The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

I can see why people like it, just not my style.

Hip-hop-soul, un tanto tostón, pero buena voz.

nice r&b rap combo a bit more literate than the usual rap music

Just didn’t hit for me. It’s always a challenge when an album comes in at 60+ minutes

Hip hop. Soul. Muy buena voz. R&B. Mejor de lo esperado.

Enjoyed some songs, To Zion and Doo Wop. the school audio was a bit distracting .

3. Algunas canciones con una melodía más soul y pegajosa como forgive them father me molan. Aunque al ser tan largo se me hace un poco pesado y solo hay tres canciones en el álbum que me hagan levantar la cabeza.

Good singer, conscious funky soul Oh and pay your taxes Bono, sorry, Lauryn...

nah

lost ones is a bopping track, already like this a lot more than a seat at the table by solange. to zion is a really good song i enjoyed it. doo wop is deadly, such a good tune. wasn't a fan of superstar.

I like this but would like it more if it wasn't 77 minutes and 16 songs. Most of the songs are in the 5 - 6 minute range. In isolation, each songs is good but it becomes a bit of a chore to listen to it all. It still has some of the hip hop tropes I hate; all the uh-uh-uhs, yo-yo-yos, skits, etc. Some of the ballads are very syrupy in a bad 1970s way. The personnel credits are something; so many people. Fun fact: album includes Frank Dunnery from It Bites. It's some culling and editing away from being a much better album.

Attitude and chops. This bridges a couple of styles, and I'm amazed there hasn't been a follow-up as big.

6/10

Like a hilly lunar surface, it has its ups and downs. Wasn’t awful

can't compare to anything I listen to. Pop? solo? idk. reggae according to theyAlexander

This is a good album, but really long.

There's some pretty good stuff and some stuff that didn't interest me. Prolly wouldn't go out of my way to listen again but didn't exactly hate listening to it this time.

A unique voice.

I like the album I don't love it and I have little urge to seek it out when I want a dose of hip hop. 3 stars

It was an all right listen

Some absolute classics on this album, but a lot of it doesn't land as much as I would like

Okay

Hip-hop-soul, un tanto tostón, pero buena voz.

Could do with some trimming. The singles are great though - especially Doo Wop (That Thing).

Not really my genre, but perfectly listenable - even when working.

I recognize that I am the problem here and there is cause for this to be a required listen, but it is just not for me. I lack The necessary chill to be able to enjoy these tracks. I am no Kosmo Vinyl, but these songs are too damned long and languid. I need a narrative, not time to ruminate on how little is being said.

I like the album I don't love it and I have little urge to seek it out when I want a dose of hip hop. 3 🌟

When I was in university, you didn't have to go far to find a copy of this album in someone's apartment. It's possible that the only song I've heard off of this album is "Doo Wop". "Doo Wop" was a good choice for a single off of this album. Hill is not my taste in music, but the album is good.

Pretty standard 90s sounding R&B/Hiphop. Not my thing but I respect it.

Pretty neat...featuring Zion (with Carlos santana)...managed 4 tracks so far

Lauryn Hill laat hiphop zomers klinken, maar af en toe ook wat langdradig

3

A well made album which touches on difficult subjects, Could be a bit more but I enjoyed the vibe

This is one I’ll probably throw on again. 3.25.

Good album.

I thought it had some really catchy songs and good lyrics, but it didn’t flow together too much except for the classroom bits. Though, it did have songs i recognized as a sample so that was cool, i’ll even it out with 3/5

Like Zappa yesterday, thoughtful lyrics. Hiphop style and much better vocals

I’m not a fan of rap ...

Never listened all the way through. It’s good. Not my favorite but I get why people like it.

Is it as good as everyone says it is? It's pretty great, but doesn't seem stand out classic to me. Maybe it sounds so familiar already, even though I've never owned it...

I think a full album of hip hop is too much. Ditto for a full album of soul most of the time. This was a nice blend which worked for me. I also like the guitar solos thrown in which I wasn't expecting with the genres but worked. I'm almost at 4 except I think I've been giving too many 4s lately so deflation has set in.

Tykkäsin enemmän Laurynin sekä räppi- että laulutaidoista kuin varsinaisesti levyn kappaleista. Mutta jo pelkästään taidokkuuden takia 3.

When I was 16, I asked a girl out called Lauryn. She laughed in my face. Feeling low I decided to go to the 24 hour garage just down the road to mask my disappointment by buying some top shelf porn mags. I didn't need Lauryn, I could have a great time by myself. It was only as I was nearly at the counter, ready to pay, that I noticed it was my uncle working. In a panic, I disgarded the porn mags and instead got a cheese and onion pasty and had to satisfy my needs with that instead.

She's a talented singer, rapper, and lyricist. I love the overall vibe of this album, but I feel like I'd have to listen to it each time as an album. There wasn't a single song that stood out to me. I was actually bored with it by the end, but I feel like it warrants another spin.

There's a couple of bangers here but it's a long album with loads of r&b filler. Her warbling annoyed me by the end

false

7/10

8

Recognised some songs, album as a whole wasn't my taste

Very nice modern R&B album. I liked it most because I can recognize many influences in some very good songs that I like (Alicia Keys for example).

Yup. I liked it. Good music is what it is.

Really well produced. Some great tracks but not sure I'd add it to my regular rotation.

A true classic. Back in the day I didn't care much for it, but now I see its potential to grow on me.

Un disco con muchos géneros dentro. No está mal y su voz es increíble

Ett par riktigt sköna låtar. Är lite kluven till hela albumet. Det flyter ihop till bakgrundsmusik för mig, och jag måste vara på rätt humör för att uppskatta det fullt ut.

Not my favorite genre but not a bad album

I'm a fan ever since her MTV Live, she's a little weird though :)

he, used to listen to Lauryn Hill back when i was a teenager. Good memories. Never listened the whole album, tough.

Nie mój styl. Aczkolwiek można posłuchać.

No fugees but good

Ok ok ok

Some good tracks. Annoy fake crackle on some records was just annoying

Not a bad album, just not a fan of the genre. Because I've listened to so little like this its hard to judge it. Her rapping is solid, but the slow soul stuff im not familiar with. I've definitely seen the album before though.

