Lauryn Hill's children: Everything to know about her 6 kids
Lauryn Hill is often celebrated for her groundbreaking contributions to music and hip-hop culture since the release of her debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998). After the album's success, she took a backseat from show business for a while to care for her kids, who are now all grown up. Learn lesser-known facts about Lauryn Hill's children below.
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Ms. Hill has been in one major relationship, although she has never been married. She shares five children with Jamaican entrepreneur Rohan Marley but has not publicly revealed the father of her sixth child. The Grammy-winning artist mostly raised her kids in her hometown, South Orange, New Jersey.
Lauryn Hill's children
The Ex-Factor hitmaker has six kids, including two daughters and four sons. She occasionally talks about them in interviews and on social media. Learn more about them below;
Zion David Marley
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Zion was born on August 3, 1997, to Lauryn Hill and Bob Marley's son, Rohan Marley. Hill got pregnant when her career was taking off, which led to people advising her to get rid of it and focus on music. The artist was 22 years old at the time.
Lauryn Hill's son inspired her song, To Zion, in which she addresses her decision to care for her first child. It has lyrics like,
But everyone told me to be smart. 'Look at your career,' they said, 'Lauryn, baby, use your head. But instead chose to use my heart.
Zion made Lauryn a first-time grandmother at 42. In February 2017, he welcomed his son, Zephaniah Nesta, with his girlfriend, Tania. The couple expanded the family a few years later with the birth of daughter Azariah Genesis. Zion Marley has not followed in his family's musical legacy.
Selah Louise Marley
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Selah joined the Hill-Marley family on November 12, 1998. She attended New York University and was into gymnastics when she was young.
She began her modelling career in 2011. She has since worked with major fashion companies, including Beyonce's Ivy Park, Calvin Klein, Rag & Bone, Yeezy, and Chanel.
Selah also took after her parents' singing abilities and released her debut single, Breathe, in 2017. In her previous interview with W Magazine, she opened up about her fears of entering the music industry because she felt inferior compared to her musically talented family.
The thing is, I was very shy about my music, so I would have to lock myself into places. I never wanted people to see it...I would do it late night, when no one was listening. I was very aware of the pressure of my mom, and not just my mom, but my entire family. I was very aware of that reality, so it was almost this inferiority complex. I was scared of [music] because I never thought it matched up.
Joshua Omaru Marley
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Joshua is Lauryn and Rohan's third child, born on December 5, 2001. He has taken after his family's musical talent and occasionally collaborates with his mother.
He released his debut single, Praise Jah in the Moonlight, in December 2023. Joshua is currently a father of three. He welcomed his son Caleb Messiah in July 2021 and twins in June 2023.
John Nesta Marley
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John Marley was born on June 28, 2003. He is more focused on academics and is currently a student at New York City-based St. John's University.
He has not shown interest in working in the music industry. He previously joined his siblings to model for Rag & Bone during their 2019 campaign. For his birthday in June 2020, his mother, Ms. Hill, took to Instagram to share a collage of his pictures over the years with the caption;
To my beloved baby boy John, Happy belated birthday!!! I tell the story often of how your smile was a reflection of love and a source of clarity for me during challenging days. May you always connect to that source of love and let no fear or vain thing stop you from being your greatest. I love you always!
Sara Marley
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Lauryn and Rohan Marley welcomed Sara on January 2, 2008. She actively participates in athletic sports at her high school, including playing basketball and running at track events.
Sara celebrated her Sweet Sixteen in January 2024 at the Cipriani Ballroom. She dazzled in Great Gatsby flare while her parents, Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley, graced the party in suits with bow ties.
Micah Hill
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Lauryn Hill welcomed her sixth child, son Micah, on July 23, 2011. Following his birth, people criticized Rohan Marley for leaving the singer while she was pregnant. She later clarified that Rohan was not the child's father in an X post that was later deleted.
Contrary to the numerous reports, Mr. Marley did not abandon me while pregnant with his child. We have had long periods of separation over the years, but our five children together remain a joy to both of us.
Micah is into sports and has shown interest in basketball. On his 11th birthday, he joined NBA star Derrick Rose on the basketball court alongside his friends. His mother celebrated the occasion with an Instagram post, writing;
Happy 11th birthday to my beloved and youngest son Micah!! May God guide, bless and protect you always. May your enormous heart and sense of kindness always be preserved. May you continue to pursue the things you love with great passion and inspiration.
Motherhood is Lauryn Hill's greatest joy
The Everything is Everything hitmaker wanted to be a present mother to all her kids. Several of her songs portray motherhood as a wonderful phase. In her 1999 interview with The Guardian, she revealed caring for her children was her focus.
Everybody asks me, 'What's your next move?' and right now, my focus is just being a good mother. If I could do that properly, I'd be really, really happy. If I could be half the parent that my parents were to me, then I'd be very happy...I always put my 100% into making music, but now I have to put 200% into being a mother.
Being a parent has not always been rosy for Ms Hill. In August 2020, her eldest daughter, Selah, opened up about her childhood trauma in a 2-hour Instagram Live video that has since been deleted. She opened up about the effects of her mother using physical discipline on her and her siblings.
Lauryn responded to the backlash that followed with an 8-slide Instagram post, highlighting her goal to keep her children out of danger. The post reads in part;
Selah has every right to express herself. I encourage it, but she also got the discipline that black children get because we are held to a different standard...My life has been about protecting my children from all kinds of danger, and that's only possible when you protect yourself from the danger as well.
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FAQs
Lauryn Hill and Rohan Marley's children continue to carry the Marley-Hill legacy in different ways. Here are some frequently asked questions about the famous family;
How many biological children does Lauryn Hill have?
The artist welcomed six children: four sons and two daughters. They include Zion, Selah, Joshua, John, Sara, and Micah.
Which Marley did Lauryn Hill have a baby with?
Lauryn Hill's kids' father is Bob Marley's son, Rohan Marley. They welcomed five kids together from 1997 to 2008. The singer has yet to reveal the identity of Micah's father.
Source: Getty Images
What happened to Lauryn Hill's son Zion?
Ms Hill had Zion against advice from industry friends because motherhood would have affected her career. He became a father at 19 when he welcomed Hill's first grandchild, Zephaniah, in 2017.
Who was Lauryn Hill's husband?
The acclaimed singer has never tied the knot. She was in a long-term relationship with Bob Marley's son, Rohan Marley, for over a decade. She used to refer to him as her husband, but they were not legally married.
Lauryn Hill's children continue to shape her artistic legacy. She chose to focus on motherhood despite the pressures of fame and the music industry at a time when her solo career was taking off.
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Source: Briefly News
