Lauryn Hill: Released from Jail and Releases New Song

Lauryn Hill (photo courtesy of Flickr-Lisa Liang)

Singer, Lauryn Hill was released from federal prison yesterday. Hill served a 3- month term for tax evasion. She went in on July 8, 2013, and was released early for good behavior. Right before her release from prison, Hill released a new song called "Consumerism" which is part of an album called Part 1: Letters From Exile.The song has a similar spoken word flow like her previously released song "Neurotic Society". You can listen to "Consumerism" here.

Hill released this statement about "Consumerism" on her Tumblr page:

"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. 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."
- Ms. Lauryn Hill

At first glance, Hill's 2 new songs are far from the melodic and memorable tunes of her album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." The new songs are more politically charged. Instead of delivering the lyrics through hot beats and bangin' choruses, Hill delivers her lyrics to you through hard-hitting words, raw and quick. In the first few lines of the song Hill says, " Yo/ Consumerism's running through'em like a tumor in'em/Ageism, sexism, racism, chauvinism/." Although the tunes are different, the songs still contain sentiments of the socially conscious Hill. In my opinion, I can see her doing a performance on the spoken word and music show, "Verses and Flow" on TVOne. Hint...Hint! (smile). Welcome home, Ms. Hill!

What do you think of Lauryn Hill's new song "Consumerism?"

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