June 11th, 2012
03:41 PM ET
Lauryn Hill: I didn't file taxes because I was 'underground'Lauryn Hill is publicly addressing the charges that have been brought against her, in which she's accused of failing to file her income tax returns for three straight years. The Grammy-winning singer and rapper explained Friday via her Tumblr account that she didn't file because she had gone “underground” to protect herself and her family.
The mother of six is facing three counts of misdemeanor failure to file income tax returns from 2005 to 2007, during which she's said to have earned more than $1.6 million, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. Hill says in her Tumblr statement that her intention "has always been to get this situation rectified,” the 37-year-old New Jersey native wrote about her tax situation. She explained that she “left a more mainstream and public life, in order to wean both myself, and my family, away from a lifestyle that required distortion and compromise as a means for maintaining it.” “When I was working consistently without being affected by the interferences mentioned above, I filed and paid my taxes,” the former Fugees star wrote. “This only stopped when it was necessary to withdraw from society, in order to guarantee the safety and well-being of myself and my family.” To that end, "I have remained what others would consider underground” for the past "several years," Hill further explained of her lengthy absence from the spotlight. "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," she continued. "I conveyed all of this when questioned as to why I did not file taxes during this time period. Obviously, the danger I faced was not accepted as reasonable grounds for deferring my tax payments, as authorities, who despite being told all of this, still chose to pursue action against me, as opposed to finding an alternative solution." While this issue is being sorted out, Hill's returning to "what I should be doing, the way it should be done." The singer-actress is expected to appear before a federal magistrate on June 29. She faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison as well as a $100,000 fine for each of the three charges.
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And Mr Romney does not want her to pay taxes. Do you know that?
It's not entirely clear from this article if she paid taxes but simply didn't file returns, or if she did neither – they are two separate processes. If she's like most celebrities, she probably has a corporation which receives all of her royalty and appearance fee payments. She then receives a paycheck from that corporation, from which income taxes are withheld and submitted to the IRS. The corporation, as well as her tax return preparation, are likely managed by an accounting firm. They can withhold and pay her taxes easily enough. But in order to file her tax return, she has to sign it.
Pure narcissism. Jail her and take her money. Her crime is a slap-in-the face to any tax paying citizen regardless of income. Buffet & Gates pay their taxes, right?
.......NOT A PROB "L".............I do believe that LEVENWORTH has some cells located underground, just for people like you.
What a load of self-righteous crap! Hiliarious!
Or, hilarious, if you are into spelling correctly. Which I usually am. Just not at that exact moment.
You couldn't sneak to a mailbox? They have them all over the place.
Even if we take you for your word... that means you have the money put aside to pay the taxes right?
What a friggen joke. pathetic
"Miseducation" first hit in 1998. The 77:33 minute album sold over 7,100,000 copies in the U.S. alone. Thats about a million dollars per recorded minute.and since that time....Laurens behavior has been described as everything from "ecentric" to full on "squirell-poo nutty".But when you are dealing with the amount of money a record like that generates.... you would be more than a little nutty too. Bottom line though.... She has paid her taxes. leave that lady alone.
I wonder if any of the people who worked for her had taxes taken out? Of course SLAVE labor doesn't pay that much. Mzz.Hill trated her pets better than the help.
Okay, so a poor excuse is better than none.
shes half nuts anyways and racist........
It's a shame that some artists who are blessed with great talents have those gifts reverse-compensated for via deficiencies in other areas (mental or physical). I'm a middle-aged white guy. Even though she may not write and perform music for my type, I like and appreciate her music. It's great art. But some of the decisions that she's made in life (like not paying taxes and the oddball reason given) seem a bit mentally off to me.
As for all you racist haters posting on here, both black and white, y'all are very mentally deficient. Go read a book about evolution and get a damn clue that we're all one people – one human species – who all share the same ancestry.
Lauryn Hill is human. She made a well-publicized mistake in not paying her taxes. It will be dealt with. Let's all move on.
She pled guilty. She's going to try to pay up before sentencing. If she does then it's highly probable that sentencing will be light.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/02/showbiz/music/lauryn-hill-tax-evasion-rs/index.html
Why don't blacks pay taxes? Or tip?
Blacks in this country should not have to pay taxes, our backs bulit this country and continue to give this country free labor . Put those taxes in the same file this country has placed , our forty acres and a mule that we are still waiting for. Go after the WALL STREET thieves who have stolen this country's future.
I don't know. Why?
Underground... Through the roof?
Funny how they left no reply for the above, they got a free ride over here and have be freeloading there way ever since.
What a kook? She went "underground" with 6 kids and two baby-daddies. I guess "underground" means "normal life".
That's all well and good, whatever it means. I was a bit confused with her explanation she gave. Either way it was her responsibility to pay her taxes just the rest of us. Because of the means she has she could have easily gotten a tax lawyer or CPA to check after her taxes and income and pay them for her out of her earnings. Just sounds to me she was very lazy and lacidasical about paying her taxes. Gees she is what 36 and has 6 children. Probably not all with the same father. There you go she can't keep track of her baby's daddies so ok she can't be expected to remember to file and pay her taxes.. I get it now.
Yes, the media and paparazzi have been in a frenzy over our lack of Lauren Hill of late. Talk about irellevant today.
