Rap chanteuse Lauryn Hill has evolved from her supporting role in the alt-rap trio the Fugees to
become one of the most respected solo performers in the hip-hop community, breaking new
creative ground with her multi-genre music, her intimate, honest lyrics and her strong, provocative
vocals. A native of South Orange, N.J., Hill got an early start in the music business, hooking up
with fellow Fugees Prakazrel "Pras" Michel and Wyclef Jean while still in high school. As the
Fugees, the trio released two albums, 1994's tepid Blunted on Reality and 1996's multi-platinum
smash, The Score. Bouyed by the success of The Score, Wyclef, Pras and Hill decided to take
time off to pursue solo projects. In 1998, the 23-year-old Hill bowled over the music community
with her ambitious solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, a deeply personal album, for
which Hill wrote, arranged and produced almost every track. A complex self-portrait of a woman
dealing with love, self-respect and the wonders of motherhood, the album received across-the-board raves from critics and fans alike, including a laudatory review from the The New York
Times, who dubbed Hill "a visionary." In February of 1999, Hill received 11 Grammy Award
nominations. She walked away with five awards, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist.
When she's not in the studio, Hill raises her two children and devotes energy to her two youth
out-reach programs, Camp Hill, in upstate New York, and the Refugee Camp in New Jersey.
Christina Cramer
Rap chanteuse Lauryn Hill has evolved from her supporting role in the alt-rap trio the Fugees to
become one of the most respected solo performers in the hip-hop community, breaking new
creative ground with her multi-genre music, her intimate, honest lyrics and her strong, provocative
vocals. A native of South Orange, N.J., Hill got an early start in the music business, hooking up
with fellow Fugees Prakazrel "Pras" Michel and Wyclef Jean while still in high school. As the
Fugees, the trio released two albums, 1994's tepid Blunted on Reality and 1996's multi-platinum
smash, The Score. Bouyed by the success of The Score, Wyclef, Pras and Hill decided to take
time off to pursue solo projects. In 1998, the 23-year-old Hill bowled over the music community
with her ambitious solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, a deeply personal album, for
which Hill wrote, arranged and produced almost every track. A complex self-portrait of a woman
dealing with love, self-respect and the wonders of motherhood, the album received across-the-board raves from critics and fans alike, including a laudatory review from the The New York
Times, who dubbed Hill "a visionary." In February of 1999, Hill received 11 Grammy Award
nominations. She walked away with five awards, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist.
When she's not in the studio, Hill raises her two children and devotes energy to her two youth
out-reach programs, Camp Hill, in upstate New York, and the Refugee Camp in New Jersey.
Christina Cramer
