Lauryn Hill and her son, YG Marley, turned the 2024 BET Awards into a memorable family affair. On Sunday, June 30, the mother-son duo performed together at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Hill, 49, began their performance with a heartfelt rendition of “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” the title track of her iconic 1998 album.
Dressed in a billowing black dress, yellow cape, sunglasses, and a shimmering head covering, the Grammy-winner captivated the audience with her first song. She then transitioned into her single “Lost Ones,” much to the delight of the cheering crowd, who eagerly sang along to the track from her classic R&B, reggae-influenced record. Hill also seemed to freestyle with a rousing verse about activism and equality, reminiscent of her performance in May on The Tonight Show, which also featured her son Marley.
Soon after, YG Marley, the grandson of reggae icon Bob Marley, arrived onstage to perform his recently-released single “Survival.” The song, which features songwriting credits from Hill and uses an interpolation of his grandfather’s 1979 song “Ambush in the Night,” then transitioned into a performance of his 2023 track “Praise Jah in the Moonlight.”
Hill’s Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean then joined the duo onstage to sing their 1995 rap track “Fu-Gee-La,” closing out the award ceremony in style.
Hill and her son, whom she shares with Rohan Marley, previously performed together during their joint appearance on The Tonight Show. There, they delivered a soulful rendition of “Ex-Factor” from the 1998 classic The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The pair also treated viewers to the same two songs from Marley, his latest singles “Survival,” released in May, as well as “Praise Jah in the Moonlight.”
Later this summer, the two will embark on an extension of Hill’s Miseducation Anniversary tour, which she postponed in November due to vocal issues. This time, the Fugees rhymer will reunite with her bandmates and co-headliners Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel, with Marley joining as a special guest. Hill announced the new tour dates on Monday, June 24, telling fans on social media, “The Celebration Continues…”
The rescheduled tour announcement comes nearly one year after the 25th anniversary of Hill’s opus debut album, which skyrocketed her to critical acclaim and has remained a seminal work in years since. In May, Apple Music crowned Hill’s album No. 1 on its inaugural 100 best albums of all time list and honored her with a special dinner. In a statement, she said of the achievement, “This is my award, but it’s a rich, deep narrative, and involves so many people, and so much sacrifice, and so much time, and so much collective love.”
The 2024 BET Awards aired live on June 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. Ms. Lauryn Hill and her son, YG Marley, graced the stage at the BET Awards 2024 tonight (June 30). Hill had the crowd on their feet with a performance of hits from her only solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, like “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” and “Lost Ones.” Marley performed his chart-topping song “Praise Jah in the Moonlight.” Then, Wyclef Jean made a surprise appearance for “Fu-Gee-La.”
Last Monday (June 24), Hill announced a new set of tour dates with The Fugees and special guest Marley after canceling several shows due to vocal strain. “The Miseducation Anniversary Tour” will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Billboard 200 No. 1 album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and will start off Aug. 9 in Tampa, Fla., at the Midflorida Credit Union Amphitheater. The last stop will be on Oct. 22 at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam.
On Sunday (June 30), Ms. Lauryn Hill took the stage with her son, YG Marley, for a spirited performance of her greatest hits at the 2024 BET Awards. Beginning her set with the title track to her classic 1998 album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the songstress belted out her vocals with passion as her backing vocalists joined in the serenade. After Ms. Hill ran through the two opening verses of the track, the band transitioned into “Lost Ones,” prompting the 49-year-old to ask whether those in the crowd were familiar with the fiery fan favorite.
Ms. Hill then summoned her son, YG Marley, who performed his popular single, “Survival,” which samples his grandfather, Bob Marley’s 1979 release “Babylon System.” After being introduced by his mother, YG Marley dived into his portion of the set, gaining a welcoming reception from the crowd. Rhyming her own verse on the song, Ms. Hill then wrapped up the set by calling her Fugees group-mate, Wyclef Jean, to the stage for a performance of their 1995 hit “Fu-Gee-La,” a move that brought many attendees in the building to their feet and closed the evening on a lively note.
Ms. Lauryn Hill, YG Marley, and Wyclef Jean’s appearance at the 2024 BET Awards comes as the trio prepare to embark on the second leg of Lauryn Hill’s Miseducation Anniversary tour. Initially postponed in an attempt to “prevent any long term negative affect” on Ms. Hill’s voice and body, the tour is set to resume later this summer, with the opening show scheduled for Aug. 9 in Tampa, Fl. The New Jersey native will be joined by both Jean and YG Marley on the 21-city trek, which includes stops in Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Amsterdam.
Source: Associated Press, Getty Images