I remember the accolades given for this artist and album when it came out. Lisa had a real love and admiration for her. The Doo Wop song is still catchy but the rest of it just doesn't speak to me. It's pleasant enough but my measure is whether I would put this on or change it if it were to come on. And for all but one song on this record, it's the latter. 2/5

It's okay, but it's so long, and a lot of it you just want to skip.

Songs perhaps okish. Classroom interludes are annoying. Does that somehow tie it all together and make it a theme album and thus greater as a whole? Not to me. I find myself checking back to see if we have moved onto the next track or is this dribbling just part of the last track. Perhaps if it happened for one track i could forgive it but enough already. "Everything you drop is so tired. Music is supposed to inspire, so how come we aint getting no higher?" I couldn't sum it up better myself. The vocal histrionics over dubbed I just find annoying and unfortunately not confined to Ms Lauryn Hill. I was planning to listen to this straight through but had to take a mental sanity break. I wonder if her legacy might be dimmed if she had next released another 3 albums that were deemed to be mediocre or even the same. Then this one hit album and then done legacy of hero worship might not happen.

too slow and laboured

Back to school, Lauren

The average song on here is 5 minutes long. 5 MINUTES OF HOOKLESS RAMBLING HIP HOP. There’s glimpses of something better but sometimes the production and repetition just drives into your brain and it just sucks

I enjoyed 2-3 tracks and didn't care for the rest.

I think I’m just not a huge fan of her voice. Some of the songs are catchy but don’t wow me.

I wanted to love it/ EVERYBODY loved it... I didn't love it

I believe that recent “best ever” lists have this at #1 and I totally understand why that would be the case. However, I’m not a black woman so this meant nothing to me.

I never really understood the hype around this album. Enjoyable but nothing special to my ears.

R en b album. Ken ik van vroeger, maar niet mijn muziek

A rap album where I actually enjoyed the talking in between songs, when I could hear it. I got bored pretty quickly with this album though. Can't believe Apple music named it the #1 best album of all time.

No me enganche

Meh... Just not a style I'm really in to.

It was ok but long and my attention wandered

Alright. Outside of the hit it’s whatever

The interludes are annoying. Doo Wop is decent. She has a good voice but I'm bored. Now for some reason I need to go listen to Fake Patois by Das Racist...

Critically acclaimed … blah blah blah … it’s gonna be a no for me.

Ts album is not actually new to me i used to listen to it i rly love lauryn 🫶🏼

Good album. Not my type of shit, but good. 6.75/14 69.43%

Never been keen

I don't know where all the high ratings come from, but if you ask me, listening to 16 songs of wailing over the same beat is quite an ordeal

I don’t really like the genre and I wasn’t looking forward to it. The positives are: - the songwriting and was better than expected - the musicians were highly competent The negatives: - The musicians were too competent; it sounded like the very best session musicians coming together to create something devoid of personality - The vocal embellishment is unnecessary and becomes a distraction from the melody you have actually written - it was way too long, padded out with pointless covers that add nothing to the originals

Aivan jumalattoman piiiitkä albumi. Ja en voi sille mitään, että juuri tämän tyylinen jenkki -r&b lähinnä ärsyttää. Ei mene ymmärrykseen, miksi tämä on ollut muka mullistava albumi; ihan tusinatavaraa. No, hyvin tehtyä oikeata musaa ja varmaan mustille amerikkalaisille kova juttu mutta miksi tämä kolisisi Euroopassa….? Ylipitkä, yliarvostettu albumi. 2/5

I really did not like the long outros of some of the songs with all of the talking. Those seemed really unnecessary and distracted me from the music. I had always heard good things about this album, but I just didn't see it.

Favorite: Ex-Factor

The challenge is aligning my energy with this album

One and done - Lauryn made what is probably the best female solo hip hop album of the 90s, dropped the mike and walked away.

One listen. Won't be getting a second.

Not really my style

some good RnB but too much talking not my cake

Far, far too long. Fairly samey, and besides the hit songs nothing that really lingers.

Not a fan

Long. Lots of filler. Only one or two highlights. I imagine when it came out it was revolutionary but there have been too many new albums that are better to make it worthwhile.

Just ho-hum.

I was disappointed in this album. I liked Carlos Santana’s guitar work on “To Zion,” and I’ve appreciated “Doo Wop (That Thing)” since it came out. I also liked the Motown influences. Unfortunately, this really dragged on for me.

I kinda can't stand this, but at least it's sampled well

Nice R&B album with not too much rapping. Smooth vocals and some nice funky lines too.

Did not understand the hype back then and don't understand it now.

Tracks I liked: zion, forgive them father. Would I revisit this: no.

Eh. Overrated.

Don’t hate me! I know I know such a low rating for an iconic album but I’ve told myself I’d be completely honest in rating these in no way at all do I think that Lauren hill isn’t a good singer in fact, I do think she’s great and has a lovely voice but unfortunately I just think this one wasn’t for me not my style of music and just didn’t really enjoy it however I can definitely see why people love her so much she’s pretty great! Just thought it went of for a bit long for my liking… So here’s my top 3 1)Doo Wop (that thing) 2) Ex-Factor 3) Everything Is Everything

First listen I wasn’t feeling this at all, but second listen was another story I enjoyed it. Could I listen again, no, the album does drag on. It is very repetitive this album but there is some brilliance in there. I like the fugees, I think I like the more then her on her own. Doo wop is the track I’ve heard in general over the years and I must say I enjoyed the samples and the singing on that track. Ex factor the music samples and singing are also 👌 I don’t know maybe I’m missing something on here I just don’t think there’s enough of everything. Just snippets of brilliance, is that enough to carry an album, I don’t think so.

It was ok , can’t deny she’s got a hell of a voice , just didn’t elevate me much musically , Felt like the songs seemed to keep the same tempo roughly , wasn’t much variation of instruments coming forward in the songs , felt like it dragged a lot

Unbearably long. All the songs sounds the same and all of them are 90's R&B as fuck. I hate the melisma/vibrato way of singing, it feels so incredebly extra and I can thank Christina for making me hate it so god damn much. Fuck you Christina.

