The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

An album ahead of its time.

Funny my brother in law plays in a cover band and he did Linda rondstadt version and I thought I need to give the Lauryn hill record a listen. It’s always highly regarded as one of the greats. Now here it is. I shall listen. I wanted to like it more. I found it hard to find the groove I just couldn’t connect with it. Talented for sure just not for me.

Said her name in the songs, check. Talked about how good at rapping she is, check. Skits, check. Lots of "uhs" and "yeahs," check. Guest rappers, check. Bragging about how much money she's going to make as a rapper, check. Talk about sex, check. Although it wasn't in the same context as most rap albums. This checks all the boxes to clarify as a generic rap/hip hop album. Too long for it's own good with nothing that really makes it stand out. The only redeeming quality is she has a decent singing voice when she actually felt like singing. 1.5/5

I was surprised that I already knew some of these songs. Really enjoyed the album, thought her voice was gorgeous and there was a nice range of tracks to keep it interesting. Fav song: Doo Wop (That Thing) Least fav: Everything Is Everything

Enjoyed this album as a whole. Some good songs . Not a huge fan of the classroom stuff in between though. Kind of disrupts the flow of the songs Specific rating - 4.1 Fav song- doo wop Least fav - nothing even matters

In February 2020 my sixth form teachers each recommended their favourite album to the school. This was the album one of my least favourite teachers recommended but I listened to it anyway (always been a keen student) and was blown away by her voice. It was definitely not what 18 year old Ella normally listened to but both 18 year old and 23 year old me agree that it's an incredible collection of songs. Favourite song: Doo Wop (That Thing) or Every Ghetto, Every City Least: Nothing Even Matters

Wonderful.

So groovy and enjoyable!! Some songs i wanna sway some i wanna bust down lol i love her vocals. I need to listen to more! I recognized a few songs!!

Un brillante disco conceptual de rap, hip hop y r&b que ronda alrededor de una clase escolar. Rimas bien trabajadas, motas vocales bien logradas, un flow impecable y emotivo. X Factor es mi elección sencilla, aunque sin lugar a duda todo el disco funciona como un conjunto imperdible.

What an incredible debut! I can't wait to hear what she does for her follow up album...

Mm dam I've listened to this already, I'll listen to it more carefully then, I used to write reviews between listening the music too, but it's better to listen to one and then rate I guess. Anyway theee Lauryn Hill, love her style, her way of rapping, especially the fact it's relatively older time, and I know more men from that time doing hip-hop. Hmm apparently people didn't fw this as much as I expected, I remember I do remember it having some boring moments, but for me that just means I haven't listened to it as much as to critic it like that. Lol I just saw it has a pencil on top, hence the name of the album, I kinda knew that, but the pencil itself is new. First song, little intro y'all. Unschool starting. Oop she ain't here. Second song, looove her rap songs. Also just realized there is a bam bam sample here, or vice versa idk. Can't be bored-a here tbh. Mm interlude at the end huh, didn't remember that one, dunno if this is real recording. Third song, vocals and the lyrical delivery is amazing here, definite switch up to R/B too, or soul maybe hmphh. 4th song, mmm the choir was unexpected. The beat is sentimental because of that guitar thingy. Her vocals delivering as always. Choir singing is actually catchy mm. Another schooly interlude yay. 5th song, this one of em good ones as I remember. Mmm yep, she rappin here too. Thought this one ended too early turns out a teacher gon appear. 6th song, love how she says some of em words. Background vocals is also delivering. Chorus is catchy, rap part was needed or the song was kinda weaker compared to others. 7th song, beat is catchy, I think this is the last rappy song here, might be mistaken. Too good to ignore, I'd love to learn the lyrics myself, dunno if I get around it tho. 8th song, I see the beauty in this song now, I didn't before, but the delivery and some temporary new beat being introduced is fun to notice now. 9th song, the intro was too good. Sonical parts are better than the vocal ones here tbh, if enough attention is paid. Weakest song by far, it's a grower tho, I'm kinda fucking with it now. 10th song, thought this was hip-hopy but nvm it changed to r/b again. Choruses are too catchy always, dam, she just sings them in a way that addicting. Nvm she's fast talking now. At first I didn't expect her to be this good at it, but I'm used to it now, just the modern time has only shown me Nicki and them being the woman rappers, Lauryn is left out for me, maybe not for others, anyway. 11th song, mmm like the start and the wonky beat already. Got me vibin, didn't even realize, walking became more enjoyable and then realized that song was kicking in. 12th song, nvm this is the weakest song now, D'Angelo is too soft as his usual self, didn't get into him before and not now either. Such a bad song omg, I had to fast forward dam this shi was bad. 13th song, mmm okayy this is a start of a song now, the orchestra is doing its job well. Dis the last rap song, what was I on before. I pay too much attention to that, because it's just an instant banger when she raps y'all. Her vocals are amazing, but it's more unique to rap that well, to me. 14th song, mm definitely a final song vibes. Because of the piano it's the most emotional song here of course. Definitely seeing the beauty here, couldn't be any better to be honest. Well even tho in a deluxe edition there's two more Song, they're just additions anyway, so I don't mind not listening to them rn. I enjoyed this album more now than before, as I expected so. I'll consider that D'Angelo song as if it was his song, cuz he really fucked up that song for me, song is in his direction more than Lauryn's. Otherwise it's a definite 5 star album, that I'll enjoy in the future too, I hope there's more of her here. Also it started raining here just as I finished the album, talk about the timing, now I actually gotta go back in home, thunder sounds too now.

It is amazing how much traction she has gotten based on one album, but it is a masterpiece.

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

I could not get into this. There were plenty of things I enjoyed though - “Zion” is one of best songs I’ve heard in awhile. The message of the album really resonated with me, and the skits were a fun add that added context to the whole album. Overall I thought the production was a little overstimulating and didn’t click with the majority of the songs. I like the bridge in “Ex-Factor” that’s a list of requests with the steady gospel notes. It’s a nice contrast. Zion is a standout track. Here the lyrical contrast stands out - I love the conflict. Superstar: “They’ll hail you, then nail you - no matter who you are” Harmonies in “I used to love him” are really nice. We listen to others - trust others too much. I didn’t really think the classroom sketches at the end of every track were that additive. They could have been used more sparingly.

