Lauryn Hill, despite developing a reputation for tardiness over the course of her career, doesn't appear to have been at fault for her late start at Essence Festival over the weekend. Serving as a headliner for the event, she didn't end up taking the stage until 2:30 AM.
On Monday, the event's social media account posted a clip from her set and took blame for it's late start in the caption. "Family is family and around here we protect our own no matter what the PEOPLE have to say. Let’s be very clear— WE don’t play about Ms. Lauryn Hill. Not for clicks. Not for headlines," the statement begins, as caught by AllHipHop.
The organizers continue: "She arrived on schedule, stepped on that stage, and delivered the kind of performance only a legend can. The delay? Not hers. We will take that. The moment? One for the books. The legacy? Still unmatched. Put some respect on her name. Keep the takes, but keep her out of them. All love and deep profound admiration for Ms. Lauryn Hill."
Read More: Fans Place Blame For Lauryn Hill's Late-Night Essence Fest Set On Singer But Sources Blame Essence
Who Performed At Essence Festival?
In addition to Lauryn Hill, other performers at the event included Erykah Badu, Ari Lennox, Babyface, Patti LaBelle, and several more iconic artists. Elsewhere during Essence Festival, Master P put on what he described as his final-ever performance. Speaking with People ahead of the set, he explained that he's officially retiring from music. The move comes after he accepted a job to serve as the President of Basketball Operations at the University of New Orleans.
He told the outlet: "I feel like this is the next phase of my life. There is a lot of negative stuff going on in hip-hop and people don’t want to talk about the positive things. They say when you know better, you do better. That’s the phase I’m on. I’m fine with growing up."
