Rohan Marley: Speaking Up And Standing By Lauryn Hill

By Karu F. Daniels, BlackVoices.com

Finally, someone is speaking on behalf of Lauryn Hill.

And it's not a media savvy record label publicity staffer or an unnamed source; it's the reclusive rapstress' five babies' father, Rohan Marley.

In the Aug. 18 issue of 'People' magazine, the fourth son of late reggae music legend Bob Marley breaks his silence about Hill, who set the country ablaze with her critically-acclaimed solo album, 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' ten years ago.

Since she released the multiple Grammy Award-winning opus and its subsequent hit singles, Hill became an international music icon in its aftermath. With spotty recording projects throughout the years, and somewhat bizarre public outings, the New Jersey native has left many wondering "Whatever Happened to Lauryn Hill?"

Marley offers answers to that often asked question.

"She loves [suburban life], being with her children, seeing them grow and instilling our teachings of righteousness to them," the 36-year old former college football player explained. "[She does] what regular people do: She cooks, shops, goes to restaurants, regular things ... She became more in tune with the earth."

Hill, the former front-woman of the chart-topping, groundbreaking hip-hop trio, The Fugees, did not go off on the deep end, as many believed -- even after a series of odd appearances, most notably her 2001 'Unplugged' album (which caused 'Los Angeles Times' music critic to refer to her as "unhinged.").

"Down and depressed? No," Marley maintained.

The couple, who Marley says is "spiritually together," has five children: sons Zion, 11; Joshua, 6; and John, 5; and daughters Selah, 9; and a still unnamed seven-month-old.

Hill, herself, declined to comment for the 'People' magazine article – which seemed to have come from out of nowhere. But fellow Fugees members Wyclef Jean and Praz Michel was quoted throughout.

"When you're so successful, if you don't have one person around you that can talk some sense [into] you, it's over," Jean, also Hill's former lover, said. Meanwhile, Michel revealed that the she told him "she was gonna have people call her Empress.'"

Marley retorted: "They tell the record label, 'She's crazy,' and then the next minute they say, 'Oh, Rohan, can you call Lauryn [for me]?' It's hypocrisy."

So what's up with the renewed interests in Lauryn Hill?

Well, like a few legendary musical geniuses before her – Nina Simone, Miles Davis and Sly Stone come to mind -- her timeless tunes juxtaposed with her enigmatic persona continues to cast a spell on music aficionados and media buffs, alike.

It was on August 25, 1998 when Columbia Records released the masterfully produced 'Miseducation' project, which spurred tracks such as 'Ex Factor,' 'Everything Is Everything,' 'Lost Ones,' 'Sweetest Thing,' and the chart-topping hit single, 'Do Wop (That Thing).'

Hill's then-record company publicist Miguel Baguer helped bolster her through the mainstream media stratosphere with coveted magazine cover stories in 'Time,' 'Rolling Stone,' 'Entertainment Weekly,' and 'Harper's Bazaar,' among many others.

The career defining album, which garnered five Grammy Awards including the prestigious 'Album of the Year' honor, has stood the test of time causing its listeners to yearn for more.

Hill is still signed to the major record label but, unfortunately, there are no plans to release a follow-up in the near future.

Sisters In The Name Of Rap

Yo Yo
Birthname: Yolanda Whitaker
Origin: Los Angeles, CA
Affiliation: Ice Cube
Hot Track: 'You Can't Play With My Yo Yo'
Factoid: Yo-Yo is an on-air personality for the Los Angeles hip-hop radio station KDAY.

Cool Vision

Lil' Kim
Birthname: Kimberly Denise Jones
Origin: Brooklyn, New York
Affiliation: The Notorious B.I.G., Junior M.A.F.I.A.
Hot Track: 'Not Tonight'
Factoid: The reality show 'Lil Kim: Countdown to Lockdown,' which was filmed before Kim headed to jail, became the highest rated premiere in BET history at the time, with 1.7 million viewers.

Atlantic

Lauryn Hill
Birthname: Lauryn Noel Hill
Origin: South Orange, New Jersey
Affiliation: The Fugees
Hot Track: 'Doo Wop (That Thing)'
Factoid: Before she made history as the front-woman of The Fugees, Lauryn starred in the hit movie, 'Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit.'

Columbia

Nikki D
Birth name: Nichelle Strong
Origin: New Jersey
Affiliation: Queen Latifah
Hot Track: 'Daddy's Little Girl'
Factoid: Nikki D was the first female rapper signed to Def Jam Records.

Def Jam

Salt-N-Pepa
Birth name (s): Cheryl James, Sandra Denton
Origin: Queens, New York
Affiliation: Kid-N-Play
Hot Track: 'Push It'
Factoid: In 1995, Salt-N-Pepa won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for the single 'None Of Your Business,' making them the first female rap group to win a prestigious honor.

VH1

Bytches With Problems (BWP)
Birth name(s): Lyndah McCaskill, Tanisha Michele Morgan
Origin: Queens, NY
Affiliation: Marc Sexx
Hot Track: 'Two Minute Brother'
Factoid: Reinventing herself as an actress, Morgan has starred in films such as 'New Jersey Drive' and 'Bulworth.'

Rasheeda
Birth name: Rasheeda Buckner
Origin: Decatur, Illinois
Affiliation: Lil' Jon and The Eastside Boyz
Hot Track: '(Got That Good) My Bubble Gum'
Factoid: She started out as a member of the teenage hip-hop trio, Da Kaperz; which led to her signing a solo deal with Motown Records, who released her debut, 'Dirty South,' in 2001

Leo Marshall

Roxanne Shante
Birth name: Lolita Gooden
Origin: Long Island, New York
Affiliation: The Juice Crew, Marley Marl
Hot Track: 'Roxanne's Revenge'
Factoid: Shanté retired from rap when she was 25 she went on to receive a Ph.D. in psychology, eventually running her own practice in New York.

Da Brat
Birth name: Shawntae Harris
Origin: Chicago, Illinois
Affiliation: Kriss Kross
Hot Track: 'Funkdafied'
Factoid: A protégé of Jermaine Dupri, Da Brat is credited as the first solo female rapper to go platinum.

Tonto RegginRazzi

Bahamadia
Birth name: Antonia Reed
Origin: Philadelphia, Pennyslvania
Affiliation: Gang Starr, The Roots
Hot Track: 'Uknowhowwedu'
Factoid: Her stage name is reportedly a combination of the Arabic words "badia" meaning "original creation" and "hamd'allah" meaning "thanks be to God."

Def Jam