A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit (e.g. Box Hill, Surrey).

The panoramic view from Connors Hill, near Swifts Creek, Victoria

Terminology[link]

A Khulan (Mongolian Wild Ass) on a hill in the Gobi of Mongolia at sunset.

The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is generally somewhat lower and less steep than a mountain. In the United Kingdom geographers historically regarded mountains as hills greater than 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, which formed the basis of the plot of the 1995 film The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain. In contrast, hillwalkers have tended to regard mountains as peaks 2,000 feet (610 m) above sea level: the Oxford English Dictionary also suggests a limit of 2,000 feet (610 m). This has led to Cavanal Hill in Poteau, Oklahoma, receive billing as the "World's Tallest Hill" due to its height of 1,999 feet (609 m). Mountains in Scotland are frequently referred to as "hills" no matter what their height, as reflected in names such as the Cuillin Hills and the Torridon Hills. In Wales, the distinction is more a term of land use and appearance and has nothing to do with height.

A hillock is a small hill. Other words include knoll and (in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England) its variant, knowe.^[1]

Artificial hills may be referred to by a variety of technical names, including mound and tumulus.

Hills of the Judean Desert.

Hills may form through a number of geomorphic phenomena: faulting, erosion of larger landforms, such as mountains and movement and deposition of sediment by glaciers (e.g. moraines and drumlins, or by erosion exposing solid rock which then weathers down into a hill. The rounded peaks of hills results from the diffusive movement of soil and regolith covering the hill, a process known as downhill creep.

Areas that would otherwise have hills do not because of glacier cover during the Ice Age. The hills that existed before the ice age were worn down by the ice (and the rocks they carry) and/or the surrounding valleys and hollows were filled in with glacial drift, therefore leaving a level topography. The contrast between the flat plains of northern Indiana, once covered by ice, and the rugged hills of southern Indiana, where the ice never reached, is a result of this. Another example is the Driftless Zone, an island of hilly country that the ice sheets missed, surrounded by glacial plains, also in the American Midwest.

There are various specific names used to describe particular types of hill, based on appearance and method of formation. Many such names originated in one geographical region to describe a type of hill formation peculiar to that region, though the names are often adopted by geologists and used in a wider geographical context. These include:

• Drumlin – an elongated whale-shaped hill formed by glacial action.
• Butte – an isolated hill with steep sides and a small flat top, formed by weathering.
• Tor – a rock formation found on a hilltop; also used to refer to the hill itself, especially in South West England.
• Puy – used especially in the Auvergne, France, to describe a conical volcanic hill.
• Pingo – a mound of earth-covered ice found in the Arctic and Antarctica.

Historical significance[link]

Clouds over hills

Hills have played an important role in history.

Many settlements were originally built on hills, either to avoid or curb floods, particularly if they were near a large body of water, or for defence, since they offer a good view of the surrounding land and require would-be attackers to fight uphill. For example, Ancient Rome was built on seven hills, protecting it from invaders.

In northern Europe, many ancient monuments are sited in heaps. Some of these are defensive structures (such as the hill-forts of the Iron Age), but others appear to have hardly any significance. In Britain, many churches at the tops of hills are thought to have been built on the sites of earlier pagan holy places. The National Cathedral in Washington, DC has followed this tradition and was built on the highest hill in that city.

Military significance[link]

The Battle of Bunker Hill

Hills provide a major advantage to an army, giving them an elevated firing position and forcing an opposing army to charge uphill to attack them. They may also conceal forces behind them, allowing a force to lay in wait on the crest of a hill, using that crest for cover, and firing on unsuspecting attackers as they broach the hilltop.

As a result, conventional military strategies often demand possession of high ground. Hills have become sites for many noted battles, such as the first recorded military conflict in Scotland known as the battle of Mons Graupius. Modern conflicts include the Battle of Bunker Hill (which was actually fought on Breed's Hill) in the American War for Independence and Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill in the Battle of Gettysburg, the turning point of the American Civil War. The Battle of San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War won Americans control of Santiago. The Battle of Alesia was also fought from a hilltop fort. Fighting on Mamayev Kurgan during the Battle of Stalingrad and the Umurbrogol Pocket in the Battle of Peleliu were also examples of bloody fighting for high ground. Another recent example is the Kargil War between India and Pakistan.

The Great Wall in China is also an example of an advantage provider; it is built on mountain tops, and was meant to defend against invaders from the north, and among others, Mongolians.

Sports and games[link]

Hillwalkers on Beinn Dearg, Scotland

An example of a golf course in England that has hills

Hillwalking is a British English term for a form of hiking which involves the ascent of hills. The activity is usually distinguished from mountaineering as it does not involve ropes or technically difficult rock climbing, although the terms mountain and hill are often used interchangeably in Britain. Hillwalking is popular in mountainous areas such as the English Peak District or the Scottish Highlands. Many hills are categorised according to relative height or other criteria and feature on lists named after mountaineers, such as Munros (Scotland) or Wainwrights (England). Specific locating activities such as "peak bagging" (or "Munro bagging") involve climbing hills on these lists with the aim of completing (or "compleating") the list.

In golf, the terrain on golf courses is often made more rugged and hilly to make the holes harder to play. For example, the hole may be located at the top of a hill, and the course is designed specifically to make it almost impossible to allow the golf ball to rest near the top; it would roll down, and the player would have to try again.

Cheese rolling is an annual event in the West Country of England which involves rolling a wheel of cheese down a hill. Contestants stand at the top and chase the wheel of cheese to the bottom. The winner, the one who catches the cheese, gets to keep the wheel of cheese as a prize.