By "underground" she means, "too stoned". Pot will rot your brain.
don't blame drugs... she's the idiot that decided not to pay taxes. pot doesn't put you into a state of complete incoherency, nor does it destroy your memory to the point you can't remember anything... what a lame excuse. sure, there are studies you can point to that 'prove' all sorts of negative effects from marijuana, but in the end YOU are still responsible for YOURSELF. if you're bringing in over a mil a year you can afford to hire someone to do your taxes... san dimas highschool football rules, peace, i'm outta here
This will be a great opportunity for the IRS to provide an object lesson in what happens to people who dare to put "safety, health and freedom and the freedom, safety and health of my family" over their taxes. I wish I could put "safety, health and freedom" over money, too - but then, I don't have millions of dollars.
OH,pleeeease. She could use her accountant's address or her attorney's. It sounds like the biggest problem is that she didn't feel like filing.
You can't mail a check while "underground"? Give me a break....
1%'es always have an excuse that they realy believe in as to not pay taxes and not liking people different from them selves, I guess it goes with the territory; If you believe this much in you're self you have to believe against something. Its beyond racism as a morality issue its unethical at that point.
A good reminder that taxes are ultimately supported by the guns and muscle of the government. You can't "decide" not to pay, b/c men with guns eventually arrive.
That is why it is so scary when Obama talks about raising taxes on 1% of the population – by definition unrepresented. It amounts to using the same guns and muscle to seize property from a group that has it and redistribute to a group that wants it.
Same thing happened in Germany many, many years ago.
another racist 1%'er...I'm noticing a trend.
If she had taxes taken out of every pay check like normal workers and simply didnt file returns at the end of the year, I could offer sympathy.. But not paying any taxes at all for 3 years is stretching it a bit too far..
Musicians and movie stars work for themselves, so they are their own company who get paid as 1099 corp to corp businesses. They have to pay all withholding taxes themselves. The smart ones have a manager do that for them. If you don't have any new gigs or money coming in, and all you have left in the bank is the $500k-$5M you are supposed to send to the IRS at the end of the quarter, what do you do? You can pay them or default on your mansion mortgage. Most rather keep a roof over their heads, so they spend the money, hoping they will get more work before the end of the year. That's how easy it is to owe big bucks to the IRS.
B11tch you aint never heard of bodyguards?
She is a racist who just didn't want any of her money going to "the Man."
I was turned off Lauren Hill years ago after she made that crack about hating the fact that "whities" listened to her music! Still showing the same BS that she showed years ago! Just shut her up & put her in jail like anyone else that doesn't pay their taxes.!
Lauryn Hill has a mental illness and it's sad to watch. I was always puzzled by reviews and articles about her that suggested that she was "brainy". I think this is a case of "Chauncey Gardner" syndrome (Peter Seller's character from the movie "Being There") where the public misinterprets incoherent ramblings as deep thoughts. They aren't. Her comments here are just another example of rambling nonsensical babble. She isn't a Marx or Bakunin, she's just crazy.
agreed, LOL!
If she really valued her freedom, she'd pay her taxes since what she did is good for about 3 years in prison. She should go talk to Wesley Snipe and see what not paying your taxes will get you.
She's just down right PATHETIC and all the babble about going underground and being safe is a bunch of bullcrap.
On another note, I've read a lot of racist remarks here and that's very disconcerting. Lots of people try to cheat the IRS and they come from all races. It doesn't matter what color you are Uncle Sam is coming to get you.
Lauryn Hill deserves it, I can vividly recall the interview she gave where she herself was completely prejudice and borderline racist. I believe her words were, "I'd rather have no white females buy my cds than any at all"
It doesn't surprise me coming from a low life racists...or did we all for get that her music isn't for white people comment so long ago
What a surprise. Another african who expects whites to pay for everything while contributing NOTHING!
A democrat that doesn't want to pay their 'fair share'.
She's just not corporate or GE enough to avoid paying taxes altogether.
This is the result of " MISEDUCATION " of Lauryn Hill... no one taught her simple math???
She must get tax advice from Tim Geithner, obama's right hand man
Only black people think like this.....
only time blacks worked is when they were being whipped ...now we cant get them to do much of anything .
Love her – but her excuse is full of s++t. Even if she was living on the down low and avoiding publicity. She could certainly afford a lawyer and an accountant that could have filed the returns for her without being a "threat" to her family. Silliness
Can you say Wesley Snipes.........:>)
What a knee deep crock-o-crap that is. Just another dirt bag trying to beat the rest of us by not paying her fair share.
She should go play in Traffic
So tell us again, what BS excuse did she have for being "underground"? Was she tanking up on booze or Coke? Making personal porn movies? What was it exactly that she needed to do to make her family 'safe'?
Another black criminal? That's not news!
Another christian criminal stealing from America.
Whats her being black have to do with it TP? People of all colors don't pay their taxes and are criminals.
Wait – I thought white people weren't racist anymore? That's what I hear when I watch Fox News. And most black people don't have enough money to cheat on their taxes so there!
Good! hope they lock her up! this is what she gets for abandoning her fans! God gave her a gift and she selfishly made money off of us went coo coo and turned her back on us. Now she wanna turn her back on Uncle Sam. sorry Lauryn, you can turn yo back on yo fans but not the IRS>>> dont drop the soap !!
Hey Lauren maybe when you get out you and Wesley can compare stories. I have such little respect for people that try to shirk their responsibilities.
