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.
Oh Jerusalem
Lauryn Hill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Realizing that there's no place else to go
And there's nobody I know who can help me
Text book solutions are so improbable
'cause everybody else is just as empty
Naked as the day that I was born, I tried to hide
...behind education and philosophy
I can't see because the world's on top of me
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Freeing me from dust, and the superficial trust
Of an enemy that seeks to take my breath
Failing to connect, 'cause I'm morally defect
By reason of the God inside my head
Causing me to see, only what pertains to me
Believing I'm alive when I'm still dead
Limited to earth, unable to find out my worth
'cause I... can't see past my own vanity
If I'm not included, then I just have to remove it
From my mind because it has to be in sanity
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Can I even factor, that I've only been an actor
In this staged interpretation of this day
Focused on the shadow, with my back turned to the light
Too intelligent to see it's me in the way
What a paradox, having God trapped in a box
All this time professing to be spiritual
Naturally pretending, that I'm actually defending
God (?) don't need material
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem, keeping thee from perfection
Submit to truth, leave the deception of thy youth
So we could walk in the council of authority
Forget the proof, our generation so aloof
Only follow in the steps of the majority
Trust in the Lord, with all thy heart
And lay not to thine, oh an understanding in all thy ways
Acknowledge Him, and He shall correct our paths
Be (?) you can follow him
We judge and condemn, just as ignorant as them
Who religion tells us that we should ignore
Perpetrating we're in covenant with Him
Exposed by the very things that we adore
We grin and shake hands, then lay ambush for the man
Who has a different point of view then us
Infuriated 'cause he doesn't understand
Bringing up those things we don't want to discuss
Why still do evil, we don't know how to do good
Walking on in darkness running from the light, ey
Led to believe, because we live in neighborhoods
Telling us what's going on will be alright
Oh so repressed, so convinced that I was blessed
When I played with my game of Monopoly
Oh to suggest, that my life is still a mess
Who reveal the pride I'm hiding is what's stopping me
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem keeping them from perfection
Abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bare
...fruit of itself except in the vine
I am the vine, ye are the branches, He's in live in me
And I in him, the same bring forth much fruit
Without me, you can do nothing
Oh Jerusalem, you're traditions have deceived you
I've chosen you, you haven't chosen me
Do whatsoever, you asking my name he may give to you
But in vain they call my name
teaching doctrines just the same
Justified among themselves
But God know with the heart, what man esteemed as smart
Is an abomination to Emmanuel
Just repent, turn from selfish motivation
So iniquity will not cause your demise
Make you a new heart and a new spirit
...for why would he die
Oh Jerusalem, please tell me why
I have no pleasure in the death of him to die
Says the Lord God where forth turn yourselves and live
It's not the talkers, but the walkers and his word
Are the only ones the Father will forgive
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem, providing you no protection
Oh Jerusalem...
The song "Oh Jerusalem" by Lauryn Hill involves the singer's reflection on their life and relationship with God, who they believe is trapped in a box due to their inability to see past their own vanity and pride. The singer is struggling to connect with their spirituality, feeling limited to the earth and lost in their own selfish motivations. They long to be freed from their own superficial trust of an enemy that seeks to take their breath away, and they plead with Jerusalem to wash their heart from wickedness and find perfection through trusting in the Lord.
Throughout the song, the singer speaks to their own moral defects, expressing a sense of hopelessness in trying to find real solutions to their problems. They recognize how textbooks and philosophy cannot provide the answers they need, leaving them feeling empty and exposed in their nakedness. The singer also acknowledges the paradox of claiming to be spiritual while still being confined by their own beliefs, and they call for a new heart and spirit that can see beyond vanity and the illusions of the world. Ultimately, the song emphasizes the importance of repenting and turning away from iniquity in order to truly live.
