“One day, you’re gonna understand, Zion. Unsure what the balance held, I touched my belly, overwhelmed,” said Lauryn Hill in “To Zion.”
The song is a love letter dedicated to her son, Zion Marley, who is one of more than 20 grandchildren of reggae star, Bob Marley.
In 1993 while she attended high school, she met Pras, one of the Fugees members, and she soon became a part of the group. She also acted in the movie, “Sister Act 2,” which was a huge hit. Later that year, Fugees released their debut album, “Blunted on Reality,” but it was not as successful as their most popular album, “The Score,” which included their most admired song, “Killing me Softly,” which was released in 1996.
Collaborating with Nas, they made the famous song, “If I Ruled the World.” The song talks about imagining things differently in the world. The lyrics paint a picture of a world where challenges, such as racial profiling are gone, and everyone is seen as equals.
Her album, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” influenced many. It debuted as No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. According to Songfacts.com. She was the first female rapper to have her album in that spot. In addition, her album received 3x platinum, and she was the first woman to win five or more Grammys in one night.
Her songs tell stories about love in multiple forms, and she teaches others about heartbreak and finding new joy.
“Lauryn Hill has influenced our society in many ways. She has influenced other artists, such as Drake to use samples of her songs. In his song, ‘Nice for What,’ he sampled parts of Lauryn’s song, “Ex-Factor,” said sophomore Desiraye Taylor. “Many people love the way she portrays her lyrics in a soft and smooth tone.”
