Lasting Legacy of Lauryn Hill: A Look at the Influence on History

A detailed timeline of the impact and legacy of Lauryn Hill across different fields.

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

1933: Inspiration from The Mis-Education of the Negro

In 1933, Carter G. Woodson wrote "The Mis-Education of the Negro", which later inspired the title of Lauryn Hill's album "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill".

The Mis-Education of the Negro

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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.

1996: Pitchfork Named Her as One of the 200 Most Influential Artists Since 1996

In 2021, Pitchfork named Lauryn Hill as one of the 200 most influential artists since 1996, highlighting her impact and enduring influence on music.

1998: Time Declared Her the 'Queen of Hip Hop'

In 1998, Time declared Lauryn Hill as the "Queen of Hip Hop", solidifying her impact and influence in the music industry.

1998: Lauryn Hill released The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill's album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill released in 1998, is considered as a classic gem that have become samples for many rap game MVPs

1999: Billboard Considered Hill's Success a Breakthrough for Female Rappers

In 1999, Billboard considered Lauryn Hill's success to be a breakthrough for female rappers, leading to a brief increase of female rappers in the music industry, dubbed 'The Lauryn Hill Effect'.

1999: Recognized for Popularizing Dreadlocks

In 1999, PopSugar highlighted Lauryn Hill as the originator in the recent natural hair revival due to popularizing dreadlocks in the mainstream, and Stylist mentioned Hill gracing the cover of Time in locs, and being named one of People's 50 Most Beautiful People as definitive moments in the history of black hair.

2005: Statements about Music and MTV Unplugged 2.0

In 2005, Lauryn Hill stated that if she made music, it would only be to provide information to her children. She also reflected on the songs from 2.0, describing them as transitional and documenting both distress and joy.

2012: VH1 Ranked Hill as One of the Greatest Woman in Music

In 2012, VH1 ranked Lauryn Hill as one of the Greatest Women in Music, recognizing her contributions and impact on the music industry.

2014: Named Most Influential Woman in Hip Hop History by AllHipHop

In 2014, Lauryn Hill was named the most influential woman in hip hop history by AllHipHop, highlighting her significant impact on the genre.

2015: Named Greatest Female Rapper by Billboard

In 2015, Billboard named Lauryn Hill the greatest female rapper, solidifying her impact and influence on the music industry.

2015: Billboard Ranked Hill as Seventh Greatest Rapper of All Time

In 2015, Billboard ranked Lauryn Hill as the seventh greatest rapper of all time on their "10 Best Rappers of All Time" list, and she was the only woman on the list.

2015: Recognition as a Fashion Icon

In 2015, Vogue mentioned Lauryn Hill as one of the female hip hop entertainers of 1990s, whose style they considered to be influential to 2010s fashion. She was hailed as a fashion and music icon by CR Fashion Book and was also included on the list of the most stylish rappers of all time by Complex.

2015: Influence on Hamilton

In 2015, the Broadway musical Hamilton was heavily influenced by Lauryn Hill, with creator Lin-Manuel Miranda naming her as one of his favorite rappers and referencing "Lost Ones" and her verse from the Fugees single "Ready or Not".

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2016: Frank Ocean sampled songs from MTV Unplugged No. 2.0

In 2016, Frank Ocean sampled Hill's songs from her live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 on the Jazmine Sullivan-featured "Rushes" from his album Endless

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2017: NPR rates the album as the second-best album of all time created by a woman

In 2017, NPR rated "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" as the second-best album of all time created by a woman, highlighting its lasting impact and significance.

2018: Rosalía Thanked Her for Being Influential

During her 2018 Grammy award acceptance speech, Spanish singer Rosalía thanked Lauryn Hill for being influential to her.

2018: Most Sampled Artists of the Year

In 2018, Lauryn Hill became one of the most sampled artists of the year, with her single "Ex-Factor" being sampled on Cardi B's "Be Careful" and Drake's "Nice for What", while A$AP Rocky and Frank Ocean released "Purity" which sampled "I Gotta Find Peace of Mind".

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2018: Lizzo Acknowledged Lauryn Hill as an Inspiration for Singing and Rapping

In 2018, Lizzo stated that hearing Lauryn Hill inspired her to incorporate singing into her debut record, which was influenced by The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. She added, "I was always afraid of being a singer, but then when I heard Lauryn Hill, I was like, maybe I can do both".

2019: Ranked No. 1 on Ranker poll of the greatest singer/rappers

In 2019, Lauryn Hill ranked No. 1 on the Ranker poll of the greatest singer/rappers, solidifying her versatile talent and influence.

2020: Minaj Reference to Lauryn Hill in 'Say So Remix'

In 2020, Nicki Minaj referenced Lauryn Hill in the U.S. number one single "Say So Remix", rapping, "Spittin' like Weezy, Foxy, plus Lauryn".

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2020: 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' ranked among greatest albums

In 2020, Rolling Stone listed 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' as the 10th-Greatest Album of All Time on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, acknowledging its lasting impact and critical acclaim.

2021: Nomination for Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame

In 2021, Lauryn Hill was among the first nominees for the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame, marking a significant recognition of her contributions to music and entertainment.

2021: Pitchfork Named Her as One of the 200 Most Influential Artists Since 1996

In 2021, Pitchfork named Lauryn Hill as one of the 200 most influential artists since 1996, highlighting her impact and enduring influence on music.

2022: Induction into Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame

In 2022, Lauryn Hill was inducted into the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame, solidifying her legacy and impact on the music industry and culture.

2023: Rolling Stone Ranked Hill at number 136 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Lauryn Hill at number 136 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time, acknowledging her vocal talent and impact on music.

2024: Induction into Grammy Hall of Fame and Apple Music's best albums list

In 2024, 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' was selected for induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame by The Recording Academy. Additionally, Apple Music featured it as the number one album on their 2024 list of the 100 best albums.