Reviews (page 10 of 13)
Some bangers but in general hip-hop is not my jam
I have not listened to this since doing my A levels and had forgotten how much I enjoyed it. Great beats and great lyrics delivered well without any b/s (apart from the skits).
RIP John Forte.
Not sure actually. I like most songs individually, but not as an album.
Lauryn Hill is truly an icon. Some pretty iconic songs in this album, so I have to give it credit. Overall a pretty good album. Fav song is ‘How Many Mics’.
Great album
6/10
El don’t like. Lots of banging samples. But not a must.
Terminally torn on this album for myriad of reasons. Because on one hand, I don't think any soulquarian album (besides Tribe and the Roots) has as much raw swagger coupled with lethal production value. The highly talented features add so much depth to it and only help enhance the overall end product. Additionally the occasional reggae infused hip hop track is so insanely good. But on the other hand. Its a loose concept, with dodgey incomplete bars and sloopy flows interupted by god awful ad libs at times. And constantly referring to themselves as "refugees" and the group is called the "fugees" I can't quite forgive that. But maybe thats lore. Anyway its great, listen to this album before you die. Hell enjoy it, make it your favorite album. Just remember theres one overly crtical, ego maniac who can't get over small stupid shit in albums that are 30 years old.
I’ve owned this album since it came out, but probably never listened to it more than 3 times. There are fantastic tracks on this album, but as a whole, it’s not a great listen.
Great record, some top singles
You've returned to work after an 18 day holiday and this album is your soundtrack. Reuniting with Lauryn Hill like she's one of those coworkers you happen to get along with. 3.5
Okay - but too much "conversation" between songs. Reworked Killing me softly for a hit.
Interesting 2 songs stood out: Ready or not Killing me softly with his song* Sort of new those to before(maybe as a sample) 6/10
enjoyable listen liked some parts more than others
Hip hop is definitely not one of my go-to genres, but I can appreciate the fluidity and thematic sounds The Score brings. Lauryn Hill is a masterclass at what she does, truly. It’s funky, and the lyrics definitely mean some crazy stuff that I just don’t understand. Overall, I don’t see myself going back to this album but I can appreciate it for what it is.
Poppy, bubbly, high, sweet with bits of edge. Definitely a bit rose-coloured by being a teenager when it came out. Very high three.
Not my usual kind of vibe but solid album if a little repetitive. Only song I’d heard before was Killing Me Softly which isn’t even one of the best songs on the album in my opinion. Definitely worth another listen to catch the lyrics more.
Digga gar nicht Mal so schlecht richtig Solid sogar. Höre diese Art von Musik nicht Mal aber trotzdem hab ich mein Kopf gebobbed
Listening to the whole album it was kind of samey but Ready or Not is SUCH a good song. The standout of the album for me.
No es mucho mi estilo de música pero pude escucharlo perfectamente de inicio a fin. Hay algunas canciones que había escuchado antes en algún lado pero no sabía que provenían de este álbum, así como también pude notar algunas referencias usadas por otros cantantes contemporáneos. En general y con mi poco conocimiento en tema de producción musical, este álbum se sintió muy cohesivo.
Some classics
Generally not to my taste but a really good album. Witty and insightful writing, that still feels relevant today. High lights were: Zealots, Fu-Gee-La, The Score and The Mask. 3/5
You want beef? Like Burger King, have it your way.
Some great songs but could have greatly benefited from being shorter. Still will listen to the singles but probably not the full album
While i had listened to the singles on this album hundreds of times this was my first listen all the way through. The singles are excellent and hold up even if they were overplayed 30 years ago. I wish the Outsidaz were on here more I have always liked Pacewon and he and Lauren are the best rappers here in a conventional sense.
Sharp and incisive and Killing Me Softly makes valuable in and of itself
Great production. Some great songs. Loved the bass and drum sound. Seemed like smart clever lyrics.. More like 3.5 stars for me.
Album one! I was surprised I knew some songs! Ready or Not and Killing Me Softly, also, 1996 feels very early for music like this, but I am not complaining. FUCK OFFFFFFFF!!!! The Black Mirror song! Okay this was the best idea, anyone has ever had! EVER! I really liked it felt like something that could release now to the same acclaim!
21st december 25 - upbeat but really simple - classic - can be played really anywhere, you don’t need to have special ‘ears’ to really enjoy this album - can hear millions of other songs in just one of these songs from this album due to its popularity and sampling
not my vibe
75/100
was excepting more considering how good is the miseducation of lauryn hill
Some bangers here but parts of this album drag. Lauryn Hill really elevates the rest of it.
okej dag TVÅ!!! redan??!! nej skoja men idag lyssnade jag på ”the score” och ja det var en mysig start på dagen. avgudar ms lauryn hill så hennes inslag på albumet är de jag gillar mest, samples fast det en hel del av och det är alltid roligt (speciellt när man känner igen dem). overall inte riktigt min genre men kommer garanterat lyssna fler gånger i framtiden!
I listened to one song I really like it
Ich finds cool, dass in den Liedern so viele references eingebaut sind, die man wie kleine Easter Eggs verstehe oder eben nicht. Sonst sind die Texte cool und interessant, aber als jemand, der eigentlich nicht auf Text in Liedern achtet, ist es anstrengend, darauf zu achten, was genau gesagt wird. Die Melodien sind sehr einfach anzuhören und machen Spaß, weil sie leicht und teilweise verspielt sind.
I enjoyed this album even though i’m not really an rnb guy and I don’t think this album has changed that for me. My highlights of the album were Ready or Not and No Woman, No Cry.
great funk hop
Good stuff, but not my thing. 3 stars, has some good moments and real bangers.
Decent songs but too many skits.
grooovy
recognised quite a few of these, deffo not one i’d go back and listen to again but i didn’t hate it
Actually very good
Nostalgían var mikil yfir þessari plötu og ég man eftir að hafa hlustað á hana og að næstum því mótast sem rappaðdáandi. Ég er á betri stað núna. Mörg góð lög en spjall og stælar drepa stemmninguna inn á milli
Not my thing, but a couple classics on here.
