Robert Glasper Goes in on Lauryn Hill, Says She Stole 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' From Other Musicians
Robert Glasper is letting it fly
Veteran pianist Robert Glasper appeared on the The Madd Hatta Morning Show on 97.9 The Box in Houston, Texas.
The Grammy-award winning producer had a lot to say. And he wasn't scared to hold his tongue.
WATCH:August Greene Does a Frantic Rendition of "No Apologies" on Fallon Tonight
During the 40-minute interview, Glasper talked about a bunch of current things, mainly the excellent August Greene album he released with Common and Karriem Riggs. But the real interesting moments came when he talked about working with the legendary Lauryn Hill.
In short: according to Glasper, it wasn't a good experience.
Glasper talks about doing a show for Hill in 2008. He mentions that Hill tried to hire him earlier, but she wanted him to audition so he turned it down. ( "Sorry, I don’t do auditions. If you want me, you can listen to my album.")
But for this show Glasper claims he and the rest of the band rehearsed for 10 hours a day for a week to prepare.
Here's what Glasper said afterwards:
Every day she comes in and changes the show, changes what she wants to do. Completely. The last rehearsal, she doesn’t show up. Her manager comes in and says, ‘Lauryn’s not really feeling the way you guys have been learning the music so we’re going to cut your pay in half. The last rehearsal. The day before the show. First of all, we weren’t getting paid that much anyway but understand she’s getting half a million dollars. So seriously? You’re going to take these five musicians and cut their pay in half.
Glasper said the decision was unjust because Hill had gathered a "superband." He then said:
She likes to fire bands. I can rattle off 15 guys off the top of my head. She will go on tour with a band and in the city that they’re doing a show, she’ll hold auditions for her band. One of my boys flew to Japan to do shows in Japan. While she’s in Japan, she’s holding auditions in the hotel, in the ballroom for her band. That’s super gangsta! And nothing’s wrong. The bands are good. She gets the best musicians. She just has a thing.
Glasper, who was the principal pianist, decides he doesn't need the gig and prepares to leave. The manager runs out and says they need him. Glasper demands they wire him the money within the next 30 minutes and he'll stay.
Needless to say, Glasper did the show.
The veteran pianist also said that he was told people aren't allowed to look Lauryn in the eye and they must call her "Ms. Hill."
Glasper also alleges that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, her classic debut, contained music that was stolen:
She took the credit for making the classic album. Those songs were written by other people and they did not get their credit. She likes to take credit so she can become this super person.
It seems like Glasper was sitting on this for a while. Watch the whole interview below.