Largest man-made[link]

• Blackstrap Ski Hill (45 m (148 ft))^[2]
• Silbury Hill (40 m (130 ft))
• Grizzly Peak (Disneyland Resort) (34 m (112 ft))
• Mount Manisty 100ft
• Monks Mound (30 m (98 ft))
• Mount Gushmore (27 m (89 ft))

Gallery[link]

• 

  Cerro Paranal in Chile is a privileged place for astronomical observation.^[3], and home of ESO's telescopes.

• 

  A coffee plantation on a conical hill near Orosí, Costa Rica.

• 

  Some hills can be quite small, such as this Ant-hill

See also[link]

Look up hill in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: hills

References[link]

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (September 2009)

• Earth Sculpture; Or, The Origin of Land-forms
• The International Geography

Faith Hill
Singing in a tribute concert for America's armed forces for ABC's Good Morning America
Background information
Birth name	Audrey Faith Perry
Born	(1967-09-21) September 21, 1967 (age 44) Ridgeland, Mississippi, U.S.
Genres	Country, country pop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, producer, actress
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1993–present
Labels	Warner Bros. Nashville
Associated acts	Tim McGraw, Josh Groban, Tony Bennett
Website	www.faithhill.com

Faith Hill (born Audrey Faith Perry; September 21, 1967) is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S. Country charts.

Hill has been honored by the Grammy Awards, the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, the American Music Awards and the People's Choice Awards. Her Soul2Soul II Tour 2006 with McGraw became the highest-grossing country tour of all time.^[1] In 2001, she was named one of the "30 Most Powerful Women in America" by Ladies Home Journal. In 2008, Hill released her first Christmas album, titled Joy to the World. In 2009 Billboard named her as the #1 Adult Contemporary artist of the decade 2000-2009. Hill was ranked the 39th best artist of the 2000-10 decade by Billboard.^[2]

Early life and career start[link]

Hill was born in Ridgeland, Mississippi, north of Jackson, Mississippi. She was adopted as an infant, and named Audrey Faith Perry. She was raised in the nearby town of Star, 25 miles outside of Jackson, Mississippi.^[3] Her adoptive parents raised their two biological sons along with Hill in a devout Christian environment.^[4]

Hill's vocal talent was apparent early, and she had her first public performance, a 4-H luncheon, when she was seven.^[5] In 1976, a few days before her 9th birthday, she attended a concert by Elvis Presley at the State Fair Coliseum, in Jackson, which impressed her deeply. By the time she was a teenager, Hill was a regular performer at area churches, even those not in her own Baptist denomination.^[6] At 17, Hill formed a band that played in local rodeos. She briefly attended college at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi,where she served with a group called the Hinds Connection (a student recruiting and public relations group). At times, she sang for prisoners at the Hinds County Jail, her song of choice being "Amazing Grace.".^[7] At age 19 she quit school to move to Nashville and pursue her dream of being a country singer. In her early days in Nashville, Hill auditioned to be a backup singer for Reba McEntire, but failed to secure the job.^[4] After a stint selling T-shirts, Hill became a secretary at a music publishing firm.^[5] She also worked at McDonald's but it didn't go well. "Fries, burgers, cash register - I did it all, I hated it," she has said.^[8]

In 1988 she married music publishing executive Daniel Hill, who is not to be confused with Canadian musician Dan Hill.^[9]

Two years later, she began a search for her biological mother, whom she eventually met and with whom she corresponded until her mother's death.^[10]

A co-worker heard Hill singing to herself one day, and soon the head of her music publishing company was encouraging her to become a demo singer for the firm.^[5] She supplemented this work by singing backup vocals for songwriter Gary Burr, who often performed his new songs at Nashville's Bluebird Cafe. During one of those performances, Bob Saporiti, an executive from Warner Bros. Records was in the audience, and, impressed with Hill's voice, began the process of signing her to a recording contract.^[4]

Shortly after the release of her album, Hill found her marriage falling apart. She and Daniel Hill divorced in 1994.^[10]

Music career[link]

1993–1997: Country success[link]

Hill's debut album was Take Me as I Am (1993); sales were strong, buoyed by the chart success of "Wild One". Hill became the first female country singer in 30 years to hold Billboard's number one position for four consecutive weeks when "Wild One" managed the feat in 1994.^[11] Her version of "Piece of My Heart", also went to the top of the country charts in 1994.^[5] The album sold a total of 3 million copies.^[5] Other singles from the album include "Take Me as I Am".

The recording of Faith's second album was delayed by surgery to repair a ruptured blood vessel on her vocal cords. It Matters to Me finally appeared in 1995 and was another success, with the title track becoming her fourth number-one country single. Several other top 10 singles followed, and more than 3 million copies of the album were sold.^[5] The fifth single from the album, "I Can't Do That Anymore", was written by country music artist Alan Jackson. Other singles from the album include "You Can't Lose Me", "Someone Else's Dream", and "Let's Go to Vegas"

In spring 1996, Hill began the Spontaneous Combustion Tour with country singer Tim McGraw. At that time, Hill had recently become engaged to her former producer, Scott Hendricks, and McGraw had recently broken an engagement. McGraw and Hill were quickly attracted to each other and began an affair. After discovering that Hill was pregnant with their first child, the couple married on October 6, 1996. The couple have three daughters together: Gracie Katherine (b. 1997), Maggie Elizabeth (b. 1998) and Audrey Caroline (b. 2001). Since their marriage, Hill and McGraw have endeavored never to be apart for more than three consecutive days.^[4]

After the release of It Matters to Me, Hill took a three-year break from recording to give herself a rest from four years of touring and to begin a family with McGraw. During her break, she joined forces with her husband for their first duet, "It's Your Love".^[12] The song stayed at number one for six weeks,^[5] and won awards from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. Hill has remarked that sometimes when they perform the song together, "it [doesn't] feel like anybody else was really watching."^[12]

1998–2003: Pop crossover breakthrough[link]