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 🤷🏻‍♀️

3.9

I think this is a very important album

Beautiful.

Gear: HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two Artwork: ✏️🪵🏫 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🆒🏆🤔 Rating: 📚📚📚/5

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

Strong.

that one bloke was a real scrobbler, he was!!

Hip hop masterpiece

Can’t believe I’ve not listened to this before. No skips, all great vibes. It was the fastest hour of my week.

Pinnacle of 90s hip hop

back-to-back bangers, amazing album

This album rises above all classifications. It is simply on the short list for one of the best albums ever made.

Listening back to this now, I remember how different it felt when it came out - it was so stylish and accessible. Even the skits are really cool to listen through as the album progresses. Everything the Fugees did in the mid- to late-90's couldn't be touched, and L Boogie definitely had it goin on. 4.5 falling to 4 just because there are a lot of 5 minute songs that feel like they go on for a long time.

I’ve listened to most of the songs on this album before, but not one after the other.

Love this album, have played it many times in the past and will definitely do again!

I went into this album expecting it to be an easy 5, but it didn’t land nearly as well as it did the last time I listened to this album. Not sure if it just feels a bit dated to me now compared to other hip hop releases that have come since, but the instrumentals and the skits felt stale to me this time round. A clearly influential album, but not one I’m going to return to any time soon.

4.5 Wow you guys were right, this really is that good! With a couple more listens (which I’ll give it, I’m keeping this one downloaded), I could definitely see it being 5 stars for me. A totally beautiful, cool, chill soundscape. Every song is so well produced; the layering of her voice and the harmonies is so neat. This reminded me of a classic Stevie Wonder album, in the best way. I feel like they share similar production styles, and certain singing inflections. Really fantastic stuff. Glad I could stop being a neophyte and finally listen to this album.

Chilled hip hop vibes from this one

Is it a bad album? Not by any means. Is it unbelievably overrated? Absolutely.

Incredible album! Fresh sound

Fav: The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill Least Fav: Lost Ones Had high expectations, with this being ranked the best ever album by Apple. And whilst I dispute that claim, I can def see its justification. The title track was simply incredible

The Good: It’s all about the miseducation! The Bad: Probably shouldn’t have been mis.. The Ugly: The ego… I don’t like rap. I’m no big fan of modern soul, and this has nothing to do with R&B as far as I'm concerned. Also, does one have to fake a Jamaican accent in order to do reggae rap? I don’t like it when music feels pedantic, and I abhor how many albums in the 90s tried to glue tracks together via small monologues or conversations. It is trite, and has been done once too often to still make a WoW impact. So, surprise surprise, here’s my 1* If only someone could create modern soul/r&b without feeling the need to constantly do vocal scales on every 2nd and 4th beat...

It's fantastic. One of the few albums where I don't mind the skits, and it's so interesting to hear the songs that are sampled so heavily now.

I had some high hopes for this album, but as it dragged on and on, I came to the realisation that not only was it not very good, but not even average, just plain bad. Two stars for generic R&B that doesn't know when to stop.

This is not really my genre, but I did appreciate Lauryn's very high level of talent. Overall, I felt like it was a good album of music, just not something that I can really get into because it's not a sound that I find particularly interesting. Lauryn's singing was really quite good, so I'm giving it four stars just for that.

good stuff

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.

One of my favourite albums of all time, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is such an insanely good album. I love how it has the mix of rap songs (I mean opening with Lost Ones, a diss track to your ex band-mate and romantic partner goes so hard) as well as soulful tracks, such as When It Hurts So Bad and I Used To Love Him. Plus, it features one of my favourite songs of all time, Doo Woop (That Thing), an anthem about self love and worth. This album ultimately shows the range of female emotions, however the overarching and strongest emotion of love is most present- which in itself is so beautiful. Incredible, 10/10, timeless.

Fantastic album

Never heard of lauryn hill songs outside her band Actually quitr enjoyed this

Exceptional

Nope

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.

It’s…good. Not for me I guess

YESSSSS

Come on.

188/1089 - Eh... The live instruments were cool. The skits are very "on the nose," and I never liked skits in albums anyways.

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

I had heard great things about this album but I was prepared not to enjoy it. I was surprised

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.)

2.5/5 - Why did I need to hear this album before I die? I suppose to hear what all the fuss was about. I had no connection to this album in 1998, though I've given it several listens over the last few years. I think it's fine. The hallway chatter interludes annoy me, and most of the album fades into the background for me, with a few strong standouts as the exception.

Boombap mistico

Probably not going to listen alot

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.

I liked this solo recording from Lauryn better than her work with the Fugees - although it contained sampling the songs had a higher level of originality. I really liked the songs in which she collaborated with other singers, but ultimately would not buy this. Would have liked to have given it 3.5 stars but it will have to be 3.

Very bland.

There's a lot to unravel here: the lyrics, the stories, the beats. Plus don't forget the voice. Almost 30 years on, and this album still stacks up. It's quite outstanding in its ambition, and delivery. Top of the class, etc.

I love this album. The beats are so interesting. It feels just as fresh as if it were made yesterday, but it also seems of a different era. Lauryn Hill moves so easily between rapping and singing.

Great vocalist. Beautiful harmonies, otherwise, Meh.

Great album

Buen rap, buen soul, bueno todo el disco

Perfect fusion of soul, r&b, and hip-hop. Beautiful songs with a beautiful theme. All timer. *Heard before

Sounds lovely in many ways. Yet her bouncing melisma is very sing-song samey, and I start to wish she had the backing the Roots on this one too. It can’t help sounding a bit dated.

Rating: 0.2 I am so tired of this astroturfed vibe curator nonsense, I’ve had enough for the rest of my life. Incredibly grating, dated, borderline challenging. Makes it worse when you know everything that comes out of her mouth is a lie and she mistreats her fans and everyone around her. Enough Lauryn Hill.

