Fans who stuck around for Hill’s performance got a treat. A robust band of more than 10 members played as Black history montages filled the background screens. Hill emerged in a blue polka dot full-length dress wearing a gele atop her head and a low-hanging statement necklace showcasing what appeared to be fertility figurines.

The organizers of Essence Fest don’t want you to be miseducated about Lauryn Hill. The singer closed out the first night of the festival with a performance that began around 2:30 a.m. Though Hill has a run late for her shows on occasions in the past,

Essence Festival shows support for Lauryn Hill in a lengthy statement following her delayed 2 a.m. performance on July 5.