Anyone can tell from reading her statement that she is in desperate fear for her life; and the music industry mafia is using scare tactics to strong arm her and she was just trying to make sure she never ran out of $ to a point where they could attach their fangs to her & she'd be helpless. If you doubt the music industry mafia is in bed with the I.R.S. think back to Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich denouncing Bank of America; then being arrested the VERY NEXT DAY! This is no different. Lauryn last week spoke out against music industry intimidation tactics at Summer Jam; & boom, the I.R.S. on her!! Tila Tequila and Randy Quaid are being menaced by similar gangsters to the ones menacing Ms. Hill. People need to rally behind and support her, lest they Michael Jackson Whitney her! Come on, these are devils in that music bizness! Stand up for her! She is standing up for positive music and they are threatening her LIFE for it!! She is a great lady! Her last tour was the Moving Target tour, for cryin out loud. She’s in a lot of danger!
I have to disagree. You can maintain your taxes electronically with no one the wiser except you and Uncle Sam. This is just another deadbeat attempting to keep all their money for themselves.
The OWS crowd is all for wealth sharing as long as its other peoples wealth, the minute it's their own money they go underground.
I can't tell if this post is serious or sarcastic... I hope that it's sarcastic– serious would be very scary!
Hiding out?!? She lives in my town, has been for years, her house is on my exercise walk route. I'm one of the white people who used to like her and her music but now I think she's tired and apparently a little whacked.
Wow! One of the greatest singers and rappers of all time is now sounding like paranoid crackhead. No one is chasing you Lauryn! You lost all respect when you "performed" at Rock the Bells in Baltimore. "Sister Act" like you cae aout yourself.
Although I can somewhat understand what she is trying to say, the sad truth is we all have to pay our taxes to live in America....sorry but she made a bad decision.
John – you are tyopical of a certain kind of racist who manages to find a few "factrs" to suppport their racism and yet somehow is unable to seee the underlying reality. It takes more than five minutes to learn and understnd History. You might want to start with trying to fathom suppply and demand.
You make NO SENSE at all
You have to STAY underground for that tactic to work, honey.
Now, bust open a checkbook, pay up, and get ready to do some jail time.
I'm Lauren hill I didn't pay taxes because I'm stupid.
We all feel oppressed sweetheart. join the club and pay up.
Baby you promised a few things in life, death and TAXES are one of them. Use your mind baby, use your mind...You would be paying less overall by hiring an account and tax adviser to help with budgeting and taxes versus paying the government millions in fines, court costs, and attorney fees to your attorney. All of these actors and musicians who start making a little something need to realize this. The IRS will happily work their system to get more money out of you....if you let them.
So she was worried about the IRS knowing her location? BS, this is blatant avoidance and whoever is advising her (if anyone) to say these things is an idiot. The IRS doesn't care, its their job to collect taxes not have sympathy. There are ways to defer payments if an individual's financial situation justifies it but there is never a reason not to file (other than debilitating illness).
There is no such thing as living "underground" from the federal gov't of any country, if you don't like it; move to another country.
She can move to another country and pay FAR MORE taxes than here. This reminds me of Leona Helmsley's quote: "taxes are for the little people".....and then she went to prison.
Wow... Rohan Marley must have some serious weed....
Sounds kinda ...whacked.
That is funny, I recall that is the same thing Wesley Snipes said. And we all know where he is spending his nights.
Yea Big Daddy Obama will pardon her
sdtuck, huh? No mattter what the story it alll comes back to your Obama hate – must be a miserable way to live. No mattter wehat happpens it's "WhhAAAAA ObaMAAAAAA!"
Really? Is that all you"ve got? Does your life suck because of the president? Did your momma not hug you enough?
"Girl you better...WATCH OUT"...Greatest line ever!! KMSL
Pay the fricking taxes like everyone else and keep it moving. What a ridiculous excuse! Even for this nut.
To put it simply, what a crock... She should just be executed for the BS "reason" she's giving. Fine isn't enough.
remember when she came out and said " we don't want white people buying our records?" she is pretty talented but obviously pretty dumb.
Yes. Executed. A level-headed response.
Clearly she's gone off the deep end. What self pittying hypocrite.
She was hiding and running away from the illuminati society in the music industry, she's not the first one to do it, many have tried to "dissapear" in order to avoid being targeted by them.
She wasn't too "underground" to cash her checks, was she?
I am going to join with Lauren HIl in protesting her "right to resist a system intentionally opposing her right to whole and integral survival." I too will not pay my taxes, in solidarity with her.
I'm sure she would love to have you as a cell mate.
I think it is obvious that Lauryn Hill is suffering from some sort of paranoid delusion. She needs help instead of being called an idiot and she needs reporters to not swoop in like vultures trying to make a name for themselves and ratings for their networks. I hope Lauryn finds the assistance she needs and that tomorrow is a brighter day for her and her family.
I'm confused. What is the danger? It all sounds like something straight out of a Tom Clancy novel to me. Look Lauryn, there are two things that are certain in life; death and taxes. Unless those two certainties occur precisely in that order, you've got to pay your taxes, just like the rest of us. Period. End of espionage-filled story.
This girl has a long history of mental illness. She needs someone to manage her affairs. Sad!
Maybe we all should go "underground"....to protect ourselves and our familiies! Waht a f*****g idiot!!!
