L Boogie
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. She is recognized by music critics as one of the most influential musical artists of her time. Hill is credited with breaking barriers for female rappers, contributing to the mainstream success of both hip-hop and neo soul, and pioneering rap-singing. She has been named one of the 50 Great Voices by NPR, and one of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone. In 2015, Billboard ranked her the greatest female rapper. Among her accolades are eight Grammy Awards—the most for any female rapper.
Hill began her career as a teen actress, appearing in As the World Turns (1991) and Steven Soderbergh's King of the Hill (1993). Her portrayal of Rita Watson in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) earned widespread praise. Hill gained wider recognition as the frontwoman of the Fugees, which she formed with Wyclef Jean and Pras. Their second album, The Score (1996), topped the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Killing Me Softly", which became the best-selling single of 1996 in multiple regions, including the UK. Due to its popularity, the song was temporarily pulled from stores to prioritize the release of "Ready or Not". The album eventually won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, making Hill the first woman to receive the award. She simultaneously appeared on Nas's single "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)". Hill then collaborated with Whitney Houston, and wrote Aretha Franklin's "A Rose Is Still a Rose", a top 40 hit that became Franklin's final signature song.
Her debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998), was the fastest-selling female album at the time it topped the Billboard 200. Along with critical acclaim, its lead single, "Doo Wop (That Thing)", debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, making Hill the first artist to do so on both charts with their first entries. The Miseducation became the first recording by a female rapper to be certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and spawned the hit songs "Ex-Factor", "Nothing Even Matters", and "Lost Ones". At the 41st Grammy Awards, she became the first rapper to win Album of the Year. The album remains one of the best-selling albums worldwide and topped Apple Music's 100 Best Albums list.
In 1999, Hill embarked on The Miseducation Tour and became the first rapper to appear on the cover of Time. Her duet with Bob Marley, "Turn Your Lights Down Low", became a chart success. She also produced Mary J. Blige's "All That I Can Say" and worked on Santana's album Supernatural. Her Grammy-nominated live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 (2002) developed a cult following and featured the song "I Gotta Find Peace of Mind". In the years that followed, she reduced her public appearances, making sporadic collaborations with John Legend and Nas. She also remained an active touring artist. Billboard ranks her as the second highest-grossing female rapper in live music history. She has been recognized with the ASCAP Golden Note Award and the NAACP President's Award, with inductions into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the National Recording Registry, and the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame. In 2026, Hill was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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