Lauryn Hill Becomes First Female Rapper to Join the Diamond Album Club
Lauryn Hill’s 1998 solo-album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill has officially become Diamond certified, making her the first female rapper to sell ten million copies of an album.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awards the Diamond certifications that honor artists whose albums’ sales reach ten million copies. On February 16, the RIAA announced the accreditation of Lauryn Hill’s album via Twitter. Hill made history by becoming the first female rapper in history to have a Diamond-certified album.
Welcome to the RIAA Diamond Club @MsLaurynHill! #TheMiseducationofLaurynHill is now a 💎 (10X) certified album! @ColumbiaRecords #BlackHistoryMonth #RIAATopCertified pic.twitter.com/mWWByv74kp
— RIAA (@RIAA) February 17, 2021
Lauryn Hill was born in East Orange, New Jersey in 1975. Her musical talents began standing out at a young age. She first entered the music industry as part of the musical trio, the Fugees. The trio’s first album, released in 1994, had low sales and was ultimately unsuccessful. Though, that didn’t stop the group from releasing a second album two years later. Their second album, The Score, was extremely successful as it sold 17 million copies and won the group two Grammy awards.
With a big change, the 39th #GRAMMYs in 1997 took place in New York’s @TheGarden for the first time and proved to be a show for young and old—onstage and off.
— Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) May 10, 2018
That night the #Fugees, @LeAnnRimes, @ToniBraxton, and @SherylCrow were among those picking up awards. #GRAMMYVault pic.twitter.com/Ri8tQtzhy4
Lauryn Hill made her debut as a solo artist with the release of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998. The album consists of 16 tracks and became extremely successful within weeks of its release. The album won Hill five Grammy Awards at the 41st annual Grammy Awards, making her the first female to receive five Grammys in a single night. Her awards included Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best Rhythm & Blues Song, and finally Best R&B Album. The hit album also won Hill three American Music Awards, a Billboard Music Award, and spent 91 weeks on Billboard 200 chart, peaking at No.1.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill sold 19 million copies won @MsLaurynHill 5 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best New Artist. pic.twitter.com/fzyhXyU6oD
— Only Hip Hop Facts (@OnlyHipHopFacts) July 12, 2017
Over 20 years after the release of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Hill continues to make history. Join us in congratulating Lauryn Hill on her great success. Her success opens up a realm of new possibilities for women in the music industry. Hill has made history for all females worldwide, modeling that women have the power to create a lasting impact on the world around them. You can stay up to date with Lauryn Hill by following her on Instagram or Twitter. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is available for streaming on Apple Music, Spotify, or wherever you listen to music.
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