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- Essence Fest Takes Responsibility for Lauryn Hill Ending Show at 3:37 A.M.: 'The Delay? Not Hers'</p>
<p>Marina WattsJuly 8, 2025 at 8:23 PM</p>
<p>Erika Goldring/Getty</p>
<p>Lauryn Hill in 2025</p>
<p>Essence Fest has released a statement following Lauryn Hill's very-delayed performance at Caesars Superdome</p>
<p>The singer was meant to take the stage at 12:30 a.m. but didn't go on until closer to 2:30 a.m.</p>
<p>Hill performed songs from her Grammy-winning album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and chatted with audience members during her set</p>
<p>Essence Fest is taking responsibility for Lauyn Hill's late set time.</p>
<p>The 2025 Essence Festival of Culture posted a statement on Monday, July 7, addressing Hill's performance at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans to a near-empty stadium in the early morning hours on Saturday, July 5.</p>
<p>"Family is family and around here we protect our own no matter what the PEOPLE have to say," began the statement shared on Instagram.</p>
<p>"Let's be very clear— WE don't play about Ms. Lauryn Hill. Not for clicks. Not for headlines. She arrived on schedule, stepped on that stage, and delivered the kind of performance only a legend can."</p>
<p>The festival addressed the setback on Hill's performance, which began at 2:30 a.m. and concluded at 3:37 a.m. "The delay? Not hers. We will take that. The moment? One for the books. The legacy? Still unmatched."</p>
<p>"Put some respect on her name. Keep the takes, but keep her out of them," concluded the statement. "All love and deep profound admiration for Ms. Lauryn Hill. #ESSENCEFest25."</p>
<p>Paras Griffin/WireImage</p>
<p>Lauryn Hill in 2025</p>
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<p>Fans were grateful for the festival organizers taking responsibility for the delayed run of the show. "ACCOUNTABILITY!!! Thank you for addressing this for her 🙌🏾 all 50 of us enjoyed her that stayed til 3:30 am!!!!! Thank you Lauryn Hill!!," one fan wrote on Instagram.</p>
<p>"👏👏👏👏👏👏," Erykah Badu chimed in.</p>
<p>"Accountability is everything. 🙌🏾 No event is perfect. ❤️ and our good sis has a bad rap for being late - thanks for setting the record straight," another fan wrote, alluding to Hill being known for late performances in the past.</p>
<p>Per Nola.com, the festival was running late from earlier in the evening, with the lineup also featuring Maxwell, Babyface, the Isley Brothers and GloRilla. Hill was a late addition to the festival's run of show that evening, Stereogum reported.</p>
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<p>The "Everything Is Everything" artist's original time slot was at 12:35 a.m., according to Essence Fest's Instagram, making her performance two hours behind schedule.</p>
<p>Erika Goldring/Getty</p>
<p>Lauryn Hill in 2025</p>
<p>Despite the late-night performance, Hill, 50, spent her set chatting with the remaining audience members at the Superdome, which can hold over 70,000 people.</p>
<p>She took requests to sing "I Gotta Find Peace of Mind" and "Tell Him," per Rolling Stone, and also performed songs from her Grammy-winning album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Hill also sang with her sons, Zion Marley and Joshua "YG" Marley.</p>
<p>The 2025 Essence Festival of Culture took place from Thursday, July 3 to Sunday, July 6.</p>
<p>on People</p>
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