Lauryn Hill has announced that she will soon release her first album of new material since 2002.
In a statement posted to her official Tumblr, Hill explains that her silence was mainly due to legal and industry issues. She's pretty vague, but clearly very angry about the setbacks.
Hill says her new music will be released on her own label, which will be part of Sony Worldwide Entertainment. She clarified the nature of the arrangement in her message, countering earlier claims in the media about the deal.
Lauryn Hill's last full album of new material was MTV Unplugged 2.0.
The album, which was made up of stories and minimal acoustic originals, was a huge departure from Hill's previous work and was not well received by fans or critics, though it was certified platinum.
Since then, Hill has released only one new song (aside from providing guest vocals on tracks by John Legend and Method Man). "Repercussions" was released as a one-off digital single in 2010.
Even if she's been out of the studio, she's spent a good amount of time on the road. Here's a totally fierce reworked version of her hit "Lost Ones" at Coachella in 2011.
Hill has been out of the public eye for a long time, so it's worth remembering that she's one of the most talented artists of her generation. If you haven't heard The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill recently, revisit it. It's a true masterpiece.
