| Lauryn Hill | |
|---|---|
 | |
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Birth name |
Lauryn Hill |
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Also known as |
Ms. Hill, L Boogie |
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Born |
May 26, 1975 |
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Genre |
R&B, soul, neo soul, hip hip, hip hop soul, reggae fusion |
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Occupation(s) |
Singer, rapper, record producer, actor |
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Years active |
1993-present |
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Label |
Columbia, Ruffhouse |
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Associated acts |
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Lauryn Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, rapper, record producer and actress. She is best known for being a member of the Fugees and for her solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Raised in South Orange, New Jersey, Hill began singing with her music-oriented family during her childhood. She enjoyed success as an actress at an early age, appearing in a recurring role on the television soap opera As the World Turns and starring in the film Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. In high school, Hill was approached by Pras Michel to start a band, which his cousin, Wyclef Jean, soon joined. Naming themselves Fugees, the group released two studio albums: Blunted on Reality in 1994 and the Grammy Award-winning The Score in 1996, which sold six million copies in the United States. On the latter record, Hill rose to prominence with her African-American and Caribbean music influences, her rapping and singing, and a rendition of the hit "Killing Me Softly", which was a chart-topping song in a number of countries. Hill's tumultuous romantic relationship with Jean led to the split of the group in 1997, after which she began to focus on her solo career.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill remains Hill's only solo studio album. It received massive critical acclaim upon its release in 1998, showcasing a representation of life and relationships and locating a contemporary womanist voice within the neo soul genre. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, and has sold approximately eight million copies within the United States. At the 41st Grammy Awards, the record earned her five awards, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist. She won numerous other awards and became a common sight on the cover of magazines. Soon afterward, Hill dropped out of the public eye, suffering from the pressures of fame and dissatisfied with the music industry. Her last full-length recording, the 2002 new material live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0, sharply divided critics and sold poorly compared to her prevoius work. Hill's subsequent activity, which includes the release of a few songs and occasional festival appearances, has been sporadic and erratic. A Fugees reunion in 2005 was shortlived, with both Jean and Michel stating that it was due to Hill's behaviour that the reunion was unsuccessful. Her music, as well as a series of public statements she has issued, have become critical of pop culture and societal institutions. Hill has six children, five of whom are with Rohan Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley. In 2012, she pled guilty to tax evasion for failure to pay federal income taxes, and served a three-month prison sentence in 2013.
Discography[]
- 1998: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill