Lauryn Hill’s Son YG Marley Follows In Mother’s Footsteps With Platinum Status

Lauryn Hill took a moment to celebrate her son YG Marley’s 23rd birthday while also giving him his flowers for his hit song just as it reached a new milestone.

On Thursday (December 5), Hill shared a post featuring images of Marley along with a lengthy caption dedicated to his celebration of life. In addition to proclaiming her love for her son, who she affectionately refers to as Joshua, she praised the “beauty” and “clarity” of his voice while remarking on the success of his hit song, “Praise Jah In The Moonlight,” which recently earned a new certification from the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA).

“Happy Birthday to my beloved son Joshua aka YG Marley,” Hill wrote in part in the post. “Thank God for your life. May He protect and guide you into peace, true wisdom and understanding. May wholeness, and genuine fulfillment be yours and may love surround you always. Give yourself permission to be truly happy, accept no substitute.”

She also congratulated Marley on the new platinum plaque he received for the song, which became a massive Billboard Top 40 hit record: “Congratulations on another milestone!!!” She continued, “The fact that you’ve gone platinum is a testament to the incredible beauty and importance of this song to so many. Your voice, its beauty and clarity is a vibration of Praise. May God strengthen you, fortify your character and guide your hand as you navigate manhood, fatherhood, and what it means to be an artist. I LOVE YOU ALWAYS!!!”

Multiple artists showed up to wish Marley a happy birthday in the comments section of the post, including Busta Rhymes who wrote, “Happy Earth Strong to the young Lion @ygmarley [crown emojis] Blessed love Empress @mslaurynhill.”

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A post shared by Ms. Lauryn Hill (@mslaurynhill)

YG Marley’s#### “Praise Jah In The Moonlight” achieved remarkable success since its December 2023 release, cementing its place as one of the most prominent reggae songs in recent years. The track peaked at No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart, and claimed the top spot on the Billboard New Zealand Songs Chart. Its popularity extended to TikTok, where it reached No. 2 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, driven by viral engagement​.

In terms of certifications, the song has been certified Platinum in the U.S., Canada and New Zealand — as well as Gold in the UK and France, underscoring its global reach. With over six million streaming-only plays in Sweden, it has set a high benchmark for reggae music in the streaming era​. Critics and fans alike have praised the song for reinvigorating mainstream interest in reggae, with veteran reggae artist Jesse Royal even dubbing it “the biggest reggae song of the last decade” due to its cross-genre appeal and commercial success.

Watch the video for “Praise Jah In The Moonlight” below.