The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary concert with Nas as a special guest, took place at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg, was a much-anticipated concert surrounded by a lot of scepticism. Our Features Writer Fundiswa Nkwanyana attended the event and tells us why Lauryn Hill’s performance was everything and more.
Lauryn Hill’s performance was everything and more
I’m sure that I had the best night of my life. I screamed so much my voice is even husky, my body is aching from all the dancing and my heart is bursting with joy that will live with me forever.
The venue was packed with fans of Nas and Lauryn all hyped up for the highly anticipated concert. The 80’s and 90’s babies who grew up during the times of cassette tapes when hip hop and soul music were beginning their beautiful love story were all dressed up and ready to dance the night away.
Special guest Nas performed
When Nas stepped on the stage, the crowd came alive and the night lit up. Seeing and hearing him dropping lyrics that have deep sentimental value to me was epic. I watched in awe as he bopped his head to 80’s hip hop beats, looking fresh in a yellow and black tracksuit with a big chain around his neck. From the moment he walked onto the stage, he made a strong connection with the crowd that only grew stronger with each song. I was touched when he took a moment to share that performing in our beautiful continent is a dream come true for him. I believed him because it was evident by the emotive and euphoric way he performed.
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When Nas took a bow, my heart picked up its pace as I eagerly waited for one of my favourite artists of all time to grace the stage. The moments leading up to her performance were filled with excitement and anxiety. I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience as the crowd’s anticipation was bursting at the seams.
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The sceptics were wrong
This was a special moment to me because everyone was laughing at me for going to the concert because they believed that she would not pitch, be late and give a dismal performance. When I realized that following my instincts was the right choice, I was very happy. She respected our time and money and when she excitedly walked onto the stage wearing a funky sheer white dress with dramatic sleeves, I knew that she was here to give us what we want. I love that she completed her look with a cap that had a black net covering her forehead.
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It was a genuine experience
She introduced us to the upbeat, mature and ever soulful version of the Miseducation album. There was a sincerity in her performance that felt genuine because she was beaming with joy and it was clear to me that this meant a lot to her as well. She asked the crowd to check her pronunciation of Zulu, Xhosa and Mzansi and even took time to preach about love, respect and truth. Before each song, she reminded us that she loves and appreciates us. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Nas joined her on stage to perform” If I ruled the world” and words cannot explain this moment.
Her performance flowed, her voice was mesmerizing, the sound quality was great and her band and backup singers were amazing. When she was prompted to wrap up because her time is up, she sneaked in a couple of more songs, explaining that she is sorry but leaving the stage is not easy for her because we are giving her so much love. She ended her show with a song that had a typical South African drum and bass beat that made the crowd lose their minds.
By the end of the concert I had mascara running down my face because I was an emotional mess after hearing her sing some of my favourite jams which are To Zion, Everything is Everything, Ex Factor and Doo Wop (That Thing). When I got home, I battled to sleep because my heart was still buzzing with excitement. I will remember this night for the rest of my life.
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