The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

This record made me take an absence from this project which lasted nearly a year. It's absolutely fine, but I'm not listening to it again so all I'll say is from what I recall she whines a lot, is a seriously asinine character but writes a couple of great tracks. It's too long and the skits range from good to shit. That's it.

I loved Lauryn Hill in middle school, and I remember this album very well. Reminds me of my pre-teen years and the precipice of teenage life. I would say this album is an essential album of the 90s for hip hop.

Hill’s voice is incredibly versatile which helps makes this album so interesting. It’s a long album, but it doesn’t feel like it. Standout: Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You. 4/5.

Yhup

Familiar with her biggest hits, but I never gave her albums a listen. I’m happy that I did. Very good music. I will be checking out her other albums.

The hype when it came out was ridiculous, listening to it now… it’s good… just feels kinda repetitive a bit

a, ovo je klasik. inače nije mi još uvijek petica, ali razumijem zašto je većini.

I was all set to give this 3 as I found it a bit dull, but I've woken up this morning and Doo Wop is in my head firmly and it's great and 4 stars.

oh leuk, zeker doo wop

klassieker en must listen!

Lauryn Hill has the goods, for sure. I’m not sure the narrative of the concept lands all the way through, but it’s a solid effort.

9/10. Real pretty, and I liked how the skits worked to make the album feel more homogeneous.

Definitely deserves to be up there with the greats. A couple songs lasted a bit too long and that’s really my only complaint. 9/10

Everything you drop is so tired Music is supposed to inspire the message of everything is everything was okay. Done way better in other songs/talks.

Good

Pénible

très bon album matinal si vous me demandez

top 10 best albums of all time like thats mother

I'm starting to realize that soul/R&B isn't really my thing, however this album was about as good as it gets for this genre. I loved the songs with her rapping, wish we had an album of just that.

A good sound, but not really for me. Some outstanding tracks, though.

Kondensaattoripurkauskäyrä heh albuminpotentiaali syöksylasku. Ajanhetkellä t=60 min kokonaan purkaunut varaus ja alun kiihko. Pömppö pilaa, kiekuminen pilaa, female mc pilaa, R&B vituttaa, 2000-luku vittuilu vituttaa. Paras biisi jätetty viimeiseksi pistää VIHAK- iloksi.. hehh.. Iloinen olo siis.. heh.. Viihdytetty kuningasta..Niinkös oliko koko albumi hyvää EIPÄ OLLUT VIKA BIISI HÄMÄÄ ON KUANIS LOPETUS MUTTA SUURIN OSA PASKAA PASKAA.. eli siis oman genrensä täydellistä ja sulavaa hallintaa oli albumi. Eli kaksi tähtöstä heh heh

Cat: ohhhhhhh boy oh boy oh boy grew up with this one!! I love the harmonies and her rapping. Her voice is outstanding. Love her positive messages, too. A lot of her music sounds like a throwback to Motown. To Zion is super powerful. Never noticed how religious the lyrics are at times. Her and Mary J going back and forth is epic lol. Just fun and soulful and sometimes upbeat. I love how much you liked this! AJ: She’s just such an artist. Singing voice, rap voice, poet, bet she paints. The interludes with the kids talking about love are great. Doo Wop is such a bop. I said what I said. The Score (Fugees) was more prominent in my life, but she’s clearly a fucking force. Found it interesting that one of the songs I liked the most was Every Ghetto Every City. A title on paper that I didn’t expect to relate to, but the painting of her childhood/neighborhood really made me think of mine. Cool. Real cool.

Onko sanoituksissa paljon painavaa sanomaa? Kuulosti, mutta ei ollut voimia kuunnella. Ainakaan melkein puoltatoista tuntia. Joitain kivoja koukkuja

Ei paskaa, mutta miinusta täysin tarpeettomasta pituudesta. Mitä minun tulisi tehdä tällä tuotteella? Laittaa soimaan "taustamusiikiksi"?

Did not rate this at all

4.6 + Beautiful and deeply personal, and as outstanding as I remember. Listening to this record a dozen years older and somewhat wiser, I’m struck by Lauryn’s naive worldview, built from a narrow sense of right and wrong. Promiscuous women are cast off as unchristian (“Doo Wap”). Greedy money-grabbers are unrighteous (“Forgive Them Father”). It’s fascinating how this self-righteousness is such a source of strength that would also ultimately lead to her reclusiveness as an artist. All this aside, the brilliant moments on this record sound brilliant as ever. The touching ode to her baby (“To Zion”), the vulnerable closer (“Tell Him”). On some of the duller tracks, Lauryn tries to gussy things up with slabs of her fluttery glissando (“When It Hurts So Bad”). A new standout for me is her “Sir Duke”-esque tribute to her neighborhood, “Every Ghetto, Every City.”

Not my vibe, but clearly it's a good album. No comment

Absolute banger. One of the best albums from the 90s. Very creative and lyrically impressive.

Helt deroppe, vanvittige rap og vokal, koncept-album

The songs are good, but they run on too long. In general the album is a tad too long fir me. Also some tracks do this annoying thing where the song is over but there is still a minute left.

Paar lekkere nummers, kende het nog niet, Favoriete nr.: Final Hour.

Een van de beste vrouwlijke rappers allertijden.

Prima album, maar als ze begint te rappen valt het toch wel tegen. Beats wel lekker, maar kan ze ook moeilijk uit elkaar halen

Ik luister dit album sowieso al zo vaak dus het krijgt zonder enige twijfel 5 sterren. Ik vind de teksten zo’n mooi inkijkje geven hoe een vrouw van 23 omgaat met liefde en haar eerste zwangerschap etc. (Fun fact ze was voor het eerst zwanger van de zoon van Bob Marley en daar gaat To Zion ook ober!!) Verder gewoon echt bangers van nummers en zooo vaak hierna gesampeld in weer andere bangers!!

Dit album ligt mij gewoon niet. Lauren Hill is niks voor mij, vond het lastig om erdoorheen te komen. 2 goeie nummers maar verder vond ik het niks. Toch nog ster extra voor culturele relevantie

Que buen rollo para este martes-lunes(PSP). A mí me ha encantado (LNM)

Très bon. C'est un classique j'imagine et il y a tellement de bonne tounes et arrangements dans cet album que ca vaut vraiment la note maximale Je réécouterais volontier ce soir. 5

нормик, но с одного дня не ухватило (и не было тяги потратить ещё пару дней)

Une Lauryn Hill des plus mal éduquées qui ne va pas hésiter à mettre les pieds sur son bureau et roter à la figure du professeur. L'album se termine avec un conseil de discipline bien mérité.

Les Fugees sont tout de suite plus agréables dès qu'on les débarasse de sa tribue de mauvais rappeurs.