теперь я запомню кто в них и также запомню что Лорен крутая певица (если это она), но сам материал и концепция меня не захватили
Some bangers but ultimately not my cup of tea.
Muy buen disco, descubriendo de donde viene la mítica "Killing me softly with his song".
Pretentious rap? Opposite of gangster rap. Good but definitely flexing knowledge. Different from when somebody is clearly smart but writing about suspect things. Like theatre kids came together into a rap group. Lauryn Hill takes a different direction with miseducation.
Killing me softly
I enjoyed this album, as much for the re-working of some familiar tunes as anything, and, like De La Soul, on the melodic end of the hip hop spectrum. But, now hoping for some 1001 variety
Turns out I like some East Coast rap.
3.5 stars
Enjoyed.
I originally got The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill the same week as Low End Theory and Enter the Wu Tang and thought that it was over hyped; a good album but not the best rap album as people made it seem. This time I get the Fugees right after The Pharcyde and Ice Cube's The Predator, and once again I feel like this is the weakest of the three. On Miseducation I thought Lauryn's style of singing/rapping got a little tiresome after an hour+ of music, but I was excited to have her voice broken up with two other rappers. Sadly these guys are charisma blackholes. They sound so bored on almost every song and their flows aren't very exciting. Their verse on Family Business sounds like the "I am riding down the autobahn with megatron" freestyle (or whatever that was). Once again this album is just too long. Also the Chinese restaurant interlude is definitely a thing that happened. High 3.
I have heard a lot of singles but honestly not the whole album.
catchy tracks with some good lyricism and good flows, but probably won’t enter my regular rotation.
i can see the influence this album had on songs to come, but hip hop still isn't my thing, fun listen tho PS i've just forgotten about killing stalking, guess my teenage years will haunt me forever
It's good but let's be real, it's too long and it's pretty repetitive. The skits also age and slow down an already extremely long record.
Hard to consider this a classic but it sure set things on fire in 1996 and was the flavor of the months. It's not great, it's not cutting edge and it hasn't stood the test of time but boy, it's got a fat listen count. Talked to a friend of mine and he talked about how many times he played that album as a 20-something. It sounds dated to me today. Samples galore (Enya, The Flamingos, Teena Marie, Roberta Flack, Kenny Rogers, etc) make up the backbone of nearly every song. Most tunes have over 10M listens with "Ready Or Not" (437M), "Fu-Gee-Lee" (205M), "Killing Me Softly" (902M) & the Bob Marley cover "No Woman No Cry" coming in at 97M. That right there gets you on this list, even if it would never make my personal T1001. I prefer Lauryn Hill's singing voice ("Killing Me Softly") over her rapping voice. It's got it's place in history, but just isn't my thing. Influence is likely there, hits are present, impact at the time was solid. 3 stars.
OK, not really my thing
Not a bad album just not my cup of tea.
Killing Me Softly has been one of my favorite 90's songs since I was a teenager. I hoped the rest of the album could live up to that but a lot of it was actually kinda boring.
generational carry by lauryn hill but still mid ngl
Prima album, niet helemaal mijn muziek
It's not my thing I heard ready or not before it's a really famous song, it's catchy for sure I know who Lauryn Hill is! To be fair, rn, in the metro it's hard to make out anything really haha I'll try to finish this later today Okay Fu-Gee-La is really enjoyable The more r&b influences the better! It was good, but I'm not crazy about it
Feels like a really good album that just doesn't quite click with me. Might re-listen at some point
fun but not my usual sound
If I had to count the number of times during this experience that an album had a racist skit about going to a Chinese restaurant, it'd be two. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. (Other time in Ice Cream Castle by The Time, to be clear not on the 1001 albums list) This had some high points (Ms. Lauryn Hill usually involved) and some points where I got pretty bored. Rounding up to 3 stars.
Jos tavoite oli mahdollisimman laiska biitti ni onnistui. Onhan tuossa nuo hittikierrätykset ihan kuunneltavia ja aikansa poppoo tuokin
This was pretty good in parts but even the big songs weren't as good as when I was younger. Yes they brought a different approach to the genre and some inspired lyrics but the whole thing didn't quite work.
I have quite enjoyed this. The tracks sounds good, they sound like they enjoyed making it. I'm not sure I was too bothered about everything they were rapping about, but it was a fun ride. Better than expected.
131/1001 The Fugees - The Score Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❓ I've heard the singles from this and they are absolutely classic. There's a lot on here at an hour and 16 and so there's equally a lot that's just there for me. I wouldn't be adverse to listening again, I just don't know when I would...
I love Lauryn Hill's voice but R&B had never really been my thing. Regardless this album contains a lot of iconic songs that I did get war flashbacks from listening to while also enjoying them.
Not really my thing but I liked how political it was, and how many references.
Ультра-хиты вне времени, пространтства, языков, и так далее. Но песни вокруг - часто и мисс. Мисс Лорин Хил тащит этот альбом соло. Лучшая песня - Ready or Not.
Good shit
Pure bops
Some bangers on here, we need a Fugees revival
7/10
I enjoyed the Lauren hill and Wyclef songs more than the others.
It’s a bop, it’s going to be on rotation.
Fine enough R&B. Some herald this as an incredible, timeless album, and I don't see it. Like, if you're already a fan of the genre, then I can see how this may be a landmark release, but it didn't really do much for me. Parts are catchy, then it gets a bit dumb/ridiculous. The famous tracks - Killing Me Softly, Ready or Not, are great. Asides from a few tracks, most of the album sounds kinda the same with not much interesting standing out throughout the 50 minutes not taken up by Killing Me Softly/Ready or Not.
