Monday, 23 September 2013
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
Lauryn Hill Jail: Singer Sentenced To Three Months In Prison For Tax Evasion
NEWARK, N.J. — Grammy-winning singer Lauryn Hill stood in federal court Monday and compared her experience in the music business to the slavery her ancestors endured before a judge sentenced her to three months in prison for failing to pay about $1 million in taxes over the past decade.
"I am a child of former slaves who had a system imposed on them," Hill said before U.S. Magistrate Madeline Cox Arleo. "I had an economic system imposed on me."
Hill, who started singing with the Fugees as a teenager in the 1990s before releasing her multiplatinum 1998 album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill," pleaded guilty last year to failing to pay taxes on more than $1.8 million earned from 2005 to 2007. Monday's sentencing also took into account unpaid state and federal taxes in 2008 and 2009 that brought the total earnings to about $2.3 million.
Despite having paid more than $900,000 in the past several days, Hill still owes interest and penalties, the U.S. attorney's office said.
In a forceful but controlled statement to the judge punctuated by occasional raps with her first on the podium, Hill described how she failed to pay taxes during a period when she'd dropped out of the music business to protect herself and her children, who now number six.
She said the treatment she received while she was in the entertainment business led to her decision to leave it.
"There were veiled threats, there was blacklisting," she said, without giving specifics. "I was told, `That's how it goes, it comes with the territory.' I came to be perceived as a cash cow and not a person. When people capitalize on a persona, they forget there is a person in there."
In addition to serving three months in prison, Hill must pay a $60,000 fine. After she is released from prison, she will be under parole supervision for a year, the first three months of which will be spent under home confinement.
The 37-year-old South Orange resident had faced a maximum sentence of one year each on three counts of failing to file taxes. Her attorney had sought probation, arguing that Hill's charitable works, her family circumstances and the fact she paid back the taxes she owed should merit consideration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Moser acknowledged Hill's creative talent and work on behalf of impoverished children but called Hill's explanation for her actions "a parade of excuses centering around her feeling put upon" that don't exempt her from her responsibilities.
"She wasn't interested in all those years in paying what she owed," Moser told the judge.
At the time of her arrest last year, Hill wrote a criticism rejecting pop culture's "climate of hostility, false entitlement, manipulation, racial prejudice, sexism and ageism."
"Over-commercialization and its resulting restrictions and limitations can be very damaging and distorting to the inherent nature of the individual," Hill wrote. "I did not deliberately abandon my fans, nor did I deliberately abandon any responsibilities, but I did however put my safety, health and freedom and the freedom, safety and health of my family first over all other material concerns! I also embraced my right to resist a system intentionally opposing my right to whole and integral survival."
Hill is to report to prison by July 8. It's not clear where she'll serve her sentence. She didn't comment after the sentencing.
She said in a recent post online that she has signed a recording contract with Sony.
"She is looking forward to putting her case behind her and getting back to her music and creating again," attorney Nathan Hochman said.
#Sigh# She still breaks my heart...
"I am a child of former slaves who had a system imposed on them," Hill said before U.S. Magistrate Madeline Cox Arleo. "I had an economic system imposed on me."
Hill, who started singing with the Fugees as a teenager in the 1990s before releasing her multiplatinum 1998 album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill," pleaded guilty last year to failing to pay taxes on more than $1.8 million earned from 2005 to 2007. Monday's sentencing also took into account unpaid state and federal taxes in 2008 and 2009 that brought the total earnings to about $2.3 million.
Despite having paid more than $900,000 in the past several days, Hill still owes interest and penalties, the U.S. attorney's office said.
In a forceful but controlled statement to the judge punctuated by occasional raps with her first on the podium, Hill described how she failed to pay taxes during a period when she'd dropped out of the music business to protect herself and her children, who now number six.
She said the treatment she received while she was in the entertainment business led to her decision to leave it.