She reentered the music business in 1998 with Faith.^[12] The album showcased her progression toward a more mainstream, pop-oriented sound, although it retained some country sound. "This Kiss" became a number one country hit, and was the first of her singles to place on the pop charts, peaking at number seven. More than six million copies of the album were sold. The album also delivered several other hits including another duet with McGraw, "Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me", "Let Me Let Go" and "The Secret Of Life".^[5]

To follow up this newfound success, Hill immediately released Breathe, which debuted at the top of the Billboard Country and all genre charts, ahead of albums by Mariah Carey and Savage Garden.^[13] Although the album had few overt country sounds, it "complement[ed] her vocal strengths."^[14] For the first time, the album consisted solely of songs about love and did not venture into the more somber territory that her previous albums had touched.^[14] The title track, "Breathe", reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[13] "The Way You Love Me" hit the top 10 as well, topping out at number six on the charts. The album won Hill three Grammy Awards including Best Country Album, Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for "Let's Make Love" featuring Tim McGraw and Best Country Female Vocal Performance for "Breathe."^[15] It also marked a step away from her girl-next-door image, as the videos and promotional pictures all portrayed a much sexier image. Breathe has sold almost 10 million copies worldwide.^[16]

2000 was an especially busy year for Hill. Besides a successful tour with her husband, Hill was featured in a CBS television special, VH1's Behind the Music, VH1 Divas 2000, and the Lifetime cable channel's Intimate Portraits series.^[13] She signed an endorsement deal with CoverGirl makeup,^[5] performed at the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards, appeared on the cover of numerous magazines, and performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl.^[13] Hill was also named to Mr. Blackwell's 10-best dressed women of 2000, the only singer listed among actresses and other celebrities. Hill and McGraw also embarked on their first Soul2Soul tour, the "Soul2Soul Tour 2000."^[17]

Musically, in 2000 Hill recorded a song for the movie Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, entitled "Where Are You Christmas." The song also appeared on the pop and country charts. Hill's success on the pop charts disturbed some country music insiders, who questioned whether she was trying to dismiss her country roots and move into the pop genre. Despite the grumbling, Hill won the CMA Female Vocalist of The Year Award, and in her acceptance speech announced, "I love this business and I love this industry... and my heart is here."^[13]

In 2001, Hill recorded a song for the Pearl Harbor soundtrack. "There You'll Be" also appeared on the album There You'll Be: The Best Of Faith Hill, an international greatest hits album. The album featured dance mixes of "Breathe" and "The Way You Love Me" along with alternate versions of "Piece Of My Heart" and "Let Me Let Go."

In 2002, Hill released her new album with a more pop-oriented sound, Cry. The album "spotlight[ed] her impressive set of pipes," but also marked the completion of her "transformation into a pop diva," containing few nods to her country roots. Though the album debuted at number one on Billboard magazine's pop and country album charts,^[5] and Hill made her debut as musical guest on Saturday Night Live, the album's singles (including the title track "Cry", written and originally performed by Angie Aparo) received much less radio airplay than her previous smashes.^[18] The album however, did win a Grammy Award and 3.7 million copies have been sold worldwide.^[15]

Hill's 2002 song "Baby You Belong" off her Cry album was used as the theme song for the movie Lilo & Stitch. The music video featured clips from the movie as well as performance clips.

2005–2006: Return to country[link]

In concert in Dallas on the Soul2Soul II Tour, July 29, 2006.

In 2005, Hill returned with her new country album, Fireflies. The CD debuted on top of the Billboard Country and all genre album charts, placing her among only a handful of artists to have three consecutive albums debut at number one on both charts.^[19] The debut single, "Mississippi Girl", became Hill's highest-debuting single. The song was written specifically for her by John Rich (of Big and Rich) and Adam Shoenfield of MuzikMafia, and tells the abbreviated story of her life. Hill recorded two other songs by Rich, "Sunshine and Summertime" and "Like We Never Loved at All", both of which became successful singles.^[20] The title track, "Stealing Kisses" and "If You Ask" were written by artist Lori McKenna and also appear on McKenna's albums. The album marked a return to Hill's country roots and succeeded in reestablishing her place on country radio.^[21]

In 2006, after a six-year break from touring following the birth of her youngest daughter,^[4] Hill and husband Tim McGraw embarked on their Soul2Soul II Tour 2006. The tour became the highest grossing country music tour ever with a gross of $90 million.^[1][22] It was named "Major Tour of the Year" by the prestigious Pollstar, beating out such heavyweights as Madonna and the Rolling Stones.

2007–present: The Hits, Joy to the World and future projects[link]

In 2007, Hill started work on her first domestic greatest hits package, titled The Hits, which was released on October 2. It contains two new tracks, "Lost" and "Red Umbrella", as well as 13 additional tracks. The album also features hits covering her entire career from 1993–2005. Included with the 2-Disc Special-Edition of The Hits is a DVD of 11 of Hill's music videos. The DVD substitutes the Tim McGraw duet "Just To Hear You Say That You Love Me" for their "I Need You" duet on the CD.^[23]

She's also featured on husband Tim McGraw's 2007 album Let It Go. She sings two duets with him, "I Need You" and "Shotgun Rider." Both songs were sung at the couple's critically acclaimed Soul2Soul II Tour 2006. She and Tim also did an encore of their Soul2Soul II Tour; Soul2Soul 2007 began in June and ran through August. The song I Need You has been nominated twice at the 2008 Grammy Awards for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals and Best Country Song. The show took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 10, 2008 but the song didn't win.

In 2007 Hill took over as the signature voice of NFL on NBC's Sunday Night Football, singing the theme song about which the show's producer said:^[24]

It's not often that you get the opportunity to have a mega-star like Faith Hill perform the signature open to your show.