Ik had goede hoop, want het album van The Fugees was her en der best aardig. Maar helaas, dit is echt dramatisch. In elk nummer lijkt het alsof ze twee of drie verschillende vocal tracks opgenomen heeft, en dat maakt het voor mij onluisterbaar. Dat je ergens een beetje nadruk legt met een tweede track snap ik, maar geen van allen komt nu goed naar boven waardoor het echt een enorme rommel is. Totaal geen focus, 1 grote teringzooi. Deze krijgt een zeldzame 1 ster, ik kan hier echt niet lang naar luisteren.

The personalization and intention with this albums is amazing

I remember being super into this when I first encountered it a couple decades ago. It felt gritty, honest, and organic in a way that nothing else that rubbed up against the R&B genre did at the time. I remember it being banger after banger. So I expected, when I hit play, to give this an easy 5. But memory is a flawed judge. This is not a collection of bangers. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of really solid tracks here. It's a great album. The musicality is fantastic, the lyricism is off the charts, the content is fantastic, and Lauryn is a world-class vocalist. But it's not a non-stop slapfest, is it? It ebbs and flows. And, ultimately, I think that's correct. That's what this album needs to do. The content demands it. But that also means there are more than a few moments that aren't great. It drags in places. It's dated and cheesy sometimes. It falls into some well-worn and frankly tired R&B tropes here and there. There's enough that's not great that I couldn't quite justify full marks. But it's a very high 4 for me.

WAZA WAZA WAZA FAMÍLIA

She just sounds so good!

While there were rhythms, beats, and box I definitely enjoyed, this one just left me a little flat for some reason. There’re hints of a narrative and melodic thread here, but it’s not strong enough to tie together an absolutely stuffed LP that doesn’t have much exciting to say.

My sister, and many others, love love this album. I think it is alright.

This really is a very fine album. Man, Lauryn can sing with true soul.

looking forward to this album. I liked it but didn't think id wanna go back to it much besides the nostalgia factor.

This still stands up. What a record! Unbelievable that she didn't do a follow up because nobody asked her to. Everything is Everything is the best song, up against stiff competition

Good stuff but you know the rules, Lauryn Hill..too long

Nice voice good beats good grooves good samples. A good album! Any time Mary J Blige shows up my ears hurt. Do not like that artist!

I liked it, felt like I could appreciate it even if it wasn’t always my jam.

Nothing bad to say. Not my jam. Can recognize the talent though.

Pretty good.The albums like an hour long though so I can barely diffeenwtitate most of the songs.She comes off a bit preachy like Lenny kravitz in some of it.The singles are really good.I’d give it a 4.5 out of ( if I could though because I didn’t 100% like some of the songs.

Some good songs... It's veeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrry long though. Could be 30 mins shorter.

A rich and serious record that's also a joy to listen to. One notices the toughness, even jadedness, of the vocals ("yo"), but also the vulnerability and sweetness of the singing which one prefers slightly to the rapping. It's the perfect balance of soul, R&B and hip-hop, with a real (and respectful) historical sense energizing the whole endeavor. Lovely beds of beats and instrumentation. Nice touches all over the place – the Santana guitar solo on "Zion," the Manzarek-y harpsichord on "Superstar" (wonderfully interpretive, too), the Ayers-y keys on "Nothing Even Matters." "Doo Wop (That Thing)" was a totally justifiable smash and there a so many other strong tracks -– "Lost Ones," Every Ghetto," "Nothing Even Matters," "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You"

WWWWWWWWW

This is a classic for a reason. It's probably my personal favourite R&B album. There are a lot of great tracks on this so I won't bother listing any. Personal Enjoyment - 8.5 Songwriting - 9 Lyrics - 8 Originality - 8.5 Production Value - 10 Artwork - 10 Overall - 8.8

To Zion is a nice song.

If Lauryn had made more records no doubt we’d be talking about her as one of the greatest rappers of all time. And one of the greatest vocalist too. Talented, smart, impactful, proud, unwilling to play the record industry game despite releasing one of the greatest records of the era. Let’s talk misses- the school talk skits add little, some of the collaborations misfire and perhaps the covers are superfluous. But the hits? Ex Factor is incredible, one of the most emotional tracks I’ve ever heard, Doo Wop is an absolutely beautiful and evocative track with a great singalong section, Everything is Everything is hard hip hop echoing Stevie Wonder, as does Every Ghetto, Every City with a playful look back at childhood. With the world at her feet- Hill faded into the background (MTV Unplugged absolutely not what any fan was expecting to hear). Quite an artist.

Had this one stuck in my head and really enjoyed it

Rento ja helppo kuunnella. Yhden kappaleen blingaukset sai lähes raivon valtaan kun kokkaillessa kuuntelin. Siitä sakkoa yksi tähti ja paska tulos :D

Laadukas ja kaikin puolin mun makuun toimiva

An amazing record. It losses pressure towards the end, being it too long, but it has enormous highs.

I feel exactly the way I did when I rated Songs in the Key of Life. Every song is good, not sure which will stick upon more listens, wish the album were a bit shorter

Great Album! Mellow HipHop

I wouldn't listen again through choice, but I would listen if there was no other option. Some songs are quite pleasant but not really my type of music.

Not really my kind of music.

Didn't finish this because of illness, but I don't really need to. Giving it 5 stars, the thing is so solid, such amazing vibes on the tunes

Classic. Love the mix of styles at play.

obviously great album. I wanted to groove, bang, and drive in my car with all the windows down all at the same time (jk hahah). good vibes with this one. Classic bops. Would be a great RECORD to have just to always play when doing .. life stuff in the apartment ya kno? Just thinking 🤔 It’s wild that she didn’t make another studio album after this one, but this one feels like a perfectly packaged gift. Ok!!

