On July 18th, superstar Lauryn Hill is set to report to prison for three months after having pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges. As evidence that she isn’t bowed or broken by the sobering turn of events, Hill took to Tumblr to post a thorough explanation of her latest track “Neurotic Society.” The song was released in early May to a mixed reception from fans, but Hill stands behind the song’s message.
“Neurotic Society is a song about people not being or not being able to be, who and what they truly are, due to the current social construct,” she wrote. “I am not targeting any particular group of people, but rather targeting everyone in our society who hides behind neurotic behavior, rather than deal with it. The world we live in now is, in many ways, an abhorrent distortion, an accumulation of generations and generations in response to negative stimuli. Many don’t even have a concept of what normal is, by virtue of having lived afraid, ashamed, as victims of abuse, for so long. I believe in coming up from under that fear and allowing the psyche/soul to truly heal. I understand that healing is a process but I also believe that it is our responsibility to seriously care of ourselves, so that we can extend that level of concern for others and positively affect our environment. I want what is best for humanity. Humanity, aligned with the spiritual principles, that help each individual conquer fear and transcend limited circumstances. I believe in healing and dealing with the traumatizing events of our lives, both in this lifetime, as well as those passed down to us or inherited, so we can live as fully as possible.”
“The whole world suffers from a lack of honest dialogue. Character and integrity have suffered at the hands of political correctness and corporate agenda while our society moves further and further towards unhealthiness and breakdown. I oppose these trends,” she continues. “Everyone has a right to their own beliefs. Although I do not necessarily agree with what everyone says or does, I do believe in everyone’s right to protest. The overarching message of my music is to get up and stop compromising! Hopefully it will stimulate and motivate the changes that our society needs.”
“Artists are constantly under media and public scrutiny,” Hill says. “This is not a one-way street. Those of us with the charge of putting out faithful vibrations, have a responsibility to report what we see, and to write about what we know. I have seen some of the best and also some of the worst representations of human behavior. The same way that I exalt that which is high, is the same way I expose that which is abusive, in order to motivate and remind if not all of us, than as many as possible, of the higher calling.”
In related news, the Grammy winner has also reached a settlement with the landlord that accused her of failing to pay rent for the New Jersey mansion she’s been living in with her family for years. According to TMZ, Lauryn has agreed to pay $7,000 in rent and reportedly vacated the property by May 31st.