—NBC Sunday Night Football producer Fred Gaudelli, MSNBC

In September 2008, Hill issued her first Christmas album, titled Joy to the World. The compilation was given positive reviews, including about.com, which gave the album four and a half out of five stars, calling the album, "a great collection of classic Christmas songs." Hill continually worked on the album two years prior to its official release. The album included one new track, "A Baby Changes Everything", which was released as the album's only single in late 2008.^[25] The song debuted at #24 on Billboard's AC chart, and quickly rose to #1, becoming Hill's fourth number one on that chart.

On February 1, 2009 Hill performed "America the Beautiful" at the Super Bowl XLIII pregame show. The other performers at the pregame show were Jennifer Hudson and Journey, and Bruce Springsteen performed at the Halftime show.^[26]

In October 2010, Hill contributed to the Country Strong soundtrack. On it, she recorded a song titled 'Give In To Me'. Hill also appears on Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute To Loretta Lynn, on which she performs "Love Is The Foundation." Hill also contributed her vocals on the Ryan Tedder penned song "All I Ever Wanted" for the 2010 feature film Life As We Know It . The song was used in trailers to promote the film and also appeared during the end credits of the film.

Brendan O'Brien, known for producing projects for Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, and Rage Against the Machine, is working with Hill and producing her next album, set for release in 2011.^[27] Hill will also be entering the studio with pop producer Brian Kennedy in January 2011 to complete the album.

In March 2011 Hill returned to the studio for another round of recording. "I would like to have a record out," Hill tells Billboard.com, "but it hasn't been the right thing yet. I don't want it to be just another record. It's a lot of work to support a record, so I just want it to be... really great. I want it to represent where I am as a woman. I don't want it to be fake. I want it to be authentic and real."^[28] In mid-2011 Hill recorded a duet with George Strait on the song A Showman’s Life which can be heard on Strait's new album Here For A Good Time.

Hill performed her new single "Come Home", on the CMA Awards on November 9, 2011. Faith's seventh album, rumored to be titled "Illusion" is set for release in the fall of 2012. Tracks confirmed for the album include, "Illusion", "Flower" and "600 Years".

Acting career[link]

In 1995 Hill guest starred in an episode of Touched by an Angel,.^[29] Hill won the role of Julia Compton Moore, the wife of LTC Hal Moore, played by Mel Gibson, in the 2002 movie "We Were Soldiers" but ultimately left the film, giving the role to Madeline Stowe.^[8] Her film debut was in the summer of 2004, when Hill co-starred with Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick and Glenn Close in director Frank Oz's remake of the 1975 thriller The Stepford Wives.^[30] Although the film earned over $101 million, it was savaged by critics^{[31] [32][33]} and Hill has not made another acting appearance since. While hers was a small part, she provided one of the more talked about scenes with a scream that made Tim McGraw proud.^[8]

Fragrance[link]

In October 2009, Hill released her first fragrance titled Faith Hill Parfums. The fragrance is a blend of Southern Magnolia, Jasmine and Peach Pears. In 2010, Hill released her second fragrance, titled True.

Philanthropy[link]

Hill used her 1999 tour to support a national children's book drive, The Faith Hill Family Literacy Project. The charity was inspired by Faith's father, who faced challenges with literacy. Fans who donated books at one of her concerts were entered into a drawing to meet her personally after the show.^[34] The effort resulted in the donation of 35,000 children's books, which were distributed to hospitals, schools, libraries, and daycare centers in 40 cities across the United States.^[35]

In the days immediately following Hurricane Katrina, Hill and her husband, Tim McGraw, who was raised in Louisiana, joined groups taking supplies to Gulfport, Mississippi. The two also hosted several charity concerts to benefit those who were displaced by the storm.^[36] Later in the year the couple established the Neighbor's Keeper Foundation, which provides funding for community charities to assist with basic humanitarian services in the event of a natural disaster or for desperate personal circumstances. In a special gesture, the couple also donated profits from their performance in New Orleans to Hurricane Katrina relief.^[37]

In June 2010, Hill, along with her husband, Tim McGraw organized Nashville Rising, a benefit concert aimed to raise $2 million for The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee in response to the flood in early May that killed 22 people and caused $2 billion in damage.^[38]

Discography[link]

Grammy Awards[link]

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Hill has won 5 awards from 15 nominations

Other Awards[link]

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Brown, Jim; Sparrow, Susan (2002). Faith Hill & Tim McGraw: Soul 2 Soul. Quarry Music Books. ISBN 1-55082-293-4. 
• Gray, Scott (1999). Perfect Harmony: the Faith Hill & Tim McGraw Story (1st ed.). Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-43412-9. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Faith Hill

• Faith Hill's Official website
• Faith Hill at the Internet Movie Database
• Faith Hill at People.com

Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill at Central Park, October 6, 2004
Background information
Birth name	Lauryn Noelle Hill
Also known as	Ms. Hill
Born	(1975-05-26) May 26, 1975 (age 37)
Origin	South Orange, New Jersey, United States
Genres	R&B, hip hop, soul, reggae fusion
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, record producer, actress
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	1987–present
Labels	Columbia, Ruffhouse
Associated acts	Fugees
Website	www.lauryn-hill.com

Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975)^[1] is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actress.

Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The recording earned Hill 5 Grammy Awards, including the coveted Album of the Year and Best New Artist.^[2][3]

Following the success of her debut album, Hill largely dropped out of public view, in part due to her displeasure with fame and the music industry. After a four-year hiatus, she released MTV Unplugged No. 2.0, a live recording of "deeply personal songs" performed mostly solo with an acoustic guitar.^[4] In more recent years, she has recorded songs for soundtracks and mixtapes, as well as performing live at several music festivals. Hill has 6 children, five of whom are with Rohan Marley, one of reggae musician Bob Marley's sons.^[5]

Biography[link]

Early life and career beginnings[link]

Lauryn Hill was born in South Orange, New Jersey of Haitian and African-American descent,^{[citation needed]} the second of two children born to high school English teacher Valerie Hill and computer programmer Mal Hill. As a child, Hill listened to her parents' Motown 1960s soul records. Music was a central part of the Hill home. Mal Hill sang at weddings, Valerie played the piano, and Lauryn's older brother Malaney played the saxophone, guitar, drums, harmonica, and piano. In 1988, Hill appeared as an Amateur Night contestant on It's Showtime at the Apollo. She sang her own version of Smokey Robinson's song "Who's Lovin' You?", where she was booed tremendously, but persevered and ended up with audience applause.^[6][7]

Hill was childhood friends with actor Zach Braff and both graduated from Maplewood, New Jersey's Columbia High School in 1993, where Hill was an active student, cheerleader, and performer. Braff has spoken of Hill attending his Bar Mitzvah in 1988.^[8] Hill enrolled at Columbia University in 1993 and attended for nearly a full year before dropping out to pursue her entertainment career.^[9]

[edit] 1991–96: The Fugees and acting career

The Refugee Camp ("Fugees") formed after Prakazrel "Pras" Michel approached Hill in high school about joining a music group he was creating. Soon after, she met Michel's cousin and fellow Haïtian, Wyclef Jean. At some point, Hill was nicknamed "L Boogie", as she began to convert her poetic writing into rap verses. Hill's singing gained worldwide acclaim with the Fugees' remake of "Killing Me Softly with His Song", accompanied by a sample from Rotary Connection's "Memory Band". The Fugees' first album, Blunted on Reality, peaked at No. 49 on the U.S. Hot 100. The album sold over two million copies worldwide. Blunted on Reality was followed by The Score, a multi-platinum, Grammy-winning album that established two of the three Fugees as international rap stars. Singles from The Score include "Ready or Not", "Fu-Gee-La", "No Woman, No Cry", and "Killing Me Softly".

Hill began her acting career at a young age, appearing on the soap opera As The World Turns as Kira Johnson. In 1993, she co-starred in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit as Rita Louise Watson, in which she performed the songs "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" (a duet with Tanya Blount) and "Joyful, Joyful". It was in this role that she first came to national prominence, with Roger Ebert calling her "the girl with the big joyful voice". Her other acting work includes the play Club XII with MC Lyte, and the motion pictures King of the Hill, Hav Plenty, and Restaurant. After her rise to musical stardom, she reportedly turned down roles in Charlie's Angels, The Bourne Identity, The Mexican, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.^[6] She appeared on the soundtrack to Conspiracy Theory in 1996 with "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", and on Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood in 2002 with the track "Selah".

[edit] 1997–99:The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and racial controversy

In 1997, Hill began production on an album that would eventually become The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The title was inspired by The Mis-Education of the Negro book by Carter G. Woodson and The Education of Sonny Carson, a film and autobiographical novel.^[10] The album featured contributions from D'Angelo, Carlos Santana, Mary J. Blige and a then-unknown John Legend. Songs for the album were largely written in an attic studio in South Orange, New Jersey and recorded at Chung King Studios in New York City.^[11][12] Wyclef Jean initially did not support Hill recording a solo album, but eventually offered his production help; Hill turned him down.^[6] Several songs on the album concerned her frustrations with The Fugees;^[11] "I Used to Love Him" dealt with the break-down of the relationship between Hill and Wyclef Jean.^[11] "To Zion" spoke about her decision to have her first baby, even though many at the time encouraged her to abort the pregnancy so as to not interfere with her blossoming career.^[13]

The Miseducation contained several interludes of a teacher speaking to what is implied to be a classroom of children; in fact, the "teacher" was played by Ras Baraka (a poet, educator and politician) speaking to a group of kids in the living room of Hill's New Jersey home.^[10] The singer requested that Baraka speak to the children about the concept of love, and he improvised the lecture.^[10] Though The Miseducation was largely a collaborative work between Hill and a group of musicians known as New Ark (Vada Nobles, Rasheem Pugh, Tejumold and Johari Newton), there was "label pressure to do the Prince thing," wherein all tracks would be credited as "written and produced by" the artist with little outside help.^[6][14] While recording the album, when Hill was asked about providing contracts or documentation to the musicians, she replied, "We all love each other. This ain't about documents. This is blessed."^[6] Hill, her management, and her record label were sued in 1998 by New Ark, claiming to be the primary songwriters on two tracks, and major contributors on several others.^[15] The suit was settled out of court in February 2001 for a reported $5 million.^[2] In 1998, Hill released The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which was both critically and commercially successful. It sold over 423,000 copies in its first week and topped the Billboard 200 albums chart for four weeks and the Billboard R&B Album chart for six weeks; it would go on to sell more than 18 million copies over the next decade.^[2] The first single off the album was "Lost Ones" (US #27), released in Spring 1998. The second was "Doo Wop (That Thing)", which reached No. 1 in the Billboard charts. Other singles released off the album were "Ex-Factor" (US #21), "Everything Is Everything" (US #35), and "To Zion". At the 1999 Grammy Awards, Hill broke records by becoming both the first woman ever to be nominated in ten categories in a single year, and the first woman to win five times in one night. Hill won the awards for Album of the Year (beating Madonna's critically acclaimed Ray of Light and Shania Twain's bestselling Come on Over), Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and Best New Artist. Between 1998 and 1999, Hill earned 25 million USD from record sales and touring.^[6] Hill became a national media icon, as magazines ranging from Time to Esquire to Teen People vied to put her on their covers. In the late 1990s, Hill was noted by some as a humanitarian. In 1996 she received an Essence Award for work including the 1996 founding of the Refugee Project (an outreach organization that supports a two-week overnight camp for at-risk youth), her support of well-building projects in Kenya and Uganda, and for staging a rap concert in Harlem to promote voter registration. In 1999 Hill received three awards at the 30th Annual NAACP Image Awards. Also in 1999, Ebony named her one of "100+ Most Influential Black Americans". She was named with Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. and others among the "10 For Tomorrow," in the EBONY 2000: Special Millennium Issue.