I’ve listened to this album probably more than any other album this year so was a nice little treat to see it as the album of the day. Lauryn Hill is one of the best MC’s ever. Not only is she an above average rapper but her singing voice is top notch. It’s that versatility that really makes her and this album shine. One second she’s rapping and the next she’s BEEELLLLTING behind Santanas latin influence guitar and yet somehow it still feels so cohesive. Thematically it’s a nice exploration of love in all the different forms. Maternal love, romantic love, heartbreak, young love and so much more. The little school skits are sweet and serve to ground. It’s a sweet realization that kids, adults and all sorts, opine on the same topics in not all that different of ways. Fav songs: To Zion Ex-factor Doo Wop Nothing Even Matters

Great album NOT filled with expletives, but able to convey serious themes and lyrics with awesome musicality and recording quality. New respect for Lauryn Hill after listening to this work of art. Although not my taste in general listening, this is a great album to play on a chill evening with some good speakers and a glass of whatever.4/5

At this point it feels trite to constantly say "oh my god, finally, and this will make up for all the past week". But Thank God this album is on this list because it is making up for the past week. It's sad that this list, almost inarguably, could have been 500 albums to listen to before you die and cut out a ton of the fat of live albums and UK bombs. Maybe pepper in more albums like this, and you'd have a stew going! I'm pretty sure my brother recommended this album to me when I was trying to get more hip hop/R&B albums under my belt. I found the CD at 2nd and Charles and it's been history ever since. Jamming to this while driving in the car, and listening to it now, it is such a great album. This was a big deal at the time being a female rapper of sorts and if I'm right, this was her debut album as well. There are so many songs on here that I love, but this is one of those albums that I just listen to all the way through. Favorite Tracks: Ex-Factor, To Zion, Doo Wop, Final Hour, Forgive Them Father, Everything is Everything Classic Cover, and copied well on the Marvel Comics variant cover for Ms Marvel.

Damn. Imagine being an artist as unique and talented as Lauryn Hill, putting out an album like this as your solo debut, and then never releasing another album. She's a very interesting character: she went into a sort of self-imposed exile for many years, and there was rumor of another album in the early 2010's, but then she was charged with tax fraud and sent to prison for a brief period. I would love to hear another album from her in our lifetime, but really, who knows? If not, this one is strong enough to stand on it's own. If I were trying to be objective, this is a five star album. It's so lively and so intricate, and it holds up extremely well some 25 years after it released. All the acclaim and status is deserved, especially for a woman in hip hop. On a subjective level, I don't know, I just haven't connected with it to the extent that I'd like to. It could not under any circumstance get less than a 4.5 star, it's a bona fide classic album and deserves a placement on this list more than most of what we've had over the last few weeks. But you know what, dammit, it's time for a vote of confidence. I recognize the value of this album, and my esteem for it can only grow. I'm closing out the album for a second time, and just hearing the richness of her voice on "Tell Him," it's on it's way. Favorite tracks: Lost Ones, Ex-Factor, Doo Wop, Tell Him, I Used to Love Him, Everything is Everything, Can't Take My Eyes Off of You. Album art: Iconic. No two ways about it. Face carved into a desk I think. Just perfect. Also, reminds me how great the opening skit is, just a teacher calling roll and getting stuck on her name. Beautiful stuff. 5/5

A great combo of hip hop and R&B. It bounced back and forth between the two so I never felt like I got bored with it

An album full of great singing and commentary on life. Hill’s voice is beautiful, and props to the bass lines of Christopher Meredith.

Some quality, but also very woolly in places.

not re-listening, already heard. one-note production and instrumentation, but Ms Hill’s vocals and flow is still unmatched, rarely stumbling and making the experience all the more sweeter. all in all - could have used remastering, but is very good as it is.

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!

It's pretty easy to say that the 00s era of hip-hop and RnB don't exist without this record. Shame we'll never get another one. Favorite tracks: "Doo Wop", "Lost Ones", "Every Ghetto, Every City"

classic

A very talented rapper, technically proficient and with a great flow, her songs when rapping have great energy and engagement. However, while she can sing as well, those more R&B songs felt a bit boring and lifeless. Overall, perfect production but all around only 3 stars.

Not bad but just too long and way too similar sounding songs to be anything better than 3 stars

Classic. Beautiful. Amazing. Inspiring.

Classic

The album is so human. I don't know how else to put it. It acknowledges and adresses many of the things that influence us, religion, school, our peers, societal constructs. The beats are driving and the songs were written in the context of each other in a way that is missing from many albums. This was a cohesive project and tells a clear (and well articulated) story from beginning to end.

Mooi album, met een paar fantastische nummers. Lauryn Hill is zeer getalenteerd, maar uiteindelijk best veel van hetzelfde.

Much like Run D.M.C. or Wu-Tang Clan, this is a highly influential album, just not to my taste.

Enjoyable but didn't really hit hard for me

Great album, but I found the production and composition to be a little repetitive by the end of the LP.

Simplesmente a maioral!

This album has just so much good going for it! Very solid tracks with great instrumentation and nice hooks. And that voice is just magical, could listen to for days. While the lyrics are not the best, the songs are crafted very well and Lauryn flows nicely through the beats and melodies! Favorite lyrics: - Gained the whole world for the price of your soul. - You can get the money, you can get the power. But keep your eyes on the Final Hour. - Stuck and frustrated, I waited, debated. For something to happen that just wasn't fated. Key tracks: All, should be listened as a whole! 9 out of 10

Man this album was absolutely everywhere for awhile, but it just didn’t penetrate my lily-white suburban neighbourhood. Our loss. Glad for this chance to catch up.

NOW THIS IS A BOP. I love Lauryn Hill so much, she inspired me to start writing music. Love.

Not my type of music, but great album

Completely recognise why this is a classic. I remember listening to early Fugees in 93ish and the lyrics grabbing me then. I pretty much missed Lauren Hill's solo career when it came round, but this was clearly a mistake.

it’s interesting that in the class roll-call interlude that opens Lauryn Hill’s masterwork, Hill herself is nowhere to be found, an absent student too outsized for the classroom. while the rest of the students are being taught by a teacher, Hill is busy being schooled by life itself, and she’s left with a rich tapestry of lessons and experiences that she collapses into a finely-selected collection of equal parts evocative and earworm-y songs. Hill’s biggest lesson here, of course, is one of healing, and that healing does not come without a cost. on the searing “Lost Ones”, for example, Hill rips and tears into an unnamed man (unnamed here doing so much heavy lifting it nearly breaks under the pressure) that had hurt her brutally. where Hill had once hidden in the silence and pain, now she gushes like a broken faucet, putting all that pain to paper (when she revisits that same relationship a couple songs later, on “When It Hurts so Bad”, there’s a tinge of hopefulness and kindness — she’s successfully separated the good from the bad, and in her closure, she holds on to the moments of love that once existed). she finds healing in her newborn son (“To Zion” being one of the greatest tributes to a child this side of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely?”), and she finds healing in the concept of love itself. the mundane and sacred co-exist here until Hill herself forgets the difference, and it is in the blurred lines that this album really soars, because you almost never know how she is feeling. Hill is no vocalist, her emotions sit pretty on her vocal chords, and they can be heard louder than anything else. the vitriol in her voice that first starts the album slowly begins to fade away, and Hill reveals a softness that only rewards those who stick through the bitterness in the onset of her therapeutic journey to peace. listening to this record, it makes sense that Lauryn Hill never put out another: what more is there to say when all your wounds are healed and all your chapters have been neatly closed? every student eventually has to graduate, and in this school of life, Hill has finished at the top of the class.

