Lauryn Hill “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” (1998)
Following the Fugee’s phenomenally successful album 'the Score', Hill helped fellow
Fugee Wyclef Jean with his solo album, then started on her own. She
struck writers block but found a well of inspiration following the birth
of her first child.
The resultant album is brilliant and powerful. Hill mixes RnB, pop,
hip-hop and dub but manages to make it all sit together cohesively.
After a brief school roll-call styled intro, the album hits the ground running with "Lost Ones"
with Hill rapping over a sparse but funky track that kind of brings to
mind the Roots for some reason. The album almost immediately switches
gears to deliver the soulful pop of "Ex-Factor".
Lauryn switches back and forth between rapping ("Final Hour" is as good a
set of rhymes as any of her contemporaries) and singing (like on the
beautifully harmonised "I Used to Love Him").
To date, this appears to be the only full-length solo release from Lauryn Hill. Quality over quantity I guess.
