Lauryn Hill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lauryn Hill
Hill performing in 2019
Born	Lauryn Noelle Hill (1975-05-26) May 26, 1975 (age 50) East Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Other names	Ms. Lauryn Hill L. Boogie
Occupation	Rapper singer songwriter record producer actress
Years active	1988–present
Works	Discography
Partner(s)	Rohan Marley (1996–2009)
Children	6, including Selah and YG
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	South Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	Hip-hop soul reggae R&B
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	Columbia Island Ruffhouse
Signature

Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American musician, rapper, and singer. Many music experts see her as one of the most important artists of her time. Hill is known for breaking barriers for female rappers. She helped make hip-hop and neo soul music popular for everyone. She is famous for mixing rapping with beautiful singing.

NPR named her one of the 50 Great Voices, and Rolling Stone magazine listed her as one of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. In 2015, Billboard called her the greatest female rapper ever. She has won eight Grammy Awards, which is the most for any female rapper.

Hill started her career as a teen actress. She appeared on the TV show As the World Turns in 1991. She also acted in the movie Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993), where her performance as Rita was widely praised. She became even more famous as the lead singer of the group the Fugees. Their album The Score (1996) was a huge success. It made Hill the first woman to win a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. The album had the hit single "Killing Me Softly".

Her first solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998), was a massive hit. It was the first album by a female rapper to start at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album's main single, "Doo Wop (That Thing)", also started at number one. This made Hill the first artist to have their first album and first single both debut at the top of the charts. At the 1999 Grammy Awards, she became the first rapper to win the Album of the Year award. The album is still one of the best-selling albums in the world.

After her huge success, Hill took a long break from the public eye. She released a live album, MTV Unplugged No. 2.0, in 2002. In the years that followed, she toured and worked with other artists. She has also written and produced songs for famous singers like Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin. Her work has earned her many honors, including a place in the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.

Life and Career

Early Life and School

Lauryn Noelle Hill was born on May 26, 1975, in East Orange, New Jersey. Her mother, Valerie, was a teacher, and her father, Mal, was a computer consultant. Her family loved music. Her mother played the piano, and her father sang at local clubs. Hill grew up listening to great artists like Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.

In middle school, she sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" before a basketball game. People loved it so much that a recording of her version was played at future games. She later attended Columbia High School. There, she was on the track team and cheerleading squad. She was a great student who took advanced classes and got 'A' grades. She also started the school's gospel choir.

Starting Her Career

When she was in high school, a friend named Prakazrel "Pras" Michel asked her to join his music group. Soon after, Pras's cousin, Wyclef Jean, joined them. They called themselves the Fugees. The group performed at local shows. Hill started as a singer but quickly learned to rap by listening to rappers like Ice Cube.

Hill also took acting lessons. In 1991, she appeared in a TV show called As the World Turns. In 1993, she co-starred with Whoopi Goldberg in the movie Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. She played Rita Watson, a talented but rebellious teenager. In the movie, she sang "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" and "Joyful, Joyful". The famous movie critic Roger Ebert called her "the girl with the big joyful voice."

Success with the Fugees

The Fugees signed a record deal in 1993. Their first album, Blunted on Reality (1994), did not sell well. But their second album, The Score (1996), was a huge success. It hit number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.

The album had hit singles like "Fu-Gee-La" and "Ready or Not". But their cover of "Killing Me Softly" became their biggest hit. It won a Grammy Award and made Hill a star. Newsweek magazine called her "the most powerful new voice in rap."

During this time, Hill started the Refugee Project, a non-profit group to help at-risk youth. She also raised money for good causes, like building clean water wells in Africa. In 1997, the Fugees split up to work on their own projects. That same year, Hill's first child, Zion David, was born. His father is Rohan Marley, a son of the legendary singer Bob Marley.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Hill recorded her first solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, in 1997 and 1998. The album's title was inspired by a book called The Mis-Education of the Negro. Many songs on the album were very personal. "To Zion" was about her decision to have her first child.

The album was released on August 25, 1998, and critics loved it. They praised its mix of R&B, pop, hip-hop, and reggae music. Entertainment Weekly called it "an album of often-astonishing power, strength, and feeling." The album sold nearly 423,000 copies in its first week and topped the charts for weeks. It has sold about 20 million copies worldwide.

The first single, "Doo Wop (That Thing)", went straight to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Other hit songs from the album included "Ex-Factor" and "Everything Is Everything".

In 1999, Hill was nominated for ten Grammy Awards in a single year, a first for a woman. She won five awards, including the big prize for Album of the Year. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was the first hip-hop album to ever win that award.

Taking a Break

After reaching the peak of fame, Hill decided to step away from the public eye around 2000. She felt overwhelmed by the pressures of being a celebrity. She wanted to focus on her family and her personal life. She has five children with Rohan Marley and a sixth child born in 2011.

In 2002, she released a live album called MTV Unplugged No. 2.0. On this album, she sang and played an acoustic guitar. The album received mixed reviews from critics but still debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart.

In 2003, during a performance at the Vatican City, she spoke out about problems within the Catholic Church. Her comments caused some controversy at the time.

Later Career and Touring

Hill performing in 2005

In 2004, the Fugees reunited for a performance at Dave Chappelle's Block Party. They also went on a European tour in 2005, but old problems between the group members returned, and they split up again.

Hill continued to tour as a solo artist. She sometimes arrived late to her concerts, which disappointed some fans. In 2007, she released a new song, "Lose Myself", for the movie Surf's Up.

In 2010, she performed at festivals in New Zealand and Australia. She also toured the U.S. with the Rock the Bells festival, where she performed her famous album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in its entirety.

In the early 2010s, Hill faced some legal and financial challenges. She had to take a break from her career in 2013 to handle these issues. After this break, she released a new song called "Consumerism" and began touring again.

In recent years, Hill has continued to perform around the world. In 2019, she recorded a song called "Guarding the Gates" for the movie Queen & Slim. In 2024, she made a surprise appearance at the Coachella music festival during her son YG Marley's performance. She and Wyclef Jean also performed some Fugees hits together.

Legacy and Influence

Hill performing in 2019

Lauryn Hill is often called one of the greatest rappers of all time, and many consider her the greatest female rapper. The New York Times once called her "the most popular woman in hip-hop." Her unique style of mixing rapping and singing has influenced many artists who came after her, including Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Kanye West.

Her album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is seen as a classic. It was the first hip-hop album to win the Grammy for Album of the Year. In 2021, the album was certified Diamond in the U.S. for selling over 10 million copies, making Hill the first female rapper to achieve this. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it as the 10th-greatest album of all time.

Many famous artists have named Hill as a major inspiration. These include Adele, Beyoncé, Lizzo, and H.E.R.. Her music has been sampled by many top artists, including Drake, Kanye West, and Cardi B.

Hill is also known for her unique fashion sense, especially her natural hairstyles. She helped make styles like locs and bantu knots popular in mainstream culture. Many celebrities, including SZA and Rihanna, have been inspired by her style.

Discography

• The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Hill and her backing musicians performing at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, 2011

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  Hill performing at the Kongsberg Jazzfestival 2019

See also

In Spanish: Lauryn Hill para niños