That is the most rediculous excuse I have ever heard for being a deadbeat...what an idiot to think ayone would buy into that crap. Pay your taxes then go disappear...please.
i dont think any black people should pay any taxes our taxes have been paid when u kill, rape and mentally destroyed our people God bless u lauryn
CRISTO,
YOUR OWN PEOPLE ROB, RAPE AND MURDER THEMSELVES. You were doing years before we b ought you from your masters in Africa. You were not snared in traps. You were slaves there too!!!! Sold by your fellow blacks for pennies. JUST LIKE TODAY!!!
Tell me about it! I was worried about my safety? I get that but that DOES NOT excuse you from paying taxes on 1.6 MILLION DOLLARS. What do celebs think? And the that hateful crap below doesn't help either. Shouldn't pay taxes due to what, slavery in the 1800's? Idiots.
Avoiding stress is no way to gaining inner peace.
I am disappointed in her.
Girl, you better.... WATCH OUT.
hee hee
...I see what you did right there...#WIN
Greatest line ever!!! KMSL
Please call this number, Lauryn.....1-800-BOO-BOO-HOO.
Typical liberal. Expects everyone else to pay taxes.
Six children?!!!!!!! When did that happened. She wasn't underground, she was busy having babies.
What a load of crap....Just pay your debt and move on you has been
What an idiot. If you make that kind of money that's why you hire an accountant and tax attorney. The IRS surely won't accept, "I was in hiding to protect my family" as an excuse for not paying.
exactly. If you made that much, the cost of a good tax attorney is less than the money you save, and certainly much less than the fines, penalties, and bail money you'd pay when caught.
whatever – enough with the 5-cent words. pay your taxes. just like everyone else.
YUP, Sounds like Evasion to me....
Pay your taxes beoch ! You are NOT above us !!
ps..... and Roberta Flack wants her song back !! (Killing me softly)
1998 just called- they want their Hip Hop superstar back.
Really, I'm tired of performers attaining wealth and fame and then acting like they're so horribly tortured by it all.
Lauryn, get off your pretentious tortured-artist butt, get back to work and pay your taxes.
She's burned out.
Sounds like she has come up with yet another strange defense to avoid paying taxes on a few mil. Just show you, that these people, however creative they are, just have no business sense!
FACT: WITNESSES PROTECTION I CAN UNDERSTAND OK.....
HONEY YOU JUST GOT BUSTED....YOU MUST PAY YOUR TAXES.....
THE COURT WILL SOON HEAR YOUR STORY AND THEN THEY WILL
LET THE WORLD KNOW THE TRUTH....THIS MEANS FOR 3 YEARS YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY ENJOYED ALL CIVIL BENEFITS FOR FREE.
she thinks she is in fantasy land...irs will give her a reality check.......We may be on to something...the next reality show called the underground railroad........
Sounds like she needs to get off the drugs or get a psychiatrist. She is not making sense. But really, this is not news. She is a washes up has been.
If she is really trying they will accept pennies on the dollar now . Get an attorney quick and make a settlement .
I don't want to pay taxes too. Can I go underground??
"I conveyed all of this when questioned...". But wth did she say? She threw many words together, but there was no actual explanation.
Who cares about lauryn hill anyway? she's a p.o.s. black freeloader, just like the rest of em. all hail zimmerman!
Yikes. Get some help. Or at least stay in your trailer and don't come out.
Dumb c racker
Umm...who let this P.O.S. racist join in the conversation? I suppose it Lauryn Hill was white you would not have a problem with her failure to pay taxes? I suspect you don't know much about taxes since you are most definitly below the poverty line and are not required to pay any on the money you do earn selling your blood and semen.
you can't be serious...
Shouldn't all of her fans just chip in and pay her taxes?. The poor woman went underground fearing for her life. She could not handle fame it was getting to her so she could not pay her taxes on the buckets of money she made as a famous person. I have never had any respect for her and this is not helping. Hey what would I know I am just an evil white girl according to her.
lauren, I love you but none of what you said makes any sense.
Can't stand her and she still makes no sense
I like her music and she is so tiny and cute, im a sistha too, but is she on drugs? depression? kids cracking u up g/f. I got one and im bought to jump out the window, only thing is, i live on the first floor.....calm down sugar, it will be alright, didnt u learn anything, from that crazy azz Wesley snipes and his antics,. He could use some vistors right about now; seems like everybody in the industry is cracking up and losing , blacks as well as the whites, demi moore for example...to many to name.
Banks and those we chose to work for keep our privacy,usualy. Government intentionaly maker our information public. Even our home addresses. I believe she did try to work it out w/big brother but oppressors usualy don't have mercy for those they oppress
Oh Please she needs to pay her taxes, I did. She owes a lot of money and it sounds like she is already getting a break on what she owes.
On what do you base your belief of her story?
I think ms hill means well and hopefully shell come out on top. and to everyone reading this were all human and so should wish others well because we all diserve it. im sure lh is
a beautiful person so lets be positive.
She sounds nuts and like she is avoiding her taxes.
I'm still searching my soul for the best comments to post surrounding this.
then why post that? Just makes you sound stupid.
Oh, big mistake coming out of hiding, Lauren. Now me and Elvis gonna git ya. Take you up on our spaceship.
Good, she is a stupid racist.
