( CNN ) -- Lauryn Hill told the judge who sentenced her to prison that she planned to pay her taxes ; it was just a question of when . The judge reminded her that citizens do n't get to choose when to pay the government just before ordering her to spend three months in a federal prison . The Grammy-winning singer must report to prison on July 8 to begin serving the sentence for failure to pay federal income taxes for three years , followed by three months of home confinement and a year of supervised probation , the judge said . Hill must also pay penalties and taxes still owed and a $ 60,000 fine . Hill pleaded guilty last year to three counts of failing to file tax returns on more than $ 1.8 million between 2005 and 2007 . The artist appeared Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in federal court in Newark , New Jersey , for sentencing . Hill told the judge she lives `` very modestly '' considering how much money her music -- she has sold 16 million records -- earned for other people . `` Someone did the math , and it came to around $ 600 million , '' she said . `` And I sit here before you trying to figure out how to pay a tax debt ? If that 's not like enough to slavery , I do n't know . '' `` This was n't a life of jet-setting glamour , '' she said . `` This was a life of sacrifice with very little time for myself and my children . '' Hill releases new music . The income in question was mostly from music and film royalties paid to companies she owned between 2005 and 2008 , according to the U.S. attorney 's office . `` Although Hill pleaded guilty to charges specifically related to those tax years , her sentence also takes into account additional income and tax losses for 2008 and 2009 -- when she also failed to file federal returns -- along with her outstanding tax liability to the state of New Jersey , for a total income of approximately $ 2.3 million and total tax loss of approximately $ 1,006,517 , '' the prosecutor said . Hill 's lawyer , Nathan Hochman , told CNN that Hill has fully paid her taxes . `` I think the judge gave a fair and reasonable sentence , '' Hochman said . Her lack of a prior criminal record and the fact that she has six minor children helped , he said . `` I think the government has let a number of celebrities off and never criminally prosecuted them , Willie Nelson being at least one example , '' he said . `` I think that the court took that into account as well . Ms. Hill did not get a slap on the wrist and let off with just paying a certain amount of money but has had to go through this entire criminal prosecution . '' Hill also used her sentencing to talk about her music . `` I did n't make music for celebrity status , '' she told the court . `` I made music for artistic and existential catharsis , which was not just necessary for myself but it was also necessary for the generations of oppressed people who had n't had their voices expressed like I was able to do it . Music is not something I do from 9 to 5 . It 's a state of being , and like a doctor who delivers babies , I 'm on call all the time because that 's the kind of work this is . '' Hill revealed in a message posted to her Tumblr account last month that she 's been working on new music . `` It has been reported that I signed a new record deal , and that I did this to pay taxes . Yes , I have recently entered into an agreement with Sony Worldwide Entertainment , to launch a new label , on which my new music will be released , '' Hill wrote . `` And yes , I am working on new music . '' Her fans have been waiting for new music from her since her 1998 solo album , `` The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill . '' CNN 's Doug Ganley contributed to this report .
NEW : ` ` If that 's not like enough to do , I do n't know , '' Hill told the judge . The singer must serve a year on probation and possibly three months of home confinement . She must report to prison on July 8 , unless her lawyer files an appeal . Hill pleaded guilty last year to failing to file returns on more than $ 1.8 million in expenses .