If you were to ask any female rapper who her influences are, 9 out of 10 times, Lauryn Hill’s name will come up. Her 1998 debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, put her on the map as one of the most influential female MCs of the 90s, and in my opinion, of all time.
At the time Lauryn was making her debut album, she was going through a lot: her first pregnancy, turmoil within the Fugees, an undefined/strange love for Rohan Marley and struggles to continue her faith in God. All of these circumstances are portrayed in the lyrics of her breakout album through singing and rap, another aspect that made Lauryn different from other female MCs of the time.Lauryn Hill has so much power/influence among other female MCs and young girls everywhere because her lyrics prove that she is not afraid to speak her mind and say what is real.
You can find a cappella groups all around the country sing her hits, like, Doo Wop (That Thing) and Can\’t Take My Eyes Off Of You. Her words mean so much to people, especially black females, who have gone through the same experiences in life. Hill has the knack to not hold anything back with her lyrics. Hill’s first and only album is a classic that will be enjoyed by kids from generation to generation. I was not even born at the time of its release and I can sing every word of 85% of the album.
Hill is working on an a comeback after her self-imposed exile and her ‘crazy’ episodes. She has been touring all over the world since the summer and an unreleased song called Repercussions was leaked via the internet in late July.
Lauryn Hill will, hopefully, get back on top of the music game with her unique style. If not, she has still made quite an impressive mark in music, especially in the black community, with only one album out. She’ll definitely will continue to be on of my influences.
“Everything is everything, What is meant to be, will be. After winter, must come spring. Change, it comes eventually.”
Roger That,
Chloe
