Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. Often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being a pioneer in the Neo soul genre, Hill is widely credited for breaking barriers for female rappers, popularizing melodic rapping and for bringing hip hop to popular music. She is known for being a member of Fugees and her solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which won many awards, and became one of the best-selling albums of all-time. Hill has influenced many artists of various genres.