Lauryn Hill Solidifies Title as the First Lady of Hip Hop at Vivid LIVE

Sydney guys and girls now know they better watch out, as Lauryn Hill killed the Opera house softly with her song last night (with another show up tonight for Vivid LIVE). With vocals as strong as ever and a rapping speed that ain't slowing down, Ms. Hill triumphantly took her rightful place at the top of the hip hop class.

After a buzzing Opera House excitedly thrusted to red red wiiiiiiine R&B and reggae classics, the crowd was well geared up for the hour-late Ms. Hill. It's been a good four years since Hill has visited Australia. The multi-Grammy award-winning singer disappeared from public life in 2000 after staggering fame, later undergoing a prison stint and three months house arrest after failing to file her tax returns on time.

Returning to the Sydney stage with a vocally-charged, raptastic journey through her Fugees years, acoustic ballads, a Bob Marley cover and highlights from her legendary solo albums The Score and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the 39-year-old left no stone unturned.

Swanning out in a black sequinned onesie, cape-like coat and broad-brimmed hat, Hill opened the set with an epic fifteen minute version of The Fugees' seminal cover 'Killing Me Softly'. One of the best selling hip hop artists of all time, Hill then dove headfirst into her epic repertoire — starting with her harmony-fuelled 1998 Miseducation single 'Everything Is Everything'; her super stylin' backup singers throwing down some seriously baller choreography.

Hill still sits at the top of the class as one of the fastest rappers in the game. Slowly but surely speeding up during a funked up version of Miseducation's 'Final Hour', Hill furiously threw down every rhyme without blinking an eye. Ever the crowdpleaser, Hill somewhat cheesily inserted 'Sydney' into every possible lyrical corner — a guaranteed squeal-jerker employed at her Melbourne show just days before.

Quite the control freak, the former Fugees frontwoman directed her band, backup singers and crowd like a bossy conductor, knowing every drum beat, vocal harmony and keyboard solo and attempting to make magic happen with furious pointed fingers. During a slightly bungled audience participation attempt of 'In Zion' the crowd slightly feared for the professional lives of the backup singers as Hill tried to lead an unsteady call and response moment, but eventually she busted moves with her band and gave shout-outs all round.

Taking time out for a sentimentally-charged acoustic moment or three, Hill showcased her gospel-folk vocal strength with tunes from her 2002 album, MTV Unplugged 2.0 with 'Mr Intentional' and 'Oh Jerusalem'. Hill kept rolling through to a stunning cover of Bob Marley's 'Could You Be Loved' — by her late father-in-law. Finishing up with a revisit to 'Killing Me Softly' and a celebratory rendition of her 1998 Grammy-winning debut solo single 'Doo Wop (That Thing)', Hill triggered clasped hands Concert Hall-wide by bringing out two of her children to join her on (unsurprisingly badass) vocals.

One of the most hyped-up moments in the Vivid LIVE lineup, Lauryn Hill made it clear she's still every inch the hip hop superstar she's been since before iPods were born. No throwbacks to Sister Act 2 though. Dayum.

Lauryn Hill plays her second show at Sydney Opera House tonight for Vivid LIVE. Details over here.

Images by Prudence Upton.