Lauryn Hill - Neurotic Society (Compulsory Mix)

Lauryn Hill has been in the news a lot lately, and not in the way I would prefer for her to be. We learned that Hill plead guilty to not filing taxes from 2005-2007 and had close to a million dollars in income tax debt that needed to be paid off. She was facing jail time when her lawyers asked for time to pay back some of the debt since she had just signed a new deal with Sony.

While that news is terrible, some of us said, "Wait...a new deal with Sony? Does that mean new music?"

It sure did mean new music!! I woke up this morning to find a link on Twitter to a new song from Ms. Hill titled Neurotic Society (Compulsory Mix). After waiting years for some new music from her, this happened incredibly fast. One day we're hearing that she's in some legal trouble and it seemed like the next we have a new song. Incredible!



I really like this. So often you see artists get away from making music and when you hear something new it seems like an imitation of their former selves, or contrived, or trying to hard to be new.

Lauryn Hill jumps all over a drum heavy, electronic beat, and we suddenly remember how good of an MC she was. It's like she never missed a step in the rap game.

And she didn't let us down by putting out a cheap love song or a fluff piece. You will never be able to say she "sold out" with this song. She makes some strong commentary on the state of society. I've long missed rap music that makes you think.

Welcome back Lauryn Hill. I hate that it took the law to put a fire under your butt, but it looks like that did the trick. Maybe the urgency gives just the right edge to this song.

Roger

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