Patrick Henningsen
21st Century Wire
Q: Is it better, or worse, for artists today in America?
(Hint: we’re not talking about money here)
The Fugees lead singer Lauryn Hill entered the music industry at the tail end of its transition into the corporate pop entity we all know today – dominated by the sexualization of women, violence, the occult and where it’s not uncommon to see satanic imagery and references in so many popular videos – all cleverly marketed towards teens and pre-teens.
Both Hill and her band, ‘The Fugees’, have produced a body of work still stands out as something of real integrity and originality – two things so sorely lacking in today’s one dimensional and depressingly vapid music charts. She was by all accounts, one of the last really unique, cross-over musical artists who emerged from her era.
But being too unique, or having too many original ideas can get you into trouble if you live in a fascist state or a fake democracy, and even in America…
After singer Hill, 37, was sentenced to three months’ jail followed by three months’ home confinement for failing to pay $500,000, a judge in Newark, New Jersey ordered her to undergo counseling because of her disturbing “conspiracy theories”.
Achtung: The thought policeare back in vogue again – even the goose step isn’t just yet.
Should artists be worried?
It would be interesting to find out if Lauryn Hill (above), an African-American herself, voted for Barack Obama back in 2008, in the hopes that this vote might advance freedom of expression and propel the arts forward in America.
More than likely, Obama’s own teen-aged children probably have Lauryn Hill’s music on their iPods. Even Barack and Michelle probably enjoy the odd slow jam/dance to Lauryn and The Fugees. We would hope that the President might come to her aid in this instance, and send a message to other American artists that they will not be persecuted by the US justice system if their beliefs fall outside of the narrow set of norms set forth by the few. Will he? Will he help Lauryn, and protect artists’ freedom of thought? Only if that’s a priority for the White House – only if freedom of expression is a priority for this ruling party.
It seems like almost the opposite is happening in America today. Only last week, the President warned students at Ohio State how they ‘should reject anti-government voices’. Americans have been warned it seems.
So another artist stands in the dock guilty, as an artist who has been ordered to go to re-education because the government does not agree with her personal historical, geopolitical and social beliefs. In this case, her main crime was her belief that “artists are being oppressed by a plot involving the military and media”.
Knowing what we know about the dirty music industry, we can vouch for Hill’s conspiracy as being more or less on target.
If Hill is guilty of anything, it’s probably for not being afraid to speak truth to power – another trait sorely lacking in today’s culture of celebrities and pseudo-artists. Other artists are doing just fine, thriving and making plenty of money – provided they promote the right concepts and imagery and do not stray off the reservation, just ask White House court performers Jay Z and Beyonce.
This should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks that their particular disposition of wealth, celebrity, color or as an ‘artist’ – will save them from the brutal judgement of the state.
Amazing, isn’t it.
Welcome to Obama’s new America…
Lauryn Hill Ordered by the Court to Undergo “Counseling” Due to her “Conspiracy Theories”
The name of Lauryn Hill’s breakout album was The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill but it now appears that the powers that be would like her to record a new album called The Re-Education of Lauryn Hill. After appearing in court for tax evasion, Hill was sentenced to three months in jail PLUS she must attend “counseling” due to her “conspiracy theories”.
According to the IBTimes, Hill told the court: “I am a child of former slaves who had a system imposed on them. I had an economic system imposed on me.” Furthermore, Hill also believes that artists are being oppressed by (what the article calls) “a plot involving the military and media”. Because of these statements, Hill was ordered to undergo “counseling”, which is a way of saying that she is mentally ill and that she needs some sort of re-programming session regain “sanity”.
In 2012, Hill published a thoughtful letter describing the corruption, the oppression and the control of the music industry and her desire to escape it. In one part of the letter, Lauryn states
“It was this schism and the hypocrisy, violence and social cannibalism it enabled, that I wanted and needed to be freed from, not from art or music, but the suppression/repression and reduction of that art and music to a bottom line alone, without regard for anything else. Over-commercialization and its resulting restrictions and limitations can be very damaging and distorting to the inherent nature of the individual. I Love making art, I Love making music, these are as natural and necessary for me almost as breathing or talking. To be denied the right to pursue it according to my ability, as well as be properly acknowledged and compensated for it, in an attempt to control, is manipulation directed at my most basic rights! These forms of expression, along with others, effectively comprise my free speech! Defending, preserving, and protecting these rights are critically important, especially in a paradigm where veiled racism, sexism, ageism, nepotism, and deliberate economic control are still blatant realities!!!”
(See my article entitled Lauryn Hill’s Tumblr Letter on the Music Business for the full letter).
Despite what mainstream media reports, Hill is not mumbling incoherent “conspiracy theories” but is rather speaking the truth. Her statements are a result of her first hand experience within the industry and her desire to not be part of its madness. Hill’s “theories” are simply an intelligent person’s clear analysis of a situation.
However, as American society turns into a real life version of the novel 1984, speaking the truth is increasingly considered to be a mental illness – one that needs to be treated and fixed. Does free speech still exist if saying the wrong words leads to a mandatory visit to a “mind doctor”?
I’ll just let Lauryn sing the final words:
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