Not particularly my style but good beats and flow throughout

Amazing and clearly very influential. I'm not sure it is top 3 all time as many lists rank it, not that I am trying to knock it. I will be coming back to this album frequently.

hahahahaha

The music sounds good, lauryn's got a great voice, I thought the classroom bits on love were creative, but it didn't resonate with me and went on a bit too long.

beautiful music - the harmonies are awesome. Overall not my style though

"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."

Good stuff.

What a ride. This is a genius level masterpiece and I can see why it’s so highly regarded. It really delves deep into the themes of what love is/means, and life in the black experience. It’s deep and thoughtful, and the musicianship is second to none. Love it.

Damn, this album is a work of art. Hip hop, soul, and R&B mixed together in such a beautiful package. Lauryn Hill is an incredible songwriter and vocalist, and every song on here is a must listen.

I was quite late listening to this, as only heard this for the first time a few months ago, its really good, as I think that she's obviously the best member of the Fugees, and the beats are quite similar, and there's quite a biographical theme to it, which is very interesting and quite easy to follow, not exactly a 'concept', but the skits with the teacher talking to the kids and then her not being there suggests she didn't know about the things which the teacher was teaching. Probably said this about the Fugees album, but she's just as talented a singer as she is a rapper, which is why I think this album stands out so much, as there's not really anyone I can think of who that's the case for. Everything is great about this though, the feature are very good and add to the songs, while still being very much a 'feature' and in the background to some extent. I didn't really like the one with Carlos Santana until I understood that its about her newborn son, which I should have probably noticed beforehand. Favourite songs: all but superstar. Overall around 9/10

I think my sister got this CD when it first came out when we were teenagers... I stole it and listened to it on repeat for a very very long time. This would be an easy 5 stars if there weren't so many skits. I mean its still 5 stars with them...

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

Classic.

I’m almost glad Lauryn Hill has only released this one album, because it’s unlikely she will ever come close to its brilliance again. But we’ve been through this - most songs of +4mins make me lose interest, and there is no need for excessively long outros. Even an album as great as this doesn’t get let off.

I remember all the singles from my teenage years, and I would argue that they are the highlights from this album, especially Doo Wap (That Thing) which I've always really liked. I could have done without the skits (which seems to be a common theme with all the hip hop albums I've heard that include them) but I get that they're world building. I'd just rather a tighter running time than listen to a guy pretending to be a school teacher. The actual music I don't have a lot to say about, but I like it. 3/5

HOW YOU GON WIN IF YOU AINT RIGHT WITHIN 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

I feel like Lauryn Hill has a bit of mistique about her. Going onto her Wikipedia and finding out she only released one solo album and Fugees only released two adds to the mistique in my opinion. Firstly, the album is a bit long. Anything over an hour you best make sure every minute is worth it. This goes on a little too long. Secondly, there are skits, but they don't have their own titles. They're "hidden" at the end of tracks. Very clever Lauryn, you thought you could fool me into listening to them? Not today I'm afraid. I listened to the first one but skipped the rest to save some time. (I know it's a concept album and they help that but I couldn't be bothered, sorry). She's a good, solid rapper, with a nice flow. Having said that though, I much preferred the songs where she was showing off her vocals which I think is her more superior talent. She has a really lovely voice. 'Ex-Factor' has a nice ear worm ending and solo. 'To Zion' really shows off her great vocals, ending it with a lovely high pitched almost whistle. 'When It Hurts So Bad' and 'I Used To Love Him' are another two with some great vocal runs. 'Forgive Them Father' has a nice guitar lick beat. 'Nothing Even Matters' is a typical R'n'B track which features D'Angelo and is pretty lovely sounding though a touch long and repetitive. Overall I was pleasantly surprised but by the end I was a little tired and just wanted it to get to the end. I definitely would need more listens but right now a three is fair I think.

Histórico. Muy buenas canciones, pero igual un poco largo. 7,5/10

goat. love her and this album.

I remember buying the CD when it came out because the reviewers raved. Never listed more than a couple of times, this relisten reminds me why, its...ok but its hip-hop. It gets better when it moves away from the hip-hop formula but not enough to warrant regular replays imho.

Outside of my usual listening but interesting album.

Ok, I get why people say this is the best album ever now. Really really enjoyed many of the songs on here, very cool stuff.

How can such an unmemorable album have such a memorable cover?

The best album. Period.

5 sterne

I felt nothing but boredom. "Everything is Everything". Genius...

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

Meh. Doesn't do a lot for me. Great singer. Semi interesting songs. I was pretty done with it by the end though

Not for me

I didn't think I'd like this one as much as I ended up doing. There's some really cold bars on here "I'ma get the mozzarella like a Rockefeller Still be in the church of Lalibela, singing hymns a cappella whether posed in Mirabella" has such a nice flow Standouts Lost Ones Final Hour Everything Is Everything 4/5

Не очень заинтересовала. Но не любимый стиль.

The Fugees album was great with the all time classic Killing Me Softly With His Song, and Lauryn was the star there. But there is no exaggeration when I say this might be the best album on this list. It has it all, an awesome singer, raps that sound great without any of the offesively unlistenable trends of the era, beats that are funky and diverse, and skits that are not only not terrible, but add to the experience. Doo Wop (That Thing) is so good, and so is Ex-Factor. Forgive Them Father, Every Ghetto, Every City, Everything is Everything, these songs are all perfect. Incredible album, no wonder it cleaned up the Grammy's in 99.

Super Dope

loved it! The blending of genres is done so well! The skits in between songs help me imagine a girl who is falling asleep or daydreaming in class, catching every other sentence her teacher says. I will definitely return to this album in the future to dive further into it. fav tracks: most of the first half 5/5

5/10

Wasn't familar with this artist but already have a song on my liked songs playlist (I think Spotify randomly adds songs to it!) I enjoyed the album & would listen again.

very good but overrated

absolute banger. already in my top 100 albums for sure.