Love the emotion and passion of "To Zion", standout is "Doo Wop (That Thing)" is a banger, so catchy. A lot of spirituality woven implicitly and explicitly in the lyrics. Album seems to lose a bit of momentum toward the end, 76 min length could've been cut back a bit.

Delightful album. Lots of fun hits and introspective ideas. got me in my feelings

Such a great album. This came out right about the time I started watching MTV.

Nostalgic

Amazing solo album from an amazingly talented artist. One of the best hip-hop albums.

Since its release I’ve wanted to like this album more than I actually do, but it’s no Fugees “The Score” 3/5: Good, not great.

It's a classic for good reason

Was absolutely inescapable when it was relevant I never got the hype

I bought this within a year or two of its release. Ashamed to say only the first 6 songs were familiar. Absolute stand out, among the best of all time, album. What can’t she do? Amazing that she doesn’t make music anymore.

I like the first songs only.

Very good

Probably the only RNB album I like. I don't like it much, particularly when she takes you to church and gets into the praise Jesus vibes, but I have to stay a real standout in the genre.

Don't you mean "Ms. Lauryn HIll" ... ? Though I didn't try to listen to it until today, this never resonated with me... and unfortunately, still doesn't. I think for its time, this was considered phenomenal. Today it just sounds kinda old.

It took me a while to process "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" and decide how to review it, just like it takes a while for Lauryn Hill to show up for her concerts. But regardless of the many meandering journeys Hill's career has taken since the release of this album, it remains a masterpiece. There are a few duds scattered among the 16 tracks, but there are so many standout classics that a boring track or two can be excused. The most interesting thing about "Miseducation," though, is Hill's ability to reach such a peak only to never find it again. There have been plenty of one-hit wonders, but Hill's output with the Fugees and in her solo debut go well beyond one-hit status, but the twists and turns of her career and life have prevented audiences and fans from ever really seeing if she could sustain the success through a second album and beyond. It's fairly common for a musician to have a hit and then fade away, but it feels much less common for a singer to create such a masterpiece and then have no meaningful follow-up.

Can't Take My Eyes Off You is maybe my favorite cover ever, Everything Is Everything had an amazing video, and Forgive Them Father might low key be the best track on the record. It has everything that makes Lauryn Hill unique, the hip hop paired with her incredibly soulful voice and tinged with reggae. Her lyrics that are often about being authentic and her deep disappointment with other people/systems that are not genuine. Her confidence and vulnerability were all on display in this album and that resonated deeply with me as high school senior trying to find her footing and place in the world.

Amongst a sea of big screen tvs, blunts, 40s, and b*tches dominating the scene, Lauryn Hill produced this smooth hip hop original. She wrote of love, relationships, and faith. Leaving The Fugees behind her, Ms Hill shines on this solo project. I, like many others, heard that Lauryn Hill would rather have her children starve than have white people buy her album. I had to look up if she said it since it’s been so long (she did not). It just goes to show that misinformation predates social media. The main difference is that it spreads much faster now, and back then the internet was not so prolific that one could look up if something really happened. There is a lot of really good material to take in. Doo Wop (That Thing) and Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You are the peaks. However, 77+ minutes is a very long run time, and the task of sustaining a high level for that long is tough. There were a few songs for which I lost interest, but then the album picked back up. Ms Hill’s approach is refreshing and deserves the extensive kudos it received when it came out. This is the good kind of hip hop and still sounds just as refreshing now.

Masterpiece

Absolute fire. A really good album with plenty of Hip-Hop, R&B and Soul, and while I wouldn't usually be that much of a fan of that sort of thing, I thought this was excellent. Lauryn Hill is a great singer and rapper, and some of the songs absolutely slap. Favourite: Lost Ones

Disappointed. Was expecting more from this. Her voice is amazing, but the songs were just blah. Loved the Fugees, and agin her voice is so good I just wasn’t impressed with this. Solid 2.5 to 3 here

hard pass

Lives up to the hype. Really enjoy the production and the lyrics are as clever as anything I’ve heard. Excited to listen again.

This was masterful, no wonder everyone talks about it. Plus i loved the skits at the end of the songs it all feels natural

I bet this was on a lot of high school girls cd players, but it's not on my cd player

This CD was on repeat in my car for at least a year after this came out. Revisiting it felt good. Best track: Doo Wop (That Thing)

I love 90s R&B/neosoul so this album was destined for a high rating from me. While I don’t think it’s quite as good as my favorites of the genre, it still deserves a five, and it’s an album I could see myself revisiting

i mean, this is a legendary album for a reason. truly excellent soul/hip hop, amazing lyrics and sound, and a great listen. tbqh, i don’t love the density of interludes but that’s just a feature of the era, can’t do much about it. clear 5, if this isn’t a 5 then nothing is.

I believe Ms Lauryn Hill once said she'd rather die than a white person listen to her album. I hope I have done my bit.

Just not into gospel hip hop I guess. Some parts are okay .

Stone cold classic.

Literally one of my favorite albums. Hill’s greatest talent is evoking emotion through her voicemail skills. I believe every word she say on this album. She is able to make you feel what she wants you to feel. Just amazing.

Haven’t heard this for so long - was like welcoming an old friend

Listened to this album a lot after hearing the surfs up soundtrack then giving this album a whole listen to on repeat because of the song Lose Myself. This whole album encompasses the idea of authenticity and self discovery/ reconnecting and is groovy as hell

All I can think of when listen to Ms. Lauryn Hill is Ayva Grace Holden aka Ms. Brooklyn. Daring, brazen, and influential, she holds you in trance and you aren't quite sure if you even want to be set free. You may not know who she is, but you wish you did. She may not know who you are, but you wish she did. She, she, she— just kiss me already!

This album won so many awards and I can see why. First of all, Ms. Hill’s voice is spectacular, giving major hints of Amy Winehouse (or vice versa because Lauryn came first). Second, the story was well told and I didn't hate the little outros in the songs mimicking a classroom conversation. However, some of the beats (shoutout woofmeow) were placed a but weirdly and did not mesh with the lyrics to me. I still think this is a comfortable 4. I’d also like to add that I think I’ve been too generous to prior rap/r&b albums and would like to knock them all down a star on the record here. Rap is not my thing and I’ve been placating some of my haters who tell me I disrespect a lot of rap. At the end of the day, it’s not really my thing, and my ratings should reflect that. Therefore, this is a 4, but every other album with a similar genre should be knocked down 1 star. Oh also props to the cover on the second to last song. Frankie Valli did it better but this put an interesting spin on it.