What’s most apparent upon hearing “The Score” (one of the most popular albums listed in my mom’s 1997 high school yearbook) is that Lauryn Hill is a star. Wyclef and Pras deliver too, but there’s nothing more impressive than Lauryn’s performance on this album. Her ability to rhyme and sing well is a highlight throughout the hour long runtime. No wonder Miseducation was as big as it was. But anywho, another reason for why The Score is a good time is the samples. There’s strong melodic ideas anchoring these songs to satisfaction especially on Zealots, Ready Or Not, Fu-Gee-La and The Beast. The three “refugees” ebb and flow with much staying power on these beats. I do like how the album is structured with recurring themes and callbacks like a movie. There’s even a spoken word intro and outro with proper credits as well. I will say that after the mega-hit Killing Me Softly (the climax), the album goes into a falling action where the rest of the songs aren’t as memorable. But that cover of No Woman No Cry makes a worthwhile impression leading into a strong closer. I totally understand why this was popular at a time like 1996. It was something fresh, meaningful and it introduced the world to three forces with their own unique voice. “Oh-La-La-La” (8/10, 4/5 on this scale) (Update: 7/10, 3/5 on this scale)
Think I need to listen again to get more out of the lyrics but this is really close to a 4
It runs a bit long for me, and a few of the skits are extremely unnecessary, but the good stuff is damn good. And some of the lyrics hit especially hard today, considering where we're at in our society right now. "Zealots", in particular. 3.5/5
Couple of decent songs Can defo recognise some parts that got sampled by other songs Parts of the album are forgettable
Hip hop is really not my thing, and I don’t know what makes this album so highly regarded. It’s decent, it bounces along nicely, sounds quite smooth and laid back, some nice hooks, but it’s not something I will reach to play again.
Not my cup of tea but Zealots is amazing. I don't know if with Ready of Not Enya was mad.
i get this is a big rap album, but i kinda did not mesh with it as much as i thought i would have. the chinese skit also takes an additional star off lol
Didnt hate this album, good old school hits on it
Not entirely my cup of tea, but I've always been interested in 90s RnB 🤔
Ganz netter Hip Hop, aber ich muss hier mal eben das Ranking wieder auf normales Niveau bringen, ist doch kein 3x5 Sterne Album ihr Spinnerbande
Good but nothing really stood out to me.
I thought a lot of the songs were enjoyable but they often had parts I didn’t like as much. Wasn’t a fan of the skits between tracks. I liked that the songs had moments that called back to each other. Fun to listen to but probably not something I’ll listen to again. Fav song: No Women, No Cry Least fav: How Many Mics
Some really great songs on this album. I enjoyed it. Maybe a bit too long for my taste, but other than that...
If, as Chuck D said, rap is Black CNN, references to Newt Gingrich as a cultural opponent age as well as a weather report from 6 months ago. Hard to evaluate this so long after its popularity; it has some hooks, but also more than a few De La Soul scatalogical doodoo references that marr the talent on this record.
2.6 On paper this should be good. Mixed gender 90s hip-hop group, that launched the career of a few solo stars. Why is it so disappointing then? It seems overly formulaic, almost every song follows the same structure - a 2-3 second sample that is sometimes interesting, sometimes not, repeated as infinitum except one point in the track where it drops out for 10 seconds or so, a simple drum loop, and then verses which cycle through the members. Over and over and over again.
monessa, monessa, koss sennheiser, qobuz --- tää oli vaikee saada loppuu. meinasin antaa 2 tähtee mut 3 tää ansaitsee köntsin tähän mennessä
Key songs are great, the rest falls flat
Listenable.
Too Much Noodling Thirty years on, this album still has a reputation, and bits of it do justify that kudos. But, a lot doesn't. Noodling around, snatches of conversations, yadda yadda. The hit tracks do shine through, but it just does nothing for me.
When The Score was released I was in high school, and it felt like an explosion of cultures and sounds all at once. Growing up in a beach town, Marley was always the soundtrack, and hearing the Fugees bring something so new to something so familiar, it opened everything up in a whole new way.
Pretty good but not for me
3/5 it was pretty good
Insane Lauryn Hill carry job. Wyclef Jean’s No Woman No Cry cover tempted me to give this a 2. Best song: Ready or Not
I was expecting more (I might've over hyped about this one.) It felt a little overproduced, but they have a knack for it, the Fugees sound is very marketable. If things had been different, their version of Killing Me Softly never would've been recorded, and that's not the universe we wanna live in. I wish it was a little more artsy. I wish their inspirations weren't so constantly literal. I wish the album art didn't look so fucking badass, like a funked out godfather influence, when that's not what this project sounds like -to me-. It started off pretty hard, and there's undeniable talent. Lauryn's voice is like silk after a steamy shower, I swear, and it pairs so well with the group. She's also SO talented with that pen. I mean they all are, but she stands out for a number of reasons. It's not a bad effort. The skits might ruin the fun of individual songs, and as a project I feel like it could flow better but it's still definitely worth its listen. Press play if you wanna feel urban New Jersey energy, hardship, struggle, consciousness, values. I'd listen again. I would buy the record if it's easy on my wallet. 3/5
Ah this takes me back. Great in most places but is guilty of some filler. The songs that follow the style of rap with sung choruses seem to be the best.
3.5
Stolen valour, Enya FTW
This sounds like something that would be playing in a small to mid-sized town tattoo shop. It was good, but not really for me. 3 point something rounded down to a 3.
Cool, accessible hip-hop
Yeah, alright.
Amazing album
i liked the album until that racist skit. it’s a bit weird and put a damper on the whole thing otherwise solid album
Un peu trop long mais very good
Released when I was 21, some classic singles. Was never a huge fan, never grabbed me. Doing a more active listen this time. Some interesting verses, a bit slow for my taste. The sketches are lame, maybe funny first time bad for repeat listens.
I liked Ready or Not and Killing Me Softly. Otherwise not great.
Heard a couple of the songs before… but wtf is Chinese restaurant skit most racist shit I’ve ever heard.