Enjoyed most of the album. I like it better when she sings instead of the hip-hop aspect as she has a beautiful voice.

It's wild to think this is Lauryn Hill’s only solo studio album. For a debut, it hits harder than most artists’ entire discographies. Listening to this, I'm left wondering what else she could’ve done if she’d kept going. The production is sharp, the lyrics are personal, and the mix of soul, hip hop, and R&B still sounds fresh decades later. She brought in some big names too; when “To Zion” started, I remember thinking the guitar felt familiar. Sure enough, it was Santana. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” is the hit, and yeah, it still bangs. But her version of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”? Totally unexpected and absolutely brilliant. She takes a classic and flips it into something new without losing the heart of it. This is one of those albums that earned its hype.

This isn’t something that was made for me, nor do I particularly want to hear it again. I understand why it’s critically acclaimed, but my tastes in hip hop do not lead me to come anywhere close to enjoying this album. The flow, timbre, and general vocal style does nothing for me. I’m not at all upset about the instrumentation and production value, musically it’s very good for what it is, but the vocals kill the record for me. It was a slog to get through this and I’m glad it’s over.

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.

I had always thought of this album as one of those GOATed albums with a heavier "social relevance and glass ceiling" component (which is indeed important) than the actual music, but listening to it from start to finish made me realize this is indeed a five-star album.

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

Kind of annoying. I remember this being better

Lauryn is a hall of famer in my estimation based solely on this and The Score. A great, great album, with some incredible standouts (the singles, obviously, but also "Every Ghetto, Every City" "Can't Take My Eyes off of You"). Was thinking 4 before I re-listened, but it's an obvious 5 after.

alright, some stand out songs but long album

Out of respect for the artistry of this album I’ll give it a 3. There were some great moments that ultimately were over shadowed by some really boring tracks. I will say I’m pretty positive I’ve never listened to this album before but it felt strangely familiar

Great

Ahh what a classic album! But I always think of Lauryn hill and the Fugees, but still this is always considered a classic, I will say I was getting out of my car and a friend asked is that Beyonce haha 🤣 made me laugh

There’s some truly great material on this album. It has powerful vocals, strong songwriting, and a unique blend of soul, hip-hop, and R&B. Lauryn Hill’s talent is undeniable, and the album delivers some standout moments. That said, the frequent skits break the flow and start to wear thin over time. Still, despite the interruptions, the music shines.

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

I get why it was important, but it’s kind of boring ,not much spark for me.

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.

Rätt nice! Lite annorlunda (från listan hittills) men bra sound, och kul med oväntad cover av "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You".

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.

I’ve seen this album cover multiple times and had never heard it so I was excited to be able to do so. This is cute, easy to listen to R&B. So many of the songs droned on and on and got really repetitive. Overall thought, it wasn’t anything spectacular but I didn’t mind it.

94/100

Absolutely iconic album that without question deserves its acclaim and recognition on this list. If you don’t like this, I don’t trust you, period.

Didn’t like it

Heard it before, some bangers just not something I would personally jump to chuck on

Bom álbum. Mas as interrupções de momentos de fala são muito exageradas. Celest Rue.

Debut solo album. Rap / Hip Hop / R n B / Reggae. She has a great singing voice as well as being able to rap. The album showcases her range of talent. It's also a very personal album. Well produced. Doo Wop (That Thing) is a very cool track. It's a decent album, however I'm not blown away by the all time great, genre defining album this is supposed to be.

meh

how can you not like it

I remember that when this album came out it was received enthusiastically. At the time I didn't like it, now I think it's quite nice

not quite as good as i remember it. lovely singing voice, and a couple of great tracks - superstar and everything is everything. .

A few years ago, during another listening challenge for the greatest albums ever, I rated this record the lowest possible grade. It was also fun to feel myself edgy calling it "extremely overrated". But I was wrong and I admit it. 3 skips (including the intro) amongst a 16 songs tracklist is incredible, and I'm not completely sure about those skips...

could probably perform 75% of this in a pinch

Intro - whatever Lost ones - 5/5. Great beat, flows over it well, good lyrics Ex Factor - 4/5. Much softer, but same topic as previous song. Two sides to a break up type thing. Her singing on this is quality, and this has been sampled a billion times. Just not quite my cup of tea. I find this kind of song boring. To Zion - 5/5. Incredible. Touching. Lovely music, writing, subject. Just a great song. Doo Wop - 5/5. Classic banger. That thing - 5/5. Excellent writing. Lovely music. Can't be bothered keeping going but its a 5 star album obviously

Bon disque (de Lauryn Hill), mauvais public (moi). Je suis quand même surpris qu’elle n’ait pas continué cette carrière. Elle n’a fait que quelques albums dans sa vie : un seul (celui-ici) en solo, et deux (genre) avec les Fugees. C’est tout.

I really enjoyed this album. Its one of the best albums of the 90's.

nice

This Album is a classic, I listened to this a few years ago. Lauryn Hill is sick as

Overall a great album with a few tracks running a little long or being a bit repetitive.

She doo-wopped that thing, yeah

8/10

Wonderful music, an important album, still.

Back when this came out it would have been such an enthusiastic 5. Teetered a lot, but the genius in it is just so strong a pull I’m not going to let the stars reflect the fact that the songs could very arguably be 25% shorter, but… it’s great.

A great album in a genre I really don’t care for. I’m not a neo soul fan at all so the fact I really like this says a lot about its quality.

Wished her heart was still in rhyming.

Да 22к2 и 4*4##

If every Hip Hop album had at least 20% of the power and aura that this one has, the world would be a very different place.

Enjoyable and would return to listen again. Insane that such a huge name in the R&B/ Hip Hop scene only released one album. Defos a worthy place on this list!

So nice to see this pop up. Nostalgic, but also such a solid album that I’m glad to come back to. Great songs, enjoy the integration of the classroom scene throughout. Nice variety and solid songwriting. Can’t beat ‘Doo Wop’ 🔥 ‘Nothing Even Matters’ by far the weakest and fitting with my review of D’Angelo’s album

> the Beatles

One of the best ever

I just never understood all the hullabaloo around this one. She’s amazingly talented, but this album doesn’t do much for me.