For my first final project/paper/presentation in college I used this album to represent how the concept of "the divine feminine" is present throughout popular media. Ms. Hill is outstanding, and while I think the album is just a little bit too long, it definitely doesn't drag or feel boring. Also this album has sentimental value to me so yeah. It's a 5, and my first at that.

I’ll have to thank The Fugees for setting the bar too high, my expectations were destined to be unmet. I found this to be bland and boring, and pretty repetitive throughout. I listened to this one 3 times bc I couldn’t believe I didn’t like it, but I’ve accepted it now and I’m ready to finally review. Ex-Factor, To Zion, and I Used To Love Him are the only songs I liked.

A rap song with a female R&B singer released in late 90s/early 2000s usually gets my panties in a bunch, so when it's an entire album of that and the rapper is the same woman, my panties practically rip through my abdomen and tear me in half as if I was laid down on the deli slicer at the nearest Star Market. This is another album I already know so well. I want new music, and half the time I feel like I am just revisiting the same music I already have hours of listening logged for. Having side that, I love this album with a passion. 4/5. I haven't listened to this top to bottom in awhile, so I'm hoping something new jumps out to me. I've always gravitated towards R&B style rap, and it's why modern rap makes my ears bleed while I slowly decompose due to boredom. I always loved this album cover. I wish they had a shredded down pencil on the top tho, as if it were the carving tool of her face. That pencil is too picture-perfect. And if anyone chats s*** about the skits, they can go f*** right off! They make the album way more personal and I always really liked how they zoom out while still tying into the themes. Also, I like how it’s some kind of Love AA group.

Great production and a couple of stand out tracks - but 50% meh - Didn't really hold my attention for the whole album I'm afrraid

I've definitely heard of the artist and this album, but I'm not sure if I've listened to it before. It's quite compelling. I was drawn in and stayed there. Superb sense of melody and love the way it's all put together and delivered. It's very cool how she can choose to rap, sing, or perform a mix of the two styles, and nail each approach so incredibly well. She has such great range, not just vocally, but artistically, too. This is truly a spectacular album. Wow.

It's not even the most repetitive and unoriginal rap album I've found 'till now, so I was maybe thinking giving it 2 stars. But again, that's not even music to me, I've just regretted giving 2 stars to the others not-so-unoriginal rap albums I've met. You deserve your 1 star

She has a good voice but I don't like this style of music, especially the more rap-heavy parts where not my cup of tea.

I liked this one, similar genre to black star which I also liked

Inspired by 60s soul movements like Motown doo-wop, Lauryn Hill fuses the recent popularization of neo-soul with hip hop, characterized by tight luscious production that's both relaxing and gorgeous. The focus is entirely on Hill, but she employs electronic techniques, reggae or afrobeat rhythms, angelic gospel back vocals, and rock instrumentation to achieve attractive and accessible sounds that make each song remarkable. "Every Ghetto Every City" for one embodies Sly energy. I wish Spotify would separate the skits from the songs, but they're funny and positive. I thought I was gonna hate the album with its double length thinking they would put the hits in the front and filling the rest, but I thoroughly enjoyed every song, especially the emotional last 3 songs.

Still beautiful, no filler, perfectly sequenced, takes my breath away. Meticulous, immaculate production against thoughtful lyrics and memorable hooks, everything clicks and this album will never grow old. An essential record.

Such a fantastic album. Cohesive, powerful, thematic, iconic. One of the best albums of the 90s, and still one of my all-time favorites. Lauryn shows us how it's done. Transcendent, woman-centric hip hop. 10/10

A beautiful neo-Soul album with elements of hip hop and reggae. She has an amazing voice and the production sits well. The album holds together thematically. Even the school talkie bits don't annoy me. Strong 4.

captures a point in time perfectly, unique and lots of fun althogh a bit overlong. again, we didn't know how good we had it.. for some reason this album sounds like the pre-9/11 world more than any other and I love it for that and everything else

The best of all times, ms lauryn hill

Stabiles Album.

very nice album! especially the last few tracks. i might actually listen to some tracks on the regular

Really enjoyed the energy, there are several songs that I would come back to, or even just potentially put this album on in the background.

Classic uhuh

L'album è strutturato come una lezione a scuola. Molto interessante la scelta di legare le canzoni l'una alle altre, mi colpisce sempre. Molto bello, quasi 5 stelle.

Classic. Track 3 & 4 are the most memorable.

Amazing album

Could not connect with it, not as good as I thought it was going to be. I appreciate the artistry

Inte min genre, men välgjort och medryckande.

I’ve never been much for this style music, but it was nostalgic. It’s one I don’t mind, but I wouldn’t seek it out.

So when I said to my wife that this was the album I was listening to she asked: "So when you hit play, did the music come out on time or was it a couple of hours late?" My wife, ladies and gentlemen. After listening to Erykah Badu, I was prepared for this being as good. And really, it has a lot of great tracks besides the 2 everyone knows. (My favorite is probably the duet with Mary J Blige. Two women singing at the pinnacle, wow.) A few things that took me out of the album: 1) The codas on some of the songs were really distracting. Worse, they are not separate songs so you could not skip them at first listen. You didn't know they were there until surprise! Discussions of "what is love?" 2) The D'Angelo duet I could probably have done without. The overuse of snapping there, yikes. 3) The cover of "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You..." I don't know, it's just too... syrupy sweet. But besides those, it still is a really good to great album. It is one that makes you think and want more. You hope that one day she will come back out and say "here's a new album." But now, almost 25 years later, it would seem like that any follow-up would almost surely disappoint. But we still have this, a testament to life, and love, and music. I keep going back and forth between a four and a five. The fact that there is only the one album still somewhat vexes me. And those other points drag it down just a bit for me. It's right on the cusp, but I'm still going to give it a 4.

I've now listened to this album several times. I know it's good, couldn't decide if it was great. She can rap and she can sing - great vocals. Some good lyrics and songwriting too. She tries to reinforce a theme through the interludes, which I'm not sure are necessary but they are cute I guess. Real solid beats too, with a bunch of cool songs to bop to and not just the big singles (Lost Ones, Doo Wop (That Thing), Everything is Everything). But lesser knowns too (Superstar, I Used to Love Him, Every Ghetto Every City). And some good softer songs (Ex-Factor, Can't Take My Eyes Off of You, Tell Him). But there were times when I got lost or disinterested - probably a few too many songs and definitely way too long at nearly 80 minutes. Trim the fat and maybe it would be great.

My first thought when listening to this was that this album is way too long. There were a few moments that caught my attention the first time through, and the second listen was more enjoyable. She has a great voice, and I did like most of the tracks on here. I think “Doo Wop” and “Final Hour” (ironically the most and least played tracks on Spotify respectively) were my favorites. I still stand by the statement that this would have made 2 great separate releases. I’m guessing that the album is an early victim of the “fill the 80-minute cd” mentality that plagued a lot of artists in the 90s. This feels like a 3.5 but I’ll bump it up to a 4 since the second listen was much better than the first.

