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. 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.
1996: Named One of the Most Influential Artists Since 1996
Pitchfork named Lauryn Hill as one of the 200 most influential artists since 1996. This recognized her lasting influence on music and culture since 1996.
1998: Time Declares Lauryn Hill "Queen of Hip Hop"
In 1998, Time declared Lauryn Hill as the "Queen of Hip Hop", solidifying her status as a prominent figure in the music industry.
May 1999: Recognition as Influential Black American
In May 1999, Lauryn Hill was named the youngest woman ever to Ebony magazine's 100+ Most Influential Black Americans list and made People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People list.
1999: 'The Lauryn Hill Effect'
In 1999, Billboard considered Lauryn Hill's success to be a breakthrough for female rappers, which resulted in a brief increase of female rappers in the music industry at the time, that the publication dubbed 'The Lauryn Hill Effect'.
1999: Time Magazine Cover
In 1999, Lauryn Hill was featured on the cover of Time magazine. She was the only Black musician to achieve this in that decade, marking a significant career milestone.
1999: Named One of People's 50 Most Beautiful People
In 1999, Lauryn Hill was named one of People's 50 Most Beautiful People and was on the cover of Time magazine.
2000: Muse for Dior Collection
In 2000, John Galliano chose Lauryn Hill as his muse for the Spring/Summer Dior collection, which featured models wearing dreadlocks and hoop earrings.
2002: Shutdown of Refugee Project
In 2002, Lauryn Hill shut down her non-profit Refugee Project, expressing dissatisfaction with obligatory charitable acts.
2005: Statements on Future Music
In 2005, Lauryn Hill told USA Today that any future music she makes would primarily be for her children.
2012: VH1 Ranks Hill Among Greatest Women in Music
In 2012, VH1 recognized Lauryn Hill's significant contribution to music by ranking her as one of the Greatest Women in Music.
2014: Named Most Influential Woman in Hip Hop
In 2014, AllHipHop named Lauryn Hill as the most influential woman in hip hop history, recognizing her impact on the genre.
2015: Named Greatest Female Rapper by Billboard
In 2015, Billboard named Lauryn Hill the greatest female rapper, recognizing her impact and contributions to the music industry.
2015: Billboard Ranks Hill Among Greatest Rappers
In 2015, Billboard ranked Lauryn Hill as the seventh greatest rapper of all time on their "10 Best Rappers of All Time" list, recognizing her as the only woman on the list.
2015: Recognized as a Fashion Icon
In 2015, Vogue mentioned Lauryn Hill as one of the female hip hop entertainers of the 1990s, whose style was considered influential to 2010s fashion, hailing her as a "fashion and music icon."
2015: Influence on Broadway Musical "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 her work in the musical's songs.
2016: Frank Ocean samples Lauryn Hill
In 2016, Frank Ocean sampled Hill's vocals from her live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 on the Jazmine Sullivan-featured "Rushes" from his album Endless, adding to her influence on music.
2017: NPR's Ranking of the Miseducation
In 2017, NPR rated the album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as the second-best album of all time created by a woman.
2017: Inspiration for Fashion Collections
In 2017, collections designed by Alexander Wang and Tory Burch were inspired by Lauryn Hill.
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" sampled on Cardi B's "Be Careful" and Drake's "Nice for What", showcasing her influence on contemporary music.
2018: Lizzo cites Lauryn Hill as inspiration.
In 2018, Lizzo stated in an interview that she was influenced by The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, "rapping, singing, being political", further adding that she was always afraid of being a singer, but then when she heard Lauryn Hill, she was like, maybe I can do both.
2019: Ranker Poll of Greatest Singer/Rappers
In 2019, Lauryn Hill ranked No. 1 on the Ranker poll of the greatest singer/rappers, highlighting her unique talent and influence.
2020: Nicki Minaj references Lauryn Hill
In 2020, Nicki Minaj made mention of Hill's influence on her on multiple occasions; Including on 2020 U.S. number one single "Say So Remix", In which Minaj raps, "Spittin' like Weezy, Foxy, plus Lauryn".
2020: Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
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, underscoring its enduring legacy.
2021: Named One of the Most Influential Artists Since 1996
In 2021, Pitchfork named Lauryn Hill as one of the 200 most influential artists since 1996, recognizing her lasting impact on music and culture.
2021: Diamond Certification and Rolling Stone Recognition
In 2021, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill achieved Diamond certification by the RIAA, making Hill the first female hip hop artist to receive this honor in the U.S. Also in 2021, Rolling Stone included "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and the Fugees' "Killing Me Softly" in their revised list of the 500 Greatest Songs.
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, honoring her contributions to music and culture.
2022: Inspiration for Schiaparelli Collection
In 2022, Lauryn Hill was named among Daniel Roseberry's influences for the Spring/Summer Schiaparelli collection.
2023: Rolling Stone's List of Greatest Singers
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.
2024: Grammy Hall of Fame Induction and Apple Music Recognition
In 2024, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was selected for induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame by The Recording Academy. Additionally, in 2024, Apple Music featured it as the number one album on their list of the 100 best albums.