Not my type

I don't think I'd ever heard this the whole way through, and considering what a massive success this album was (and how good Lauryn Hill was in the Fugees), I expected to like it. Instead I actively disliked it as it went on (and on). The cursive singing drove me nuts, with seemingly every syllable being dragged across multiple notes and dragging everything out interminably. These songs didn't need to be five-plus minutes or have all these interstitials. (This was the heyday of skits on albums, I guess.) Aside from "Doo Wop (That Thing)," this is shockingly a miss. 2.5 stars.

Not my thing.

There were some pretty songs, it'll take some time and distance to accurately rate this one. This album has been hyped up to the stratosphere and it didn't take me there sadly which I get is an unfair expectation. The continuous use of skits takes me out of the album. I guess she gets a pass because hers has a message and is sweet but hip hop gets dragged all the time for that. It's a fine record but it's nowhere near an all-time album for me. Rating: 2.5

This album reminds me of an ex girlfriend who used to always have this on every time I got in her car. I didn’t rate it back then and unfortunately I’m still feeling the same way about it now.

Don't get it at all. In addition, did she really need to add minutes of tedious chitchat after almost every song? Was it not long enough?

I sold this at target. Only DEI fanboys and fangirls would buy it, says enough about the album.

not really my thing

Annoying

Not my jam

I’ve never understood the hype of Lauryn Hill. It’s fine I guess but nothing spectacular. I knew Doo Wop (That Thing) and Everything is Everything. I didn’t like any of the other songs.

a música com o Santana é nice but I'd just rather listen to Santana instead then álbum interminável e não fiquei com vontade de re-escutar nenhum track. I might be missing something já que é TÃO criticamente respeitado, mas it might just not be for me.

2.5

Not for me

I was hoping I'd come back to this and like it more, but I still have the same problem as my last listen. Almost every song is like 2-3 minutes too long, and it just makes the album such a drag to listen to. If you can cut your album 20 minutes without cutting a single song, then you have a problem. Also by NO MEANS the best album of all time, no clue what apple music was on with that one. Favorites: Ex-Factor, Forgive Them Father, Everything Is Everything

An amazing album but not my type of music

2⭐️ not my usual style or genre songs I already knew: doo wop (that thing) fave new one(s): can’t take my eyes off of you cover

5/10 Disappointing. Musically boring and repetitive. Obviously the lyrics are strong, but they didn't particularly connect for me.

more like miss education, am i right guys? huh? no? 2.5/5 rounding up cuz it was pleasant enough but lets all be honest with each other, they ain't gonna be spinnin' this one in a decade

Ikkje så fan

It was fine. Not my jam

Oon varma et tää levy on julkasun jälkeen jaettu jokaiseen vaatekauppaan, joka on olemassa. Tän tyylinen R&B on just semmosta mitä ei jaksa juuri ollenkaan. Niin tasapaksua ja löysää meininkiä.

Kyllä tämän nyt läpi kuunteli, mutta mitään ei jäänyt käteen, ei edes kasaa paskaa. Siitäkin huolimatta annan kakkosen.

Never understood why this was so popular at the time, and >25 years later, I still don’t. Boring bog standard R’n’B production, nothing interesting in terms of tunes, and flat delivery of unimaginative lyrics most of the time. And the interludes after several of the songs with sounds from a classroom make me feel like stabbing myself repeatedly………..

I really liked the Fugees albums and she was my favorite part of it. This just isn’t hitting for me.

Football commentator Jonathan Pearce loves this album apparently. Does he have good taste in music or is this just one of those albums that had hundreds of thousands thrown at it by the record company and became popular because it was unavoidable? Right, so she has a great voice - she can both sing and rap with equal aplomb. But like a lot of modern R&B records, it has the sort of production that smooths out all the rough edges. It's AOR for the 21st century. As a rule, inoffensive = popular, unfortunately. There's a great record in there somewhere, but it feels sanded down. I like to catch a splinter or two off of the music I listen to. Also, wayyy too long!

It’s not bad bad but it’s always in these sorts of lists and I’ve never really got what the hype was

Honestly, same review as Fugees. I get it, I get why it was popular, I hear the influence, but R&B just does nothing for me at all. It's also way too long, Jesus Christ.

Cool. Not something I’d go back to though.

So overrated. Lauryn Hill has a great voice, but it is wasted on this generic 90s R+B. It's the rap performances which are the best (track 7 is not bad). The duets seem to be vanity appearances more than anything worthwhile. It's all a bit boring. It didn't annoy me; it's not interesting enough to do that. I just don't get the hype. I would call this album "The Meh-seducation of Lauryn Hill".

Didn’t really enjoy this all. Good for what it is, but it sounded just tired, clichéd and dull to me - despite it being highly rated. Some really poor lyrics stood out too (“He was like the ocean and I was the sand” and “He came to me like a thief in the night”). Yeah. Scraped to a 2.

Classic ‘90s R&B with hip-hop influences & undertones. I understand the broader influence to the scene contextually, but—controversially?—this also doesn’t really do it for me, unfortunately.

I can appreciate the artistic merit here but still feel like it’s just not for me.

Successful concept Hip-Hop album - written out of the persoective of a pregnant Woman.

Not for me. För mycket röstwankery. Gitarrsolot på ex factor kändes som ett skämt

The true last classic this list is gonna give me. By that I mean one that's always in the conversation when talking about classic albums. And this hits nowhere for me. Too R 'n B/soul for me and too little what I loved about the Fugees.

22/10/2025 I just didn't enjoy this, i didn't think it was very good. Spotify listeners: 14.3 million

don't understand the hype

Näin kehutuksi ja korkealle kaikissa listoissa arvioiduksi levyksi todellinen pannukakku. 2/5.

I wasn't really into this. It's not really what I like and I'm afraid the in your face religiousy-ness of it just put me off further. Doo wop and everything is everything stood out a lot as tracks that I preferred. The backing music was alright in places, but then that click in nothing even matters was driving me mad. I'm sure she is making valid statements and from what I've read makes some good female perspective views, but I just didn't get on with it.

Perhaps this is a good album for it's genre but I would never intentionally seek this out or listen to it. This is admittedly not my kind of thing and I skipped through every song.

It's good, it just doesn't really resonate with me.

