Lauryn Hill: Explains Why She Did not Pay Tax

Lauryn Hill

The eight-time Grammy Award winner, Lauryn Hill explained on an internet posting on that she did not pay her tax because she withdrew from the society to ensure the safety and well-being of herself and her family.

Hill was last week charged with tax evasion by the Internal Revenue Service. The Federal prosecutors accused her of not paying tax on more than $1.5 million she earned between 2005 and 2007 from recording and film royalties.

The 37-year-old posted a lengthy explanation on Friday that she rejected the pop culture’s  "climate of hostility, false entitlement, manipulation, racial prejudice, sexism and ageism."


Insisting that "Over-commercialization and its resulting restrictions and limitations can be very damaging and distorting to the inherent nature of the individual.”

She added “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 wrote she has explained herself to the authorities during questioning by the authorities. 

"My intention has always been to get this situation rectified. When I was working consistently without being affected by the interferences mentioned above, I filed and paid my taxes," she 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."