In many hip-hop circles, Ms. Lauryn Hill is regarded as the best woman rapper of all time, and one of the greatest MCs period – and with the release of Best of Lauryn Hill (Vol. 1: Fire) on Apple Music, J. PERIOD shows why. The first segment of a two-part mixtape dedicated to the music icon will satisfy longtime fans and serve as a lesson for young’ns looking to learn up.
For years, J. PERIOD has collaborated with multiple legends in music to make mixtapes that chronicle their careers. By combining their most notable songs, unreleased tracks, rarities and exclusive interview footage from the artists themselves, J. Period created mixtapes that worked more like musical storybooks, artifacts that showed their talent while also providing the context behind their work. This year, J. Period has been rereleasing those mixtapes through Apple Music, including tributes to Nas, The Roots and Q-Tip. Best of Lauryn Hill: Fire And Water is a two-part project, with Fire paying homage to Hill’s raps and Water showing her vocal versatility. Fire drops today, and Water touches down on Friday, Feb. 21.
Today’s release also marks the beginning of Ms. Lauryn Hill’s tour, which starts at the Wellmont Theater in New Jersey and continues through July, including a date at the Kennedy Center and Black Girls Rock. It also comes after stars like Drake and Cardi B have sampled her work in recent years.
“For me, this mixtape represents not only a tremendous moment in my career, but the force that created everything that follows,” J. PERIOD told VIBE. “This tape sparked my collaborations with Q-Tip, Mary J. Blige, John Legend, and The Roots, all creative relationships that continue to this day. I’m deeply grateful to Ms. Hill for her support, and I’m extremely excited to introduce this project to a new generation of fans. Reimagining an artist’s catalog in new context gives the music new life. That’s always my goal with my mixtapes. It is my sincere hope that, through this project, fans will come to appreciate Ms. Hill’s incredible talent and amazing catalog of music, all over again.”
Listen to Best of Lauryn Hill (Vol. 1: Fire) below on Apple Music.