Throwback: Happy 51st Birthday, Lauryn Hill!

Welp, we’ve made it to May y’all. This year has been yet another infuriating, soul-crushingly brutal slog. I’m furious and exhausted. And if you have a conscience and a soul, you feel the same. There isn’t an easy way out of this hell. 

But there’s music, art, small pleasures, and every day joys. We’ll cling to that as much as possible in between fighting for the rights and futures for our loved ones — and ourselves.

Of course, with this site, it’s important to show respect to our legends and our contemporary artists. And to that end, let’s get to it: 

• The legendary godfather of soul, the Soul Brother #1, James Brown was born 93 years ago on May 3
• Interpol’s Paul Banks celebrated his 48th birthday on May 3
• The legendary Frankie Valli celebrated his 92nd birthday on May 3
• The late and supremely great soul artist Sharon Jones was born on this day 70 years ago today
• Nick Ashford, one-half of beloved husband-and-wife songwriting, production and artist duo Ashford & Simpson was born 85 years ago on May 4
• The legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter celebrated his 89th birthday on May 4
• Motley Crüe co-founder Mick Mars celebrated his 75th birthday on May 4
• Echo & The Bunnymen‘s Ian McCullouch celebrated his 67th birthday on May 5
• Tammy Wynette, one of the most beloved singer/songwriters in country was born 84 years ago on May 5
• Van Halen co-founder, drummer — and most important Eddie’s brother, Alex Van Halen celebrated his 73rd birthday on May 8
• The Talking Heads’ and Tom Tom Club’s Chris Frantz celebrated his 75th birthday on May 8
• Whether as a solo artist or as a member of Earth, Wind and Fire, the legendary Philip Bailey has been a part of some of the most inedible, joyous and important songs ever recorded. Bailey celebrated his 75th — yes, y’all 75th! — birthday on May 8
• Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan celebrated his 64th birthday on May 9
• U2‘s Bono celebrated his 66th birthday on May 10
• Sly Dunbar, one half of the legendary rhythm section and production duo Sly & Robbie was born 74 years ago on May 10
• Greg Dulli, one of the most criminally underrated rock singer/songwriters celebrated his 61st birthday on May 11
• Eric Burdon celebrated his 85th birthday on May 11
• Bad Religion co-founder and guitarist, and Epitaph Records founder Brett Gurewitz celebrated his 64th birthday on May 12
• Steve Winwood celebrated his 78th birthday on May 12
• Burt Bacharach was born 98 years ago on May 12
• The legendary and toweringly influential Stevie Wonder celebrated his 76th birthday on May 13
• EPMD’s PMD celebrated his 57th birthday on May 13
• Cream‘s Jack Bruce, one of the greatest bassists in rock history was born 83 years ago on May 14
• Talking Heads frontman David Byrne celebrated his 74th birthday on May 14
• Hip hop pioneer Melle Mel celebrated his 65th birthday on May 15
• Nirvana‘s Krist Novoselic celebrates his 61st birthday today
• The iconic and pioneering Janet Jackson celebrates her 60th birthday today
• Beloved shoegaze legend and the co-founder of Slowdive, Mojave 3 and The Soft Cavalry, Rachel Goswell celebrated her 55th birthday on May 16
• Nine Inch Nails creative mastermind Trent Reznor celebrated his 61st birthday on May 17
• Taj Mahal, one of the greatest living bluesman and multi-instrumentalist around, celebrated his 84th birthday on May 17
• Rob Base celebrated his 59th birthday on May 18
• DEVO co-founder, frontman and primary songwriter Mark Mothersbaugh celebrated his 76th birthday on May 18
• The Who‘s Pete Townshend celebrated his 81st birthday on May 19
• The Ramones‘ Joey Ramone was born 75 years ago on May 19
• The incomparable and legendary Grace Jones celebrated her 78th birthday on May 19
• Busta Rhymes, one of the most inventive, energetic, charismatic and imitable emcees ever celebrated his 54th birthday on May 20
• The iconic Cher celebrated her 80th birthday on May 20
• Joe Cocker was born 82 years ago on May 20
• Mobb Deep‘s Havoc celebrated his 52nd birthday on May 21
• Notorious B.I.G. was born 54 years ago onMay 21
• The legendary Ronald Isley celebrated his 85th birthday on May 21
• Heavy D was born 59 years ago on May 24
• Patti LaBelle, arguably one of the most unique, powerhouse vocalists to ever do it, celebrated her 82nd birthday on May 24
• The iconic and incomparable Bob Dylan celebrated his 85th birthday on May 24
• Hal David was born 105 years ago on May 25
• Sun Ra Arkestra‘s Marshall Allen celebrated his 102nd birthday on May 25
• Lenny Kravitz, one of the most commercially successful rock artists of the past 30 years or so celebrates his 62nd birthday today

Ms, Lauryn Hill celebrates her 51st birthday today. Hill is arguably one of the most influential female artist of her time — as an emcee with the Fugees and as singer/songwriter and solo artist. The Fugees’ sophomore album, 1996’s The Score was a critical and commercial breakthrough: The album sold over 22 million copies globally, eventually winning a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, while making Hill the first woman to win the award,

Hill’s solo debut 1998’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with the highest first-week sales for a female artist at the time, and quickly became the first album by a female rapper to be certified diamond, thanks to the massive success smash-hits “Doo Woo (That Thing), which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 100, as well as “Ex-Factor,” “Everything Is Everything” and “Lost Ones.” The album went on to win an Album of the Year Grammy, making her the first rapper to win an Album of the Year Grammy — and she was the first woman artist to win five awards in a single night.

Around the same time, Hill became a highly sought-after collaborator, appearing on Nas‘ “If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)” and Refugee Camp All-Stars’ “The Sweetest Thing.” She also produced material for Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige and Santana, while writing Aretha Franklin’s “A Rose Is Still A Rose.”

Hill is a trailblazer rand her work has been toweringly influential. Every female artist since her breakthrough work has been influenced and informed by it.

Happy birthday, Ms. Hill!

___

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