RUN D.M.C.

Lauryn Hill, named one of the best singers of all time by Rolling Stone, was without a doubt the first most prominent female hip hop figure as she made her solo debut in 1998 with her iconic album ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’. Within this album she drew from her personal experiences to create a piece of art that was raw and emotional and explored topics such as black empowerment, love, social justice and femininity. Her lyrical skill and unique way of delivering a feeling to her audience resulted in her becoming the first ever artist to win the Grammy Award for Album of The Year. Hill’s capability of switching between hardcore rap and jazzy melodies put her into a category of her own within the hip hop music industry especially at a time when the genre was struggling for a fresh sound.