In 1996, a caller on The Howard Stern Show mentioned that he heard Lauryn Hill state on MTV "I would rather have my family starve than have white people buy my albums".^[16] MTV publicly disclaimed the quotation, and after a discussion on The Howard Stern Show, May 21 1996, Hill herself (with Wycleaf Jean) called in from Norway to refute the rumor, stating "How can I possibly be a racist? My music is universal music. And I believe in God. If I believe in God, then I have to love all of God's creations. There can be no segregation".^[16][17] She also told Teen People magazine "There's absolutely nothing racist about anything in my heart".^[16] In a later interview with MTV, Hill stated "Everybody has to be really careful on what they read and hear. Because of what some radio personality chose to say, he had a bunch of people believing something that they never actually seen or heard themselves, but just heard a rumor."^[17] As this rumor would continue through the press, Hill would repeatedly assert in later interviews that this accusation was false, that she never made such statements, would never make such statements, and that she is in no way racist.^[16][18]

[edit] 2000–03: self-imposed exile, MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 and Vatican controversy

After the release of her debut album, she explored other methods of expressing herself, including creating an extensive amount of music, poetry, and clothing designs.^{[citation needed]} She started writing a screenplay about the life of Bob Marley, in which she planned to act as his wife Rita.^[6] She also began producing a romantic comedy about soul food with a working title of Sauce, and accepted a starring role in the film adaptation of Toni Morrison's novel Beloved;^[6] she later dropped out of both projects due to pregnancy.^[6] Hill became dissatisfied with the music industry; she felt she was being unfairly controlled by her record label, and disliked being unable "to go to the grocery store without makeup."^[10] She fired her management team and began attending Bible study classes five days a week; she also stopped doing interviews, watching television and listening to music.^[14] She started associating with a "spiritual adviser" named Brother Anthony.^[19] Some familiar with Hill believe Anthony more resembled a cult leader than a spiritual advisor,^[6][20] and thought his guidance probably inspired much of Hill's more controversial public behavior.^[19][20][21]

In 2000, she dropped out of the public eye. She described this period of her life to Essence: "People need to understand that the Lauryn Hill they were exposed to in the beginning was all that was allowed in that arena at that time… I had to step away when I realized that for the sake of the machine, I was being way too compromised. I felt uncomfortable about having to smile in someone's face when I really didn't like them or even know them well enough to like them."^[23] She also spoke about her emotional crisis, saying, "For two or three years I was away from all social interaction. It was a very introspective time because I had to confront my fears and master every demonic thought about inferiority, about insecurity or the fear of being black, young and gifted in this western culture."^[23] She went on to say that she had to fight to retain her identity, and was forced "to deal with folks who weren't happy about that."^[23] On July 21, 2001, Hill unveiled her new material to a small crowd, for a taping of an MTV Unplugged special. An album of the concert, titled MTV Unplugged No. 2.0, focused on the lyrics and the message rather than the musical arrangements. "Fantasy is what people want, but reality is what they need", she said during the concert. "I've just retired from the fantasy part." The songs featured only her acoustic guitar and voice, the latter somewhat raspy from rehearsal on the day before the recording. Hill used the set as an opportunity to give information on why she had been absent from the public for a period of time and what she had found while away. Unlike the near-unanimous praise of The Miseducation, 2.0 sharply divided critics. AllMusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying that the recording "is the unfinished, unflinching presentation of ideas and of a person. It may not be a proper follow-up to her first album, but it is fascinating."^[24] Rolling Stone called the album "a public breakdown".^[6] Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani wrote, "Hill's guitarwork is multi-textured and fine-tuned but her vocals lack confidence and seem to toe the edge of her range throughout the album. And though the stripped-down nature of the show is fitting, many of the songs sound as if they are still in their infancy."^[25] Despite the mixed reviews, 2.0 debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum four weeks after its release. Despite Hill's departure from the media and celebrity, she continued to have some success in the music world. Her song "Mystery of Iniquity" was nominated for a Grammy without promotion or radio airplay and used as an interpolation by hip-hop producer/song-writer Kanye West for his single "All Falls Down" (eventually recorded by Syleena Johnson).

On December 13, 2003, Hill made headlines by denouncing "corruption, exploitation, and abuses" in reference to the molestation of boys by Catholic priests in the United States and the cover-up of offenses by Catholic Church officials.^[26] The statements were made during a performance at a Christmas benefit concert at the Vatican. Reading from a prepared statement,^[26] Hill told the crowd of 7,500:

Hill called on the church leaders to "repent" and encouraged the crowd to "not seek blessings from man but from God."^[28] She then performed the songs "Damnable Heresies" and "Social Drugs".^[28] High-ranking church officials in attendance included Cardinal Camillo Ruini, Monsignor Rino Fisichella and Cardinal Edmund Szoka.^[29] Pope John Paul II was not present.^[29] The segment was cut from the television broadcast. Both the Vatican and Columbia Records refused to issue official statements regarding Hill's actions.^[30] Monsignor Fisichella told reporters that Hill had acted "in poor taste and very bad mannered. It showed a complete lack of respect for her invitation and for the place where she had been invited to perform".^[31] The Catholic League called Hill "pathologically miserable" and claimed her career is "in decline".^[32] Hill responded to the controversy on December 16: "What I said was the truth. Is telling the truth bad manners? What I asked was the church to repent for what has happened."^[33] The following day, several reporters suggested that Hill's comments at the Vatican may have been influenced by her "advisor" Brother Anthony.^[34]