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.

This was the album that convinced me I needed to break out of rock and indie, and into music I wrongly assumed wasn't "for me." It's so rich that even after listening to it dozens of times, I always hear or notice something that surprises me on it.

4.5

Это просто неописуемый альбом от начала до конца, лютый кайф внутривенно. Почти что каждый трек запал мне в душу именно благодаря минусам, каждый раз я с нетерпением ждал, что же будет дальше и мои ожидания всегда оправдывались, над инструменталом действительно проделана божественная работа. Что же касается текста, то здесь всё ничуть не хуже. Я никогда бы не подумал, что мне понравится альбом, концепт которого построен вокруг понятия любви, но здесь он затронут в каком-то необычном свете, как мне показалось. То есть звучит это всё свежо и не приедается совсем (хотя казалось бы, должно быть наоборот), особенно засчёт совершенно ЕБИЧЕСКИХ строчек и Ахуительной подачи текста, в которой можно услышать схожесть с самим МФ ДУМом. Некоторым этот альбом может показаться затянутым, но для меня он пролетел почти что незаметно. Очень рекомендую. (9)

I hadn’t listened to this entire album previously, but it’s epic.

Not my style of music, but it's not bad. I like the few guitar forward bits.

Perfect soul/pop/hip-hop blend. It’s a shame she never made another solo album.

Thought some songs are cool others bore me a bit and don't really remember what I listened to, also sounds a bit dated

Did not really feel this album, not very exciting and I don't really feel the gospelly vocals.

Very much a product of its time, but it aged well. I like most of the songs. The skits could have been left out, I feel like the message was clear without them explaining.

If the only thing Lauryn Hill ever did was...oh, that's more or less right. Oddly enough (and I'm going to have to factcheck myself later), I think this was the album that first gave me cause for pause about the Q ratings system. Four measly stars. (cc Be Here Now). Musically, The Miseducation...did not bring anything new-new to the table. But, like The Score three years before, it is actually more than the sum of its parts. From the interstitials to the cover art to the videos to the exquisite sample choices (actually. this was peak Puff Daddy era. The Miseducation...approached sampling with a restraint that was pretty atypical for the era - the only other mainstream example from the era that comes to mind is Mos Def's Black on Both Sides. Which, of course, id G.O.A.T. material) ...basically, Ms Hill was, for a while, better than sliced bread. Probably still is. (I can't abide her cover of "Can't take My Eyes Of You". Dictionary definition of milquetoast. But then, if we we moved the world one inch to the left, it'll be perfect too.)

that thing

It’s one of those records I Never listened to at the time. Just wasn’t my jam, but now that I’ve heard it I realize why it’s an iconic album. It really did pay the groundwork for female vocalists for the next 20 years.

Massa rapzao

Classic. Very enjoyable, maybe a bit too long. Sorry I am currently running away from a bear and can't elaborate.

I was really excited to hear this full album since I’ve obviously heard the popular stuff from it. Lauryn is fantastic at everything she slides on this album from rapping to singing. I think I enjoy the slower R&B cuts a little more than the rapping, but everything is pretty good. I think the little classroom interludes are really nice and add to the theme of it all as well. 8/10

Nope

Lauryn Hill steps out of the shadow of the Fugees and Wyclef to state that she can put together a massive monster of an album with Miseducation. My only gripe is that it goes long at an hour and seventeen minutes, but still relevant, still great. 4/5.

I didn't understand much of the dialogue, which I imagine is pretty important too. The music itself is great though; pretty diverse with a bunch of rap but also a guitar solo here and there.

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.

Einige gute Songs (e.g. Lost Ones) aber insgesamt eher unspektakulär.

Really amazing album! found it quite hard to fully get through for some reason so for that reason I'm rating it a 4. Would have been a 5 tho

Not my genre

Truly great album. Can't think of another woman mc that blends melody, flow, beats, storytelling so seamlessly into a single project. Only knock for me is the skits, but I can tolerate these in the context of the album compared to a lot of other rap albums with random skits that add nothing to the album story.

what a perfect, perfect album this shit is truly transcendent. it's regarded as one of, if not the best hip-hop album of all time, and truly deserves that title. lauryn hill raps her verses and sings her hooks, and she's one of the best to ever do both. how? no one knows. but we are so blessed to have this as a result it's poignant, nostalgic, romantic, soulful, wise, and catchy as hell. this album was made with HEART, and it shines through in every second. i'm so glad i got to listen to this one again. i listen through it at least two to three times a year, and this was a good reminder to do it again. i love this album so damn much how can iiiiii explain myseeeelf

Not a rap fan

I listened to this album a few years ago when I went through a very short lived phase of reviewing what was new in the charts 20 years prior. At the time, I wasn’t really a fan of the album. However, I’m intrigued to give it a listen with a fresh set of ears. Songs I already knew: all of them, albeit not very well Favourites: Doo Wop (That Thing), Can’t Take My Eyes Off You I had a completely different experience listening this time, in that I really enjoyed it. It shows just how subjective music can be when the same person can have such differing opinions over a few years! I really enjoyed the songs, but it should also be mentioned that the short classroom skits also really added to the experience. It was refreshing to hear hip hop music about love and showing a softer side. Overall, I completely disagree with my past self, and would definitely recommend this album.

A heartfelt tribute to Lauren’s own thoughts regarding love and culture, brought beautifully through interesting lyrics and a neosoul aesthetic

I’ve listened to this before and I still think it’s a bit overrated. Don’t get me wrong though, it’s still very good, and there are some amazing songs on here. Album Cover: I get it but I just don’t really like it 3/5

Beautiful.

🤷🏼‍♂️

Holds up really well. Was an instant classic then, and still qualifies as a classic today.

Pre listening - I'm not going to like this. I detest rap and dislike hip hop - I hope this is better than that. Track 1 - Intro - 40 seconds and not even a pretence of bring music Track 2 - Lost Ones - Standard hip hop - awful Track 3 - Ex-Factor - OK song, but with really annoying sound efects added - why? Track 4 - To Zion - A Santana collaboration - which is to say pure Carlos Santana - average for him Track 5 - Doo Wop(That Thing) More hip hop - slightly better than Lost Ones Track 6 - Superstar yet more Hip Hop - irritating At this point I stopped. She obviously is a hip hop artist, which is a shame because from what I heard she has good voice, just needs some real music

Thought this was an excellent album at the time, a bit over-hyped perhaps, but definitely 4 star - it is one of the rare albums on 1001 from the last 25 years that you would actually expect to see included on such a list.

