Coffee connoisseur and hotelier Rohan Marley reunited with the mother of his children Ms. Lauryn Hill onstage in what the son of Bob Marley describes as “One of the most amazing times of my life.”
Hill, the celebrated hip-hop icon, delivered an unforgettable performance at her “Miseducation” 25th Anniversary concert in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center on Thursday night and the show left the audience in awe and reinforced the significance of her music with true cultural longevity.
Hill, who has faced criticism for her punctuality issues in the past, proved her dedication by taking the stage around 9:40 p.m. performing songs from her 25-year-old album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” with a fresh perspective to each track.
To deliver “Lost Ones” she brought up her ex Rohan Marley to deliver the intro which he did on the album declaring her love for him.
“Come onstage you missed your part, I have some very special people who I want to introduce, this is my crazy children’s father who I love very much, this is Rohan Marley,” she said as he entered the stage jubilantly.
“How did the part go on ‘Lost Ones’, What did you say?” Rohan then replied, “Lauryn line up the place.” Then he served as her backup dancer for the duration of her performance of the hip hop classic song.
After the perfomance she reflected on their relationship telling tales of their interactions over the years.
Rohan and Lauryn share 5 children and the two previously rekindled in 2017 for a public photo holding their grandson, the child of their son Zion. He once told The Voice, that the reason things didn’t work out with Lauryn was because, “As a man, there are certain things I don’t accept,” he said. “And it just so happened that I didn’t accept certain things [in the relationship]. It doesn’t mean she’s a bad person, or I’m a bad person, it just didn’t work out.”
However, he told WMV that other than the relationship with Lauryn Hill producing 5 children, it may have changed his life for the better and caused him to add much needed value to his family business.
“I met Lauryn Hill on the tour with my brothers, she is very instrumental in the business side of me”, he said.
“One day me and her were hanging out and she ended up getting pregnant. Being she pregnant, and being the man I am, I knew she didn’t know anything about children yet..so now that I knew that she had to work I say brothers I have to go live in New Jersey because Lauryn is pregnant and I have to be around.” he said admitting that the message took his brothers by surprise.
“So I went there and while I was there she said ‘what do you do?’ I say what you mean? I came to do the house stuff, she say ‘no no no, your Dad has an office you need to go check that out’,” he recalled.
“I went there (Dad’s office) and took all 8 volumes of my Dad’s publishing rights, there are 8 volumes, and I said I need to learn this. While I was learning I introduced my family to a lawyer, I learned everything regarding my father’s business,” Rohan said.
Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images
Ms. Hill’s ‘Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill’ 25th Anniversary tour features reimagined arrangements and a live band with a brass section, a standout guitarist, and background singers.
Throughout the performance, Hill included elements of Black music’s interconnectedness and cyclical nature, paying homage to her roots and the evolution of hip-hop. “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” made Lauryn the first solo female rapper to top the Billboard 200 chart. The album, certified Diamond by the RIAA, included hit singles like “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and “Ex-Factor” and earned Hill five Grammy Awards in one night, a historic achievement. It was also added to the Library of Congress in 2015. It has sold over 20 million records worldwide.
During the Brooklyn concert, Hill shared her personal journey and the impact of motherhood and family with the evening reached its emotional peak during her performance of “To Zion,” supported by a montage of home videos. Her son, Zion Marley, joined her on stage to share a message of world peace and love.
Joshua Omaru Marley, another son of Lauryn Hill, made a surprise appearance during “Doo Wop (That Thing),” adding more family magic of the evening.
The performance was followed by a set from the Fugees, celebrating the 27th anniversary of “The Score.” The trio, including Wyclef Jean and Pras, delivered a dynamic performance, despite the crowd’s dwindling energy. They reinvigorated their classic hits and provided a testament to the enduring power of their music.