2004–06: Fugees, album work, touring and hiatus[link]

The Fugees performed on September 18, 2004 at Dave Chappelle's Block Party in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. They headlined a bill that included a star-studded cast of hip-hop celebrities. The concert featured Hill's nearly a cappella rendition of "Killing Me Softly". The event was recorded by director Michel Gondry and was released on March 3, 2006 to mostly positive reviews.^[35][36] In 2005, she told an interviewer that "The Fugees was a conspiracy to control, to manipulate and to encourage dependence. I took a lot of abuse that many people would not have taken in these circumstances."^[37] The Fugees also appeared at BET's 2005 Music Awards on June 28, 2005, where they opened the show with a 12-minute set. One track, "Take It Easy", was leaked online and thereafter was released as an internet single on September 27, 2005. It peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard R&B Chart. The song was mostly panned by critics, as The Village Voice wrote, "Turns out that a Fugees reunion wasn't really what anyone was waiting for; we just wanted Lauryn to start rapping again."^[38]

The Fugees embarked on a European tour from November 30, 2005 through December 20, 2005. The group played in Austria, Slovakia, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, England, Ireland and Switzerland. On February 6, 2006, the Fugees did a special "Reunion Concert" in Hollywood, that was offered as a live webcast on the Verizon Wireless website. The Fugees were featured in numerous Verizon Wireless VCast advertisements in magazines and on TV around that same time. A new song titled "Foxy" was made available on VCast and a third new song was leaked, unofficially titled "Wannabe", which uses the same hook as the Michael Jackson song "I Wanna Be Where You Are". Old tensions between Hill and the other members of the group soon resurfaced, and the reunion fizzled before an album could be recorded. Jean and Michel both blamed Hill for the split. Hill reportedly demanded to be addressed by everyone, including her bandmates, as "Ms. Hill"; she also considered changing her moniker to "Empress".^[39] Her chronic tardiness – sometimes stalling up to 45 minutes after the two had taken the stage – has been cited as another contributing factor to the breakup.^[39] Michel told the press in August 2007, "Before I work with Lauryn Hill again, you will have a better chance of seeing Osama Bin Laden and George W. Bush in Starbucks having a latte, discussing foreign policies… At this point I really think it will take an act of God to change her, because she is that far out there."^[40]

Hill has been slowly working on a new album^[6] and in November 2004 shot a music video. The album had a slated street date of November 2005, and neither it nor the music video have been released.^[41] It was also reported that as of 2003, Columbia Records had spent more than $2.5 million funding Hill's new album, mostly spent on installing a recording studio in the singer's Miami apartment and flying different musicians around the country.^[6] In 2004, Hill contributed a new song, "The Passion", to The Passion of the Christ: Songs. Around this time, Hill began selling a pay-per-view music video of the song "Social Drugs" through her website.^[42] Those who purchase the $15 video would only be able to view it three times before it expired. In addition to the video, Hill began selling autographed posters and Polaroids through her website, with some items listed at upwards of $500.^[42] In 2005, she told USA Today, "If I make music now, it will only be to provide information to my own children. If other people benefit from it, then so be it."^[37] When asked how she now felt about the songs on 2.0, she stated "a lot of the songs were transitional. The music was about how I was feeling at the time, even though I was documenting my distress as well as my bursts of joy."^[37]

She has toured several times in recent years, though most of her concerts have received mixed reviews.^[43][44][45] Hill is often late to concerts (sometimes by over two hours) and reconfigures her well-known hits in to "unrecognizable scat chants" while "sporting frizzy orange hair and exaggerated makeup".^[39][46][47] On some occasions, fans have booed her and left early;^[48] some fans have also demanded their money back after concerts.^[49] On October 6, 2005, Hill emceed and performed two songs at the Take Back TV concert launching Al Gore's CurrentTV.^[50][51][52] In June 2007, Sony records said though Hill has "consistently recorded over the past decade" and has what amounts to "a library of unreleased material in the vault", she had recently re-entered the studio "with the goal of making a new LP."^[53] Later that same year, a new album entitled Ms. Hill, which featured cuts from The Miseducation, various soundtracks contributions and other "unreleased" songs, was released.^[54] It features guest appearances from D'Angelo, Rah Digga and John Forté.^[55] Also in June 2007, Hill released a new song, "Lose Myself" on the soundtrack to the film Surf's Up under her new professional name, Ms. Lauryn Hill. The song is also played over the credits.

Reports in mid-2008 claimed that Columbia Records then believed Hill to be "on hiatus."^[39] Rohan Marley disputed these claims, telling an interviewer that Hill has enough material for several albums: "She writes music in the bathroom, on toilet paper, on the wall. She writes it in the mirror if the mirror smokes up. She writes constantly. This woman does not sleep". One of the few public appearances Hill made in 2008 was at a Martha Stewart book-signing in New Jersey, perplexing some in the press.^[56] On November 4, 2008, Hill was scheduled to perform at the Avo Session Basel music festival in Basel, Switzerland. Her concert was canceled "for personal reasons".^[57] In April 2009, it was reported that Hill would engage in a 10 day tour of European summer festivals during mid-July of that year. She performed two shows for the tour and passed out on stage during the start of her second performance and left the stage. She refused to give refunds to angry consumers for the show. On June 10, Hill's management informed the promoters of the Stockholm Jazz Festival, which she was scheduled to headline, that she would not be performing due to unspecified "health reasons."^[58] Shortly afterward, the rest of the tour was canceled as well.^[58]

2010–present: second studio album[link]

