Kanye West Collaborating With Lauryn Hill On New LP

[TuKer Says: Angeles Records is the truth!!]

More than six drama-filled years after the release of her Grammy-winning solo debut, it looks like Lauryn Hill's sophomore studio album is finally nearing fruition — with a little help from Kanye West, perhaps.

The pair have collaborated on at least two songs, and while it isn't certain that the collaborations will make the album's final track listing, given West's spiritual slant, the producer seems like a perfect fit for Hill, whose music has taken an ethereal turn in recent years.

Still, the pair's collaboration is somewhat ironic, considering that West sampled a Hill song for the original version of his track, "All Falls Down." The then-relatively unknown producer couldn't get clearance to use Hill's performance and re-recorded the song using singer Syleena Johnson.

Representatives for West and Hill could not be reached for comment.

Hill's last studio set, 1998's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, won five Grammy awards and turned her into a household name. However, rumored turbulence in the singer's personal life contributed to a long delay in the release of any new music.

The silence was finally broken in 2002 with MTV Unplugged 2.0, culled from an MTV special of the same name. The album featured Hill singing spiritually driven, acoustic songs while accompanying herself on acoustic guitar (which she'd only recently learned to play). The songs' lyrics reflected the religious and at times mystical bent that some of her comments to the media had taken. The singer's behavior has been unpredictable in recent years.

Recently, Hill has turned up to do a series of live performances and even reunited with the Fugees last year for Dave Chappelle's Block Party, which also featured West. While talk of a Fugees reunion album has been constant, fellow Fugee Wyclef Jean has often said that any group material would come only after Lauryn has finished this album.

West has had a remarkably busy schedule in recent months. The producer has worked with Mariah Carey, Common and Twista, among others, on their upcoming projects. He also tried his hand at directing John Legend's new video, "Ordinary People."

West has also been hard at work on his own sophomore release, Late Registration. He has already enlisted the help of John Mayer for the set, which is due this spring.

Credit: Rashaun Hall, with reporting by Joseph Patel for MTV News

[mauzip]

dope, looking forward to this

[M Dogg™]

It's so weird. It's basically like all the backpack rappers are all working together. You have Common, Kanye West, Talib Kweli and Mos Def all over each others shit. Now Kanye West is working with Lauryn Hill, someone that could easily fit in. I'm just wondering, are we looking at the modern day Native Tongue. I mean all of them are very nice lyrist, minus Kanye but he brings the heat on beats. I can't wait to her Mrs. Hill though put it down on an album. Hopefully the Fugees will be on the album, and any features from what I call the modern day Native Tongue, Mos Def, Common, Talib Kweli or Kanye West would be a huge added bonus.

[Juronimo]

Common and Mos were part of the original Native Tongues, when it was re-instated by De La Soul in 1996. They were on stage with De La Soul when I saw them perform at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana early 1996.

[M Dogg™]

Common and Mos were part of the original Native Tongues, when it was re-instated by De La Soul in 1996. They were on stage with De La Soul when I saw them perform at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana early 1996.

word... man.... see I was only 15 then... and I was so westcoast back then I wasn't caring. Plus that Ice Cube diss on Common had me on some hateraid shit. I'm off it now. I think Kanye and Lauryn hooking up though is going to blow peoples minds away.

[Juronimo]

Common and Mos were part of the original Native Tongues, when it was re-instated by De La Soul in 1996. They were on stage with De La Soul when I saw them perform at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana early 1996.

word... man.... see I was only 15 then... and I was so westcoast back then I wasn't caring. Plus that Ice Cube diss on Common had me on some hateraid shit. I'm off it now. I think Kanye and Lauryn hooking up though is going to blow peoples minds away.

Hahah I hear you bro. Common performed "Bitch in Yoo" at the show and it pissed me off. I thought it was disrespect. The funny thing is, I had Resurrection on tape and I listened to it all the time. DPG and 2pac was not leaving the tape deck back then, I was bumpin that west coast shit all the time.