Pretty dynamic album - killing me softly is great. Enjoyed it overall even though I'm not usually a hip hop fan.
chachi
Compared to miseducation of Lauryn Hill this one has less tonal but more vocal variety. I'd place them on the same height.
Enjoyed this but unlikely to return.
I liked this more than I thought I would.
Skits kill the flow of the album. Lauryn Hill saves many of the songs.
Nice groove, the album has a listenable flow throughout
Better than the last few albums. Maybe a little too much talking on some tracks.
3.5
I can see why this is rated highly but I'd have to be in the right mood for it
felt like it had some iconic songs in the album, but usually im not a fan of rap. This was more like a classic rap. wasnt too bad
Really good old school hip hop record!
I like it well enough, but a lot of rapping gets a bit same-y. 3.5?
Nekoliko finih pjesama plus tipični hip hop ostatak s anti-progresivnom muzikom. Zaključak i da smeta višak vokala, istovremeno je monotono i teško za upratiti.
Nice flows, good production, but too laid-back for me. Skits are slightly too stupid. Picks itself up during the second half though. Pretty cool, overall.
it was fine. the singles were the bops for sure, the rest of it kind of bled together.
Day572 - when your biggest hits are cover songs maybe your a cover band. i’m kind of kidding but as big as this album was their shelf life was short
Somewhat dated, Hill is the star obviously. 3/5 Heard before? Just the singles Owned: No 1/1001, 1/4 (25%) Will I get? No Recommend: No
Everything here feels very tastefully made, a lot more polished than other albums from the era. The album cover is absolutely great and iconic, sidenote. I find myself enjoying some songs here, but not really the overall project. The skits, while not bad like some other albums, still ruin the flow of the overall listening experience. Some of the songs here are good, but they never really seem to hit a real high. Still enjoyable, but not something i'd listen often.
Some good but not honestly my favourite. Like it’s still nice but some of the more sorta sparse sounding songs on the album got a bit boring. Gets a 3 stars though
Ready or not ….
Een aantal bekende nummers waar ik nooit naar de herkomst heb gekeken, tot nu. Denk aan Ready or Not, of No Woman No Cry. Ook De rap nummers zijn wel oke maar niet waarbij ik iets heb van: wauw, dit ga ik nog een keer beluisteren. Het was wel weer een lang album, ruim een uur en bijna anderhalf op de extended edition. De mixjes aan het einde hoefde niet van mij.
I am not a huge fan of rap but this felt quite accessible for me, perhaps it is because a lot of the melodies were purloined from other songs. I think its called sampling isn't it? and thinking about it today, isn't it similar to a band that only does cover songs? Don't get me wrong some cover versions actually add something to the song - i'm thinking John Cale's Heartbreak Hotel but here? Hmm ironically the song I liked best was Cowboy where I couldn't determine the source of the riffs.
Full disclosure, I'm not a huge hip-hop fan. That said, I didn't mind this album. I thought that the beats were solid, I liked most of cover songs, and Lauryn Hill's vocals are great. Favorite tracks are probably the cover of "No Woman, No Cry", "Killing Me Softly With His Song", and "The Score".
Podria haber disfrutado mas de "Killing me softly" si pintingo no la hubiera asesinado con su version que ha sonado tanto que ha quemado la cancion. Destacable "Ready or not", "Zealots" (con un sample de "The Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes For You" tambien muy recomendada") y "No woman, no cry". Por lo general muy gozoso a pesar de no estar en mi epoca mas hiphopera.
Pretty cool, really liked Zealots and The Beast but I don’t enjoy the sketches at the end of many of the songs. Love the alternating voices though, Lauryn is an all timer for sure. (3.5 stars)
Unlike some of the other 90s hiphop albums on this list, this one hasn't aged as poorly. I didn't love a lot of the vocal samples though, maybe because I listened while I was working and they jarred me out of what I was doing. I wish I liked it more because it felt really interesting and creative and like it has a lot to say. Alas, I simply did not.
Very good!
3.75
I respect the effort, but not my jam
Not my usual music genre but I enjoyed it
2,5
Hell yeah. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean are a match made in heaven. The flow of this album is so good.
Mellow, it was ok.
It is good, just too much of the same thing IMO
Honestly I think the beats kinda blend together and the lyricism is a bit dull. Killing Me Softly is an all-timer though and I do appreciate Lauryn Hill. I’m a big fan of her Unplugged album.
Pretty good. Favourite song: The Beast Ready or Not, Zealots, and Killing Me Softly are great, too. I'm not a crazy fan of the super long sections where the band is talking normally. It makes it hard to listen to the music casually.
It was pretty good! I knew a few of the songs already which helped. I doubt I’d listen again, however Overall: 3/5
Killing me softly ♥️
COME BACK AND REVIEW THIS!!!
Enjoyed the big hits and Lauryn Hill’s vocals. Apart from The Mask, the rest I didn’t really care for.
I am slightly in two minds about this one. Overall I found it reasonably enjoyable and Lauryn Hill’s charisma makes for some solid tracks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag - interestingly I found some of their biggest hits didn’t necessarily gel with the general thrust of the album. But I think it’s worthy of a 3 rather than a 2.
This is where multiple artists seems to work for the most part and lots of styles complementing each other again mostly. More than just another rap album I would say on that basis as quite diverse. They have some strong songs in the mix in this album. "How many Mics" seemed very poor and in contrast to the rest of the album for me. Maybe I missed the joke or something. A very generous 3. I just feel typical for this genre is a checklist of how they must be. Just an echo of what came before. Least this has more artistic variation though.
thought id like it more but its just good
Chill hip hop for the most part. Killing Me Softly almost doesn't fit on the album.
