Ms. Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer, songwriter and rapper, known for being a member of Fugees and for her solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which won many awards and broke several sales records. Raised mostly in South Orange, New Jersey, Hill began singing with her music-oriented family during her childhood. In high school, Hill was approached by Pras Michel for a band he started, which his friend, Wyclef Jean, soon joined. They renamed themselves the Fugees and released the albums Blunted on Reality (1994), and the Grammy Award–winning The Score (1996), which sold six million copies in the US. Hill rose to prominence with her African-American and Caribbean music influences, her rapping and singing, and her rendition of the hit Killing Me Softly. In 1997 the band split, after which Hill began to focus on solo projects.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) remains Hill's only solo studio album. It received critical acclaim, showcasing a representation of life and relationships and locating a contemporary voice within the neo soul genre. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, and has sold approximately eight million copies there. It included the singles Doo Wop (That Thing) (also a number one), Ex-Factor (became her biggest solo hit in UK), and Everything Is Everything. At the 41st Grammy Awards, the record earned her five awards, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist. During this time she won several other awards and became a common sight on the cover of magazines.