Last May, Lauryn Hill showed up for a concert in Atlanta about two hours late, and the fans who attended the show were not happy. It wasn’t the first time Hill had shown up at a concert well past the scheduled starting time—she’s become notorious for her late arrivals at this point—but she was so late in that instance and received such negative backlash for it that she took to her Facebook page to offer up an explanation to her fans.
“I don’t show up late to shows because I don’t care,” she wrote. “The challenge is aligning my energy with the time, taking something that isn’t easily classified or contained, and trying to make it available for others. I don’t have an on/off switch. I am at my best when I am open, rested, sensitive, and liberated to express myself as truthfully as possible.”
Since then, there haven’t been a lot of reports of Hill showing up ridiculously late to shows, even though she has spent most of the last six months traveling the country on her The MLH Caravan: A Diaspora Calling! Concert Series. But on Tuesday night, Hill showed up late—very late—to a show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and fans freaked out on social media as a result of it.
Hill’s show was scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET at Heinz Hall. But according to tweets sent out by fans who were in attendance, Hill was a no-show as of around 11 p.m. There were plenty of people jam-packed into the concert hall, and there was an entire band set up on the stage ready to go. But there was no Lauryn Hill to be found.
Lauryn Hill is 3+ hours late to this show & everyone is visibly (& understandably) mad but I don't get why anyone is surprised. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
— Erin Hebert (@erinehebert) February 1, 2017
I've been waiting for Lauryn hill to come on stage for almost 3 hours. She has yet to come out. I'm beyond angry.
— Anthony (@lowkiiiiisavage) February 1, 2017
Three hours fifteen minutes later, there is a great band playing but it’s not Lauryn Hill. pic.twitter.com/pfT6qy7oYd
— Allison Barton (@AllisonB) February 1, 2017
#LaurynHill refund Line at Heinz Hall. Killing me softly. #NoShow pic.twitter.com/pckZQa4HgO
— Just Merry (@jp_pgh) February 1, 2017
NJ.com is reporting that, at around 11 p.m., many of the frustrated fans inside of the concert hall started lining up to try and get refunds for their tickets. But at right around 11:20 p.m., Hill finally made her way into Heinz Hall and eventually took the stage to perform. The show reportedly ran until around 1 a.m., and while most of the fans who had purchased tickets for the concert had reportedly left by that time, it sounds like Hill still managed to put on a good show.
UPDATE: She has appeared pic.twitter.com/XXexLv8cFN
— Erin Hebert (@erinehebert) February 1, 2017
12:51 and maybe 1/4 of the original crowd is still here watching #Laurynhill. 11:20 start. I'd be mad…but damn…she is fucking good.
— Just Merry (@jp_pgh) February 1, 2017
That obviously hasn’t stopped people from going in on Hill on Twitter for showing up late to yet another concert. Hill’s name has been trending for most of Wednesday morning with most people sending out tweets that include some variation of “It’s Lauryn Hill—what did you expect?!” to those fans who were upset with her tardiness.
Lauryn Hill was over 3 hours late for her show last night in Pittsburgh. WHY do people even continue to waste their money?
— keithan (@iamKeithan) February 1, 2017
2017 and people still dumb enough to buy Lauryn Hill tickets.
— Last Faithful Man (@AirSkittleZ) February 1, 2017
"Yo you going to that Lauryn Hill concert tonight?"
Lauryn Hill: "nah you?"
— pj (@pjhoody) February 1, 2017
I may not know everything but I know I few things. Never drink brown water, never take candy from a stranger & never buy Lauryn Hill tickets
— SourceAshley (@WrecklessLove) February 1, 2017
In my will I ask to be lowered into my casket by Lauryn Hill…So she can either let me down one more time or no-show one more event…
— Master Miller (@j_millerworks) February 1, 2017
BET gotta do "The Disappearing Act: Lauryn Hill" next
— sherm (@SHERMradio) January 27, 2017
Y'all been giving Lauryn Hill entirely too much for over 10 years and she's failed you each time.
— PeachyVanzant (@CajunPeachy) February 1, 2017
Y'all still buying Lauryn Hill tickets in the two-thousandth and 17th year of our Lord and Savior? You deserve what you get. pic.twitter.com/ObLIsqndhz
— Charisse ✊ (@Scandalous49) February 1, 2017
"u already performed if u got the deposit " -lauryn hill to upcoming future musicians pic.twitter.com/ahzwkIWLIS
— Ahmed/Rozay Top 5 (@big_business_) February 1, 2017
Miseducation is one of my favorite albums ever but you'd have to force me to go to a Lauryn Hill show at this point
— Ahsaad – but no Ah (@saadishappy) February 1, 2017
Hill hasn’t released a statement regarding her late start in Pittsburgh. But given the strong reaction it has received, it’s probably only a matter of time before she takes to social media to explain herself again.