Not as tight as "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" which I think managed to weave it's songs more consistently compared to this one here where they have many different sounds and moods, which are good and I like them but it just doesn't end up making music that stands out a whole lot to me. I mean it's best songs are basically the classics and the parts where Lauryn Hill just brings in a catchy hook or great bars, she's just more interesting than Wyclef or Pras which no wonder she made the groundbreaking album after this one. It's good but it could have been paired down into something much more consistent frankly
As an alternate to gangster rap I love it. Clear Haitian and reggae influences while still being clearly American cultural experiences. Seems stylistically an inspiration for Eminem, but that's just me. B side kinda bad.
Definitely deserves to be here. Wasn’t instantly impressive to me though - more of a grower to me
Not my thing. The songs I found compelling were just rearrangements and changes to the lyrics of great hit songs of the past. I enjoyed those songs, but the rest of the album seemed like filler to me. I suppose if you don’t know the original versions of these songs, you might think the Fugees are brilliant.
Ready or not and Killing me softly with his song were everywhere when this came out. They are still both great. I haven't heard the other songs before and while it is a mixed bad there are more songs than just those two that I like.
Un álbum que habla sin tapujos del racismo, del clasismo, del rechazo a la gente de los barrios y particularmente a los negros. Lo demuestra no solo en las letras crudas de “The Mask”, sino también en la poca producción de los temas. Producción muy natural y cruda enfocándose en las voces (destacando la de Lauryn Hill) y en el mensaje de las canciones. Las versiones de temas como la exitosa “Killing Me Softly With His Song” que aporta la balada R&B imprescindible de finales de los 90s y “No Woman, No Cry” completan un álbum que es imprescindible y pionero en el hip hop.
Interesting album. Lauryn Hill has such a great voice. “Fuck the sheriff, I shot John Wayne.” Classic. Love it.
This album was huge in 1996. Stylistic & rhythmic personification of cool. Their rendition/cover of "Killing Me Softly" received a ton of attention and was played...everywhere. "Ready or Not" is the best song on the album though.
The one hit that people know isn't representative of their sound. Enjoyed the album
A little bit mixed, when it was good it was really good, but also had some pretty bad wtf moments.
Meh
Decent
I liked No Woman, No Cry and Killing Me Softly.
I was hoping this would be better given the people involved and the reputation of the album but seemed a bit uninteresting for most of the album. Gets better towards the end.
Not really my thing, but probably more interesting to me now than if I had heard it when it came out. Now that this is "vintage" hip hop it has a bit more cachet.
3 stars The first few songs are great but the rest of the album didn’t impress me much. I may listen to again.
A classic. It's fine. 3/5
Liked the girl
Nice bit of hip hop 7/10
A nice departure from the rapid-fire style that my limited exposure tells me dominated at the time. Groovy, R&B style, comfortably sing-along while still hitting the same themes and realities. The interplay between the voices is fine-tuned.
I was never really a fan of the Fugees. I didn’t really appreciate the covers, for which they seemed to be lauded. I could’ve done without those. Although today, the album hit me in a better way. The lyrics were potent. And I couldn’t get enough of Fugee la-la. That was what made it for me. Still, I’m really not sure I’m ever gonna listen to this again by choice. It’s a solid 3.5.
This version of killing me softly is fantastic.
This one didn't really land with me. The similarity of the beats and tempos didn't really change from track to track — it got terribly repetitive. The dynamic between the three MCs also bore a similar flavor throughout, so while it presented a cool vibe and there were sections where I appreciated the unsyncopated delivery of the rap, I was tired of the record long before it finished.
Som wu- tang, fast snällare/mesigare. Lauren Hill räddar skivan. Bästa spår: Redy or not. Fu-Gee--La. Att samåka Enya och få det att låta bra är genialiskt. Trista val av covers; Killing me softly och No woman no cry.
Цей альбом справді культовий. У час коли він вийшов, він звучав дуже автентично. Це було вміло поєднання брейк-бітових бітів та семплів класичного R&B та соулу, що для знавців хіп-хопу вже давно асоціюється з фірмовим звучанням східного узбережжя. Проте попри культовість, зараз він місцями звучить нуднувато, бо на мою думку йому трохи бракує технічності у виконанні. Цей альбом в першу чергу був розрахований на комерційний успіх, тому пішов у бік спрощення на відміну від дебютника Blunted on Reality (1994). І будьмо чесними, зараз цей альбом слухається поціновувачами здебільшого як інтерлюдія до геніального альбому Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998). Саме Lauryn була серцем Fugees та здебільшого завдяки їй The Score має усі ці лаври. Голос та подача Lauryn тут просто шикарні, слухаючи цей альбом вперше я спіймав себе на думці, що увесь час прослуховування я чекав на її партії й радів коли вони починались. З приводу текстів - він доволі різнобарвний, але як і личить хіп-хопу східного узбережжя тих часів - має свою «фірмову агресію» що вміло переплітається з іронією та сильними соціальними висловлюваннями. Цей альбом дійсно варто послухати для більш цільної картини тогочасної реп музики, але якщо ви хочете одразу перейти до охуєнного, вище вже написаний альбом Lauryn Hill.
I always feel like I don't have the right language to review hip hop but I'll try! Some cool beats, but, with hip hop, because I often struggle to relate to/engage with the words, I need some exciting things to be happening musically before I start to respond. First half of The Beast was a good example - loved the repeating musical motif. I didn't get the sweary last minute though, so it's not going on my playlist 😆 Fu-gee-la was probably my favourite, musically. Overall - a quality album; I understand the appeal, but too much rap for me personally. (I did go down an enjoyable rabbit hole investigating the sampled tracks on The Beast, which, I now know, include the Headhunters c.1975, as well as Millie Jackson c.1977. Fabulous! And a further rabbit hole has taken me to Millie Jackson's apparently infamously bad album cover designs. Recommend 🤣).
J'ai pas tout écouté mais j'ai pas détesté
j'aime pas trop le rnb (je déteste carrément même) mais il faut avouer que là c'est particulièrement bien fait
I knew I wasn't going to love 90s east coast jazzy instrumentals. However, they were more interesting than I thought and the flow / delivery on some tracks is great. I can see why it's viewed as a classic but I don't see myself returning to many of the tracks.