Just do what I do: use a bottle of White-Out to lower your income on the W-2. Or do as Romney does-move all your money offshore. But you have to file. -RB
I'm sure Wesley Snipes will lend her a sympathetic ear...
Good one! Yeah, look up Westley..
Azhane: you misspelled your name. It's Azzhole, first name Stoopid.
'Cause if she had filed taxes, then the Boogeyman would have gotten ahold of her address and known where she lived. This lady sounds delusional.
I agree. I wonder if people realize the IRS doesn't really want you to file a return? As long as you pay the taxes you're good by them. You can pay taxes using any address or mediary service you choose. Lauren Hill is either seriously ignorant or thinks her fans are seriously stupid. I wonder which?
She is full of it! It isn't like she was asked to file her taxes in stage.
Anyone can tell from reading her statement that she is in desperate fear for her life; and the music industry mafia is using scare tactics to strong arm her and she was just trying to make sure she never ran out of $ to a point where they could attach their fangs to her & she'd be helpless. She is obviously not a criminal but the govt can be bought & is now punishing her as a compensation for not protecting her like the govt vows to do for us. Praise Ms. Lauryn Hill for not folding to those gangsters! I admire you since DAY ONE! Shame on the bullies who root for her collapse. You peons are not worthy to be spit on by her courageous saliva. Love you, Ms. Hill! People need to rally behind and support her, lest they Michael Jackson Whitney her. Come on these are devils in that music bizness! the DEVIL and all you punk entertainers who allow yourself to be muzzled silent (while acting tough and bad) as she fights for your freedom to create unmuzzled by Satan. come on you aggressive herbs; Lauryn Hill is far more tough than any of you gun-waving stooges. And to you cowardly r & b singers who admire her, SPEAK UP! This woman's life is on the line!!!!! If you doubt the music industry mafia is in bed with the I.R.S. think back to Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich denouncing Bank of America; then being arrested the VERY NEXT DAY! This is no different. Lauryn last week spoke out against music industry intimidation tactics at Summer Jam; & boom, the I.R.S. on her!! Tila Tequila and Randy Quaid are being menaced by similar gangsters to the ones menacing Ms. Hill
Conspiracy much?
You sound just about as loopy as Hill does........I wonder if Hill will play the race card also....wahhhhh......
now Blago adds a lot of credibility to your theory
He is a first class dirt bag
I really don't know about her, but comparing her situation to hers certainly drags her down
You need medication.
i want some of your dope, mine just ain't that good i guess
Grim LeRogue.......I...Love...You. Out of all the comments I’ve read...yours was the most sincere, the most heartfelt, the most investigated rather than pointlessly typing, and the truest. I could not help but comment after seeing your lengthy comment, and afterwards reading it. I was floored, by your words...and I know, if/when Ms. Hill read these words she would be/was moved....no really...moved. I was.
I was disgusted while reading the lot of these comments. The lack of human kindness, the fusillade of women’s inhumanity to women, apathetic rants about not wanting to pay her taxes while pile-driving scrupulously calculated poison dipped wooden stakes through her heat, not excluding that every faithful childish club of racist broo-ha-ha commenting clowns who must perform at every media circus.
I was taken aback by the focal point veering off course so quickly from her thinking of her family first and foremost, to her being a liar, to her being a crazy woman, or a scam artist trying to beat the IRS out of money that she obviously has, to a hated singer primarily because she’s black, and chooses to sing for her own people and to her own people, all the way down to her not even considered worthy of any sort of compassion from even the simplest of commenters.
I applaud you for enlightening the few who could spell words over three syllables, and the ones who were strong enough to take off their blinders and see past what the media mob masters have been force feed them all these many years. This is a strong black woman trying to do nothing but fight for her people first, and for her herself and family now.
What is saddest in my heart...this probably will go unsung, her fight to remain safe, and to keep her family free from harm…this will probably remain misunderstood, mistreated, defiled, and violated, raped, and tarnished…as her career obviously has for these many years. Her magnanimous voice, her inspirational lyrics, and her obvious message to her people...go without saying...and for the most part, has gone without ever being understood.
That is not due to lack of clarification on her part, but the consistent shuffling of tiles in this media scrabble by the media mob masters. What might sound like a simple case of conspiracy theory is in all actuality a truism, only discernible to the open-minded and purest of hearts.
We do not expect every race to understand her lyrics, or her for that matter. Not every singer sings to/for everyone. Some sing for/to their own kind...i.e., country music, does not SING to everyone...it sings to a people who have endured due to their surroundings in the country, closely knitted relationships, and hardships of which only they can identify...Latin music sings to those who have grown up in the rich aromatic flavor of that culture, and so on. So what is the harm in someone not wanting others to buy their music, if it is not speaking directly to them? If anything applaud her for not letting you waste your money, since you won’t get the point of her lyrics.
How many cultures can go to Africa and are able to succinctly identify with the rhythms, palpitations, spirits, and gyrations of the Congo? Not many. But then, I guess you can say.....it isn't for everyone. That's why the music store owner separates the music according to genre...with the understanding that everyone has their own tastes and not all genres are for every culture.
But like so many commenters on this site…I must apologize…for a moment there I too digressed. I again want to thank you Grim LeRogue for not allowing this ugliness to cloud your strokes. For not allowing the ignorance festering within this comment train to sweep you up, and carry you along for the ride. I thank you for loving Lauren Hill, just as much as so many of her adoring, loyal fans. I love you hun...I truly do.
well, I think you're back above ground...try that excuse in court, the judge will love it...time to pay up laurie poo...or are you gonna file for bankrupcy..