It's a classic! I get it.

pretty nice!! i knew about lauryn hill but i've never been a hip hop person, this was great tho, a bit long maybe

The bits you know of the songs you know are fun...

Not a fan, she's very rude and arrogant. This album is truly overrated. MTV unplugged was hideous. She is horrible live and mails it in.

Got some Janelle Morae vibes from this! Concept is really nice and well produced. I liked it

1998. R&B / Rap / Hip-Hop. 7/10 Lost Ones / Doo Wop / Tell Him

Sam: 78/100 Had a few bangers. Sampled in a popular Drake song. Can tell it inspired a lot of the music and hip hop that came out in the era following it. Most was a very nice vibe, but with only a few stand out moments Katie: 89.5/100 Love almost every song here. Solid blend of hip hop, 90's R&B, and gospel.. unf. I love the concepts explored here and the production/beats are so groovy

Eindelijk een wat meer hiphop oriented album, fijn voor de afwisseling, al is het een album wat ik echt al volledig plat heb gedraaid. Er is al zoveel gezegd over dit album en heel eerlijk voel het niet als mijn plek, als Europese blanke man, om hier iets aan toe te voegen, dus dat ga ik ook gewoon niet doen. All-time classic 10/10.

Cult Classic, altijd hoog in de lijstjes en verplichte mention in Hip-hop lijstjes. Ik heb dit door de jaren heen al een paar keer ff snel gechecked, maar ben er nooit echt ingedoken. De stem herken je meteen, alleen al gebaseerd op die ene track Killing Me Softly (The Fugees). Ze zingt én rapt, heeft een sterke stem en door deze verschillende smaken brengt ze heel veel karakter mee op deze plaat. Er staan een aantal bangers op: Lost Ones, Doo Wop (That Thing), Ex-Factor, Every Ghetto, Every City. Persoonlijk vind ik dit veel te uitgeklede beats. Het werkt alsnog wel als bij Lost Ones op 2:05 dat echte 'refreintje: But You Really, Lost One' komt op die melodie/ritme van 'bam bam bidam, bam bam' en heel chill synth-gitaar-lijntje. Plus ze laten daardoor wel veel ruimte over voor Ms Hill om haar ding te doen. Ze zingt met meerdere overdubs een paar nummers helemaal vol met allerhande zanglijnen en herhalingen van eerdere zinnen + adlibs. Bij het ene nummer heel sterk, bij het volgende nummer een brei met weinig richting. Ook de collab met Mary J. Blige komt hierdoor niet echt tot z'n recht. Achtergrond koortjes, en Mary en Lauren die elkaar soms afwisselen / aanvullen / strijden voor de plek vooraan in de mix, waardoor niemand eigenlijk de spotlight krijgt en het geheel een vrij messy overkomt. Ze namen ook echt wel de tijd. Het was toen nog gebruikelijk om een 3e verse te hebben in een hiphop track. Het feit dat je voor het eerst het iconische mantra 'That Thing, That Thing, That thiiiingg' hoort op 1:45 van de track (zelfde idee als bij Lost Ones), is best insane. (ik zie nu dat ze in de videoclip dat wel ff naar voren hebben geschoven) Het intro, de klaslokaal skits aan het einde van nummers waarin de leraar vraagt aan de kiddo's wat liefde is maken het in combinatie met de hoes ('t schooltafeltje) en de titel een cool thema/concept. Verdere thema's als 'wat moet een artiest zijn?' in Superstar (waar de 1e rap-verse pas begint NA 3 MINUTEN) holy hell, fuck conventies, en een hoop religie thema's en verloren liefde, en voor jezelf kiezen maken het gevarieerd genoeg, maar toch een best lange zit in de schoolbanken :))))))) Al met al dig ik de meer rap tracks harder dan de alle religieuzere tracks. Hoewel ik soms best goed ga op gospel dingen, trekt het me hier helemaal niet de kerk binnen. Ik kom ook niet echt met nieuwe inzichten naar buiten. Beste: Lost Ones, Doo Wop, Ex-Factor, Every Ghetto, Every City. Minste: The Miseducation of Lauren Hill, When It Hurts So Bad, To Zion. Albumhoes: Beaut 5/5

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 dacht dat ik na Kendrick R&B en hiphop wel beter kon waarderen, maar dit album viel vies tegen. Veel nummers voor het einde geskipt. Het is ook niet dat ik het slecht vind klinken, maar het doet me gewoon niet zoveel. Leukste nummer: I used to love him

Fantastisch album. De nadruk op de bas en de drums werkt heel goed voor mij, sowieso vet dat je een groot gedeelte van het album alleen zang/rap, bas en drums hoort. Als er dan een saxofoon of piano in komt voel je die echt. Beats, zang en rap zijn ook allemaal top. Beste van het beste

Cool album, concept en productie.

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 🤷‍♀️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Le son boombap des 90s qu'on adore. Mais l'album est 2 fois trop long.

Very sympa

Classic, too bad everyone expected more after that.

Deemed the greatest album of all time by Apple. By all means it’s a 5/5 but in no way the greatest of all time. Great album nevertheless.

Sitting at what seems like the juncture of soul / funk giving way to rap in hip hop , Lauren hill excels in both sides. Groovy flows that remind me of Curtis mayfield and Marvin Gaye, lyrical raps on par with anyone, fun ragge and tons of beautiful r/b integration.

How is this even on here. Really full of ego and ramblings. Got to a minute in of Do Wop and thought life is too short to be listening to this tripe.

Favorite songs: Ex Factor, To Zion, Doo Wop. What can I say about this album that hasn’t already been said? 8.7/10

Masterpiece of an album, Lauryn hill could torture me like Jerry tortures Tom in the cartoons and is thank her

Awesome album. Fantastic beats. This is why we listen to whole albums and not just “the hits”.

Sounds better than current music from this genre. Enjoyed it more than I thought. Not sure I’d listen to it again though, hence score.

