Newark. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/
Reuters
Age: 37.
Appearance: Actor in a legal
drama.
Reality: Singer in a tax drama.
The girl from the Fugees?
Yes, that Lauryn Hill; the one whose
1998 debut album The Miseducation
of Lauryn Hill sold more than
19m copies, won her five Grammy
Awards and made her one of the
biggest pop stars in the world.
Sure but that was for ever
ago. What has she done
since? All sorts. But musically, not a
lot. Fans are still waiting for a second
studio album.
After 15 years? Yep.
Do you think it might be
time for them to just give
up? Actually, no. It's the perfect time
for them to start celebrating.
Why? Because Hill has just been
sentenced to three months in prison
after pleading guilty to three counts of
tax evasion.
And that's good news for her
fans ? It's great news for her fans.
How exactly? Because she now
owes the state of New Jersey a total
of approximately $1m in unpaid taxes
and fines.
And her fans are notorious
for taking delight in her
financial hardship? No, but
nothing better persuades a great but
temperamental artist to make art
than the crushing weight of a colossal
unpaid bill. And with that kind of debt
to work off – not to mention three
months' first-hand experience of
prison life to write and rap about –
that follow-up album should be
ready in no time.
I'll believe it when I see it.
You can see it on her Tumblr. She told
fans a week ago: "It has been
reported that I signed a new record
deal, and that I did this to pay taxes.
Yes, I have recently entered into an
agreement with Sony Worldwide
Entertainment, to launch a new label,
on which my new music will be
released."
Ah. I guess money does
make her world go round.
Yep. Although that's Des'ree.
Oh. What's a Lauryn Hill
lyric then? One at random: "Now
tell me your philosophy/On exactly
what an artist should be/Should they
be someone with prosperity/And no
concept of reality?"
Do say: "I'm definitely buying the
new album."
Don't say: "Is it called The
Miscalculations of Lauryn Hill?"
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