Why Lauryn Hill Virtually Disappeared at The Height of Her Popularity
From being a music A-lister to going into self-imposed exile, this is the story of Lauryn Hill.
Lauryn Hill performing at the AltaVista Web Search party launch in 1999. Image property of Erik Pendzich and Shutterstock.
In the late 90s, Lauryn Hill was one of music’s biggest stars. She had recently launched her solo career after being a member in the rap trio The Fugees prior.
The Fugees were dissolved after disagreements between Hill and member Wyclef Jean. Hill went on to release her debut album ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ in 1998.
Miseducation was almost entirely written and produced by Hill herself. The album featured a mix of neo-soul and rapping. After the release of her album, Hill became an instant superstar.
The album won five Grammys and sold over 12 million copies worldwide. Hill’s album was regarded as the main inspiration for many artists following. Songs from the Miseducation have been sampled by artists like; Cardi B, J. Cole and Meek Mill.
Drake notably incorporated Hill’s ‘Ex-Factor’ for his song ‘Nice for What’ in 2018. In the years following, Hill’s public visibility began to dwindle. Hill also became romantically involved with the son of Bob Marley, Rohan.
Hill became notably anxious and stressed with being in the spotlight. She turned down high profile movie roles such as; The Matrix, Charlie’s Angels and The Bourne Identity.
Ms. Hill struggled with the pressure to live a normal life, motherhood and celebrity all at once. She was all but missing from the music industry for many years and was even arrested for tax evasion.
In 2002, Hill remerged with a new live album called ‘MTV Unplugged No. 2.0’ recorded the year before. The reception to the album was mixed at best, praising Hill’s singing but often said to be comparatively inferior to her older material.
In 2005, Hill and the Fugees reunited for a new single and tour. A third Fugees album was due to be released. Unfortunately, plans fell through as Hill was criticised for being late to shows and rude to her partners. It was said Hill only responded to as ‘Ms. Hill’. Ultimately, the Fugees reunion album was shelved.
As of 2020, Hill only has one solo album with a few lone compilations and live albums supporting her. Despite Ms. Hill’s controversial career, her influence on hip hop and R&B is unparalleled.
Listen to Lauryn Hill on Spotify and Apple Music here.
