Hill is noted as a humanitarian, and in 1996 she received an Essence Award for work which has included the 1996 founding of the Refugee Project, an outreach organization that supports a two-week overnight camp for at-risk youth, and for supporting well-building projects in Kenya and Uganda, as well as for staging a rap concert in Harlem to promote voter registration.
In 1999's Grammy Awards, Hill was nominated eleven times and won Album of the Year (beating Madonna's critically acclaimed album Ray of Light), Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album, setting a new record for a female performer.
Hill has four children with retired (American) football player Rohan Marley, son of the late reggae music icon, Bob Marley: Zion David Marley, born 1997, Selah Louise Marley, born 1998, and second son Joshua, born 2002. A fourth child, John, was born in 2003 and the couple married soon after.
Early life
Lauryn Hill was born in East Orange, New Jersey. Hill was the second of two children born to high school English teacher Valerie Hill and computer programmer Mal Hill. As a child, Hill incessantly listened to her parents' Motown and 1960s soul records. Music was a central part of the Hill home. Mal Hill sang at weddings, Valerie played the piano, and Lauryn's older brother Melaney played the saxophone, guitar and drums.
Hill graduated from Columbia High School (New Jersey) in Maplewood, New Jersey. Hill was an active student, cheerleader, and performer. She began her acting career at a young age, and started performing music in 1987. In 1988, 13-year old Hill appeared as an Amateur Night contestant on It's Showtime at the Apollo. Hill sang her own version of William "Smokey" Robinson's song "Who's Lovin' You?". A nervous Hill sung far away from the mic and was heckled at first; but persisted and finished her song to a standing applause, though she did not win.
Hill was childhood friends with actor Zach Braff and they both graduated from Columbia High School in 1993. Braff mentions inviting Hill to his bar Mitzvah in 1988.[1]
Hill appeared on the soap opera, As The World Turns as Kira Johnson. In December 1993, she starred in "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" as Rita Louise Watson. In the film, she performed the songs "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" (a duet with Tanya Blount) and "Joyful,Joyful" . It was in this role, as Rita, that she first came to national prominence, with Roger Ebert calling her "the girl with the big joyful voice". Although Sister Act I and II were originally conceived as vehicles for comedian Whoopi Goldberg, the second installment won Lauryn equal notice.
Her other acting work includes the play Club XII with MC Lyte, and the motion pictures King of the Hill (as Arletta the Elevator Operator), Hav Plenty (1997), and Restaurant (1998). She appeared on the soundtracks to Conspiracy Theory in 1996 (on the track "Can't Take My Eyes Off You") and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood in 2002 (on the track "Selah").
Her most recent album (mixtape) entitled "The Re-Education of Lauryn Hill" was released in 2007.
Nothing Even Matters
Lauryn Hill Lyrics
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Not even if my boss should call
The world it seems so very small
'Cause nothin' even matters, at all
See nothin' even matters
See nothin' even matters at all
Nothin' even matters
See, I don't need no alcohol
Your love makes me feel ten feet tall
Without it, I'd go through withdrawal
'Cause nothin' even matters at all
Nothin' even matters
Nothin' even matters at all
Nothin' even matters
Nothin' even matters at all
These buildings could drift out to sea
Some natural catastrophe
Still there's no place I'd rather be
'Cause nothin' even matters to me
See nothin' even matters
See nothin' even matters to me
Nothin' even matters
Nothin' even matters to me
You're part of my identity
I sometimes have the tendency
To look at you religiously, baby
'Cause nothin' even matters to me
Nothin' even matters
Nothin' even matters to me
Said I don't, my baby, baby
Now you won't find me at no store
I have no time for manicures
With you it's never either or
'Cause nothin' even matters no more
See nothin', it don't matters
See nothin' even matters no more
Nothin' even matters
Nothin' even matters no more
Now my team could score
And make it to the final four
Just repossess my 4 x 4
'Cause nothin' even matters no more
Nothin' even matters
Nothin' even matters no more
Nothin' even matters, oh oh oh
To me, to me, to me, to me, to me
To me, to me, to me, to me, to me
Nothing even matters
Nothing even matters no more
Nothing even matters
Nothing even matters
Nothing but you
Nothing but you
Nothing but you
The lyrics of Lauryn Hill's song "Nothing Even Matters" express the depth of a romantic relationship where nothing else in the world can compare to the love shared by the couple. The chorus repeats the phrase "nothin' even matters" to emphasize the feeling of the singers, that no matter what happens in the outside world, their love is constant and unbreakable. They enjoy each other's company so much that nothing else seems to matter. The song explores the idea that the happiness and contentment that come from genuine love are enough to overcome any obstacles.
The song touches upon the idea of addiction in the lines "See, I don't need no alcohol / Your love makes me feel ten feet tall / Without it, I'd go through withdrawal." The singer compares the effect of his/her partner's love to that of alcohol, which is a powerful drug that can cause physical dependence. In the same way that withdrawal symptoms manifest in a person going through drug withdrawals, the singer suggests that he/she would feel similarly deprived if the relationship were to end.
The lyrics also include a sense of gratitude and the idea of love being an integral part of one's identity. The line "You're part of my identity" expresses the extent to which the singer's partner means to him/her. This love is likened to a religious belief: "To look at you religiously, baby / 'Cause nothin' even matters to me." Finally, the song concludes with a declaration of the permanence of the singers' love, regardless of any material or external changes in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Now the skies could fall
Even if I faced extreme adversity or danger
Not even if my boss should call
I wouldn't let the demands of work affect me
The world it seems so very small
In comparison to the significance of my love
'Cause nothin' even matters, at all
Nothing in life is as important as my feelings for you
See nothin' even matters
I am completely consumed by my emotions
See nothin' even matters at all
There is nothing else outside of our connection
Nothin' even matters
I am only focused on you
Nothin' even matters at all
There is nothing that could distract me from our love
See, I don't need no alcohol
I do not need any substances to feel good
Your love makes me feel ten feet tall
I feel happy and confident because of you
Without it, I'd go through withdrawal
I cannot imagine my life without you
'Cause nothin' even matters at all
All I need is your love
These buildings could drift out to sea
Even with the possibility of disaster or loss
Some natural catastrophe
A natural disaster would not affect me
Still there's no place I'd rather be
I would always choose to be with you
'Cause nothin' even matters to me
You are the most important thing to me
You're part of my identity
You are a crucial part of who I am
I sometimes have the tendency
I have the habit of
To look at you religiously, baby
I treat you with the devotion of a religious believer
'Cause nothin' even matters to me
You are everything to me
Now you won't find me at no store
I do not care for material possessions anymore
I have no time for manicures
I do not have time for superficial things
With you it's never either or
I can have both my love for you and my self-respect
'Cause nothin' even matters no more
Everything else outside of our love is insignificant
Now my team could score
Even if a team I like does well
And make it to the final four
And achieves something great
Just repossess my 4 x 4
I would still not care about losing my car
'Cause nothin' even matters no more
Nothing else matters as much as you
Nothing but you
Only my love for you
Nothing but you
Denoting the significance and primacy of emotional connection
Nothing but you
Nothing else matters as much as loving you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lauryn Hill
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind