Lauryn Hill made a huge impact on the music scene when she broke out from the Fugees and went solo with her acclaimed 1998 debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Already a bona fide star with the New Jersey hip-hop trio, the husky-voiced rapper and singer launched into the pop culture stratosphere with Miseducation, which soared to the top of the charts. The album went on to score a record-setting five Grammy Awards, and Hill became one of the biggest artists in the world.
Then, she basically vanished. She released MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 in 2002, and the music world waited for Fugees reunion that never fully materialized. Aside from popping up on an occasional festival date or worrying fans with an eccentric performance, Hill was largely gone from the spotlight. The singer recently opened up to NPR about why she stopped releasing music, blaming both personal issues and her feelings about the music industry.
“There were things about myself, personal-growth things, that I had to go through in order to feel like it was worth it,” Hill told NPR News. “In fact, as musicians and artists, it’s important we have an environment — and I guess when I say environment, I really mean the [music] industry that really nurtures these gifts. Oftentimes, the machine can overlook the need to take care of the people who produce the sounds that have a lot to do with the health and well-being of society, or at least some aspect of society. And it’s important that people be given the time that they need to go through, to grow, so that the consciousness level of the general public is properly affected. Oftentimes, I think people are forced to make decisions prematurely.”
The star initially established herself as a lyrical powerhouse, but Hill revealed that if she were to head back in the studio, her next project would showcase her vocal chops. “I’m trying to open up my range and really sing more,” she said. “With the Fugees initially, and even with Miseducation, it was very hip-hop — always a singing over beats. I don’t think people have really heard me sing out. So, if I do record again, perhaps it will have an expanded context, where people can hear a bit more.”
Hill, who is billed as a “very special guest” at this summer’s Rock the Bells tour, told NPR that she’s able to ramp up her work schedule now that her children are growing up. “I have five children. The youngest is 2 now, so she’s old enough that I can leave her for a period of time and know she’s going to be OK.” Family obligations aside, the reclusive star also confessed that she’s ready to get back in the game.
“I think it’s just time,” said Hill. “I’m starting to get excited again.”
This report is from MTV News.
In this clip she’s doing “Lost Ones” over Drake and Timbo’s “Say Something”.
