I Gotta Find Piece Of Mind” sings Lauryn Hill in the MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 Album, and the title of that song is exactly what the fans, lifelong listeners and followers of Lauryn Hill have continuously felt due to the lack of care she holds for attendance to her own tours and concerts.
The most awarded female rapper in history, Lauryn Hill, is continuously late or absent from her own shows. This may be destroying her legacy, leaving followers wondering if her shows are even worth it.
“ ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song’ is so incredible for its soft yet hard-hitting lyrics. It gives such a chill vibe,” said Mr. Mato, dance teacher.
Lauryn Hill was born on May 26, 1975, to her mother, Valerie Hill, a teacher, and to her father, Mal Hill, a computer consultant in New York. She then moved to Newark and was raised in East Orange, New York. As a teenager, Lauryn Hill got a role in “As the World Turns” at the age of 16, then a role in “Sister Act 2: Back in The Habit” with Whoopi Goldberg at the age of 18.
As a teenager, she also performed in a group called “Tranzlator Crew” with Prakazrel Michel. Shortly after, Wyclef Jean also joined the group.
Lauryn rebranded her group “the Fugees” in 1993. They later were signed to a division of Colombia Records. Then, they released their first album, “Blunted on Reality,” which didn’t gain them much recognition.
Their second album, “The Score,” featured an amazing remake of Roberta Flack’s 1970’s hit, “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” and earned them fame, with 18 million copies sold. It also earned them not one, but two GRAMMY Awards!
“‘Killing Me Softly with His Song” is so incredible for its soft yet hard-hitting lyrics. It gives such a chill vibe,” said Mr. Mato, dance teacher.
Due to that success, Lauryn Hill decided to abandon her education at Columbia University, leaving behind a soon-to-be finished degree in history. Eventually, the group decided to pursue their own interests.
Later in 1996, Hill created an organization called “the Refugee Project” which assisted the underprivileged youth. The following year, Hill had her first child with Rohan Marley, Bob Marley’s son. Hill and Marley named their son Zion David Marley after the spiritual theme, “Zion.”
In 1998, Hill started working her own solo album, flying to Jamaica to record her work at Bob Marley’s Museum Studio. Then, Hill’s most famous album was released, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” The album went multi-platinum in several countries, and in 1999, Hill was nominated for 10 GRAMMYs. She won five, which included “Best New Artist” and “Album of the Year.”
“My favorite song is ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.’ It’s musically beautiful, incredibly poetic, and the lyrics are impactful,” said Ms. Bryan, an English teacher.
Hill’s music became recognized for her deep, emotional lyrics, which included themes of family, community, and self-discovery. Hill followed her debuted solo recordings with 2-disc live albums, which were taken from MTV’s Unplugged series in 2002. Those recordings featured a pure, unedited performance by Hill on an acoustic guitar.
“Lauryn Hill is insanely talented, and has such a powerful influence,” said Mr. Cleary, a history teacher. “She has a magical voice, sings melodies like no other, and has such a natural flow.”
Though the recordings sold poorly, Hill gave proof that she could be a significant attraction when she co-headlined for the Smokin’ Grooves tour with Outkast in 2002.
Hill was sentenced in 2012 for failed tax returns for a total of 3 months, then was later sentenced to 3 months of house arrest. After a full release, Hill still attracted large crowds when she performed, even though she gained a reputation for being “exotic.”
“I think she’s really talented, incredibly creative, but I also think her trauma tarnished her reputation,” Ms. Bryan said.
Later in 2015, Hill contributed an album with six tracks to “Nina Revisited,” a tribute to Nina Simone (2015) that featured her impossible-to-deny talent as a singer. In 2019, Hill recorded a song for the movie “Queen & Slim” called “Guarding the Gates.” Hill’s career quieted significantly after that.
Lauryn Hill has a great run whenever she performs, but due to her lack of care for attendance and punctuality at concerts, her reputation is disintegrating. Lauryn Hill should take a page from Stevie Wonder and treat her fans like he treats his, with respect and dedication.