I've been rating more on my own personal preference and enjoyment than some kind of objective measure of quality. In other words, I haven't left any room for a rating that reflects the thought that "I can't stand this but it's an objectively great album, 5 stars." I've definitely rated the other way, as in "I know this is crap, but I love it, 5 stars." That changes a bit today. This is a 5 star album for me, more for what it represents than my enjoyment of it. I enjoy it, I appreciate it, to a 3 and a half or 4 star level. But the strength, the grace, the talent that is reflected here - the whole package taken in the context of its original release - 5 stars all the way.

Mostly good. A lot of stuff that could be cut, like the last 30 seconds of each song, and maybe a song or two as well. 7/10

Gorgeous album.

It's good but not for me. The rap is a little slow, maybe it's more of the 90s rap style.

intro- 5 lost ones- 5 ex factor- how can i explain myself. 5 to zion- 5 doo wop- 6 superstar- 5 final hour- 6 when it hurts so bad- 6 i used to love him- 5. nvm 6 for mary forgive them father- 5 every ghetto, every city- 6 nothing even matters- 5 or 6 everything is everything- 5 miseducation of lauryn hill- 5 cant take my eyes off you- 6 or 7 tell him- 5 will return to this later

Un álbum que no había escuchado antes, sin embargo, reconocí algunas de sus canciones. Puedo decir que me gustó, pero no es algo que me pondría de normal. Igualmente lo disfruté

I see why this album is so lauded overall for me it tapered off a bit at the end, but it’s very solid overall!

Hip-hop das antiga

Even though I'm aware of its stature in music history, and of a few of the singles from it, this album still overwhelmed me with its power and soul. 4.5 stars.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is clearly an important and deeply personal record, with moments that shine in both its lyrical honesty and musical confidence. Lauryn Hill’s voice is rich and expressive, and when everything aligns — like on “Doo Wop (That Thing)” or “Ex-Factor” — it really does feel special. The blend of hip hop, soul, reggae, and R&B is distinctive and ambitious, and there’s no question the album meant a lot to a lot of people when it came out. That said, for me, the album doesn’t fully hold up as a start-to-finish experience. The interludes feel a bit forced and can break the flow, and there are stretches where the pacing drags. While the peaks are great, the rest of the album feels uneven, with some tracks feeling more like sketches than fully realised songs. It’s a solid record, and I respect what it represents, but as a full listen it sits in the middle for me.

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

Sorry Lauren hill fans got 1 song in can’t do it. Didn’t like her when she came out in the 90s. Will have to give her a 1 star. I love rap love female rappers just not a fan of her.

The perfect album does not exi—

Honestly this one didn’t do anything for me, nothing at all stood out on it. I normally give every album at least two listens but I have zero desire to give this another go.

Didn't listen so I'll give it a 3

I started getting "too big for my britches" in artistic tastes because my mom would take so goddamn long in the grocery store or doctors office and I would read like the entirety of every remotely arts adjacent magazine they had. I bring that up here because I remember Time or one of the bigger magazines had a pretty good end of decade best of list and rated this number one. I had only heard the singles and had no money but I bought a used CD of it at the flea market for probably $5 or $10 with lawnmower money. The whole thing is so smooth and so good. It's unfortunate she went proper crazy but at least she got this one out.

One of the best albums ever.

Sobrevalorado

An iconic and timeless album that's incredibly worthy of all of the praise it has received over the years.

If i said "i listened to this cassette tape all the time in my first car," you would think that was in 1999 not 2010

overstays its welcome, mostly enjoyable. a couple really huge moments, some real all timers.

i love this album. kinda hate the skits but have grown to love the kids talking about love

I always want to like this more than I do, but I just think there are a few too many songs and a few too many long outros/intros/etc. Her voice is obviously gorgeous I just struggle with the complete album.

Liked it.

i was so excited when this popped up because it’s such an iconic album and i’ve literally never even heard a song off it!!! and i really liked it! can understand why it’s become such a talked about piece of work. and then i checked the reviews and it’s a bunch of bad reviews! i can only assume y’all hate women and more specifically black women bc there’s no reason for all that

I prefer this album over The score

Really good

A great album with some great songs. Lauryn Hill showed off her vocal range as well as her creativity rapping, strong lyrics and unique blends of melody. Very much enjoyed and was surprised at learning about how much modern music has been influenced by these tracks

second half not as strong as first but this is still great

I know this lands on many lists as atop album but her stuff with Fugees The Score is better IMO. Good but not a 5.

Alright. The Light My fire nod amused me

Just not something I’m interested in

Amazing to hear the samples, iconic, would listen again but just personally not a 4 because I’m not going to be wanting to play many of the songs a lot. Strong 3.5?

Release 1998 Intro 0:48 Lost Ones *** (the outro audio is solid) 5:34 Ex-Factor (Official HD Video) ** 4:38 To Zion (feat. Carlos Santana) **** 6:10 Doo Wop (That Thing) (Official HD Video) **** 4:02 Superstar *** 4:58 Final Hour ** 4:16 When It Hurts So Bad ** 5:43 I Used To Love Him (feat. Mary J. Blige) **** 5:40 Forgive Them Father *** 5:16 Every Ghetto, Every City ** 5:15 Nothing Even Matters (feat. D'Angelo) *.5 5:51 Everything Is Everything (Official HD Video) ***** 4:09 The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill **** 3:56 Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You **** (one of the best covers) 3:44 Tell Him (Audio) ***** 4:43

This was a staple in my house growing up, or maybe it just stands out compared to the others. This one, Tears for Fears, lotta REM. For that reason I have a soft spot for it. I also fucking love Doo Wop That Thing. I think its one of the best songs ever. Listening to the rest of the album though, the other songs feel a little flat and one dimensional. LH always delivers, meaning her vocal performances, but the dynamics on those other songs just dont touch the energy from That Thing. Just learned about the connection to the Marley family and now it makes a lot more sense. The horns in That Thing are sensational. I thought I wanted more original instrumentation in rap records, but it occured to me listening to this that samples can add a lot of depth to a song and a termendous amount of variety. You can't really replicate blending the recordings from 50 years of pop music, the instruments they used, the recording equipment etc. Here is works well, but it also feels a little too clean and boring at times.

