The 2025 Essence Festival of Culture faced criticism this week after Lauryn Hill’s headline set began at 2:30 a.m., in front of a mostly departed crowd at New Orleans’s Caesars Superdome. Hill had been scheduled for 12:35 a.m., but the full day’s lineup—featuring Maxwell, Babyface, the Isley Brothers and GloRilla—ran behind schedule. The festival organizers have now issued a detailed public response.
On July 7, Essence Fest posted on Instagram:
“Family is family and around here we protect our own no matter what the PEOPLE have to say.”
They continued:
“Let’s be very clear—WE don’t play about Ms. Lauryn Hill. Not for clicks. Not for headlines.”
The statement emphasized that Hill “arrived on schedule, stepped on that stage, and delivered the kind of performance only a legend can,” adding,
“The delay? Not hers. We will take that. The moment? One for the books. The legacy? Still unmatched.”
It closed with a sharp plea:
“Put some respect on her name. Keep the takes, but keep her out of them.”
A Legendary Performance
Hill’s set, which ran from roughly 2:30 a.m. to 3:37 a.m., was met with a drastically thinned-out audience—a few hundred fans remained in the 83,000-seat venue. Despite the late hour, she delivered a powerful recital. She performed fan favorites, took song requests, and was joined onstage by her sons Zion and Joshua “YG” Marley.
One fan praised Essence’s handling, writing on Instagram:
“ACCOUNTABILITY!!! Thank you for addressing this for her … all 50 of us enjoyed her that stayed til 3:30 am!!!!! Thank you Lauryn Hill!!”
Even Erykah Badu and Jill Scott applauded the festival’s transparency.
Media outlets such as Nola.com and Stereogum confirm Hill’s timely arrival. But a packed lineup and technical slowdowns pushed back the timeline. Organizers acknowledged that earlier acts overran and logged that Hill was a late addition to the final evening’s schedule.
Hill is not a stranger to tardy headlines. She has drawn criticism in previous years for delayed starts—even joking about it during a 2023 show in Los Angeles. But this time, both organizers and fans agree that she did her part, fueling debate over who deserved the blame.
Essence Fest’s candid apology and strong defense of Hill may set a new standard in accountability. And while many fans may have missed the set because of the hour, those who stayed are describing it as unforgettable.