How education and upbringing influenced the life of Lauryn Hill. A timeline of key moments.
Lauryn Hill is a highly influential American rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, and actress. Celebrated for her impact on music, she broke barriers for female rappers, contributing to the mainstream success of hip-hop and neo soul by blending rap with melodic vocals. Recognized by NPR and Rolling Stone for her vocal talent, Billboard named her the greatest female rapper. Hill's accolades include eight Grammy Awards, the most for any female rapper.
May 26, 1975: Lauryn Hill's Birth
On May 26, 1975, Lauryn Noelle Hill was born. She would become an influential American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress.
1993: King of the Hill and High School Graduation
In 1993, Lauryn Hill appeared in Steven Soderbergh's "King of the Hill" and also graduated from Columbia High School.
1996: Founding the Refugee Project
In 1996, Lauryn Hill founded the Refugee Project, a non-profit outreach organization for at-risk urban youth.
1996: Rohan Marley's Divorce Document
In 1996, Rohan Marley disputed claims he was never divorced by making public a divorce document from Haiti.
1996: Meeting Rohan Marley and Pregnancy
In the summer of 1996, Lauryn Hill met Rohan Marley and began a relationship with him. Hill became pregnant in late 1996.
August 3, 1997: Birth of Zion David
On August 3, 1997, Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley's first child, Zion David, was born.
1997: Refugee Project Benefit Event
In 1997, a benefit event for the Refugee Project introduced a board of trustees including Sean Combs, Mariah Carey, and others.
November 1998: Birth of Selah Louise
In November 1998, Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley's second child, Selah Louise, was born.
2000: Withdrawal from Public Eye
In 2000, Lauryn Hill withdrew from the public eye due to the pressures of fame. She fired her management team, attended Bible study classes, and associated with a "spiritual advisor".
2001: Birth of Third Child
Around 2001, Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley's third child, Joshua Omaru, was born.
2002: Shutdown of Refugee Project
In 2002, Lauryn Hill shut down her non-profit Refugee Project, expressing dissatisfaction with obligatory charitable acts.
2003: Move to Own Place in Miami
Around 2003, Lauryn Hill moved out of a Miami hotel she was sharing with Rohan Marley and into her own place in the city.
2003: Controversial Performance at Vatican Christmas Benefit Concert
In 2003, during a Christmas benefit concert at the Vatican, Lauryn Hill spoke out against sexual abuse of children by priests. Her comments sparked controversy and were edited out of the broadcast, though she has been applauded for speaking out since then. The Pope was not in attendance.
2005: Statements on Future Music
In 2005, Lauryn Hill told USA Today that any future music she makes would primarily be for her children.
August 2008: Living in South Orange, New Jersey
By August 2008, Lauryn Hill was living with her mother and children in her hometown of South Orange, New Jersey.
July 2011: Birth of Sixth Child
In July 2011, Lauryn Hill gave birth to her sixth child, Micah, whose father remains publicly unknown, making him her first child not with Rohan Marley.
2014: Release of "Black Rage" and Amnesty International Concert
In 2014, Lauryn Hill released "Black Rage" on SoundCloud in protest of the killing of Michael Brown. Also in 2014, she performed at the Amnesty International 'Bringing Human Rights Home' benefit concert in New York, supporting Pussy Riot, giving a rendition of "Black Rage".
2015: Cancellation of Israel Show
In 2015, Lauryn Hill canceled a show in Israel following a social media campaign urging her to boycott the country over its occupation of Palestinian land. She clarified that she does not take sides in the conflict and believes in dignity for all sides.
2016: Release of "Rebel" updated track
In 2016, Lauryn Hill released an updated version of her 2002 track "I Find It Hard to Say (Rebel)" from her MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 album entitled "Rebel" exclusively on Tidal. The updated song was released due to the influx of Police brutality in the United States at the time, and was performed at the Tidal X 1015 charity concert hosted by Jay-Z.
2018: A Star Is Born Remake Release
In 2018, the remake of A Star Is Born was released; Lauryn Hill had previously turned down a role in this movie.
2019: MLH Fund Scholarships
According to Billboard, in 2019, Lauryn Hill, through her MLH Fund, provided 10 scholarships for the 2019–2020 academic year to students at Alpha Institute in Kingston, Jamaica.
December 2021: Performance at Virgil Abloh's Memorial
In December 2021, Lauryn Hill performed at Virgil Abloh's memorial service after his death from cancer.