Grammy-Winning R&B Trailblazer Turns 51

R&B icon Lauryn Hill has turned 51.

Known as a pioneer in the genre, Hill began her career as an actress, working on the soap opera As the World Turns, along with having a role in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit. From there, she focused on her group, which was renamed the Fugees in 1993.

The group released two studio albums, beginning with Blunted on Reality in 1994 and then The Score in 1996. But they then decided to branch out on their own.

Hill released her solo album in 1998 titled The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which had a lot of success, going multiplatinum in several countries. She was nominated for 10 Grammy Awards for her work on the album, winning five, including best new artist and album of the year.

In 2002, she then released MTV Unplugged No. 2.0, which was a live album that shed a light on some very deeply personal themes.

She recently addressed why she never released another solo album, replying to an Instagram post.

"When you're inspired and desire to be principled, what doesn't get talked about enough is the drain… nor the challenge to find safety so that you can create with integrity," she explained. "Most see opportunity as dollars only and often exclude the ‘sense'."

Artists go through phases, creativity requires expression, exploration and experimentation. There were people who hated the Unplugged album and yet some today swear by its significance," she added. "

Along with her music work, Hill established the Refugee Project in 1996, which aimed to help underprivileged youth in New Jersey. The non-profit organization helped provide scholarships and programs. However, she ultimately shut down the organization.

Hill dealt with some legal troubles, pleading guilty to having failed to file tax returns for 2005–07 in 2012, where she was sentenced to three months in prison as well as three months in home confinement.

She took the stage at the 2026 Grammy Awards, which marked her first Grammy performance in 27 years, as she paid tribute to the late D'Angelo and Roberta Flack. Hill and Wyclef Jean will also be reuniting in June to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Fugees' landmark, The Score, at the Global Citizen Live: Rio de Janeiro.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 11:16 AM.