I think this was the only album my sister, a huge nerd who I don't think actually likes music, ever bought. Lauryn Hill has an incredibly emotive and powerful voice that makes songs like Doo Wop and To Zion (my fav on the album) really hit hard. To Zion had me really feeling the joy and beauty and sort of ever present and hard to express but ever-present fear inherent to loving your kids so much it hurts, which isn't an emotion I've ever gotten from a pop song. Nice work, Lauryn. That said, her voice and tone is also very self-serious and sort of somber, which means she's more of small doses listen to me than someone I want to listen to a full album from. She's also a complete nutbag according to her wikipedia - evidenced by how every song is credited 'Ms Lauryn Hill,' which is apparently what she demands people, including bandmates, call her in person? She never followed up this album due to mistrust of the media, and I do wonder if the backlash against her in the MTV 90s had something to do with her being a STRONG BLACK woman refusing to be stereotyped as a ho, which was very much the fashion for pop stars at the time. Or maybe it was because she was nuts. What do I know? I'm just a white guy who thinks she was hot.

We had the Fugees before, but it never occurred to me that that trio had solo projects to this degree. Maybe its my limited perspective on hip hop these days, but I always love how 90s and even 2000s rap had a lot of R&B baked into the various albums - im thinking my first Nelly albums. Some big songs on this one. Ex Factor and Doo Woop are yuge and I find myself still hearing them around. I was a fan of the Frankie Vallie cover of I love you baby. A Santana feature is SO late 90s/2000s Very listenable, a tish longer than id like.

Love this album from start to finish. What can I say. Another one where the skits actually add to the album

It's the first time I listen to this album despite its fame. I realized I knew way more songs I imagined. It's very enjoyable, but still too long for my liking, hence the 4 stars

solid album.

♥️🌤️

One of the greats

A modern classic. Or maybe it's not modern anymore and I'm old, but that's for another day. This album has plenty of great tracks, a few great guest appearances, two all-time songs, and one incredible voice. I remember she once said she'd rather die than have a white person buy her album, but I guess she's walked that back, after some label exec convinced her that's bad for sales, no doubt. Still, listening to this feels like walking into a raucous party that is not for me, then immediately smiling and leaving. I can appreciate it but don't ever come here on my own volition, for I know I'm not wanted.

master peace

Drop just one album as fire as Miseducation, and 20 years later people will still buy tickets to your shows *despite* your decades-long reputation of showing up really, really late—or not at all. (“People” is my sister. She waited 2 1/2 hours for Ms. Lauryn in 2017 and is still mad.)

10 stars

I'm not a big neo-soul appreciator but Lauryn Hill is a real real special lady

It’s the fivest five and I will not be hearing any other commentary at this time.

🤩

Surprisingly good album. Lauryn Hill's vocals were soulful and soaring, and the beats were solid. The classroom interludes of the teacher and students talking about love were a little corny, but worked to tie the album together in a very '90's way.

Interesting voice...

들었던 적 있는 힙합 클래식

She has a great voice, the guitar in some of the songs sounded very good. But near the end it got a little repetitive for me

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.

This album seemed to be everywhere when it came out. Doo Wop and Everything still hold up.

I don't like this type of music. I don't like Lauryn Hill at all. I and really really didn't like this album.

Way too long. The mix makes it boring. It's all drums and vocals. The drums are nothing special, the vocals start to sound the same after a couple of songs. It sounds very one dimensional. It's better than the Fugees though. Favorite song: I used to love him

Ran a little long, but all in all it wasn't bad.

A brilliant R&B - Hip Hop fusion (one of the best ever).

5 city

classic shout-out eliasje also carlos santana !? ◑ω◐

This is a piece of pure culture, it has been sampled so many times and I feel I know why

She burned out fast, but she burned bright. Ex-Factor is the second best song on the album. To Zion, the greatest anti-abortion song ever. The speaking interludes I could do without. Doo Wop (That Thing) was the big hit, it's good and the video was cool. Demanding everything with your name on it come with the honorific "Ms." before it is pretentious as hell. There are a lot of R&B/Soul artists who owe a lot to this album...Amy Winehouse not the least of them. Nothing Even Matters with D'Angelo is like the NeoSoul equivalent of Batman and Superman teaming up. D'Angelo makes everything better. You don't realize how bad Frankie Valli sucks until you hear Lauryn Hill do Can't Take My Eyes Off of You, one of the all time great covers. Tell Him ends the album and is another home run.

Ty Queen for paving the way for Megan thee stallion

Not a huge RnB fan, love some hip-hop. This album nicely strides a bit of both without over doing the warbling that RnB so often does. So banging tracks also.

Really nice. Bopping to this in the grocery store running errands was pleasant. The overdubs are a bit much at times, but what are you gonna do?

Easy 5/5

Really good one. Hill is great at messaging, no matter the form. She is able to rap and sing, and combine the two into cohesive parts of the same song. She also travels through different, albeit somewhat related, genres as the album carries on. It's impressive to see her talents on display here. Also, the content is deep and personal, and resonates in a way that seems to be missing from the vast majority of major productions. She's putting her money where her mouth is, so to speak, and in doing so adds another dimension to the work beyond what you notice on first hearing. Interestingly, I felt like Doo Wop was one of the weaker songs on the album, despite it being the most famous. To me, it was less personal than the others, and the musical composition wasn't as pleasing. It wasn't bad at all, but didn't have the total impact of the others. There were some negatives; at times it felt like the music was too similar to the rest and kind of blended a bit. It also ran long, which I noticed even if I didn't necessarily dislike. I thought the last couple songs were very good, even if one were a cover. Perhaps one or two of the middle songs could've been swapped out, though I don't think it's anywhere near a fatal flaw. I did like the interweaving of the narrative by use of the "skits" throughout. They didn't add a lot to the experience, but it was a fun touch to show the theme winding its way to the end. Hill gets a lot of props from me here for her musicianship and her lyric writing. I can see why this is often considered a great album. There are a few things I disliked, but the good far outweighs the bad. Overall: 3.9/5

this is such a good album! i feel like i’ve never taken the time to listen to this record and i’m mad at myself for waiting so long. her ability to switch from singing to rapping and back again is mind boggling.