"There were veiled threats, there was blacklisting," she said, without giving specifics. "I was told, `That's how it goes, it comes with the territory.' I came to be perceived as a cash cow and not a person. When people capitalize on a persona, they forget there is a person in there."
In addition to serving three months in prison, Hill must pay a $60,000 fine. After she is released from prison, she will be under parole supervision for a year, the first three months of which will be spent under home confinement.
The 37-year-old South Orange resident had faced a maximum sentence of one year each on three counts of failing to file taxes. Her attorney had sought probation, arguing that Hill's charitable works, her family circumstances and the fact she paid back the taxes she owed should merit consideration.
"She wasn't interested in all those years in paying what she owed," Moser told the judge.
At the time of her arrest last year, Hill wrote a criticism rejecting pop culture's "climate of hostility, false entitlement, manipulation, racial prejudice, sexism and ageism."
"Over-commercialization and its resulting restrictions and limitations can be very damaging and distorting to the inherent nature of the individual," Hill wrote. "I did not deliberately abandon my fans, nor did I deliberately abandon any responsibilities, but I did however put my safety, health and freedom and the freedom, safety and health of my family first over all other material concerns! I also embraced my right to resist a system intentionally opposing my right to whole and integral survival."
Hill is to report to prison by July 8. It's not clear where she'll serve her sentence. She didn't comment after the sentencing.
She said in a recent post online that she has signed a recording contract with Sony.
"She is looking forward to putting her case behind her and getting back to her music and creating again," attorney Nathan Hochman said.
#Sigh# She still breaks my heart...
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
![No Work No Play [TOP SET 4.16/13]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sEMQf8ThXsxtHqDo3oyohCnBHi7oyY55kGx1CLlbouttR8GiuvcvihjCDXQqPH-_9zy1Zutry2ELJLbyPf7Bsa2a8biafuvudKmT4eni0M5mUAu0RDys3TuoyB2RiDVM3kFX-BB_uDgbysZgm4jOVKwh1MQrrcevhycCJIR4mOGyHAzgtz__qbNF7hVaJ7vG34X_zYsPhaTsSfJGuYOQ=s0-d "No Work No Play [TOP SET 4.16/13]")
Sunday, 14 April 2013
CANDICE FOR IDOL
After an emotional goodbye to Burnell Taylor last week, Candice Glover made watching Idols a bit bearable this week. She was as stunning as she normally is with her performance of, “Don’t Make Me Over” by Dionne Warwick. In the early half, the theme-iness of it seemed to be constraining her but by the second half, Candice let loose a barrage of awe-inspiring vocals that drove everyone to their feet. i must say that i had goose bumps all over and couldn't help but scream as if i knew her. Nicki exclaimed that Candice was born to do this and Randy relied on his same old phrases like, "In it to win it," and "This is what the show is all about."
Friday, 12 April 2013
Thursday, 11 April 2013
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
A BAND CALLED FUN
Because I’m
such a lover of music, I can’t help but forcefully share and shed a tear every
time I discover a new dope band. Yes, yes… I know that these cats have been in
the industry for a minute so excuse us late bloomers. Basically what I’m trying
to tell you friends is that you should check out FUN… They are totally awesome.
And the cherry on top is that they’ve got a song with Jannelle Monae… aaaaahhhhhh…..
I hope you check them out and let me know what you think.
To you with
love and in love… Tsholz
THE MUFFINZ
Soon,
the question on everybody’s lips will be: “Have You Heard? Have you heard how
The Muffinz rule the world?” The Muffinz have unleashed their mysteriously
beautiful world of eclectic soul to the South African public and they are set
for world domination.
The music of The Muffinz is so new, yet so soulful, so accessible, so honest and so innocent, that it appeals to all age groups, races, classes and sexes.
The five young musicians make a refreshing change from the usual run of the mill rappers and house DJs, who are currently dominating the popular music scene, in that they play real instruments, and they play them well. Added to that is all five musicians are great singers in their different genres of expertise.
Take for instance electric guitarist and vocalist, Atomza. His voice is best described as a young Michael Jackson meets Usher with a twist of rock. Drummer Keke then enters with his Senegalese meets rumba vocals. The band switch from a groovy R&B rhythm led by acoustic guitarist Mthae and bassist Skabz, to a classy jazz guitar sound introduced by electric guitarist and acapella singer, Simz. And that by the way is just on one song!
That is why, to explain the band, they decided to call themselves The Muffinz. Explains Mthae: “We wanted a name that would be remembered, something catchy but a name that people would want to find out more about. Plus, we all come from different backgrounds musically and so we all bring different ingredients - as in the ingredients in a muffin.”
The music of The Muffinz is so new, yet so soulful, so accessible, so honest and so innocent, that it appeals to all age groups, races, classes and sexes.
The five young musicians make a refreshing change from the usual run of the mill rappers and house DJs, who are currently dominating the popular music scene, in that they play real instruments, and they play them well. Added to that is all five musicians are great singers in their different genres of expertise.
Take for instance electric guitarist and vocalist, Atomza. His voice is best described as a young Michael Jackson meets Usher with a twist of rock. Drummer Keke then enters with his Senegalese meets rumba vocals. The band switch from a groovy R&B rhythm led by acoustic guitarist Mthae and bassist Skabz, to a classy jazz guitar sound introduced by electric guitarist and acapella singer, Simz. And that by the way is just on one song!
That is why, to explain the band, they decided to call themselves The Muffinz. Explains Mthae: “We wanted a name that would be remembered, something catchy but a name that people would want to find out more about. Plus, we all come from different backgrounds musically and so we all bring different ingredients - as in the ingredients in a muffin.”
Biography by Therese Owen
Tuesday, 9 April 2013
If there was ever a relationship CV, this is how mine would read…
“Girls like her, my grandfather once warned me, girls like her turn into women with eyes like bullet holes and mouths made of knives. They are always restless. They are always hungry. They are bad news. They will drink you down like a shot of whisky. Falling in love with them is like falling down a flight of stairs. What no one told me, with all those warnings, is that even after you’ve fallen, even after you know how painful it is, you’d still get in line to do it again.” - Holly Black, Black Heart
“Girls like her, my grandfather once warned me, girls like her turn into women with eyes like bullet holes and mouths made of knives. They are always restless. They are always hungry. They are bad news. They will drink you down like a shot of whisky. Falling in love with them is like falling down a flight of stairs. What no one told me, with all those warnings, is that even after you’ve fallen, even after you know how painful it is, you’d still get in line to do it again.” - Holly Black, Black Heart
I'VE NEVER BEEN EASY
“I’ve never been easy. I will never be easy. I am a mad woman. I love just as insane. I’m flourish and reckless abandon. I prefer this. Match it or balance it. But don’t fuck with it. Don’t get close enough to touch and the decide you need this to cool down. I don’t do cool. I’m fire. I’m heat. I’m match this or balance it out but get the fuck out of my way if you’re just trying to change it. Love someone and mean it. It’s just that fucking simple. If you don’t love, then leave. If you don’t mean it, then move. Someone will. I promise you that. We all have shit to work on but that shit doesn’t mean we don’t get to be loved right the fuck now”. – Bassey Ikpi
THE ONE
I don’t believe ‘There is ONE person for everyone’. I don’t. It’s a myth and it’s inaccurate because to say that is to make void of all your other important people: your family, your friends, your mentors, your counsellors, your teachers, your muses – all these people add to your life. You cannot expect one person to love you, to assist in your evolving, to enrich your life. It is a combined eclectic effort of all the people you have bonds with by blood/choice/fate. These are the parallels of love – each line of expression unique in its purpose, in its tone, in its frequency, in its regularity. To say ‘there is (only) ONE person for everyone’ is to dismiss the importance of a support UNIT. You are an amalgamation of many influences. And these influences will forever adorn your life even when/after you meet “THE ONE”. - Nontsie Dube
Friday, 1 March 2013
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