and the aforementioned backing band. The energy didn’t dip one bit, with the three of them trading bars back and forth with such ease that it seems they must’ve been touring nonstop for years. “Killing Me Softly with His Song” and “Ready or Not” gave way to Wyclef’s “Gone Till November” and Pras’ portion of “Ghetto Superstar” in a performance by all that may be best summed up as joyful. 

This was a beautiful night to remember, and a testament to the timeless artistry of the incomparable Ms. Lauryn Hill. 

Photos and review by Sattva Photo