.
A year in jail would help her stay "underground."
If she would ask me, I'd gladly eat her pooh.
Another greedy 1%'er stealing from the middle class.
You're absolutely right. She didn't give up 35% of her hard-earned income to a government that represents military, political, and corporate elites so they could squander that tax revenue just to pay for the interest incurred from their fiat-driven wars around the world.
Thief indeed.
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Our middle class thinks they can live like the upper most upper class because the goods are available. Take some responsibility. How many flat screens do you have? More than 2? 3 cars?? Live within your means and stop blaming the 1% for messing with your life.
Liberal by any chance ? 500k a year makes her a one percent-er
Yeah. No conservative has ever, ever, ever, evaded their taxes. Oops, sorry, it appears I was laughing so hard I peed my pants.
fishflakes, that's completely erroneous of you. This has nothing to do with conservatives, because they're not the ones complaining about the "1%". And these guys here never said that conservatives (whatever the hell that really means) have never had anyone cheat on taxes. They're saying how those who are doing the complaining and whining (definitely liberal in most sense of the word) are two-faced. Uh, you'll have to look up "two-faced" pal, I don't have time to explain it to you. And change your pants...that stinks, man!
filthy black thief!
I think I'll gather a group of white people to go buy her albums (w)
While they throw the book at her, they ignore these folks:
http://www.socialvibes.net/socialvi/tag/000-rich-did-not-pay-taxes/
and
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/06/big-paychecks-tiny-tax-burdens-how-21000-wealthy-americans-avoided-paying-income-tax/
You ignant.
Hoping For A Change: vote against Obama. He's already made things bad enough. His"transparent government" is full of tax cheats & liars. We really had it good with Reagan. we need to rid ourselves of Socialists who claim to be Democrats.
Maybe we can get a hologram stage performance of reagan and 2pac.
That's ok, so long as she pays her back taxes, penalties, and interest – which should total $1M+.
Liberals think everyone should pay higher taxes except for them.
At least liberals recognize that running a country re
Meant to say, at least liberals understand that running the country takes money. Conservatives think they should get it all for nothing.
What a total bunch of BS. Nobody can believe that story with a straight face
Lauryn baby, use your head.
Haha, that's a good one tboz! I wonder how many didn't get it.
It's sad people just can't stay on message..how many people don't owe the government..in one way or the other you gonna pay...throwing race in it is stupid white and black owe taxes..so what..too many stupid racist in this country...divided this country will not stand..ya better worry about those terrorist...out side the...Obama moving forward....2012
Sorry Lauryn, underground or not, two things in life are certain: death and taxes.
But, somehow the 1.3 or 6 million you made, soaked into the ground you were under, so you got to have it right?
I love this woman's voice and her songwriting, probably my top 5 all time...but you can't have it both ways.
IRS doesn't understand a poetic stance on life...you make make money in the U.S, you live in the U.S...you pay taxes to the U.S...period. Our roads and bridges, emergancy systems and education (bad as they seem at times) did not go underground with you. So this is your responsibility. I wish you luck, but I'm callin' shenanagans on that excuse.
Even worse, you make money *outside* the US and live *outside* the US and you STILL pay taxes to the US. The US is the only country that does this.
Not true Johnny other countries do as well. You only pay taxes to the US if you make over a certain amount. It use to be 67K.
I thought the sky was going to fall so I never went outside to mail my tax return
Oopsies!
Guess she forgot that if you go "underground" – yeah, I'd like to see the bunker she's living in – you still have to pay your bills, including tax bills.
I wish I could have seen the look on the IRS agent's face when she suggested an "alternate solution"!
Her and Wesley Snipes, must have shared the same hole. Taxes are for the little people. Famous last words of Leona Hemsley as they hauled her rear off to prison.
And don't ever butcher a Roberta Flack song again.
Girls you know you better watch out! Some guys, some guys are only about!
That thing, that thing, that thiiiiiiiing!
Pay your taxes girl!
You only pay tax when you live above the ground. Since she was "underground" and spent time with the gophers; she is exempt from paying her dues.
LOL the amount goes up by the hours and the interest rate is rather high....great excuse for maybe your kids or pet dog. One this in this country we all know to well. DEATH and TAXES are a certain. She will figure that out eventually
This racist bee otch needs to be put down just like Trayvon.
Maybe Timothy Geitner can use that excuse....... and a whole lot of other Democrats.......
May your wish come back to YOU, bee otch!
Are you serious? How does this relate to Trayvon you racist piece of shiggity?
Not cool.
U need to be punched n ur face
First off, you stupid pathetic poor white racist on here who keep talking about black this, black that need to do a reality check and see that their are very smart and wealthy billionaires who happen to be CHOCOLATE. You may hate blacks, but your little white daughters sure love them some tasty CHOCOLATE=p So remember that before your next stupid pathetic comment you make. You're just a walking billiard of stupidity. You advertise your ignorance by the comments you leave. Also screw taxes. She should just fake her death like Michael Jackson did and never have to pay that stupid crap ever again=)
You, on the other hand, are a paragon of of both intelligence and racial tolerance.
