Lauryn Noel Hill (born May 25, 1975) is an American singer, rapper, musician, record producer and film actress. She initially established her reputation as the vocal member and lone female of The Fugees. On August 25, 1998 she launched her solo career by releasing the critically lauded album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, bringing the then-emerging neo-soul genre to a wider commercial platform. After a four year hiatus, she released the controversial MTV Unplugged No. 2.0; a live album of completely original material (except for So Much Things to Say and The Conquering Lion). She has won eight Grammy Awards and is the mother of four children with Rohan Marley, the fourth son of reggae legend Bob Marley.

Early Life

Lauryn Hill was born in South Orange, New Jersey. Hill was the second of two children born to high school English teacher Valerie Hill and computer programer Mal Hill. Her family's home was crammed with Motown 45's and Sixties Soul, which Lauryn incessantly played as a child. Music was a central part of the Hill home. Mal Hill sang at weddings, Valerie played the piano and Lauryn's older brother Melaney, played the saxophone, guitar and drums.

Hill attended Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey. Hill was an active student, cheerleader, and performer. She began her acting career very early. In 1988, 13-year old Hill appeared as an Amateur Night contestant on It's Showtime at the Apollo. Hill sang her own version of William "Smokey" Robinson's song "Who's Lovin' You?". A nervous Hill sung far away from the mic and was heckled at first; but persisted and finished her song to a standing applause. She did not win though.

Hill appeared on the soap opera, As The World Turns as Kira Johnson. In December 1993, she starred with Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act 2. In the film, she performed the songs "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" (a duet with Tanya Blount) and "Joyful, Joyful" . It was in this role, as Rita, that she first came to national prominence, with Roger Ebert calling her "the girl with the big joyful voice". Although Sister Act I and II were originally conceived as vehicles for comedian Whoopi Goldberg, the second installment won Lauryn equal notice.

Her other acting work includes the play Club XII with MC Lyte, and the motion pictures King of the Hill (as Arletta the Elevator Operator), Hav Plenty (1997), and Restaurant (1998). She appeared on the soundtracks to Conspiracy Theory in 1996 (on the track "Can't Take My Eyes Off You") and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood in 2002 (on the track "Selah").

Trivia

• Hill was childhood friends with actor Zach Braff, who graduated from Columbia High School in 1993, the same year as Hill. Braff mentions inviting Hill to his bar Mitzvah in 1988.
• Conor Oberst of the band Bright Eyes named Hill as his favorite current artist.
• Hill wrote, produced, and sang background vocals for Aretha Franklin on the title song of her March 1998 album A Rose Is Still A Rose. This became Franklin's first platinum-certified album in over a decade.
• Hill wrote, produced, and sang background vocals for Mary J. Blige's hit "All That I Can Say" from her August 1999 album Mary (album).
• Hill wrote and produced the song "On That Day" for gospel artist CeCe Winans on her album Everlasting Love.
• Hill graduated from Columbia High School, attended Columbia University, and is currently signed to Columbia Records.