As I was perusing twitter the other day, I came across the following link that was posted by @afrobella. The video is of Lauryn Hill performing at the Apollo in 1987, getting boo’d off stage (yes back in the day you could boo at kids).

As a person who has chosen writing as her lifelong profession, I spend a lot of time encountering, healing and bouncing back from rejection. Its just the nature of this business.

However, when I watched this video, I couldn’t help but be struck by the way in which Lauryn kept pushing on. Through the song at the Apollo, through her career with the Fugee’s and Miseducation, and even today as she fights for autonomy to sing what she wants, however she wants.

It seems that Lauryn has an invaluable lesson for us all. Often, genius isn’t something that you are inherently born with, genius is created, persisted after and fought for.

peace.

a.