Not my rhing

Pas du tout mon style mais une grande artiste qui a joué dans Sister Act 2 !!!

Not bad for a hip hop album. I liked the guitar solo on that one song.

I don't know how this would be classified. Mostly rap with some borderline R&B? Not for me.

Not my favourite genre, as has become plainly evident. This one was ok at best. The tracks are repetitive but at least not oppressive to the ears. It is very long though, and not really holding up as listening progresses. 2/5

So boring. Really just glazed over my ears. Wasn't painful enough for 1, though. Just uninteresting.

Done well just not my cup of tea

Does me no harm. But far too long! Therefore weak two stars. 1,5

If I was strictly rating this album off of production quality and how clean the sound is, this would definitely get a 5. This album just does nothing for me. The best song on the album for me is To Zion. I really loved the guitar parts of that song. But that’s as far as the compliments go. I just feel the album is boring for lack of a better word. Despite how clean and buttery the music may sound, there are times where it’s just a wall of harmonizing tracks that don’t feel as angelic as they are intended to be, and end up feeling overwhelming and drowning. Oh the other positive is that I appreciate the interludes with the classroom. Those are actually endearing and cute. I think I might be harsh on this album, but it’s just nowhere near as good as the Fugees album this list had me review already. I guess I was just disappointed. Nothing on this album hits like “killing Mr softly with his song”.

Ok but tracks samey. Didn’t really hit home.

I've seen this album pop up all over the place recently and it seems to be portrayed as some kind of masterpiece, but I don't know, I just didn't really like it. There were maybe 2-3 tracks that I enjoyed, but the time spent between those tracks was boring and far too long.

I know that people love this. I do not.

This one was a miss. A couple of highlights, but I mostly wanted it to be over.

Hiphop isn't my thing, so I'm not the right person to write or rate about this genre. For me it's really boring and repetitive. I like Hill's voice and the overall sound is organic compared to many other genre's albums, though.

I can see why people like it but its just not for me

I'm sure this is a good album for those that appreciate this kind of music, but it does nothing for me

Pas fan de RnB, et pas fan de cet album… Très redondant dans l’ensemble, et les extraits des cours donnés à la fin de chaque morceau « cassent » l’écoute de l’album 🤷🏻‍♀️

I do think this album is interesting. It's definitely unique in the kind of story it presents and the way it does it (least vague sentence in existence, I know; but I'm too lazy and stupid to explain what I mean exactly). But I didn't really vibe with it. Doo Wop is a banger, but I didn't find any of the other songs here particularly exciting (wouldn't say any of them are bad, through). This is hip hop with a heavy soul vibe to it, and I'm not a fan of that soundscape since neither 90s' hip hop nor soul appeal to me. It's too simple, too down to earth (although I completely understand that that's the entire point), and it's 77 minutes long. Although I wasn't expecting to like it, I was interested to listen to this album because it's pretty universally considered a classic, but I ended up finding it pretty underwhelming only because it doesn't fit my taste. 5/10

Good but the first song after intro went on for a bit and didnt change. Had a few songs that I knew but overall dont think ill listen to it again unless it is on in the background

This is going to be the first time I don’t complete an album because I’ve heard enough. I think Lauryn is a good singer. She also has good beats. However, they all are starting to sound so samey.

I don't think I would have liked this even when I was into R&B. Every song sounds the same all the way through. Her voice is great though.

Although I suppose that the spoken bits that were like it's recorded in a class room does fit the album title, I don't think that spoken lyrics should be on an album, especially this much.

Not bad but tiresome. I liked rapping more than singing. And why is it so long again ffs

Nice voice, and I know this is an important album. But it isn't to my taste. (Nor is most R&B and soul, as those terms have been used since the 1980s or so.)

Rap, R&B, & Soul are not my top genres of music to listen to, although I do like and appreciate some artists in those genres. Lauryn Hill just isn't for me.

Great vocalist. Beautiful harmonies, otherwise, Meh.

"Hey Lauryn! We're going to record an album. We've got two or three banging tunes but we don't have material for the rest of the album. We'll just make some rhythmic noise with different time signatures to fill the gaps between the good tunes and no-one will ever notice."

Tøff rapping. Tåler ikke all pratinga. Er dette en jævla gruppetime hos psykologen?? Trekker ned mye dessverre..

She’s got a fantastic voice, but I found this album bland back then, and I still found it bland now

I will start by saying that I really like the production on this album overall, and I respect Ms. Lauryn Hill for spearheading the production herself. The use of classic R&B, motown and doo-wop sounds is done really smartly and beautifully. Conversely, I find the interludes of school children talking about love and life pretty annoying. I get that it's in keeping with the [mis]education thing, because how could you not?--it's not very subtle. Yeah, most of the instrumentals on this album I really like. I even really like her singing voice. Some songs where that's the predominant vocal mode I quite like--"Nothing Even Matters" and her cover of "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" stand out. But I just don't like her rapping style. I also don't like her lyrics generally. I've always found "Doo Wop (That Thing)" to be just... I dunno... condescending in a weird way. The general vibe on that and several other songs is that everyone else is trifling and concerned with superficial things, but not Lauryn. Lauryn is enlightened and operating on a higher spiritual plane than the rest of us. I would give this album 2.5 ⭐️ if I could, but with the ratio of skips to songs I actually like I have to round down.

Very pleasant, not my cup of tea. Honestly wish I could rate it higher. 2 stars.

Day547 - this has to be one of the most overhyped albums. doo-wop is a good one but the rest is blah

Oh my, this album really gets on my nerves. What a struggle to finish it. Is it the lack of grove and the slow tempo - I'm not a "soul" guy (oldskool, yes, though) Or is it the vocals? Lauren either "raps" monotonously and I wish she were singing more, or she "sings" but has the soulful habit to convert every note into a complete scale (the infamous noodle-neck style). I have never been a Fugees fan and this is very similar. I realise my almost hatred for this album (I will actively turn it off when it's on the radio) is totally subjective and I see this music it is made with skill (hence I won't give it a 1). Who knows I will some day get into this (I have surprised myself in the past) but for now it's got to be a 1 just because I loathe it so much, plus 1 because it's (technically) well made.

