The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

I enjoyed this album—I liked the skits (I thought they were fun, but then again, I’m a teacher, so it was kind of up my alley), I thought her synthesis of hip hop and soul was well executed, and I liked the woman-focused perspective. Just based off of listening experience alone, I would have given it 4/5 stars.

The reason it’s getting 5/5 is that after reading about its legacy, you cannot deny the profundity of its impact. So many amazing artists have cited it as an influence, she uplifted women through rap, she introduced vulnerability to hip hop. The album earns that extra star off of its sheer importance—it really seems to have been a pioneering record.

I enjoy this album, but there's something I can't really put my finger on that stop it from being a 5 star for me. Maybe it's just too long. I also feel like Lauren comes off as quite preachy in a few songs, which makes a lot more sense when you learn a bit more about her. Still though, some fantastic songs and great performances on here.

Amazing recording and production; this album sounds like a top tier Motown band live in the studio with Lauryn Hill - the deep grooves of the bass, funky Stevie Wonder-sounding clavinets, the tight swing of the drums, and the soulful horns throughout build an incredible platform for her vocals - precisely rapped verses weaving together personal stories, sociological observation, and political critique - her delivery slides between rapping and singing as melodies seem to emerge out of nowhere. Other songs have a more PC-built beat feel, with classic 90s production, turntable scratches, and looped samples - good, but not as timeless or distinctive as the more neo-soul stuff. Her voice is a bit nasal and limited to a mid-high range, but has great expressive vibrato that wraps around the backing vocalists and her own overdubs to create a poly-vocal harmonic gospel choir sound. Nice Bob Marley Burning reference on the cover.

Not sure how Lauryn Hill found the time to record an album when she was so busy paving the way for Beyonce.

Even nearly 25 years later, this still be flipping in the ghetto on a dirty mattress. Bonafide timeless classic, a standard Miss Lauren couldn't dare to achieve again.

This is a knockout album, as far as I'm concerned with rap/hip-hop. Not all the tracks resonated with me - probably because I'm agnostic - but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying the album as a work of art.

Another "impossible to avoid" album from my yoof. And, to be fair, a very solid addition to the genre - perhaps suffers slightly over the years as the hype around how groundbreaking it was has fallen away. Good not great.

This album is a bit of a mixed bag for me. I much prefer the more soulful / singing songs to the rest, which I'm not big on. I actively dislike all the backing uh, uh, uh's - yo, yo, yo stuff that are littered throughout the whole thing. I think it actually undermines some of the nicer songs. Overall, it's alright, it's easy enough to listen to.

Always thought she has a great voice, and this is a good album, but the constant "yea, yo, uhuh" mutterings started to do my nut in!

Not a perfect album but there's moments of such brilliance it feels wrong not to give it the full 5.

Very varied, big singles are obviously the most catchy/immediate, but it works really well as a (loose) concept album too. I didn't really realise it was her only solo album - although I guess she did plenty of other work with the Fugees, and others, that she didn't really need to work too hard as a solo artist. A great album, which scores juuuust over 4.5 - meaning it scores 5!

Not my type of music, but great album

Ehh...not my thing. I'm not a fan of her style of singing. I liked "Forgive Them Father" - that was a good track that caught my ear, but in general I found the album boring. I'm sure it's great for many people, just not me.

that thing

I thought this one would be a little more definitively four star than it is, but it dtill earns it. Most of the songs are high quality and enjoyable, I'd just say some of them go on a little longer than needed. I do understand why the big songs from this album like Ex-Factor are the big songs, though. The skits at the end of some of the songs are cute and don't hurt the songs they are attached to like I was led to believe. Just a more solid than average 90s R&B. This should be the album getting the praise for this genre, not crazysexycool.

The opening is really slick heavy R&B. in the middle Lauryn really opens up her rap chops. on the whole its pretty good!

Pakko arvostaa naista siitä, että onnistui lyömään läpi aika myrkyllisesti miesvaltaisessa genressä! Tässä ei olisi onnistuttu myös ilman hyviä biisejä, joten 4/5 helposti ansaittu.

Before this, the only song I ever knew by Lauryn Hill was Doo Wop (That Thing). Listening to her music, there is strong influence from genres such as R&B, Reggae, and Rap. The late 90s/early 00s hip hop beats are a great throwback. In Lauryn's high notes, I can hear Mariah Carey, and in her song structure/delivery I can hear Missy Elliot. Hip Hop/R&B isn't necessarily my favourite, however, I can definately understand and appreciate why this was such an influential album to so many.

Favourite songs: Everything is Everything, Doo Wop (That Thing), "Every Ghetto, Every City", To Zion, Forgive Them Father

Least favourite songs: When it Hurts So Bad, Nothing Even Matters, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

3/5

Such an incredible debut. Love her voice and the instrumentation complements it perfectly. Soulful and still bombastic.

This album is a masterpiece, unifying elements of R&B, hip-hop, rap, and soul/gospel masterfully. The opening pairing of 'Lost Ones' and 'Ex-Factor' are stripped down tracks that put Lauryn's rap bone fides and vocal power front and center, setting the tone for the whole album to come. Ms. Hill's performance on each track is impeccable, even the chorus parts that she recorded for the background hypes and harmony.

The lyrical content of this album is clearly very personal and speaks to experience that everyone can connect with at a similar level. It must have been hard to put all of that honesty and emotion into this work, have it become a worldwide success, and then compelled to tour the world singing it over and over again. I can't imagine how artists doing it and maintain authenticity and their own connection to the work.

And ultimately, that is what makes this a bittersweet album for me too. Ultimately, something went awry for Ms. Lauryn Hill, and she has suffered for it. It highlights the parasitic aspect of fandom in an uncomfortable way. Artists are who they are, and their work is what it is, and we need to be careful to not lose sight of them as people, especially when things get difficult.