Way too much sampling in this one for me.
Good vibes, I think some songs are just a little bit long.
Interesting that they used samples of songs from this album on this album. Otherwise…
A few good songs, a lot of crap.
Pretty hit or miss for me, some standout tracks but a lot of the raps started to sound pretty samey. The themes and commentary were good but also not anything I haven't heard before
Liked it more than I thought I would. Lauryn Hill is really talented
I have listened to this album a handful of times for cred hoping I would eventually become hip with it best songs to me are their covers :P
3.0 - Ok
good album, definitely some good songs
Need to re-listen… Initial reaction is that it isn’t as good as Miseducation
I totally understand the historical importance of this album, but I found its listening experience a bit dull. Lots of highs and lows on this one.
This is pretty cool. Lauryn's voice just adds to this and puts it above others artists. The beats are good and very groovy. High 3
I'm not much into hip-hop, but I love how Lauryn Hill sings.
Love how the record flows between hard bars & a chill tone
I'm not much of hip hop person, but this was pretty good. 3*
There's certainly some fun samples going on in this r&b record, Killing Me Softly was really pretty good, I didn't realize that this was Lauren Hill singing. It's not for me but a pretty good 3 album with the samples and Lauren's voice was really good, and a nice cover of No Woman No Cry.
Mostly all enjoyable music. Did not enjoy the lyrical delivery though. Some choruses were catchy.
I would not ordinarily listen to hip hop but I really liked this album. It is very accessible for someone like me who does not listen to it normally. The covers were faithful but definitely still within the style of the rest of the album. Would listen again.
The Fugees put out a pretty good one with this album. A little reggae mixed in with hip-hop and r&b that bumps along quite chill-fully. I'm a fan of the trio but without Ms. Hill, they would be just mediocre. LH is by far the best lyricist and with her skills as a rapper and singer... she's a double hitter that carries the squad. Didn't like the guest emcee appearances and the skits were lame but record as a whole is solid and was a hit. "The Score" scores a 3.33.
I really like the "beats" or the instrumentation/ competition over witch the artists are singing. I also think the female vocals are very pleasant. I think this style of R&B/ Hip Hop is very relaxing to listen to.
Letting things go is easier than grasping onto something new. Cramping hands and aching neck. Prove that you can do it anyways. The only way out is through. One foot in front of the other. Look nowhere but ahead, focused and driven with head held high. Prove it to them, observers observed or not. Maybe stronger together can be something attainable. Prove it to yourself.
I know I’m probably gonna be in the minority here but I’m just not a huge fan of this album. I’ve always heard how good it is and maybe that played into some of my disappointment. Lauren Hill obviously has an amazing voice, killing me softly is a banger and I loved the no woman no cry cover but there were just a few too many songs that I was tuned out for. I know. Don’t @ me.
3+ Stars (9/15)
great voice
očekivo sam neka tipična rep niga sranja, no ovo je kvalitetno, raznovrsno, jako ugodno iznenađenje! iako nije moj đir uopće, neki su mi se dijelovi jako svidjeli
I've never listened to this whole album before, and I was hoping to really like it. I felt a little let down. It's just fine. The 2 best songs are covers.
Muy largo, pero tiene buenos hits.
It was fine, im glad i listened to it i might come back at some point, many songs i recognised which i didnr expect aa this is not my usual taste of music. All in all a good album
Fav: Killing Me Softly With His Song Least Fav: How Many Mics
3/5 Some very good songs but everything is too long. Not something I would keep on repeat. The filler is this album's biggest issue
Fun listen, but I didn't connect on a deeper level.
i got over them 10 years ago
Entertaining, with some fun takes on a couple of classic songs from the seventies. Parts feel overindulgent in the way a lot of rap from the nineties can feel today.
I knew this album made waves when it came out but I never listened for some reason. Not a perfect album, but it’s pretty great.
Have not listened to this in years and had forgotten how much I enjoyed it. Great beats and great lyrics delivered well without any b/s (apart from the skits).
Some pleasant songs
It was not my favorite style but it was well done and I can appreciate their skills.
Good 90s rap album, great time for the genre.
It was like more poetry singing type rap , not bad but I wouldn’t really re listen. I get it’s a classic album but I would really only re listen to 3 songs. Also there are like 30 NJ references and they are actually from south orange lol
3 maybe 4
A high point of the 90s r&b/hip-hop world. Laid back, chill beats. Showcase of Lauryn Hill’s versatility and good raps by the others. Solid listen
Ready or Not and Killing Me Softly are great. Some of the other songs are pretty good. But the interludes/skits kills it for me every time. All in all though it was fairly enjoyable.
So so
In spite of having Lauryn Hill, a great choice of beats and some particular ways of rapping and singing, I didn't really connect with this album, which is a shame for me
I was six when this album came out, and when Fugees dominated the Top 40 countdown I’d pretty much live by between the ages of six and twelve. Six was a difficult age, I think. I have this memory of being quite uncomfortable in an indoor playground, maybe 20 ft high at the time, holding a bottle of Panda Pop blue flavour – tired, grumpy. The Fugees is on, “Killing me softly”. Even then, under those most testing of conditions, I liked it. I liked “Ready or not” too, even memorised some of the rap. Later I’d like Lauryn Hill, and, against all odds, I’d like Wyclef’s early solo chart hits too. (Thankfully, this record is much, much better than Mr Jean’s solo work.) Of course, that memory isn’t of the tiredness or grumpiness, or even necessarily of Panda Pop, it’s of that solo vocal that opens the track. A generational voice, which feels fitting since it’s one of my earliest musical memories (Spice Girls’ “Wannabe”, released the same year, is another early memory; another strong emotional response that will, now I’m thinking about it, form the template of all excited future reactions to new music). 29 years later, the effect isn’t any less. Fugees may have been my first ever melancholy, which is to say that I heard them at exactly the moment I needed to. Six was a difficult age, but it was made easier by moments like that.