Line by Line Meaning
Realizing that there's no place else to go
Feeling trapped and hopeless with no escape
And there's nobody I know who can help me
Feeling alone and abandoned
Text book solutions are so improbable
Believing that academic answers won't solve real life problems
'cause everybody else is just as empty
Feeling that everyone around is just as lost as oneself
Naked as the day that I was born, I tried to hide
Feeling vulnerable and exposed while trying to cover it up
...behind education and philosophy
Using knowledge and theories as a defense mechanism
Hopeless explanation to describe a situation
Feeling unable to properly describe the situation
I can't see because the world's on top of me
Feeling overwhelmed by the world and its problems
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
Asking for salvation and help
From the body of this death
Wanting to escape the struggles of life
Freeing me from dust, and the superficial trust
Being released from materialism and shallow trust
Of an enemy that seeks to take my breath
Fighting against an enemy that wants to defeat me
Failing to connect, 'cause I'm morally defect
Failing to form connections due to personal flaws
By reason of the God inside my head
Blaming God or religion for personal issues
Causing me to see, only what pertains to me
Being self-centered and only caring about oneself
Believing I'm alive when I'm still dead
Feeling that one is not truly living
Limited to earth, unable to find out my worth
Feeling stuck on earth and uncertain about one's purpose
'cause I... can't see past my own vanity
Unable to see beyond one's own ego
If I'm not included, then I just have to remove it
Cutting out anything that doesn't involve oneself
From my mind because it has to be in sanity
Only allowing thoughts that are deemed rational or sane
Can I even factor, that I've only been an actor
Realizing that one has just been playing a role in life
In this staged interpretation of this day
Feeling like life is a play or a show
Focused on the shadow, with my back turned to the light
Ignoring the real and only focusing on illusions
Too intelligent to see it's me in the way
Being too smart to see one's own flaws
What a paradox, having God trapped in a box
Feeling a conflict between belief in God and personal struggles
All this time professing to be spiritual
Claiming to be spiritual but feeling lost
Naturally pretending, that I'm actually defending
Trying to convince oneself that they are defending something when they are really just pretending
God (?) don't need material
Believing that God does not care about materialistic things
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
A plea for Jerusalem to cleanse itself from impurities
That thou may be saved from thy deception
Promising salvation from deceit
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Questioning how long one can continue believing lies
Oh Jerusalem, keeping thee from perfection
Realizing that being deceived is stopping one from reaching perfection
Submit to truth, leave the deception of thy youth
Advocating for the truth to be followed and rejecting false beliefs
So we could walk in the council of authority
Following a higher authority and making better choices
Forget the proof, our generation so aloof
Ignoring evidence and being detached from reality
Only follow in the steps of the majority
Being a follower rather than a leader
Trust in the Lord, with all thy heart
Having faith in God with full conviction
And lay not to thine, oh an understanding in all thy ways
Avoid relying on one's own understanding and instead trust in God's guidance
Acknowledge Him, and He shall correct our paths
Acknowledging God and His role in guiding our path
Be (?) you can follow him
Encouraging people to follow God wholeheartedly
We judge and condemn, just as ignorant as them
Being unaware of one's own ignorance while judging others
Who religion tells us that we should ignore
Being told to ignore certain people or groups due to one's religion
Perpetrating we're in covenant with Him
Believing that one is in a covenant with God but not truly following it
Exposed by the very things that we adore
Being exposed by one's own desires or materialistic things one values
We grin and shake hands, then lay ambush for the man
Being fake and then attacking people behind their back
Who has a different point of view then us
Not accepting different opinions or viewpoints
Infuriated 'cause he doesn't understand
Getting angry at people who don't agree with one's beliefs
Bringing up those things we don't want to discuss
Avoiding certain topics that are uncomfortable or controversial
Why still do evil, we don't know how to do good
Questioning why people still do wrong when they should know better
Walking on in darkness running from the light, ey
Continuing to live in darkness and avoiding the truth
Led to believe, because we live in neighborhoods
Being misled by one's surroundings or environment
Telling us what's going on will be alright
Being told that things will be okay even when they are not
Oh so repressed, so convinced that I was blessed
Feeling suppressed but still believing that one is blessed
When I played with my game of Monopoly
Comparing life to a game of Monopoly
Oh to suggest, that my life is still a mess
Admitting that life is still a mess despite pretending otherwise
Who reveal the pride I'm hiding is what's stopping me
Realizing that pride is stopping one from reaching their potential or finding true happiness
Abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bare
Encouraging to have a strong connection with God
...fruit of itself except in the vine
Believing that true fruitfulness only comes from being connected with God
I am the vine, ye are the branches, He's in live in me
Stating that God is the source of life and inspiration
And I in him, the same bring forth much fruit
Being productive and successful when connected with God
Without me, you can do nothing
Believing that nothing is possible without God
Oh Jerusalem, you're traditions have deceived you
Reprimanding Jerusalem for following false traditions
I've chosen you, you haven't chosen me
Stating that God has chosen Jerusalem
Do whatsoever, you asking my name he may give to you
Giving permission to ask for God's help
But in vain they call my name
Warns against idle or false prayers
teaching doctrines just the same
Disapproving of false teachings or beliefs
Justified among themselves
Justifying one's actions to oneself without seeking truth or guidance
But God know with the heart, what man esteemed as smart
Believing that God knows the true intentions of people's hearts
Is an abomination to Emmanuel
Stating that God dislikes certain actions or beliefs
Just repent, turn from selfish motivation
Advocating for repentance and renunciation of selfish behavior
So iniquity will not cause your demise
Stating that unrighteousness can lead to downfall
Make you a new heart and a new spirit
Encouraging to change oneself from within to live a better life
...for why would he die
Questioning why God would sacrifice Himself for people's sins
Oh Jerusalem, please tell me why
Asking Jerusalem for an explanation
I have no pleasure in the death of him to die
Stating that God does not enjoy the death of people
Says the Lord God where forth turn yourselves and live
Calling for people to change their ways and live a better life
It's not the talkers, but the walkers and his word
Encouraging action and true faith rather than just words
Are the only ones the Father will forgive
Stating that true faith and good deeds are necessary for forgiveness
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LAURYN HILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@effuniversity
Oh Jerusalem yeah, oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem...