An okay album for me, but apart from Doo Wop, nothing really sparked my enthusiasm.

Very pleasant, close to full marks actually

Given the success and accolades associated with this album, it's a shame that she ultimately felt that "...scores of tentacled obstructionists, politics, repressing agendas, unrealistic expectations and saboteurs everywhere..."* kept her from doing a follow up. *eonline.com, 1/6/21

Great stuff. To Zion is deep. Have a lot of nostalgia for this album - it takes me back to the late 90s. Couldn’t help but think throughout how I should have given The Blueprint a 4 as well for some reason. Huge regret. I will also reiterate/stand by my view that no album should be running close to 120 minutes though. Not even by the Beatles or 5ive

Beautiful and soulful hip hop

Nice. Classic. Do wop that thing.

Amazing, although I did not know how much references to Christianity were gonna be there, that put me off a little bit.

the best album in a genre I don't like

i looooveee me some lauryn hill

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

Groovy, tight, melodic at points RnB/hip hop. Great. listen. it good. enjoyable. thoughtful

Feels like something that would be played as part of a Chappelle Show episode. There’s great beat, message, and voice. Not an album I’d have actively sought out, it’s a spirited album that was a decent listen for a work day afternoon. Wild to think nothing has followed since this release, making this album really an instance of lightning in a bottle.

I've heard some of these many many times, but it was nice to hear the album in full for the first time.

up until this point, i’m pretty sure i had only ever heard two or three lauryn hill songs, but now i’m glad i’ve heard more. super talented and incredible rhythm.

*swoon* Þessi plata ætti að vera skylduhlustun fyrir öll. Reglulega. Eitt af því besta sem gerðist í tónlist í níunni. Algjört uppáhald.

CD

I am aware that this album is a seminal work and am happy this project has once again given me a record I know I should have listened long before now. Better late than never. Overall this work is much prettier than I was anticipating. To Zion is powerful and beautiful as is Final Hour. I'm not religious but I can certainly appreciate the heartfelt sincerity. I also particularly liked Doo Wop and Everything is Everything. There's a lot here, I don't love it all, but I do think it is a substantial achievement and belongs on this list. I'm glad to have heard it and have asked Spotify to put some of the songs into rotation for me.

It lost me half way through tbh

What do you do after you and the Fugees make "The Score," one of the best hip-hop albums of the '90s? If you're Lauryn Hill, you make one of the best albums of the '90s of any genre. The trinity of "Doo Wop (That Thing)," her cover of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," and "Everything Is Everything" got most of the attention at the time—and for good reason—but this album's solid as a rock. Want gorgeous tracks about love gone wrong? Then "Ex-Factor," "When It Hurts So Bad," and "I Used to Love Him" will scratch that itch. Or maybe you'd prefer to shut out the rest of the world and curl up with D'Angelo on "Nothing Even Matters." Or get nostalgic with "Every Ghetto, Every City," which has a delicious Stevie Wonder flavor thanks to its prominently featured clavinet. Introspection, faith, social commentary ... this album's got it all. There may be a few tracks I regularly skip, but I'd hardly be in agony if I was "forced" to listen to the album in its entirety. It's both regrettable and fitting that this was her only solo album; she has a mind and a voice worth listening to, but this album sets an impossibly high bar.

I adore Lauryn Hill's voice. Every time I hear one of her songs, my ears perk up. She has a lot to say on this album, but the one thing I didn't pay attention to in the past is her songs of faith. What a risk that must've been for her, hip hop, and popular music. Most artists aren't that open with their faith, and I'm sure record companies prefer to steer clear. My new favorite is Everything is Everything, I'll always love Doo Wop (That Thing), and what a great rendition of Can't Take My Eyes Off of You. Solid album.

Nicht so meins. 2, 3 Hits aber

an absolute perfect album. deserved all those Grammys

Good rb albums. With many schoolyard sessions about love that really took me out of album. Some of the instrumentals sounded the same. The last song is definitely the worst. This album supposed to be chistian so in EVERY GETTO EVER CITY she's uses the n word which gave Me the thought do they use it in church idk. She also raps alot on this album which was somewhat better then pure rb cuts but even some of them where good

This album is soooooooo long that that's really my take-away. Just an exhausting album - made even longer by a minute of classroom skit after many songs. She can sing, she can write songs but someone get her an editor.

She’s perfect. The narrative this album depicts is beautiful.

No Fugeesiahan tällä jo kuunneltiinkin. Tämä selkeä jatko sille mut soolopuolelta. Smooth sailing in da waves of rap & rnb. Must paljon parempi ku fugees 4/5

Niin coool. Jotenkin Laurynin tyyli puraisee tosi syvältä lauloi sitten sydänsuruista, äitiydestä tai mistä vaan.

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.

8/10

I love the vibes

Cool R&B groove

This means nothing to me. Reading Wikipedia, you'd think she was the female Messiah, but the most memorable moment on the album is the blistering guitar break on Ex-factor, which is credited to Johari Newton but which sounds to me by like Carlos Santana (which, incidentally otherwise owes a lot to Stevie Wonders Past time Paradise). I think it's miscredited, because the next track (To Zion) is credited to Santana but doesn't sound anything like him.

Ok, so beautiful voice, and some truly top tier rapping. Leaps and bounds better than most rappers. But each song felt dragged out a minute too long. And too many skits. But man her voice is pure.

What left is there to say? This album is phenomenal. Ms Hill I has true genius and it shines through with every note of this record.

Timeless, classic album.

Perfect album. Amazing vocals. Easily one of the greatest of all time

Can’t remember asking for popmusic.

I actually liked this album a lot. It mixes soul and r&b with rap (which is my not so favourite), but does so in an interesting way. I'm surprised that I liked some of those specifically rap tracks. Good stuff. Favourite songs: Ex-Factor, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, I Used To Love Him

Top tracks: Ex-Factor, Doo Wop (That Thing), Everything Is Everything. A lot skits in between songs. 4,5/5

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

Nice to listen to but not one I'd go back 3/5

can it all be so simple cover is really good. holy crap it's called ex-factor and has that drake sample on there. Also just really good reinterpretations on interpolations? of classics on here. There were some doors references and others great harmonies and beautiful instrumentation on top of nice break beats. Huge emphasis on how great the actual instruments and Lauryn's voice sound on top of hip hop grooves. Really really beautiful warm tracks

i can see how this was influential because i’ve heard so many of these songs in other ones before. she has an interesting voice and i thought this was an interesting album. i didn’t love the talk parts of it but occasionally they were alright.