Hyped hip hop album with some chart topping hits.
Listen, if you’re going to make an album over an hour long, you need a reason. I don’t want to listen to the same style/beat over and over and over again, no matter how good it is. They’re a talented bunch for sure but I’m not really digging their rapping beats, even when the lyrics are excellent. Idk man, I feel like I should like this more than I do. Obviously I’m not their target audience, old white lady that I am, but that doesn’t stop me from loving on some other rap/hip hop albums. I think the whole rap/reggae vibe isn’t for me. I like reggae. I like SOME hardcore rap. But the overlying rap is kinda ruining the musical reggae vibe for me. This is a 2.5 for me. I’ll probably round up because I think it’s more a me problem than a them problem.
Enjoyable
the parts with her were awesome. needed more of that and less of the rest
This was so much better than expected. Always assumed Fugees would be like that soft, irritating RnB type sound, but this is so much better. A lot more rap and serious than I expected. Easily better than a lot of similar artists on this list. Feels daft giving it a 3 but it’s mainly as it’s not entirely my cuppa tea and I cant imagine rushing back. Very strong 3.5
Lots of good stuff on here, Fugees have a really good mix of talents and when it comes together it makes some good songs. The album suffers from a lot of the same issues as previous hip hop/R&B albums, too long, lots of pointless filler, repetitive use of samples and lines. Not sure no woman no cry is different enough to the original to warrant inclusion. That all said it was decent, none of the lines made me roll my eyes and it doesnt touch on any of the gangsta themes that plague other hip hop.
Nice album overall. Smooth rapping/singing, nice beats. I found it quite relaxing, which I don't think was the aim. Would have given it a 4, but I didn't know Killing Me Softly was a cover, so I'll knock it down. The rest of the tracks, even Ready or Not, don't hold a candle to it.
Visai fainai, siaip nera tokia muzika, kurios klausyciau, bet smagu isgirst classics
I know this album. Not my favorite, but I know it was very well received.
I recognize that this is interesting, competent music, but I can't enjoy listening to it while working. Too much to pay attention too. Would probably be great in a club or while driving.
Yllättävän hyvä! Kokonaisuus pysyi näpeissä koko ajan. Hittejäkin oli jopa kaksi, enpä tiennyt että ne oli tällasen bändin molemmat! Väkivaltaisen skitin olisi kyllä voinut jättää pois, mutta aikansa kuvaa se on (oikeesti mikä juttu toi oli). Tokalla kuuntelulla ehkä jopa 4.
Saumaton kokonaisuus, sopivan melodista samplausta ja - voiko tämän sanoa ääneen - "rento" ote. Ei ilmiselvää hittiä minun tietämättömään korvaani (I know), mutta luultavasti kuuntelisin levyn toistekin.
90s hip hop is a blind spot for me. It turns out I knew three songs off the album. This album could come out today and be a huge hit.
average
Strangely bearable, considering that it's not my thing
Album vraiment sympa à écouter, mais oh la la combien de reprises de fu gee la, et à la fin j’en suis un peu las… et il ma doucement tué 😉l’envie de mettre une quatrième étoile
Fint underholdt. Jeg er mere til sangene end til rap sektionerne. Det er ret langt.
Though it's not my usual genre, this was a fun album. It had a groove that kept me bopping. Some of the vocals were a bit.. silly? But I enjoyed it
Not bad, just made me wish I was listening to "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" instead though. Killing me Softly is a BOP though 7/10
Но вуман но край, а в остальном наверное тоже ничего
Pretty solid album overall.
This album has some good stuff and some stuff I don’t really care for. There are some solid tracks but a lot of stuff I can easily skip. Well produced, and Lauryn Hill has a great voice. Wyclef kinda gets on my nerves, and I can’t hear “killing me softly” without thinking of this perverted guy at summer Y camp insisting it was a song about pleasuring a woman, so…yeah.
It was okay..
im not really a lyrics-first music-second person usually, though like burger king, have it your way indeed it comes with some cool vibes and a likeable charm
What even was that chinese restaurant thing
Even though I don't use to listen to Reggae Rap, I loved the fusions they made in many of their songs. Is really chill and it just takes you there. However, I feel like after a while, feels kind of repetitive, but is kind of the thing with rap I guess, and is more abut the lyrics. It is good, but also not my style
⭐⭐⭐ 6/10 The album starts strong but then becomes dreary. After the weird intro the song 'How Many Mics' start with a great beat and nice flow making you think, I'm up for something good'. This feeling continues till the song Family Business. After this the soulful song 'Killing me softly' stalls this flow. The funk doesn't return afterwards and the album becomes hard to listen to with 'Cowboys' being the only nice song on the second half of the album. Would've given it 4 stars if the album weren't this long.
This is a good one for me to listen to, because my priors were: I don't like Lauryn Hill (based almost entirely on one song that was popular), I don't really like 'Killing Me Softly', and therefore, I don't like the* Fugees. Even though I know they're highly acclaimed! I know! But I do like Wyclef Jean! Am I a huge sexist? I mean, the data speaks for itself. Anyway, so I had the impression they were mostly slow jams, and they are not: they are mostly raps. For me, this is an upgrade. Also they make so many media references, and since this is 1995, I know them! The slur count is nonzero though, which is a (near-inevitable given the genre) downgrade. Highlights: 'Ready or Not', 'Fu-Gee-La' (hearing the 8000 remixes actually made me like it more and not less, especially the ~global~ one), the line "lyrics fast like Ramadan", 'The Mask', 'No Woman, No Cry', the fact that 'Outro' is basically spoken credits Retroactively obvious realisations: omg, 'Fugees' is short for 'refugees'! *OK apparently there is no "the" in their name, which is something I always find grammatically difficult (I think we had another band like this, although I forget who it is -- (the) Talking Heads, maybe?). Anyway, if I had said "I don't like Fugees", now that I know "Fugees" is short for "Refugees", that seems open to problematic interpretation, so I put the "the" even though it's wrong. l a n g u a g e
before this I only knew Wyclef Jean from Shakira's music. Pretty cool. First album from the year I was born!