Känner liksom ingenting tyvärr, bra groove o så men känner inte att det låter tillräckligt intressant för att jag ska palla gräva mig ner i texterna osv.

This is well-done for a debut album, so a ratings bump for that. The album is too long for me, and after awhile I became less pleased with Hill’s singing style. There are sections which sound like the Fugees, even though I read that the artist was trying to avoid that. A bit too much rap also.

This album used to be *everywhere*, to the point where I thought we had it here already. I dunno why exactly I dislike(d) it so much; it's nothing personal, really just not my style. Having tracks with Mary J Blige and D'Angelo makes perfect sense because I feel the same way about them! Too slow, and the vocals don't compel me either. Like opera in a way. The lyrics and subject matter are mostly fine. I do like the cute little hidden skits, they're very wholesome.

Ik dacht dat dit heel moeilijk ging worden en ik de kwaliteit van het album moest afzetten tegen de rechtzaken en de onbeantwoorde vraag hoeveel ervan gemaakt, en hoeveel gestolen, is door Hill. Gelukkig was ik het tegen het einde ook gewoon zat. De rap nummers zijn aanzienlijk beter dan de zang nummers die helaas in al hun me-he-he-he-he-li-hi-hisme rijke antiglorie de overhand hebben. Productie is nice en dus vermoedelijk meer New Ark dan Hill, maar anno 2025 kan ik dat op menig plaat vinden zonder Hill haar stem er overeen.

Dit album heeft een paar nummers die heel goed oud worden en die ik graag af en toe luister (Doo Wop, Final Hour) Tell Him en Ex-factor zijn ook fijne nummers, maar wel zoetjes. Forgive Them Father, Everything is Everything en Lost Ones zijn prima. Every Ghetto, Every City klinkt reuze gezellig, maar de nostalgie hit natuurlijk niet helemaal zoals die voor anderen wel zou doen. Beetje teleurgesteld in de D'Angelo track. Klinkt net een tik rommelig vergeleken met zijn eigen werk. Nou is het niet zijn album maar ik denk dat een minder rommelig nummer beter voor hem en dus ook het album werkt. Het heeft ook nummers die niet ok zijn. Hoe lief de tekst ook is, To Zion is echt onluisterbaar voor me. Can't Take My Eyes Of You breng alleen teweeg dat ik een betere variant van dit nummer wil luisteren. Dit album heeft enorm veel legacy met allemaal artiesten die hier inspiratie uit hebben gehaald. Het heeft ook allemaal prijzen gewonnen bij release. Legacy of prijzen maken echter een album niet meer of minder luisterbaar. Ik denk dat het op het randje zit of ik het wel/niet als album op zou zetten. Dus het zit op het randje van 2/5 en 3/5.

Ik ben uitgeput van alle ad libs en vocal repeats op de achtergrond. Een hoop toffe beats met hier en daar wat leuke dingen zoals fluit en harpsichord flair, maar de zang is gewoon echt helemaal niet voor mij weggelegd.

Ik heb het album in stukjes geluisterd over het weekend. Vond de beats wel lekker en nummers waarin vooral gerapt werd cool, al is het totaal niet de muziek die ik normaal zou luisteren. Ben niet zo'n fan van de manier waarop gezongen wordt op veel r&b platen, waar de ad libs zo ongeremd stromen dat het sketch niveau bereikt. Wat dat betreft zit iemand als Selah Sue voor mij op de sweet spot en zit je al snel in de irritatie als je verder buiten de baantjes gaat. Maarja meningen verschillen 🤷‍♀️

I'm sorry lauryn it isn't personally I just really don't like late 90s r&b :(

Just not something I’m interested in

I’ve tried multiple times over the years to understand why people love this album, but it’s just never worked for me.. and at this point, I don’t think it ever will.

The instrumentation and her vocals are decent. The classroom concept seemed a bit gimmicky.

I remember when this album came out and I did not enjoy then and disliked it less now, but it was still a struggle. Exhibits all the things I found most annoying and distancing about 1990s Neo Soul and Hip Hop. I straight up wish that she sang instead of doing any rapping at all, and I would have cut all of the skit stuff. The rapping just seems to cheapen the emotions. Given the number of sales this album had in the late 90s I can see why it would be considered for a list like this, but that is true of many great popular albums that do not appear on this list (a complaint that I have made many times in my reviews). In my opinion 1998 and 1999 were really weak years for popular music, so it is not surprising to me, that as weak as I think this album actually is, that it could go on to sell 10,000,000 albums in 1998-1999. An album whose selection is a novelty at best and a virtue signal at worst.

I had high expectations for this one, knowing the buzz around it, but I found it boring aside from Doo Wop (That Thing), which continues to slap.

I understand this is a highly touted and influential album, it’s just not for me

WIEDER 1H9MIN AAAAH ah freumi denn uf de hidden track uiii de beat hani nöd gern, d bassdrum isch ooofff lost ones findi insgesamt leider recht arsch es hetmer leider nanüt mega gfalle iwie? aso finds jz nöd schlecht aber jo ok doo wop catched mich chli, aber jz au nöd insane kei ahnig und die skuts am schluss sind kinda cute und bringed eim sicher öppis aber puuh NOW I DONT JA ICH HANA VERSTANDE FREUT MICH FÜR DICH I'm so so sorry ich wetts gern haa aber ich langwiile mich nur ohh sie hend d hidden tracks ussegno??? SO SCHAAAAD es tutmer echt leid aber ich hans eifach langwilig gfunde

Musically talented but I can't really identify with really much of this. I'm not black, don't want kids, am not a Christian. Beautiful voice but I don't ever see myself wanting to listen to this again. It just doesn't speak to me at all. I get Ex-Factor I suppose.

Good singing, good beats, but it got tedious

I didn’t like this at all. The classroom segments add nothing to the recording and I found myself just wanting to hear her stretch out and just sing. She’s a great singer. I wish there was some different music. 1001 album worthy: no - 75/138

2.4 - Just felt a bit surface and preachy

2.5 ok just not my style. Hate it when vocalist do super long vocal runs for every other syllable

No doubt she is talented, great singer/rapper, just not something I'm really into, found it a little too long

It's alright I guess

Pretty good

скучно, пиздец, 2/5

Not my genre, but this was fine. I didnt know any of these songs. Docking a star for the in between song skits that were everywhere back then and have thankfully fallen out of favor.

Not bad, but not my genre.

Black hip hop is not for me, unfortunately. Maybe some other day

En yhtään pidä rapista / hiphopista, mutta bassolinjat oli ihan hienot.

Not a fan. Musiikkityyli ei uppoa, vaikka silloin tällöin levy sisältää hienojakin hetkiä.

I know this is a famous album and I thought I would like it more but it’s not for me.

I skipped the 90’s era rap class. She’s got a nice voice, and as far as rap goes, it could be a lot worse. Same old angry lyrics and tired cries of racism and oppression. Whatever…. Pay your taxes Sister!

This album is far too long and needs editing down. It's a very mixed bag in quality of songs as well some very good songs, some meh songs and some shockers.

R&B has to be really special for me to like it, this just isn't it

If I were a young girl in the 90s, going through my own juvenile love shenanigans, this album would really speak to me. As I am not, and never was, it's a little of a slog to get through.

Another album I used to listen to a lot previously (but have not picked up in years). At the time is was very zeitgeisty and I guess I just went with the flow. Listening today and its all very meh. Not terrible but not anything I am going to rush back to listen again - none of the tracks sparked the joy of rediscovery. Spotify was fucking around which has made be grumpy so unfortunately its a 2.

Not my kind of music.

Hab überlegt drei Sterne zu geben, weil ich glaube wenn man Lust drauf hat macht das Album Spaß. Die Lieder aber mal einzeln zu hören ist schwierig, weil am Ende vieler Lieder Dialoge zwischen Lehrer und Schüler drangehängt wurden.

Toll produziert, ein sehr gelungenes Konzept, Kreativität ohne Ende, in jeder Hinsicht technisch einwandfrei. Aber nicht meine Musik. Schade

It's not for me. Too smooth. I understand why people like it. I don't quite understand why people think it's one of the greatest albums ever made.

Great singles, the rest felt a bit unfocussed.

Totally not my music taste

Ok, good background groove

I love her voice and Doo Wop (the thing) will never not be great. That said I just don’t enjoy this album. As good as Doo Wop is “Nothing Even Matters” is why I can never get into this style of music. But then it’s followed by Everything is Everything and I wish for an album made up of similar songs.

Not really my thing, there's some real bops though. Good voice.

Vielseitig und nicht schlecht. Aber nicht so mein Fall (3/5), quasi keine Chance des Wiederhörens (1/5)

Really not feeling this one. Her stuff with the Fugees was much better.

Your basic rap formula. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Mr and Mrs. Education. That’s all I got for this intro. Can’t all be winners. Let’s see if this album can break away from our foray into Nick’s horrid Cave yesterday. Oh buddy we’re rappin’ big time. Pretty good. I don’t need the melodic chorus. Unless it’s a sample, that often ruins rap for me. Good beat, fun flow, aggressive delivery, only hampered by a reliance on a lame chorus and overstaying its welcome. This song has a good beat. Good underlying rhythm, but man is this ever not for me. The overdone vocals are bleh. I can’t do the late 90’s/early 2000’s R & B sound. The breakdown close to halfway through the track saves it. Get out of that register. THEEEE JOOOOYYYYYYY. Not good. Not for me and also not good. I’m doublin’ down. Lots of leaving the G off today. I’m enough “G” for the whole review I suppose (I am not a G). I am however, a hater of rap interludes. These barely audible talking segments are death. That thing. This song is very popular, is it not? 514 million plays. Good lord. It’s fine. More rap, which I find works better. She has an excellent delivery, but I don’t care for the melodic aspects of this. “Hip hop started out in the heart and now everybody is trying to chart.” Proceeds to do a primordial Destiny’s Child song. While Alanis has a weak grasp of irony, I’m sure even she could pick this one up. Again, the rap portions are excellent. The rest is bunk. Here we go. The flute beat, the menacing delivery. HEEEEELLLLL YEAH. Finally. Israel?? Problematic. Palestine also mentioned. Way to go Lauryn. This thing rips. More bad R & B. It’s up there with reggae and vocal jazz for genres I can’t abide. It’s so reminiscent of the early 2000’s. It brings to mind big dumb skate shoes, baggy jeans and those music videos that look like they were shot on the inside of a cheese grater. Not MY nostalgia. Big thanks to Lauryn for breaking breakup songs down to their core essence. I used to love him, and now I don’t. Easy to follow although near impossible to sit through. This is starting to really drag. This song reminds me of trying to sleep with a stomach flu. So very tired, but being roused by constant pain and waves of nausea. Oh sweet Jesus. Was this song in Shark Tale? The phrase “not for me,” continues to bubble to my fingertips. We’re at a boil now. Man. More R & B eh? American Idol vocal runs accompanied by dumb snaps and a feature from the imperious D’Angelo. Isn’t that the guy from season 1 of the Wire? Well, based on this performance, I’m hoping I never hear anything ever again from this guy either. WHY IS THIS ALSO 6 MINUTES??? The phrase “masturbatory” might apply to much of this. Certainly fits like a glove on this terrible cut. Rap portions were good. Rest of the song sounds like the backing for an uplifting montage in a Lindsay Lohan movie. It’s time to shut it down. Let’s get out of here. Wrap it up. Lauryn is vocal running past the go home light. And we’ve arrived. That could have been shaved by 30 minutes. One album of songs and one album of outros and vocal runs for the real “sophisticated music listener.” I think some albums are released for the artist, and some are released to be well received. Consideration of audience is the death of art, and despite the personal title and the frequent third person referral, this album reeked of an outward cry for validation. I think the rapping was fantastic and filled with menace, purpose, and a deft touch, while the singing and features turn this thing into a bloated American Idol audition compilation tape. A little pitchy dawg and it’s a no from me. 1.5-2 HIGHLIGHTS: Final Hour

2stars

One of the most overrated albums of all time

Liked this way less than I thought I would. Tell Him is an all time classic though! Don’t much like the rest.

I guess you had to be there. Wait, I WAS there! But I guess you had to be there and care about the Fugees and Lauryn Hill, which I didn't at all. This is isn't bad, in fact she has a nice voice and she does that neo-soul thing pretty well. But musically it starts to blend together preally fast, and the album is REALLY long so I lost interest after a few songs.