BTW, help me out, here: how can you tell the color of a person's skin from the content of their post? I sure can't!
"A walking billiard of stupidity"??
I've never heard of someone stupid being referenced to a pool ball?
Oh well must be a black thing I guess or is it chocolate
Blah blah blah. Just pay your d*&! taxes!!
What a load of B.S. She said she didn't want to pay her taxes because they support the "military industrial complex". Yeah, she sounds real sane. I bet she got caught up in that same anti-tax group Wesley Snipes did. Now we get to suffer through a few years of her resisting the jail time she's due before they actually lock her up. I hope they tack on a hefty fine!
I did respect Wesley Snipes for categorically refusing to pay taxes. He is one of these people who refuse out of principle. He also took the punishment that came with that. Now what Mrs. Hill did is just plain stupid.
I don't understand her problem. Tupac still pays his taxes, and he's been "underground" for 16 years!
She wasn't so far *underground* that she couldn't collect her earnings. She is either incredibly stupid – or so arrogant that she thinks everyone else is stupid enough to buy this line of crappola. Who is she btw? Meanwhile, please let's throw her in jail with minimal fuss.
Wish this had a Like button
She made all that money and tried to avoid paying taxes. She's a republican for sure.
Tim Geithner. Ring a bell? He's the treasury guy appointed by Obama. He's not a republican. He also "forgot" to pay his taxes for a period of time. But he get's a free pass, right?
next time the fool wants to be under ground kill herself first...
This is a bit more elaborate, but no more convincing, than "the dog ate my homework". Pay up, stupid!
Never heard of this person but she is black though so she can't be very smart. "Going underground" has got to be the stupidest reason I have ever heard for someone not paying their taxes. She sould have sought advice from Obama's cabinet on how to skip out on paying taxes.
See The Fugees and Wyclef Jean and Sister Act.
Really? Because she is black she is stupid? You sound just as dumb as her excuse....
I know!! She's like those republicans who claim they use their personal money to create jobs so they don't have to pay more taxes. Losers, all of them and those who think like them. SMH.
Well by you not knowing who she is just shows how stupid and pathetic you are. What a stupid white racist walefare trailer trash punk. Just remember when you go to kiss your little white daughter on the lips, that she probably just got done sucking a beautiful black coco stick. They love black men and your children will be half black. Never forget that LOSER=)
She is black as much as you're another white conservative republican racist who will be extinct pretty soon because blacks, Latinos, & Asians no longer pay attention to you guys
The_Dude!!!! Listen up!!!!!!! Your comments only shows how un-educated YOU are! You were probably home school and wasn't taught JACK! You are JEALOUS of blacks.....so stop hiding behind your computer and learn to READ. Reading does the MIND good! With your racist comments. Your Momma sure LOVED the black ding dong when my daddy put it to her. Madecung!
PEOPLE PLEASE!
This is not a Black or White issue. This something we all have to pay, Black or White. Stop making stupid racist remarks, it is not necessary. Just because someone is black does not mean they are not smart. WE MUST ALL TAKE
A LOOK AT OURSELVES. Some of the remarks that are being made are not very smart, think first. With that being said Lauren Hill still need to pay her damn taxes.
I am happy to hear that Ms. Hill and her children are safe. Now comes the reality check. Even though your fans forgot about you while you were "underground", the IRS did not. The good news is, hopefully you still have your talents, and with some hard work, and careful financial planning you can dig yourself out of this mess.
She pops up above ground often enough to get her money but not often enough to fill out a return. Or to at least have her accountant/payors withhold her taxes before they hide the cash behind the park bench. Gone underground.....yeah, right.....
tax dodging black thief!
FFACTS-–> And your daddy would've done the same thing too!!! It's okay for YOU Funky whities to do what the phuc you want but, as soon as a strong African American individual do what they have to do, they world of whities have SO MUCH TO SAY! Go sit your Assets down somewhere!!!!!
Just pay your taxes like everyone else you free loader!
So is GE one of the wealthiest companies on the planet a free loader.
Lauren Hill once said, "I'd rather have my kids starve than have a white person buy my album." Don't feel sorry for her. She just didn't want to pay "The Man." Eminem said it best, "...bought Lauren Hill's tape so her kids could starve..." LOL
Wow really:? she said that ? and to think I liked her music....if i woulda known that I wouldn't have bothered. Amazes me the lies people will come up with to not pay taxes... idiots ! Funny she has a gold mickey mouse ring on her damn finger, put that towards your IRS payments, free loader.
Right is Right and Wrong is Wrong so all the racial slurs are irrelevant!! Its 2012 and it's sad that racism still exists so heavily! O yea check your FACTS before making that ridiculous statement! She never said that, it was a false rumor that she did address in an interview!
Underground? I'm sure the judge will take heart in her situation. Not.
DUDE--> YOU know in your heart that Lauren Hill DID NOT say such a thing like that!! So for you to sit your FUNKY assets behind your computer like a little bee otch and LIE it's very sad. Do't believe everything you hear and read! Wow...really? Funky YOU Dude!
Underground... as in Digital Underground. Now thats a group I miss!
@John,
That double-taxation argument is a crock. We pay Sales tax when spending money we've already paid income tax on. Also on savings and investments made from that income.
Mr. Chriss scwartz. The best of wayne..
>> "I also embraced my right to resist a system intentionally opposing my right to whole and integral survival."