Some really good tracks (that are ultimately cover songs) surrounded by some decent songs, but ultimately compared to hip hop records that came before and after this (including Lauryn Hill's solo) I don't undertstand the significance.
Not much to say. Pretty good 90's hip hop. Had heard a lot of the album before but never sat down to listen to the whole thing through. (5 known / 10 new)
Iconic- more rap, very concept driven and a commentary on society and how black culture is perceived
Okay.
7/10 Highlights: Ready or Not Family Business How Many Mics The Mask Zealots
Influential but not my fav
Already listened to it, I like it but I'm not a huge fan of Rnb. I recognize the greatness, it's just not for me.
The background beats are super catchy and definitely make you want to bop your head. I can totally see why these tracks have been sampled by many. It was cool to hear the "I Only Have Eyes For You" sample in "Zealots." I love the contrast between conversation and singing. All of the songs flow into one another too. The ending of "Family Business" which includes a more stripped down version of "Killing me Softly With His Song" leads into "Killing Me Softly With His Song", resulting in a more dramatic effect. It was also nice to hear a different twist on the songs that were remixed, one of my favorites was "Fu-Gee-La (Sly & Robbie Mix)." Overall the album is really groovy and great to listen to. Some parts were not much different and kind of sounded repeated but I loved it more than I thought.
1. red - 0 2. micz - 1.5 3. ready - 2.5 4. zealotz - 2 5. beazt - 0 6. fugeela - 2.5 7. family - 1.5 8. killing - 4 9. zcore - 3 10. mazk - 1 11. couuboyz - 0 12. cry - 1 13. manifezt - 1.5 14. camp - 1 15. robbiez - 1 16. mizta - 17. refugee -
Great hip hop album. Lauren Hill has a beautiful voice. Some outstanding lines in the album. Will listen to again. Hip hop isn’t my normal listen.
Very talented vocal artist. Still, I never could get into this álbum. Reminds me of friends hanging put and singing in the livingroom. 99% explicit.
I remember this being better in middle school.
classic 90's rap. golden
Jams
Det var ikke helt min kop te, dog var det et stykke musik som man ville kunne dykke ind i hvis man havde mere styr på musik komposition. Det har jeg ikke endu.
I liked 'How Many Mics' and its lyrics, and then I recognized the intro to Ready or Not and Killing Me Softly With His Song! I didn't realize Fugees was the creator behind these iconic songs.
Another good old school hip hop album with a lot songs that turned into samples for current day songs. Not too shabby
It's got a few good tracks bit it's dated a little
A pretty good album. Some classic hip-hop. yeah not bad but not much to say
Love when Lauren Hill is singing
I liked the singles and the 90s beats. It was too long though and the skits are always annoying
That was ok. Just a three though. Would not complain if someone put this on, but I would be thinking of someone else.
The songs were nice and sometimes very good. But man, the static crackling and talking/skits really drag down the quality.
The Good: The Score had an interesting cast of Bobby DeNiro, Ed Norton, Angela Basset and the great Marlon Brando! The Bad: Even with such a stellar cast, the movie didn’t meet expectations. The Ugly: This album is the same… I am no fan of hip-hop, and I try to do my best to keep an open mind when listening to any hip-hop album that appears on the list. So, The Score shows and my thoughts are “NOOOOOOOOOOO……” When this album originally came out, the mid-90s were going through some serious identity crisis. We had the OJ trial which divided society in half, and just like you have today, it seems that if you weren’t on the “OJ is innocent” side, well then you must be a racist pig. If you couldn’t appreciate the effort The Fugees put into the album, and how great they are, then dito, you must be a racist pig. And that is my problem with this album. It is too political, too polarizing, too much trying to be something instead of being something. But the album was successful across the board, even if 2 of the 3 hits were pretty much cover songs, and that is something that was impressive enough. So, 3* as this little pig doesn’t like to squeal!
Like the music, but almost are E
Couple really good songs. The rest is generic. Overrated album like Miseducation.
Growing up in the 90s, I was of course very familiar with the Fugees' hits. I can't say I had ever listened to the whole album before, though. The Score suffers from abundance. It's long, probably too long, and not just because of the skits. The skits should be the first to go. Not only do they interrupt the flow of what would otherwise be a pretty solid album, many of them did not age well. But, let's pretend the skits were removed, would this album be an "all timer?" I don't think so. To me, The Score is feast or famine. Either the track will blow you away or it will sound like most other tracks on the album and bore you a bit. Obviously the radio hits are classics deserving praise (though I don't find their cover of "No Woman, No Cry" particularly compelling), and there are a few other stand-out tracks, mostly in the first half. Though admittedly it could have been fatigue that made the second half lack for me. Finally, no disrespect to Wyclef Jean and...the other guy, but Lauryn Hill steals the show here. It's no wonder she went on to release a solo album that's probably on this list as well. The tracks that prominently feature her characteristic singing and rapping are usually the ones that stand out. At the end of the day, it's a 3-star album for me that probably could only be improved to 4-star if they'd cut about 15 minutes from it.
It's a pretty good album. Would I go out of my way to listen to it? Probably not. Would I keep it on if it came on? Most likely.
Somehow I had forgotten about the skits between tracks. I was happier before rediscovering them. There's clearly some great tracks here, but I don't think it's aged particularly well. The flow seems somehow stuck between oldschool and some newer more complex schemes, but I didn't enjoy coming back to this album.
It started to grow on me by the second half.
Loved Fu-Gee-La, The Score, and Ready or Not.
I liked this better than a lot of the early 90s hip-hop albums that have been on here 3.5