Lauryn Hill is using social media to demand that California lawmakers pass the FAIR Act to protect musicians, allowing them to leave certain contracts after seven years without the threat of “crushing financial penalties.”
In a lengthy post from yesterday (April 14), Hill stated, “We would love to believe that businesses at the highest level are always run by fair practices and moral prerogatives, but this is more often than not, not the case. For this reason laws MUST exist that protect people from harsh and insensitive practices like artist suppression, and willful sabotage and neglect.”
The Free Artists from Industry Restrictions Act — or FAIR Act as it’s most commonly called — backed by California representatives like Lorena Gonzalez and Ash Kalra, has gained traction through Hill’s fame and popularity.
Last year, Deadline reported that RIAA claimed studies showed the FAIR act to be unfavorable. Studies went on to say there was a possibility that the act could “destabilize” the music industry. There were also claims that it could “upend the existing creative ecosystem that is producing the largest advances and royalty payments in music business history.”
Hill continued to challenge these beliefs in her post calling music a “powerful medium” and discussing how people “will stop at nothing less than treachery to accomplish their goal.” She continued, “Greed often perverts the creative intentions of young dreamers who don’t realize they’re up against a system with a history of using and crushing people who don’t comply with their agenda.”
Supporters of Hill seem to agree with her call for action with one user calling her statement “a reeducation from Ms. Hill.”
Another user goes on to say, “We will never forget what the music industry did to you. I support you and all artists.”
If the act is passed, it will allow artists in film and television to work for multiple employers as long as there is no scheduling conflict with their original employer. The bill would also extend existing labor laws to recording artists that allow them to terminate their personal services agreements after seven years.