All About Lauryn Hill’s Son Zion Marley (2024)

Lauryn Hill and her son, Zion David Marley, are celebrating the 25th anniversary of her first and only solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which was released the year after he was born. Zion is Hill’s eldest child, whom she shares with her former longtime partner Rohan Marley.

Zion is a father of two and one of his mom’s biggest supporters. In fact, he even called her 1998 album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill the “best album ever.”

Most recently, he and his two kids surprised Hill onstage after her performance of the song he inspired. Zion has a lot of love for his mom, and posted a sweet throwback in November 2022.

“I know it was hard for you but we here!” he captioned the since-deleted Instagram post, which showed a photo of Hill in a pool with her hands on his shoulders.

Zion’s dad Rohan also spoke fondly of that time in their lives while honoring the 25th anniversary of her album.

“One of the most amazing times of my life,” he wrote alongside a clip of Hill performing. “Blessed love to Her Majesty Mommy Zion.”

Here’s everything to know about Lauryn Hill’s son, Zion David Marley.

Zion was born in August 1997

Hill and Rohan welcomed Zion on Aug. 3, 1997. Hill's pregnancy came on the heels of her win at the 39th annual Grammy Awards, where her band, The Fugees, earned best rap album for The Score.

Speaking with the Los Angeles Timesa year after Zion's birth, the singer opened up about becoming a mother during the height of her career. Though she was "suddenly forced to go off the road" as she neared her due date, Hill shared she was ready for the next chapter of her life.

“Having Zion helped me realize what was really important,” Lauryn told theoutlet. “I had made a lot of decisions for other people more than myself ... A lot of people were against my having a child so early, and at that point in my career. ... It was one of the first things I did where I put my happiness first.”

In August 2020, Hill posted a collage of photos from Zion’s childhood to celebrate his 23rd birthday.

“I wish you healing, strength, compassion and most of all love, for yourself, and for others,” she shared in the post. “May God set a clear path before you, guide and protect you, and transform any adversity or hardship you’ve experienced into an absolute blessing—so that you may be a blessing to others! I LOVE you!!! Mommy.”

Hill and Rohan also welcomed four other children — including Joshua, John, Selah and Sara — during their relationship from 1996 to 2009.

He’s from a famous family

There are music icons on both sides of Zion’s family, as Rohan is the son of Bob Marley and Janet Hunt. In fact, his late grandfather had two songs that mention “Zion.”

He wrote and recorded "Iron Lion Zion" in the 1970s, but it wasn’t released until September 1992. Bob and the Wailers also recorded and released the song “Zion Train” in 1980, just before the reggae legend’s death in 1981.

In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, Rohan touched on what Bob taught him about creating a better world for the next generation.

"You don't want to do things just for you ... My father did not do that," he said. "There's no limitations. When I stop, it should be greater than I. The ones that come after I should be greater than I."

Hill dedicated a song to Zion in her 1998 album

Hill penned a single for her oldest child, titled “To Zion” in The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The song is about her pregnancy journey in tandem with her rise to fame in 1997, and it includes lyrics about her hopes for Zion’s future.

“I knew his life deserved a chance,” she sings. “But everybody told me to be smart / 'Look at your career' they said / 'Lauryn, baby use your head' / But instead I chose to use my heart / Now the joy of my world is in Zion.”

In 1998, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill earned Hill her first five Grammys as a solo artist, including album of the year, best new artist and best R&B album. The following year, she performed the song “To Zion” at the 41st Grammy Awards.

Since its release, Hill has spoken about what the work meant for her at the time and echoed words about making choices for herself.

"That song is about the revelation that my son was to me," she toldRock's Backpagesin 1999, perThe Guardian. "I had always made decisions for other people, making everybody else happy, and once I had him that was really the first decision that was unpopular for me."

Hill added, "It was the best decision that I could have ever made, because I'm the happiest and healthiest that I have ever been."

In October 2022, Zion shared a screenshot of several lyrics from the special song. “I pray I never let you down!” he captioned the since-deleted post. “My purpose is only getting clearer #THANKYOU.”

He has eight siblings

Zion is the first of five children Hill shares with Rohan. After their eldest, Hill and Rohan welcomed daughter Selah, on Nov. 12, 1998, who is now a model and an aspiring singer.

A few years later, their son Joshua arrived on Dec. 5, 2001, and he is also an artist who has performed with Hill. Not too long after, Hill and Rohan expanded their family with son John, who was born on June 28, 2003. Though he's done some modeling work, he has kept his focus on academics.

The couple's youngest child, Sara, was welcomed on Jan. 2, 2008, and she currently runs track and plays basketball in high school. Hill also gave birth to her son Micah in 2011, but the name of his father is not publicly known.

Outside of his immediate family, Zion is a little brother to his father’s two children with Geraldine Khawly. His brother Nicolas “Nico” Rohan Marley is a former NFL linebacker and his sister Eden operates a non-profit called The Garden of Eden Foundation.

Zion has two children

Zion is now a parent himself: He welcomed son Zephaniah Nesta and daughter Azariah Genesis with his longtime girlfriend Tania.

Hill became a grandmother for the first time when Zephaniah was born in 2017, and she has honored his special day on social media over the years.

“Happy 4th Birthday Zephaniah!! We love you very much!!” Hill shared on Instagram in 2021. “May you continue to grow in God’s grace and peace and always know and feel that you are loved!! Love, MiMi.”

Zion also shared in a 2021 Instagram post that his kids call Hill “MiMi.”

Zion and his kids surprised Hill onstage in 2022

After Hill performed her song “To Zion” at ONE MusicFest in Atlanta in October 2022, Zion and his kids shared a special moment with her when they made a surprise appearance.

Zion hugged his mom before returning to the backstage area, but then Hill told the crowd to welcome her son and grandchildren back onto the stage.

"This is my grandson Zephaniah. This is my granddaughter Azariah. This is my son, Zion," she told the audience.

Later on, Zion’s siblings John, Sara and Micah also joined their mom onstage.