Realizing that there's no place else to go
And there's nobody I know who can help me
Text book solutions are so improbable
'cause everybody else is just as empty
Naked as the day that I was born, I tried to hide
...behind education and philosophy
Hopeless explanation to describe a situation
I can't see because the world's on top of me
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Freeing me from dust, and the superficial trust
Of an enemy that seeks to take my breath
Failing to connect, 'cause I'm morally defect
By reason of the God inside my head
Causing me to see, only what pertains to me
Believing I'm alive when I'm still dead
Limited to earth, unable to find out my worth
'cause I... can't see past my own vanity
If I'm not included, then I just have to remove it
From my mind because it has to be in sanity
Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me
From the body of this death
Can I even factor, that I've only been an actor
In this staged interpretation of this day
Focused on the shadow, with my back turned to the light
Too intelligent to see it's me in the way
What a paradox, having God trapped in a box
All this time professing to be spiritual
Naturally pretending, that I'm actually defending
God (?) don't need material
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem, keeping thee from perfection
Submit to truth, leave the deception of thy youth
So we could walk in the council of authority
Forget the proof, our generation so aloof
Only follow in the steps of the majority
Trust in the Lord, with all thy heart
And lay not to thine, oh an understanding in all thy ways
Acknowledge Him, and He shall correct our paths
Be (?) you can follow him
We judge and condemn, just as ignorant as them
Who religion tells us that we should ignore
Perpetrating we're in covenant with Him
Exposed by the very things that we adore
We grin and shake hands, then lay ambush for the man
Who has a different point of view then us
Infuriated 'cause he doesn't understand
Bringing up those things we don't want to discuss
Why still do evil, we don't know how to do good
Walking on in darkness running from the light, ey
Led to believe, because we live in neighborhoods
Telling us what's going on will be alright
Oh so repressed, so convinced that I was blessed
When I played with my game of Monopoly
Oh to suggest, that my life is still a mess
Who reveal the pride I'm hiding is what's stopping me
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem keeping them from perfection
Abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bare
...fruit of itself except in the vine
I am the vine, ye are the branches, He's in live in me
And I in him, the same bring forth much fruit
Without me, you can do nothing
Oh Jerusalem, you're traditions have deceived you
I've chosen you, you haven't chosen me
Do whatsoever, you asking my name he may give to you
But in vain they call my name
teaching doctrines just the same
Justified among themselves
But God know with the heart, what man esteemed as smart
Is an abomination to Emmanuel
Just repent, turn from selfish motivation
So iniquity will not cause your demise
Make you a new heart and a new spirit
...for why would he die
Oh Jerusalem, please tell me why
I have no pleasure in the death of him to die
Says the Lord God where forth turn yourselves and live
It's not the talkers, but the walkers and his word
Are the only ones the Father will forgive
Oh Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness
That thou may be saved from thy deception
How long, shall thy face those lies within thee
Oh Jerusalem, providing you no protection
Oh Jerusalem...
@rhondaporro877
Miss Lauryn Hill-
PEACE BE WITH YOU ALWAYS!
YOUR SONG "OH, JERUSALEM!"
IS ONE OUTSTANDING TREASURE OF TRUTH PUT TO BEAUTIFUL ACCUSTIC GUITAR AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL VOICE! WOW!!
I GET SOULFUL HOLY GHOST BUMPS - BIG TIME WHILE LISTENING TO "OH, JERUSALEM!" ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS- AND I LISTEN TO THIS SONG A LOT!!!
YOUR "KILLING ME SOFTLY, JUST BEAUTIFUL, IS HIGH ON MY LIST OF FAVORITE MUSIC!!
ALSO TOTALLY DIG YOUR SIMONE STUFF!!! LOVE YOU LAURYN BIG FAN OF YOU WORK!!
GOD BLESS YOU, PROTECT YOU, AND BRING YOU PEACE, ALWAYS!!
RONNIE
@karmiyaaviyona2873
All praise to The Most High. Stay strong my brothers and sisters. Stay in the word.
@lyneshiagrimes6307
🙏🏿🙌🏽💔I AM LIGHT
AHHHHH I YAWAH 🙇🏾♀️I PRAY AND PRAISE YOU LORD GOD 🙌🏽🙏🏿
@shareeflogan-te7nr
❤
@melissaklepsch8065
🤗💞🙏🏽
@andrewjacksonobol2049
The meek shall inherit the earth. Some times we forget and bring along our pride before the King of Kings.
@lyneshiagrimes6307
🙏🏿🙌🏽🙇🏾♀️GLORY AND VICTORY TO THE LORD ALMIGHTY 😭💔🙌🏽🙏🏿
@candacecellis
Till this day. This album is truth. God was working through her to make something like this.
@lookin4mydream
I can listen to this over and over and over again. "Gospel music" at its finest.
@diannaclark9442
Queen_Of_Hearts this is Soul music for me! 🙏 All praises to the most high yah!
@anitawatson2032
2019–I finally get it!! All Praises to the Most High Almighty!!!!!
I would not have been able to decipher through all the mess in the 90’s but I’m up and focused on my repentance.