Major Controversies Surrounding Lauryn Hill: A Detailed Timeline

Public opinion and media debates around Lauryn Hill—discover key moments of controversy.

Lauryn Hill is a highly influential American rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, and actress. She is recognized for breaking down barriers for women in rap, merging hip-hop and neo-soul, and blending rap with melodic vocals. Lauded for her vocal talent, she has been featured on lists such as NPR's 50 Great Voices and Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. Billboard named her the greatest female rapper in 2015. She has won eight Grammy Awards, the most for any female rapper.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1996: Response to Racism Rumors

In 1996, Lauryn Hill responded to a false rumor on The Howard Stern Show that she had made a racist comment on MTV, defending her universal music and belief in God and love for all creations.

November 1998: New Ark Lawsuit

In November 1998, New Ark filed a lawsuit against Lauryn Hill, her management, and record label, claiming they were not properly credited for their work on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

June 1999: Essence Award and Public Reaction

In June 1999, Lauryn Hill received an Essence Award, but her acceptance speech drew criticism from those who thought she was not a good role model as a young, unwed mother of two.

2000: Depositions in New Ark Lawsuit

During the latter part of 2000, depositions took place regarding the New Ark lawsuit against Lauryn Hill, illustrating the difficult boundaries between songwriting and other aspects of arranging, sampling, and recording.

2000: Withdrawal from Public Eye

In 2000, Lauryn Hill dropped out of the public eye, overwhelmed by the pressures of fame. She fired her management team, attended Bible study classes, stopped doing interviews, watching television, and listening to music, and associated with a "spiritual advisor" named Brother Anthony.

February 2001: Settlement of New Ark Lawsuit

In February 2001, Lauryn Hill settled the lawsuit filed by New Ark out of court, reportedly paying them $5 million.

December 2003: Vatican Performance and Controversy

In December 2003, Lauryn Hill spoke of "corruption, exploitation, and abuses" regarding the molestation of boys by Catholic priests during a performance in Vatican City. Her comments drew criticism from the Catholic League.

2003: Christmas Benefit Concert at the Vatican

In 2003, Lauryn Hill spoke out against sexual abuse of children by priests during a Christmas benefit concert at the Vatican, sparking controversy. Hill stated that "God has been a witness to the corruption of his leadership, to the exploitation and abuses. It is the least one can say about the clergy."

2005: Start of Period of Unfiled Taxes

In 2005, Lauryn Hill began a period where she failed to file taxes on her income, which eventually led to tax fraud charges in 2012.

2005: Irritated Wyclef Jean During a Tour

In 2005, Lauryn Hill irritated Wyclef Jean during a short tour by failing to appear on stage with the rest of the Fugees until 45–50 minutes into the performance.

August 2007: Late Arrival at Brooklyn Show

In August 2007, Lauryn Hill was 2.5 hours late for a free Brooklyn show at the Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series.

2007: End of Period of Unfiled Taxes Leading to Tax Fraud Charges

2007 marks the end of the period of unfiled taxes by Lauryn Hill, which resulted in tax fraud charges in June 2012. During this time, Hill earned $1.8 million without filing taxes.

2008: Start of Unreported Income Period

In 2008, Lauryn Hill had unreported income for 2008 and 2009 in addition to the original tax fraud charges.

2009: Continuation of Unreported Income Period

In 2009, Lauryn Hill had unreported income for 2008 and 2009 in addition to the original tax fraud charges.

December 2010: Late Arrival in Boston

In December 2010, Lauryn Hill took the stage in Boston two-and-a-half hours late, continuing her reputation for tardiness.

June 2012: Guilty Plea to Tax Charges

In June 2012, Lauryn Hill appeared in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark and pleaded guilty to tax charges. Her attorney stated she would make restitution for the back taxes she owed.

June 2012: Tax Fraud Charges Filed

In June 2012, Lauryn Hill was charged with three counts of tax fraud for failing to file taxes on $1.8 million of income earned between 2005 and 2007.

April 2013: Criticism for Lack of Tax Restitution

By April 2013, Lauryn Hill had only paid back $50,000 of the $554,000 she owed immediately in back taxes, leading to criticism from U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo.

May 6, 2013: Sentenced to Prison for Tax Fraud

On May 6, 2013, Lauryn Hill was sentenced to serve three months in prison for failing to file taxes/tax fraud, followed by three months of house arrest as part of a year of supervised probation. By this point, Hill had fully paid back $970,000 in back taxes and penalties she owed.

July 8, 2013: Reports to Prison

On July 8, 2013, Lauryn Hill reported to the minimum-security Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury, to begin serving her three-month prison sentence for tax fraud.

November 2014: Erratic Behavior at Voodoo Fest

In November 2014, Lauryn Hill drew media attention for her erratic behavior, appearing late twice in the same day for sets at Voodoo Fest.

May 2015: Cancellation of Concert in Israel

In May 2015, Lauryn Hill canceled her scheduled concert outside Tel Aviv in Israel following a social media campaign from activists promoting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.

2015: Canceled Show in Israel

In 2015, Lauryn Hill canceled a show in Israel following a social media campaign urging her to boycott Israel over its occupation of Palestinian land. She clarified that she doesn't take sides but believes in dignity for all.

May 2016: Late Arrival in Atlanta

In May 2016, Lauryn Hill was two hours late for a show in Atlanta, performing for only 40 minutes due to the venue's strict curfew, explaining she was "aligning my energy with the time".

November 2023: Criticism for lateness and response

In November 2023, Lauryn Hill faced widespread criticism for arriving late to a show in Los Angeles. Her response, suggesting fans should feel "lucky" she performs nightly, stirred further controversy, especially following her doctor's advice for vocal rest due to vocal injuries.

August 2024: Cancellation of Fugees Reunion Tour

In August 2024, The Fugees were scheduled to start a reunion tour but the U.S. dates were quietly canceled three days before the first show. Hill cited "clickbait headlines" and low-ticket sales as an explanation. Pras released a diss track titled "Bar Mitzfa" which criticized Hill that same month.

October 2024: Pras Sues Hill for Breach of Contract and Fraud

In October 2024, Pras sued Hill for breach of contract and fraud, accusing her of mismanaging the budgeting of their tour in "a veiled and devious attempt to make a big score for herself".