MUSIC HEADLINES : LAURYN HILL RELEASES “CONSUMERISM” FOLLOWING RELEASE FROM PRISON

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ormer Fugees member, Lauryn Hill, was recently released from jail after a three month sentence. The “Ex-Factor” singer was convicted of tax evasion, failing to pay nearly $1 million over the past decade. Lauryn claimed that she was not able to pay her debt due to “veiled” threats, and the music industry “black listing” her. Although she was able to pay back $900,000 before she was sentenced, the judge still saw fit that she do some time.

To mark the occasion, Lauryn and her camp released a new single called “Consumerism.” She released a statement via her Tumblr page explaining her up-coming project, “Letters From Exile,” and the meaning behind the track.

“Consumerism is part of some material I was trying to finish before I had to come in. We did our best to eek out a mix via verbal and emailed direction, thanks to the crew of surrogate ears on the other side. Letters From Exile is material written from a certain space, in a certain place. I felt the need to discuss the underlying socio-political, cultural paradigm as I saw it.”

She continued: “I haven’t been able to watch the news too much recently, so I’m not hip on everything going on. But inspiration of this sort is a kind of news in and of itself, and often times contains an urgency that precedes what happens. I couldn’t imagine it not being relevant. Messages like these I imagine find their audience, or their audience finds them, like water seeking it’s level.” The track gives off a vibe that is even stronger than “Killing Me Softly.”

The rhythmic baseline is a cross between soft sounds and hard drums bringing her soul into the fire. Hill raps fast over the track, spitting out the brutal attacks at racism, television, fashion, corporate greed, commercialism, false religion, egotism and consumerism. This new single definitely sets the stage for what the upcoming project may have to offer.