Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975 in East Orange, New Jersey) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress whose career has reshaped modern hip‑hop and neo‑soul. She first entered the public eye as a teen actress, appearing on As the World Turns (1991) and delivering a memorable performance as Rita Watson in Sister Act 2 (1993), before co‑founding the influential hip‑hop trio The Fugees with Wyclef Jean and Pras in 1990. The group’s 1996 smash album The Score topped the Billboard 200, earned a Grammy for Best Rap Album, and featured Hill’s soaring vocals on the landmark cover “Killing Me Softly,” which became the year’s best‑selling single in multiple territories. After the Fugees split, Hill released her solo debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998), an album that debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, produced multiple chart‑topping singles such as “Doo Wop (That Thing),” and won eight Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, making her the first female rapper to achieve that honor. The record’s blend of hip‑hop, soul, reggae, and R&B set a new template for melodic rap and earned diamond certification, cementing Hill’s status as a cultural icon. Beyond music, she has contributed as a producer and songwriter for artists like Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, and Aretha Franklin, and she co‑produced Santana’s Grammy‑winning Supernatural (1999). Hill’s philanthropic work includes founding the Refugee Project, supporting Haitian refugees, and advocating for youth education. Her personal life, marked by a long‑term partnership with Rohan Marley and the birth of six children, has often intersected with her artistic output, influencing songs such as “To Zion.” Despite periods of withdrawn public presence, legal challenges, and criticism for concert lateness, Hill remains a seminal figure whose influence spans generations of artists across hip‑hop, R&B, and pop.