I just can't stand this kind of early Century soul/hip-hop. Good for her though.

For some reason there are only 3 songs with legit melodies. Also, for some other reason, about 85% of the lyrics on this album are echoed. This is not as good as I was hoping it was going to be. Extra star for a popular music star making an album that is very different than what was commercial at that time.

That thing is a classic ear worm, although I love to substitute Bad for That - I think it has more oomph. I don’t like her cover of Too good to be true and the rest of the songs fade into obscurity. I remember when the album came out and there was such an outpouring of admiration and love for it. I didn’t get it then, I don’t get it now. I quite like the punctuating speech fillers. It reminds me of watching one of those classic 80s films where teachers inspire poor kids. But mostly it’s Bad Thing Bad Thing Bad Thi-i-i-ng!

I know it’s important. It’s not my vibe.

Pretty nice sounding music, however it can be a bit repetitive and samey at times. It does feel very long and does feel like it overstays its welcome.

..

One of those highly regarded albums I've never listened. to. And now that I have, I never will again. Do not understand the hype - there is some nice music underneath some of the rantings and wailings, but nothing special.

2/5 Great artist, really good musically, just not my taste.

My expectations for this album were pretty high, so maybe this is my fault. I think if every song (I mean it, all of them) were at least a minute shorter, this would be more digestible and thus easier to appreciate and enjoy. She's got a great voice and this record is produced well, but it's too bloated for me; it gives me too much time to notice things I don't like. It doesn't help that most of the songs are paced similarly and some of the top line melodies are indistinguishable. I guess I'll have to listen again another day. Highlights: Doo Wop (That Thing), Everything Is Everything, Can't Take My Eyes Off of You - (I Love You Baby)

I enjoyed the songs where she sings (she has a good voice) but the rap and hip-hop did nothing for me. I'm neutral on the reggae flavored cuts. Overall, just an okay listen for me. Kind of overrated. And way too long.

Every song is 3 minutes too long

Just not really my cup of tea. A couple of alright tracks but I just got bored quite quickly.

For the greatest album of all time that was pretty shit.

Couple of good singles (Lost Ones, Doo Wop) but the overall album is more disappointing that I remember. But a great opportunity to mention my favorite Lauryn Hill lines...(from the Fugees song "Zealots") “And even after all my logic and my theory, I add a “motherf*cker” so you ignant n*ggas hear me"

It went on for a while, not a massive fan to be honest

do not enjoy this one

Hab überlegt drei Sterne zu geben, weil ich glaube wenn man Lust drauf hat macht das Album Spaß. Die Lieder aber mal einzeln zu hören ist schwierig, weil am Ende vieler Lieder Dialoge zwischen Lehrer und Schüler drangehängt wurden.

Still in search of the rap album I enjoy. There was promise a couple of times, but it didn't really grab me.

Nicht ein Fan dieses Albums. Die Musik hat mir nicht gefallen und die religiösen Texteile sind absolut nicht mein Geschmack.

I really have no idea what I should think of it. But I don't really like it.

No para mí. Me pareció eterno, me fastidiaron sus inter tracks de niños en una clase definiendo el amor, y en general no le encontré algo que me hiciera disfrutarlo. Y 76 minutos son muchos minutos cuando estás escuchando algo que no te gusta.

Middle-of-the-road pop-flavored R&B, with grace notes of hip-hop and Caribbean stylings. I’ve never understood why this album is so popular: some of the singles really bang, but the rest is interminably long, the interstitials are irritating, and the lyrics offer little except, I don’t know, don’t trust people? She has a lovely voice and a creepy attitude.

I will never, ever, understand why this is rated so highly that Lauryn can still tour, and be a diva, on the back of it. A few good tracks, but so much uninspired filler. It's not that this is badly produced or performed, but it's just not for me. I was bored for an hour.

To be fair, this is not my genre of music. However, a few of the tracks in the non rap genre were worth listening to. Nice voice. One tune worth mentioning is 'Can't Take my Eyes off of You'.

Is it finished yet? Lauryn Hill has an absolutely amazing voice: beautiful golden, velvet. But every song is like being beaten senseless by that voice. Individually, each song is great but the cumulative effect is, to me, unlistenable en masse. From about four songs in I was counting the number of tracks remaining. It decreased very slowly.

Pretty boring and repetitive but still better than the shit they make today

It's fine. I know this tries to be a huge statement and such, but for me it falls flat. There's not a ton of cohesion in the tracks, and the talky bits at the end of most tracks feel like they try to reveal some grand truth, but it's just spewing tired cliché after tired cliché. Maybe you should have been there when it was made? Maybe that's what makes it great? Standouts - 2/5

Not my kind of music, didn’t really listen past the second song

I liked the more chill songs, but other ones where she is rapping are really not my thing

My wife has a theory that the Fugees ruined pop music. They took everything and slowed it down with generic "beats" and wailing. She's onto something with this bland procession of blah.

Her voice is a decent instrument. I found myself getting bored and checking how much was left. The singles hold up but most of the tracks are very forgettable.