Straight up: I've never been able to fully connect with this. I don't dislike it at all - but maybe it's *too* smooth at points? I don't know - everything here sounds amazing, it's soulful and melodic, but at the same time is - for me - missing *something* that gives me chills. But...I do love the theme/concept aspect of the album. Teacher & students discussions at the tail of many of the tracks, it does give it a certain cohesiveness and after going through it as an entire unit....that's the attraction. It's a vibe album; a definite feeling that listening to a track or two at a time doesn't nearly give the same fulfilling aspect as the full album. "Ex-Factor" [love that lead guitar near the end], "Doo Wop" and "Every Ghetto, Every City" are favourites. Yeah in the end it's not going to be a favourite but it's an impressive piece of work that you have to give the time to. 7/10 3 stars.

I didn’t realize it but I do think I know ex-factor. I normally don’t like speaking/breaks in music, but I actually really like the classroom love talk thing that’s going on in the intro and the other songs. I just gave the intro 2 stars cause it’s not really a song to me. The songs in the middle started to all sound kind of the same to me. Overall I like this album, but a lot of the individual tracks kind of fell flat to me.. I also recognize can’t take my eyes off of you.

It's a very long album with some nice patches. I like how she ties it all together with a nostalgic school theme. There are some good tracks, that thing for example and she's a very good singer. Having said that, it went on a bit as an album and had plenty of what seems like filler. I would probs listen to parts again but not as a complete unit. I also think that, to some degree, the album was created without me in mind. I think Lauryn would more than tolerate my mild criticism.

solid frankie valli cover

Loved loved loved. Her voice and range is so beautiful the harmonies are gorgeous and there were a few songs I recognized as samples but didn’t realize they were her

ㅎㄱㄷㅁㅅ

Got to love Lauren.

Banging album

classic

Buen bajo la ptm, buenas armonias vocales y lead vocal

3.5

6.5/10 Highlights: Doo Wop That Thing, Final Hour, Nothing Even Matters all of the school skits, multiple samples also used by Wu-Tang (can it all be so simple, something in “I Used to Love Him”)

Overall, a good album. It’s not my usual style of music but it was quite enjoyable. My favorite song would have to be ‘Lost Ones’. Good album. Didn’t manage to add any to my playlist though. Not sure why it’s not very popular. It’s definitely underrated.

If you can deal with the blatant sexism and casual racism, its an okay listen. One certified banger and then a lot of filler. Not for me.

This is one of the best albums of all time, in my opinion x

Great album! Incredible voice! Decent beats! I enjoyed it!

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

Excellent album, just about flawless. Would have been great if she was able to replicate the majesty on other albums

I know this album well and it is correctly highly regarded. Another listen does not disappoint. Lovely old style soul with a gorgeous “smoky” voice and lively flowing hip-hop rapping. Great tunes. No need to bother with a follow-up album after this superb effort.

the early songs are unbelievable the last two songs of the second half are the only noteworthy ones 4.5

I've been looking forward for this album for a while due to its reputation as being one of the greatest hip hop albums ever. I've had a mixed record with this era of hip hop so I was interested to see what this brought to the table. Safe to say, it brought a lot of great stuff to the table from the way ahead of its time production to the great lyrics and engaging themes of religion and love. Each song sounds like a Kendrick-type track which I love and each song was just great, especially ex factor and can't take my eyes off you. Definitely deserves all of the praise and accolades its gotten.

Not a huge fan of this, a couple of good tracks but nothing I will revisit

This is much better than I anticipated. Beautiful singing and music. The raps are tolerable! Probably peak RnB for the two decades surrounding it's release.

Great photoshoping skills on that album art.

This whole album was so good! I've listed through it twice-- I think my favorite song is Final Hour, but they are all great!

A hip-hop classic for sure! Lauryn Hill has here legacy cemented as of the greats of this era.

Doo Wop (that thing) is a cracking track... The rest of this album gets boring real quick. Urgh. The cover songs are genuinely awful.

Veldig groovy, dette likte jeg godt.

The album was pretty good. The album as a whole was a little long. This is due to some songs being entirely too long themselves, the need to end the song earlier and useless skits. I am not sure I would listen to the entire album again but there are some songs that are worth a revisit. It is better than a 3 but not really a 4. I will round down.

Not my favorite album end-to-end, but "Doo Wop (That Thing)" is still a perfect record.

Muy bueno y original

Fantastic album.

A modern classic

So good.

Just so damned good!!

Maybe perfect

7.5

Hip-hop bueno, disco muy largo, sólo reconocí Doo Wop (That Thing). 3.5 que baja a 3 porque no me gusta el género.

One of the best albums of all time. Just fantastic all around.

That girl can sing, can sing, can si-i-i-i-ng.

consider me unschooled

Really disappointed with this, expected it to blow me away but found it mostly annoying

Her version of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of yYou” is one of my favorites, and has been in my playlist for many years. I also like the classroom sound effects on the album.

My remembered impressions of Miseducation were quite wrong. I don't love the production choices from minute zero as I did with The Score, but Lauryn's singing is perfect once the album settles into its harp-and-gospel happy place. The songs are long, but the arc of the record is pretty accessible and with only a few features it never feels overstuffed. The only speed bump I can see is the skits, but they never get goofy or egregious. Just make sure your palette can tolerate a few.

Big nope. I'd prefer to grate my ears off than subject them to this.

I mean, if we’re talking about albums with a massive cultural influence look no further. Huge. Ambitious. Powerful. It’s got grit AND effervescent sparkle in spades. If the artist’s aim is to achieve greatness by mining their soul to expose its plumbed depths, Lauryn succeeds astoundingly in that regard. We Stan a beautiful vulnerable and raw black queen who raised the bar for everyone!

Classic

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.

It was ok

Solid, but the production hasn't agreed the best

Dope

No

Good album. The 1st half had a lot of great tracks. The second half does not. Which keeps it from being a classic album to me.

I always remember this being better

Grew up surrounded by this album.

10/10

Can see how influential it was but because I'm so late to the party it didn't have the same level of effect on me. A great listen all the way but only the last two tracks really stuck out for me.

Doo Wop is great, of course. Final Hour is pretty great. I like the different genres in the same album. When it hurts so bad goes down smooth. Forgive them Father is pretty great. This album was ahead of its time.

That Thing, Everything is Everything, To Zion and Ex-Factor are my favorite tracks off this amazing album. Very Iconic. She needs to be celebrated.

Consistent from start to finish, but the songs were different enough to be unique. Really interesting flows and clearly a lot of work put into it. Not my favorite, but worthy of respect.

Meh. It probably sounded better in 1998.

Not my thing. Solid recording, but the music style, hip hop, Soft RnB, does not catch me

Found it all a bit repetitive and dull. Not my kind of thing though, granted.