Lauryn Hill is the belle of Rock the Bells
Review: The one-time Fugees vocalist makes a surprise appearance at the hip-hop fest.
By SLAV KANDYBA
The Orange County Register

The bells weren’t just rung at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino on Saturday – they were rocked, and then rocked some more.

There’s no better way to describe this year’s “Rock the Bells,” a day-long hip-hop festival featuring top-flight underground and mainstream talents, including rare West Coast appearances by the entire Wu-Tang Clan and Mos Def, a Brooklyn rapper turned Hollywood star.

The biggest surprise of the night was Lauryn Hill, who made an appearance as the promised special guest. With Hill nowhere to be seen backstage, her jazz band set up and the woman many believe is the greatest female MC ever emerged to a surprisingly lukewarm reception from the crowd – perhaps not so surprising taking in account Hill’s switch to a more free-spirited sound after the five Grammy-earning debut disc “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” Hill proceeded to perform several singles off of the classic disc, as well as the crowd-pleasing park jam “How Many Mics” from her Fugees days.

Chang Weisberg, the festival’s mastermind and hip-hop fan, said securing Hill wasn’t about getting the biggest star for the money. The reclusive Hill doesn’t exactly book a lot of shows either.

“We had to give the fans something,” Weisberg said shortly before Hill’s 30-minute set.

While Hill’s surprise performance created a buzz, this installment of Rock the Bells made history well before. On an indoor stage not far from where Hill and Wu-Tang rocked to a multicultural audience of at least 10,000, MC Supernatural rhymed freestyle for nine hours and 10 minutes. It is now the world’s longest freestyle rap, according to the Guiness Book of World Records.

If Supernatural’s conversation-like freestyle topped with witty punch lines off the top of his head wasn’t what a fan was looking for, there were plenty of other acts to choose from – most providing for laughs, save for one. The animated Redman delved into his catalog of party-starters, then announced that his luggage was lost en route from New Jersey and he needed a pair of clean boxer shorts. Immortal Technique, a Harlem rapper of Peruvian descent, poignantly rapped about the conditions facing the nation’s poor and his personal dissatisfaction with the government and police.

Weisberg, the organizer, said getting the Wu-Tang Clan, a Staten Island outfit that released the classic “Enter the 36 Chambers” in 1992, together for a show took the better part of 10 years. The Clan has now performed at two consecutive Rock the Bells.

“There’s not a lot of quality hip-hop tours … even less festivals,” said Weisberg, who heads up Guerilla Union, the company responsible for Rock the Bells.

Quality is something he made sure was on display at his festivals, and even sent a not-so-subtle message about what it takes to be on the bill.

“No disrespect to commercial rap, but if you step on this stage, you’re a lyricist,” he said.

Asked if hip-hop stars that don’t sell millions of records can help turn a profit, he gave an honest assessment.

“It’s something that can be enjoyable,” Weisberg said. “But I’ve lost money and made money.”

Source

Another Review:
Rock The Bells Makes Hip-Hop History; Supernatural Breaks World Record
Sunday - August 6, 2006

On Saturday (August 5) hip-hop fans gathered at San Bernardino’s NOS Events Center for the annual Rock The Bells Festival.

While acts such as Planet Asia, Murs, Self Scientific, Visionaries, and B-Real rocked the main stage, Supernatural attempted to break the World Record for Longest Freestyle Rap.

The Living Legends performed fan favorites like “Night Prowler” and “Dirty Faces,” and were followed by a crowd-pleasing performance by LA’s own Dilated Peoples.

As the sun began to go down, De La Soul took to the stage, and brought along special guests Black Sheep. As if that wasn’t enough, they then asked A Tribe Called Quest to join them on stage, and the crowd roared with excitement. ATCQ performed classics from their catalog like “Buggin’ Out,” “Check The Rhime,” and “World Tour.”

Redman started off with a swanky, brand new track, and then went on to explain how he had gotten so high that morning that he had left all of his luggage in New Jersey. Later, he performed “Pick It Up” off of his Muddy Waters album: “If you see a bag of weed on the floor motherf---er, what you gon’ do,” he asked. “Pick it up, pick it up,” screamed the hyped crowd.

After Redman finished his set, KeyKool of the Visionaries came onstage to announce that Supernatural had in fact broken the World Record, and had freestyled for over nine hours; officially entering him into the “World Book of Guiness Records,” and hip-hop history. Then, the raspy Supernat kicked one more freestyle over Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones.”

Talib Kweli brought along Phil Da Agony and Krondon, who are signed to his Blacksmith imprint, followed by a singing Mos Def.

Next, Wu Tang was scheduled to perform but, to the bewilderment of the crowd, a live band began to warm-up. Questions were answered when surprise guest Lauryn Hill appeared and performed three songs. At the end of her final song, mic still in hand, she grabbed her purse and cell phone, and exited as mysteriously as she had come.

While Wu Tang set up, Redman hustled fans and tried to get them to pay between five and twenty dollars for things like girl’s underwear or Hennessy gift bags; and the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.I.Am showed up in the press pit, prepared to watch the show.

When a large, hand-painted portrait of ODB was brought on stage, his mother, Cherry Jones, looked lovingly at it, and placed her hand on its edge.

Then, one by one, Wu Tang finally took to the stage and the crowd went wild; topping off a day filled with memorable, and historical, moments.
http://www.ballerstatus.net/news/read/id/76842891/

:)

lol - look at her shoes, socks, trousers and scarf - very retro but i like her style.

It's good that she's making surprise appearances (and that she was on time - as the crowd wasnt waiting around for a hour for her to perform!), but the 'review' isnt really saying much - it's more of a news article then anything else.

I mostly love Lauryn's style; she always has a lot of creativity and a vintage appeal, although this ensamble is authentic, I think she looks like a black clown in here, lmfao! I am so sorry, I still love her to death though...

:D :dances: :crazy: