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Forum name	The Lesson
Topic subject	Who is Paid & Live and how did he get a Lauryn Hill feature?
Topic URL	http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=3041576
3041576, Who is Paid & Live and how did he get a Lauryn Hill feature? Posted by Buddy_Gilapagos, Thu Jan-26-23 10:55 AM I've legit been wondering this for 20 years and have never gotten to the bottom of it. Somewhere in the early days of napster/audiogalaxy I, like many others, came across this track. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa3_ikQhU_o And it goes. Dope track. Dope Lauryn Hill verse. Dope use of that Kool & the Gang track. So why wasn't it released? Right issues? But more importantly, how did this rapper, who no one has ever heard of, get a song with Lauryn presumably when she was at the height of her powers? I thought maybe it's a homemade remix but Lauryn Hill says his name and they rap back and forth. This is definitely a collaboration. It's also crazy their is nothing on the neet that I have found about Paid & Live. No other songs. No real name anywhere. Just this super dope track. Anyone knows the story here? I think close to launching a hip-hop mysteries podcast investigation unless there is an easy answer to this story. discog puts the making of this song as 1997 which is Post the Score but pre-Miseducation. ********** "Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson "what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"
3041690, I thought this was through DJ Skribble, Posted by spitfire, Tue Jan-31-23 02:38 PM but that was this track from the same year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD94z-nqSgo
3041691, If I had to guess, the connection is through the track's producers Posted by mrhood75, Tue Jan-31-23 05:45 PM Who were Hakim and Muhammed Bell, sons of Robert Kool Bell aka Kool of Kool and the Gang (hence the Kool and the Gang sample). The Bell family and Lauryn share a New Jersey connection. I'd also heard years ago that the Robert Bell was one of the people that "discovered" her. So, I would imagine that Paid and Live was the Bell kids' artist, they recorded a jam, and they called in a favor from Lauryn during a time when she was mega hot. It's as good of an explanation that I can think of.
3041705, This is the best lead I've gotten in 20 years. Thank you! Posted by Buddy_Gilapagos, Wed Feb-01-23 02:15 PM ********** "Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson "what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"
3041764, RE: Who is Paid & Live and how did he get a Lauryn Hill feature? Posted by JtothaI, Mon Feb-06-23 07:35 PM I'm pretty sure I have the CD single of this laying around somewhere. Maybe I can dig it up and find some clues on the labels?
3041782, Was it actually released? Posted by Buddy_Gilapagos, Tue Feb-07-23 12:26 PM I always thought it was bootlegged or leaked. ********** "Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson "what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"