Lauryn Hill Pays Tribute to John Forte

Lauryn Hill paid tribute to John Forté following news of the artist, songwriter, and Fugees contributor’s death on Monday at the age of 50.

“I can’t remember the exact ⁤moment I met John forte or Forte as we used to call him,but I know we became fast friends very ⁢soon after,” Hill wrote on Instagram beneath a shared photo of her and Forté.”I loved him, my family loved⁣ him… I remember meeting his mom with her sweet voice for the first time and walking New York City streets with him in full⁣ youthful captivation mode.”

Hill went on to reminisce about how their generation of Hip-hop was young and “at the ascent of its epic rise.” She shared how the ’90s were “a time of excitement and possibility” for them as ⁣they navigated the game and streets of New York City.

“Forte was a gentleman and a scholar with a strong pen,deep soul,and kind heart.Part Brownsville, part prep-school,” she shared. “He had access to a way of expressing himself with a vocabulary and fluency that was very unique for⁢ the time. John was a gentle soul beneath all of his Brownsville chanting. I wish we’d had the prospect to embrace that even more back then.”

As an aspiring rapper himself, Forté joined the Refugee Camp All-Stars after meeting Wyclef and Pras. He eventually became known for producing songs on the Fugees’ 1996 classic, The ⁣Score, and featured on “Cowboys,” “Family⁣ Business,” and the standout bonus single,⁤ “fu-Gee-La.”