Hip-hop icon and veteran Lauryn Hill has a bevy of rap artists, songwriters and soulsters championing her as one of music’s greatest inspirations and legends to date.

That includes her industry friends as well, like fellow hip-hop legend Nas, who sent his birthday love to her a day before her 42nd birthday on Friday (May 26).

Posted to his Instagram, the Illmatic emcee shared an earlier photo of him with Ms. Hill while he sliced a cake in her honor. Though the Queens-bred rap idol is critically-acclaimed for his bars, he may know a thing or two about exercising those vocal cords, too.

“Singing Happy Birthday Stevie Wonder-style to my soul sister Ms. Lauryn Hill,” he wrote in the caption, “blessings and blessings love. (Free the Big Bro Lord).”

It’s refreshing to see such a long-lasting friendship between the industry mates as well following their 2012 tour together and their very first collabo on the 1996 track “If I Ruled the World.”

And from all of us at BET, Happy Birthday, L-Boogie!