What kind of nonsensical new age tax dodging doublespeak is that? So should all of us have a right to not pay taxes, as long as we can drool out some blithering nonsense about the system "opposing our rights to whole and integral survival?"
she knew she wasn't filing, therefore she broke the law and must pay. EVERYONE should have to pay something, then they would care more about who they vote for and where the money goes.
So she decided to go "underground" by having a public high profile career? Suuuure.
Well, we certainly know one millionaire who didn't pay her fair share.
Wow! Really! so that's all I have to do is say "I'm not paying my taxes because society is unfair" Once again Really! Ms. HIll.
She knows she's lying to us, but does she know she's lying to herself as well? Completely delusional. And such a sense of inflated self-importance. These celebrities certainly live in a whole other universe of reality, don't they? The tragic thing is; if we didn't feed their egos (we're here after all), they wouldn't live in this fantasy world they've created.
Funny, she actually did NOT pay her taxes, where Romney and Bush Sr. did. Oh funny it was Tim Geithner, ya know Obama's secretary of the treasury that did NOT pay his taxes.
Clearly you don't know anything, aside a pathetic, biased, look on life without any facts to back anything up. Mo-ron
OK, enough with the speculation. She has just confirmed that she is certifiably crazy. Get this woman a straight jacket now please, before she hurts herself or someone else!
I could see if "underground" meant no income, so no taxes due, but if you have income, you have to file.
What a load of b.s.! She sounds like a looney tune conspiracy theorist!
And I liked Lauryn Hill. Can I stop paying taxes because I don't like who is in the White House? Seems to me that hiding from the IRS puts your family at greater risk than paying your taxes. Don't forget, Ms. Hill, that President Obama is after you, because you are "The Rich", and as far as he's concerned, you need to pay your fair share.
Such a talent, but then what?
lol..... couldn't have happened to a nicer person. I used to like Lauren Hill until she was mad that 'non-black' people were buying her music.
B.S. Plain & simple. Just like most of the far Right & Left loonies on here. Has nothing to do with the story folks. I know it's hard, but try to focus...
B.S. You collected the money, you spent the money. If you were available (on the grid) for that then you could have easily paid your taxes......liar like her former band mate Wyclef
More Kool-ade for this fella
Oh what a crock! She needs to pay her taxes just like the rest of us or go to prison like the other criminals.
Translation: "I was holed up in basement smoking crack".
Completely incorrect. Romney pays his % because he invested money in businesses where he could lose or gain. That money is at risk and we need capital to fund businesses so it is taxed at a lower rate. Additionally, that money was already taxed previously as income at a higher rate. You can disagree with the system but Romney played by the rules. Hill's actions are completely illegal and deceptive.
Maybe she can get a cell next to Wesley Snipes!
If the information reported here is accurate, then it is very different from Wesley Snipes. Again, if the article is correct, she is not maintaining that she does not have any outstanding tax liability for the years in question and will probably pay up what she owes (if anything) plus interest and penalties rather than going to jail. I won't be surprised if she gets hit heavily with the financial penalties regardless of whether she actually owes any back taxes (no idea if anything was withheld from her royalty payments or not which appears to have been the bulk of her earnings for those years according to earlier reports).. I will be surprised if she goes to jail assuming the article is correct is stating she is willing and able to pay what she owes.
As far as her rational though... it just doesn't make any sense at all. Tax filings are not public information (unless one holds or runs for certain political positions) and simply filing her tax returns in a timely manner would not have endangered her in any way or been an invasion of her or her family's privacy. She was accessing the income during that time which honestly would seem like a bigger link to the industry she was trying to distance herself from as well as a much more significant danger to her privacy. Also, she owns and operates four companies which are still in operation... which means she WAS engaging in business with the government at least in as far as filing the necessary corporate reports to keep the companies from being administratively dissolved. Her entire reasoning makes absolutely no sense at all.
She is fantasic. I believe she will fix this because she is better now and ready to deal with "society". It's a shame that people can't understand how confusing this system is for groups of people who are decendents of people who were abducted into it. Trail and error is the only way to go because there is no heritage. Anglo, African...still makes a difference today but we are all human and should respect each other for our own sake. I can tell she learned a lot and has a lot to offer the world, I just hope that the haters won't make her want to go away again.
That excuse is completely useless. Now she'll realize how much taxes people really owe when they make that much (unless they hide it illegally or use loopholes which we should be reducing). Even more hypocritical if she is votes liberal democrat. She should owe back taxes and penalties.
Completely agree. You don't go "underground", completely off the grid and still make 1.6 million. Her excuse, is, at best, lame.
Loser
JT and robcM, I highly doubt you even know who Lauryn Hill is. Lol retarded clowns...
Are clowns retarded? Shouldn't that be the "R" word? I thought that word was strickened from the diverse vocabulary of the planet Earth.
The IRS plays games, but as all the rationalizing above shows, so does she. Best to retain a good tax attorney and start negotiating.
What a bunch of crap...
another proud democrat
You must be right. The Republicans get Congress to give them more tax breaks. Democrats don't have enough for those kinds of payoffs..
Abbeystone–
Democrats are plenty rich too, and benefiting quite well from those breaks. Nitwit.
The day she is underground would be a good day.
JT, the day you start using your brain will be a good day.
Keep her underground in JAIL!
So everyone else can pay for her? Yeah that makes sense.