Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as one of the most influential musicians of her generation. She is often credited for breaking barriers for female rappers, popularizing melodic rap, and pioneering neo soul for mainstream audiences. In addition to being named one of the 50 Great Voices by NPR, Hill was listed as one of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone. In 2015, she was ranked as the greatest female rapper by Billboard. Her other accolades include eight Grammy Awards—the most for any female rapper.
Hill performing in 2019
Hill performing in 2005
Hill performing at the Kongsberg Jazzfestival 2019
Hill performing in 2019
Neo soul is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and contemporary R&B. Heavily based in soul music, neo soul is distinguished by a less conventional sound than its contemporary R&B counterpart, with incorporated elements ranging from funk, jazz fusion, hip hop, and African music to pop, rock, and electronic music. It has been noted by music writers for its traditional R&B influences, conscious-driven lyrics, and strong female presence.
Common (shown in 2003) wore knit caps fashioned in the style of Marvin Gaye.
Maxwell, one of neo soul's original successes, in 1998
Although she rejects the term, Erykah Badu has been called "the first lady of neo soul" and "the queen of neo-soul".
Jill Scott (top) and India.Arie (bottom), two of the top-selling neo soul singers of the early 2000s