In January 2010, Hill returned to the live stage and performed in stops across New Zealand and Australia on the 'Raggamuffin Festival'- a music festival that celebrates reggae music. She performed songs from the Miseducation album and some Fugees hits. On April 19, Hill appeared at the Tanzania Education Trust Gala And Reception in New York City for a Charity Event. When making this public appearance, she was asked by paparazzi whether she is working on a new album, to which she replied "Yeah, possibly", suggesting that she may be working on new projects, and possibly a second album.^[59] On June 8, it was announced that Hill would be the very special guest performer at Rock the Bells hip-hop Festival series. Five days later, Hill appeared at the Harmony Festival in Santa Rosa, California, her first live American performance in several years. In a June interview with NPR reporter/producer Zoe Chace as part of NPR's 50 Great Voices Series, Hill confirmed that she was planning to begin recording again^[60] and discussed her hiatus and five children.^[61] Ronald Isley of the Isley Brothers confirmed he worked with Hill on an upcoming album as well.^[62] On September 8, 2010, Isley and Hill's duet, "Close To You", a remake of the classic song by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, was leaked online.^[63][64]

An unreleased song called "Repercussions" was leaked via the internet in late July.^[66][67] On August 28, 2010 the song debuted at No. 94 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (which peaked at No. 83 the following week), making it her first Billboard chart appearance as a lead artist since 1999; last song on the charts being her cover version of Bob Marley's "Turn Your Lights Down Low" which reached No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 49 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.^[68][69] In April 2010, many of the songs that Hill had performed and recorded over the past six years were included on an unofficial compilation album titled Khulami Phase.^[70] The album also features a range of other material found on the Ms. Hill compilation.^[70] On August 28, Hill performed at Rock the Bells Hip Hop festival on Governor's Island in New York City. Hill performed several songs from The Miseducation, including "To Zion", during which she brought her five children on stage. On November 5, 2010, Hill headlined the University of Miami's annual Homecoming concert. Hill performed several songs in front of a very large and responsive crowd. Her hour long set included songs from the Miseducation album such as "Lost Ones", "Ex-Factor", "To Zion" (during which she brought her son Joshua on stage and allowed him to sing into the microphone), a few Bob Marley songs, and several Fugees tracks. Hill was announced to headline the 6th Annual Jazz in the Gardens, in Miami Gardens, Florida in December 2010. She performed on the first day of the two day concert, March 19, 2011, along with Jazmine Sullivan, Charlie Wilson, Al Jarreau, and Doug E. Fresh with Slick Rick.^[71]

In spring of 2011, Lauryn Hill performed at the Coachella Valley Music Festival to a multitudinous crowd. Hill also played at the New Orleans JazzFest on Saturday, May 7 and at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on May 13. On February 29, 2012, Lauryn Hill performed a new song titled "Fearless Vampire Killer", during a sold out performance at the Warner Theater in Washington, DC.

Personal life[link]

Hill dated Wyclef Jean through the majority of The Fugees' early tenure, a relationship that friends have called "complicated."^[6] In the summer of 1996, Hill met Rohan Marley, the son of reggae legend Bob Marley. Despite the fact that Marley was already married, Hill and Marley started a family. They have five children together: Zion David (born August 3, 1997),^[72] Selah Louise (born November 12, 1998),^[72] Joshua Omaru (born January 26, 2002),^[72] John Nesta (born mid-2003),^[72] and Sarah (born January 2008).^[72] She also has a son (born July 23, 2011) with another man.^[5][73]

From 1998, Hill reportedly lived in both the Caribbean and an upscale hotel in Miami.^[6] However, in August 2008, it was reported that Hill was living with her mother and children in her hometown of South Orange, New Jersey,^[39] although Hill's net worth is still reported to exceed $8.7 million from her record sales, tours and investments in Jamaica.^{[citation needed]}

Legacy and influences[link]

Lauryn Hill has been cited as an influence by many, especially those in the neo-soul movement of the 2000s. Musicians who have acknowledged Hill's importance or influence include Prince,^[39] John Legend,^[74] Alicia Keys,^[75] Christina Aguilera,^[76] D'Angelo,^[10] Mary J. Blige,^[2] and Jazmine Sullivan^[2] among others. In 2005, Talib Kweli released a song about the singer, titled "Ms. Hill", on Right About Now.^[77][78]

British pop singer Adele revealed that Hill's debut album is her favorite record ever: "I remember it being huge everywhere. Even though I was pretty young and oblivious, I was very aware of how successful that record was. I was a big fan of Lauryn Hill when she was in the Fugees anyway and that was a record I grew up listening to." In addition, she spoke about the singer's songwriting skills and passion for music: "I analyzed that record for a month and was constantly wondering when I'd be that passionate about something to write a record about [...] I analyzed the notes and I was singing along to the lyrics that are some of the deepest lyrics ever."^[79]

Michelle Obama, wife of U.S. President Barack Obama, told the BBC that she frequently listens to Hill's music on her iPod,^[80] while 2008 Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain's daughter Meghan stated that her father listens to Hill: "I borrowed his car once in D.C., and I was looking through [his] CDs, and I was like, 'Oh, Lauryn Hill.'"^[81] Actors Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington are also reportedly fans of the singer.^[39] D'Angelo, who appeared on "Nothing Even Matters," referred in an interview to at least one church reportedly having used the song in a service.

Discography[link]

• The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
• MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 (2002)

Filmography[link]

• 1991 – As the World Turns .... Kira Johnson
• 1992 – Here and Now
• 1993 – King of the Hill .... Elevator Operator
• 1993 – Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit .... Rita Louise Watson
• 1996 – ABC Afterschool Specials .... Malika
• 1997 – Hav Plenty .... Debra
• 1998 – Restaurant .... Leslie

See also[link]

• List of awards and nominations received by Lauryn Hill

References[link]