Great for it's type

Such a great listen, I come back to it often and will continue to put on regularly.

It took growing up to truly appreciate this album for what it is. The production, the sound, the conceptualization, the raps... this is one of the late 90's pillars of pop culture. So much of modern hip-hop can trace its' way back to this albums integrity and complexity. It's a huge win for female artists presenting themselves how they want to be seen and putting forward their ideas for production and songwriting.

Great mix of R&B and hip-hop. Ms. Lauryn Hill is one of a kind and this is a top album from the 90's. There isn't a bad song on this thing. 9/10

I will always love this album. So many great tracks

I didn't dislike it as much as I thought I would, still very much not for me.

Blast of 90’s nostalgia, all good stuff

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.

Great album

Ms. Lauryn Hill has such a smooth voice that's well suited to singing and rapping. Because of her vocals, this album doesn't sound like your usual nineties brash hip hop. She borders on soul music most often. The topics in her songs vary, but I found myself most drawn to "To Zion", a beautiful tribute to her first-born. I'm reminded of newer artists like Cardi B, who also faced the choice of pregnancy vs. career, and life really just is a circle.

(Ms.) Lauryn Hill is someone who I have always long heard about in the R&B space. I know her solo work in the form of this singular album is very well regarded. I had never listened to the album beyond "Doo Wop (That Thing)", so I was interested to check this out. Perhaps one of the most impressive things about this album is the songwriting. Hill wrote or has major songwriting credits on every track on the album. The lyrics are poetic and strong and certainly anything but half-assed. This album faithfully sticks to the R&B and neo-soul genres, and do those genres quite well. Those aren't necessarily favorite genres of mine, though, so this album had an upward climb with me, and unfortunately it didn't really quite get there. I am not undermining the impact of this album, but it just ultimately didn't wow me.

Talent is there with signing and rapping, however, no songs other than the top hits really stuck with me. A decent listen overall, not terrible, but I wasn't blown away by the album as a whole.

Has a good - kinda the same song over and over

I've always thought this album was overrated

Favoriten Ex factor When it hurts so Bad Tell him

It's great, buy whoever says this is the besy rap album of all time wants to get laid so badly

Wowow! This generator is giving me something good after a not so good album! I liked the second half of lost ones rather than the first 2 minutes. After listening to the full album, I can say that it is amazing!

I’ve said before that this genre isn’t my thing but an album with a reputation like this one means I especially had to give this a fair shake, and I enjoyed it fine. Like her voice is wonderful I love it a lot and I enjoyed most of the tracks I just think it goes on too long (like many double albums). If 3-5 songs were cut then this would probably be a 4 star record but it’s good but it just goes on way too long for me.

Angry biatch

Hip hop, R & B Are wedded beautifully In this acclaimed work

nice

Sometimes good, but often boring

This is the late-90's equivalent to today's Grammy-bait slop such as Jon Batiste or H.E.R. The difference is back then people were tricked into believing it was actually good. But alas, Ms. Lauryn Hill quickly exposed herself as hack with her disastrous MTV Unplugged 2.0 set. This album certainty has the appearance of a classic record but fall apart upon closer inspection. Unbelievably overrated. Key tracks: Doo-Wop (That Thing)

don’t know how i missed this one. top to bottom excellence. beats, grooves, great singer and MC, heartfelt songs. This is the kind of album you want to share with anyone

Just a flat out classic album. Orange Crush is prob my fave REM song. Poetry set to mind blowing music.

Cool listen. Will definitely listen again

This is a great album! Really enjoyed it!

Always has been a solid album all around though has been years since listening to it.

Damn!!! What an amazing album. Another gem I’ve never heard before.

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.

Really great album. Glad that I listened to it again. Even better than I remember from last time.

A classic hip-hop album that feels its length at 1hr 17mins, but undoubtedly a great listen. Crisp production, slick flow. Cool cameos from Mary J Blige, Santana, and D'Angelo

This is a truly great album but I would love to have a version without all the vibe-interrupting interludes.

I think this is the first time I’ve listened to this in full and I see the hype, although I wasn’t totally and completely blown away like I’ve been with other critically acclaimed albums. It’s nice and smooth and kind of refines a clunkier early 90s hip hop sound while also adding enough pop, soul, and r&b elements to become something wholly new. 4/5

Not normally a fan of RnB but this has some good tracks on it, especially the more rap-focused tracks

Didn't like it.

First listen I didn't really get into it. But On my second I really enjoyed it.

An absolute classic album that I will always hold high on my all time favorites. The vocal performances, the production, the concept, all around brilliant! Glad Lauren eventually did the right thing and pay her taxes!

I will always respect Ms. Hill for her evasion of taxes, because fuck theft. That money was better spent on her children, than it was for drone bombing the middle east. Good for her for doing what was best for her family, and fuck the US government and the IRS for putting her in a cage for it. Anyhoo, this is a great album, with a bit of nostalgia. This came out my senior year, and it got much play. Doo Wop is a classic hit, but I like Final Hour. Good, uplifting lyrics, nice mix of soul and hip-hop. The music on When it Hurts So Bad is awesome, as are her vocals. Definitely my favorite. She has a great singing voice and flow. Really a complete artist. This album is a 5 in my ears.

Solid r & b, soul, hip hop, and reggae vibes here. She dropped this album and then vanished into a mysterious, perplexing life away from the spotlight that makes this one album seem all the more impressive that it was able to come together at all. 3.75

Enjoyable enough

An incredibly sophisticated and enjoyable listen. Beautiful vocals mixed with engaging lyrics and themes showcase how much talent Lauryn Hill brings. One of the best albums I've never heard of before