July 28, 2002 -- Multi-Grammy winner Lauryn Hill bares her soul on stage in this DVD release of an MTV2 telecast taped on July 21, 2001. The session was first aired on March 10, 2002. It is a revealing performance by an admitted non-performer. The low-key music is not much to write home about, but the lyrics, covering a lot of political, religious and psychological ground, are powerful, and so is the raw emotion of her delivery, including a tearful rendition of "I Gotta Find Peace Of Mind."

This same session was previously released on CD in May of 2002. It is the first followup of original material to her 1998 smash award-winning, self-produced solo album, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill." Before that, Hill was a member of the very successful hip-hop group, the Fugees. The striking beauty also appeared as an actress in "Sister Act II: Back In the Habit," and on TV in the soap, "As the World Turns." The one hour, forty-five minute MTV session features Hill candidly talking and singing about her emotional and spiritual crisis and reawakening following the release of her 1998 album. She starts out by telling the audience at the MTV studios at Times Square in New York, "I used to be a performer. I really don't consider myself to be a performer anymore." Rather she says she is sharing the music which she has been given. Her hair covered in a scarf and wearing a denim outfit and huge earrings, she explains she doesn't feel the need to dress up anymore. She says she is into freedom and reality.

There is little musical variety in the 13 songs in the session. In one song, the Rastafarian standard, "The Conquering Lion," she receives some percussion accompaniment, but on the rest of the songs, it is just her and her acoustic guitar. On some numbers, she does a simple thumb strum, on others, like "Water," she uses a standard three finger and thumb style of picking. After a few songs, the listener is apt to experience deja vu. "Water" is probably the most upbeat song in a somewhat depressing repertoire. It is musically a little richer than the other songs, too. Hill's voice also cracks and breaks from time to time and she also forgets the lyrics at times. In one song, she is clearly reading the words off of a piece of paper. She stops the song so she can turn the page. Part of this is because most of the material is new and she has not performed it in public before. But then, she warned us, she's not a performer.

The lyrics of the songs in the session are another matter. They are much more sophisticated and diverse than the music (links to sites with song lyrics are below). In fact, they are more thoughtful and sophisticated than most lyrics, with a kind of Dylan-esque poetry. The words indicate a person who has endured a lot of emotional distress. She even jokes about her mental state during the session, and in an MTV interview, when she says, "I don't know anybody that's not emotionally unstable or schizophrenic." Her emotional turmoil is embodied in the song "I Gotta Find Peace Of Mind." Hill breaks into tears in the course of this number and continues crying until the song runs out of gas after nine minutes or so. She sings, "Just tell me what to say/ I can't find the words to say/ Please don't be mad with me/ I have no identity/ All that I've known is gone ..." She concludes by singing: "Oh what a merciful, merciful, merciful god/ Oh what a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful god ..."

A rap number, "Mystery of Iniquity," is overtly political with a jab at the president: "When the Son of Perdition is Commander in Chief/ The standard is thief ... " She also takes on the educational establishment: "Mafia with diplomas keeping us in a coma/ trying to own a piece of the American corona" She also takes on the courts: "Its entertainment...the arraignments/ The subpoenas, high profile gladiators in bloodthirsty arenas/ Enter the dragon, black-robe crooked-balance/ Souls bought and sold and paroled for thirty talents ... " She ends the song with more religious references: "Let your emotions be crucified/ Renounce all your thoughts/ Repent and let your mind be re-taught/ You'll find what you sought...was based on the deception you bought/ A perception of naught, where the majority remains caught ... " Spirituality rises often in Hill's songs, including, "Oh Jerusalem."

In "Freedom Time," there are more political and religious allusions: "No options in the valley of decision/ The only doctrine, supernatural circumcision ... And that sentence, more serious than Vietnam/ The atom bomb is Saddam and Minister Farrakhan ... " In "Adam Lives in Theory" there is more social and religious commentary: "Adam lives in theory/ Trying to turn stone to bread/ Masquerading like he got it figured out/ Cut off from the sunshine, only smart in his own head/ Leaving his descendants to hope and doubt/ Left to his devices, those worth the sacrifices/ Praying to the alter of himself/ Making pilgrimages, thinking he's religious ... "

The words tumble out of her in torrents, particularly in "Mystery of Iniquity." There seems to be a lot of pain and disappointment in Hill's songs. At times, she seems very religious, but at other times, she seems critical of religion. During the MTV interview, she said, "Real religion is no religion at all." That statement conforms to the belief of many Rastafarians that joining any highly organized religion requires one to give up too much personal freedom. Freedom is a big part of the Rastafarian religion and it is also a major theme in Hill's songs. There are also some references to difficult romantic relationships in her songs. She also seems to be uncomfortable with her fame and fortune on a spiritual level, but she is at ease when she performs. At times, her lyrics suggest a religious asceticism that would, indeed, be at odds with her extreme wealth as a highly successful recording artist. Hill is married to Rohan Marley, son of the late reggae superstar Bob Marley (who helped popularize the Rastafarian faith). The Marley, reggae and Rastafarian influences are apparent in some of Hill's songs. One, "Never Forget (So Much Things To Say)" was written by Bob Marley. "Conquering Lion" is a traditional adaptation. Rastafarians believe in the divinity of the late Ras Tafari Makonnen (Emperor Haile Selassie I). One of his several titles as emperor was the Conquering Lion of Judah. The lion is one of the most important symbols of the Rastafarian religion (see link below).

The DVD has a nice sharp picture and the sound reproduction is excellent. It is best heard through a good stereo or surround-sound system, where the powerful bass notes on the guitar give the songs a better musical backing and beat. You loose too much with ordinary TV speakers. The DVD has a full-screen aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Soundtracks available are Dolby (TM) digital 5.1 surround, or Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo. There are no bells and whistles on this DVD. No subtitles, either. Subtitles would have helped with figuring out the lyrics. Songs include "Mr. Intentional," "Adam Lives in Theory," "Oh Jerusalem," "War in the Mind," "I Find it Hard to Say (Rebel)," "Water," "Just Want You Around," "I Gotta Find Peace of Mind," "Mystery of Iniquity," "I Get Out," "I Remember," "So Much Things to Say" and "The Conquering Lion." This DVD rates a B. The music itself is mainly for Lauryn Hill fans. The words are universal. Me, I'm waiting for the plugged-in studio version of these songs.

For more information on this concert, including lyrics to songs, click on this link to Fugees Online. I got most of the lyrics for "Mystery of Iniquity" from this link at the hottest hits site. Click here for information on the Rastafarian religion. Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.