[Video] Lauryn Hill Performing "Final Hour" Live at The Bowery Ballroom
As you may have heard, Lauryn Hill was released from prison late last year after spending three months behind bars for charges related to tax evasion. Upon her release was the announcement that she would do a string of shows in New York City at the Bowery Ballroom, which soon expanded to shows in Boston and throughout the state of New York during the month of December. As expected, the dates sold out and the 38-year-old mother of six provided fans with a glimpse at her greatness, which was hidden from the public eye for the better part of the last decade. A video from the performance recently hit the web and it certainly backs up the reports that came from the shows. Watch Lauryn Hill at her best, performing her classic, "Final Hour" at the Bowery Ballroom.
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Pussy Riot Released From Prison
Two members of Russian all-women punk band Pussy Riot were released from prison two months early, after having spent nearly two years behind bars for performing a punk-infused protest in Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow. The act brought hooliganism charges against three of the band's members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich. Shortly after their sentencing Samutsevich was freed. Both Tolokonnikova and Alekhina, released just before Christmas day, issued a statement claiming their release to be a publicity stunt by the Kremlin, prompted by the impending Olympics in Sochi that have drawn stark criticism from world human rights leaders for the imprisonment of the band members, as well as noted repression of gay rights. For now, the pair have pledged to help inmates and continue working toward their progressive movement. Watch more on the story below.
[Via The Guardian]
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Lauryn Hill Announces First Post-Prison Concerts
Lauryn Hill went to jail for not paying her taxes. Because of that move, the former Fugees star and hip-hop legend spent three months in a Danbury, Conn., penitentiary. The charges stemmed from Hill's alleged non-payment of nearly $1 million over a ten year span. The Grammy-award winning artist and mother of six was released from prison on October 4 after a judge ruled she could serve the last six weeks of her sentence at home, working. Today, she announced a pair of shows, back to back, on the night before Thanksgiving, November 27 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. Now all we need is some new Lauryn Hill music and the world will be right again.
UPDATE: Lauryn Hill has added more dates to her post-release shows. Full list below:
11-27 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom (Two Shows On This Day)
12-15 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
12-18 Boston, MA – Le Royale
12-22 Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Theatre
12-26 Huntington, NY – The Paramount
12-28 Port Chester, NY – The Capitol Theatre
Venezuela's Most Dangerous Prison
When you translate Vista Hermosa to English, it means beautiful view. It's funny that the name was given to one of Venezuela's most dangerous prisons where the inmates control the inside and have created their own society. These prisoners took control using force where one man is controlling the mayhem: Wilmer Brizuela AKA Pran. The only thing that keeps these prisoners confined within the prison walls is the Venezuelan National Guard patrolling the outside walls. Many of the inmates have some of the same amenities people have on the outside, ranging from guns and drugs to even iPhones. Some have even started their own businesses while inside, such as catering to other inmates, their families, and their friends who come to party. However, even with all of these perks and privileges, this is by no means a paradise. Check out the full article by Jorge Benezra here. Photography by: Sebastian Liste [via Time]