1001 Albums Day 4 The first album in this challenge that's in a genre I don't really listen to, being soul and R&B with slight elements of Conscious Rap, now that latter I can take, but the former two have never really appealed. I tend to find songs a bit slow, and mature in all the ways that makes me disengage from the art, feeling like artificially extended, idle musings on life with the gravitas of having something grander to say that it actually does. Maybe one day I'll get it, but that day is not today. Even on her first release Lauryn's songs are quite long-winded, which is a personal pet peeve of mine. I feel that all songs have a length that they deserve to be, and for most songs that is shorter than they are, and that is definitely true on this album, with most songs being around the 6-minute mark, while having enough material for about 4:30, being extended with beautiful - but in my opinion unnecessary - repetition. A song that really suffers from this is Final Hour, with the final 1:30-2:00 being the chorus repeated ad nauseum and then just the instrumental just playing over and over, doing nothing. BREAKING NEWS: The skit virus has infected The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. You can have skits that's fine, but I am a serial playlister, so having them at the ends of songs instead of as separate tracks basically guarantees that I won't return to these songs. Now, positives, Doo Wop (That Thing) is where things really click for me, the soul and R&B makes the song smooth and pleasant, while the rap elements lend a kinetic energy, that I feel is somewhat missing from other tracks, and maybe a bit too present on Lost Ones, to the point of being almost aggressive. Forgive Them Father is another highlight for me, with a good hook and and interesting harmony that sort of "rubs" against the main vocal, it's not quite dissonance but functions in a similar way, and sonically it introduces more Reggae elements giving the song its own distinct flavour. However, as I was listening to the song I kept thinking, "Please don't have a skit, I really wanna save this" it ended, and I had already added it to my good music playlist before I noticed that there was still 45 seconds left, DAMN YOU SKIIIIIIIIIIITS!!! Now, I am aware that this is a sacred cow, and that I am likely to be raked over the coals if anyone notices this review, so I just want to state that my dislike is purely down to not getting the genre, I am genuinely sure that if this genre hits for you, few things are as good as this album, and I fully respect that, I simply ask that you extend the same favour to me. I believe that no amazing album can be for everyone, and that if you like all music, even all music that is generally considered masterworks, you aren't engaging deeply enough with the medium or the music itself, it takes all kinds and all that. Beyond that, I don't know what to say, this is not my genre and listening to what many consider to be the prime example of the genre in more modern times has not convinced me otherwise, so I don't think I'm gonna convert any time soon. I honestly feel like a poser even just listening to this album. Though if I ever do get the album, I'll be sure to re-do this review. Favs: Doo Wop (That Thing), Forgive Them Father Least Favs: Final Hour, When It Hurts So Bad 45/100

Just couldn't get into it

Man, I didn't like this in High school and I didnt dig it this time around either. IT has the hits and D'angelo kills his feature but I'm not going to put this into rotation anytime soon.

Not terrible, but not my taste

Já havia dito que acho o RAP um som extremamente "de nicho", pois exige uma compreensão profunda do contexto e da língua, pois há rima e fala rápida, diferentemente dos outros estilos. Apesar de achar o album da lauryn um dos poucos audíveis no ambiente do rap, continuo a achar essa dificuldade incômoda. Mas, é bem mais melodioso e agradável que a maioria dos álbuns de rap e rythm and blues. Mas longe de ser número um de alguma lista pra mim. Parece ter uma história muito interessante por trás, com o negócio da escola e tal....

I never understood why The Fugees and Lauren Hill were admired so much back in the 90's. It's all a bit tedious and up it's own arse with all the made up school recordings in between songs. The only song I actually liked by her is 'Everything is Everything' probably because it is a halfway decent R&B song in the style of TLC. The rest veers between hip hop, gospel and Blues. On occasion when she wants to, she shows she can sing, but not for me. 1.5 to 2 stars.

Talented, well-produced, but this genre is not for me

Mids

Not hip hops finest songstress

Mediocre RnB record

I knew this album was a big deal when it came out, didn’t care to listen. She’s definitely talented & I enjoyed this listen…I doubt I’ll ever listen again unless it’s by someone else’s doing.

not good not bad has a few good songs but no really bangers

Do not want white people to buy? No problem here. Boo.

Didn't hate this, but also didn't like it. 1.5 stars. I know it's critically acclaimed and all that, but I'm not sure why.

R&B is not my thing. I listened to some of this but skipped through a lot of the songs. I recognize her talent but this is simply not my thing.

Hip Hop meets Soul. I'll leave them alone. 1.5/5

Meh, not for me...I'm not the hip.I like some of the songs, there were parts that reminded of 70s soul that I was getting into, but I have never been into that rhythmic grunting into the mic and this album is full of that. Yo. uh. yo.

Sigh...a legendary album that I just cannot get myself to find anything besides boring. I'm so sorry everybody. R&B just sounds like elevator music to me

It was alright

Honestly: this was an album that I wanted to rate higher based on a few select songs and it's reputation. But upon listening to it for the first time all the way through in order it did not resonate with me. It came through as very staccato-esque to me and not "smooth." A surprise to me that it was not as strong as I would have thought coming into it.

Ok. I see now why it is so highly regarded, but it is not what I like. That’s all. Others who understand and love this genre know better than I do and will rate this album high, perhaps deservedly so.

Cool songs here, got the vibe, but hip hop is not my thing. Maybe it's just me but i felt this really long lasting.

Some of the songs on this album that are more soul and less hip hop aren't terrible. I hate hip hop, it just does nothing for me at all. She's got a great singing voice and I wish this album had been more of that. The more reggae sounding songs were cool too. It's just ruined with the rap that sort of takes over. And what's with the skits? Like how did that become a staple on hip hop albums from this time? It's weird and takes you out of the album. 2/5

Liked some of it but not music I would ever seek out.

I like the Fugees. Lauryn Hill's voice is good too. I tried to listen to the whole album. But there was too much rap for my taste. 2/5

Better than yesterday for sure

Inoffensive but dull. WNLA. Spotify decided to play Can I Kick It by Tribe Called Quest after the album finished which woke me up a bit.

One of those where you need to have a real interest in the genre. The big songs are bangers, and forever will be, is just the other 45minutes is good but long.

The album was a total let-down given it's title as 'One Of The Greatest' of all-time. There was no actual substance in the album. I'm not a fan of hip hop in the first place, and although she was spitting bars, Ms. Hill put zero effort in the actual melody.

It was fine but not my type of music. 2/5

If you like this sort of thing then I imagine this is a key record. It’s not my cuppa tea though at all, and there was nothing here to change my mind really. She’s great at what she does like, probably the best voice in this genre by some way. Quite liked Doo Wop, the rest was very samey

Lauryn Hill is a great singer and rapper, after the first song I had really high hopes. Most of the album from then on was quite dull, no more rapping and straightforward music. No excuse for it being as long as it was either, if the runtime is already over an hour maybe don't bother with the cover of can't take my eyes off of you. Her voice does keep it from being a complete disaster, there were a good number of parts I enjoyed. Feel like it could have been so much better though, wouldn't listen again. 2.5 but closer to a 2.

Can appreciate that it is good. Dislike the chatty bits between songs, seems indulgent. To Zion is a very, very good song, but overall just not my cup of tea. Sorry love.