Reviews (page 12 of 14)
Killing me softly is a classic for a reason. A good album, though some of the skits run too long. Mista mista by far the worst song.
Melhor álbum de rap/hip-hop que ouvi até então. Muito bem construído e estruturado, Ready or Not e How Many Mics são obras primas. Recomendo, mas ainda não é dos meu favoritos. É um 3 de 5.
Most importantly, I enjoyed this album. BUT! They combined some of the most obnoxious things you can do on an album: having police sirens frequently in between songs, and having skits between songs but they have them at the end of the track. Driving around and listening to this album and having to check my mirrors for emergency vehicles is obnoxious. And finishing a song and then getting distracted by some “bit” that takes away from the flow of the music (at least for me) is off putting. Other than those critiques I enjoyed most of the songs on this album. Like the Remixes of Fu-Gee-La more than the original.
L’album est plutôt plate, mais ya un moment à la fin de The Beast (vers 4:00) qui est gold, faque juste pour ça jlui donne un point bonus
I remember when this came out. It was my brother's Senior year of high school. This was so mainstream that they let white people buy it. Killing Me Softly was on heavy radio rotation. It's funny how the two most popular songs on this album were covers/samples of classics.
Anybody that can work the lyric I'll be defecating on your microphone gets an automatic star bump for me
While I’m not a fan of Lauryn Hill or Wyclef Jean as solo artists The Score is a great album. A bit of everything, different styles, different flow. A bit too long. 3 stars
3.5
I like Lauren Hill. Didn’t listen to this genre in the 90s
I knew a good deal of songs and was excited to listen to the rest of them. I was impressed with their passion for what they were saying and thought it was very interesting however it wasn’t my exact favourite. This sounds incentive and ignorant but I feel like I would have loved more music than talking? I do like the message the conveyed just wish there’d been more music.
This is Year 12 all over for me. Not really my bag but the vocals and arrangements are certainly pretty great. I much preferred Lauryn Hill's solo efforts but this is okay for a listen through.
felt 3 hours long
Another album that isn't necessarily bad, I just didn't car for it. Too slow for my tastes. I appreciated all of the different voices that are featured throughout. As with most rap, I tend not to be able to focus on the lyrics which I know is very important to their albums. That being said, this one fought for a 3 star for my personal tastes. Probably a 2 from my gut, but I have to recognize that it is a pretty good album despite my tastes.
Pretty repetitive good beats. I didn't know Wyclef Jean was in Fugees. I like Lauryn Hill coming in to sing to complement the 2 males. The Chinese Restaurant part was.... interesting. Got a good chuckle out of me though. Pretty repetitive album outside of Killing me Softly. Nothing too special at all
It's good, obviously, and the well-know stuff is timeless. I think I just wanted that standard to be maintained throughout and it doesn't, but a very easy listen.
This sounds like a very 90s record, with the super smash hits 'Killing Me Softly With His Song' and 'Ready or Not' at the front. It feels like this was a pretty influential record, and if nothing else, very commercially successful. I think overall it was pretty decent, but it doesn't quite grab me the way I'd hoped it would. I think it deserves more, but to me it felt like a solid 3.
It’s good, but not really for me. Outside the singles these songs don’t do a lot for me. I’m glad it’s here, I’m glad it’s popular, but I won’t add it to my rotation. That said Lauryn Hill is so cool and I am interested to check out more music with her
Some banger, som very low points
Surprisingly allright. Zoned out for a few tracks but was a very happy listener for the most part.
The mix of different genres works fine and some of the songs are beautiful (especially at the beginning of the album), but damn did they need to include those useless spoken parts at the end of every song? Absolutely not. (I don't like numeric ratings, I just give 3 to anyone.)
Just Ok, not really for me.
Some bangers, nothing bad. I like the mixed genres, even though they call themselves hip-hop.
This album is clearly a revelation seeing as I could name many other songs that have sampled the songs throughout. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. No songs I disliked but, as always, will rank my favourite and least. Favourite: Zealots Least Favourite: Cowboys
Lyrically very strong, but the beats and backing tracks aren't as strong. Very heavy on intro/outro/skits, which can add atmosphere to a record buy can also break up momentum. Lauryn Hill really shines through. Best Song(s): Zealots Listen Again: Yes
It's that one album! Genuinely surprised to see this many hits on a single album. Not my cup of tea but I see the strength in this record.
Not that great
Ready or not sounded familiar. Not much of a rap music listener but I enjoyed the beats and rhythm. I also liked the mixing of killing me softly with his song how it started in family business. I didn’t realize what songs I’ve heard from this album before now
I thought I liked Fugees, but after listening to this album I realize I just like Lauryn Hill. The hit songs (hers) are great, the rest are just average to me. I found the album to grow repetitive and meander for too long. It’s perfectly fine music that maybe just isn’t for me, but man does “Killing Me Softly” and “Ready or Not” hit.
4 star if not for the fucking skits. Terrible, that Chinese restaurant one is bad I think it gave me cancer
the main hits were great ("no woman no cry," the "killing me softly" cover), i really enjoy lauryn hill's voice, but otherwise did not really enjoy the instrumentals of these songs. honestly kind of disappointed.
Not sure what to make of this, Laryn's vocal style and the heavy overlayered production haven't aged well.
Obviously some all-time classic songs on this album, so it's hard to go lower than 4 stars. But I'm not sure I'd go back to listen to the songs that *weren't* the singles (for me). Note: didn't listen to expanded album content
7/10
cool album recognised a lot of tracks nice blend of 90s hip hop and some r&b
7/10
not gonna revisit this stuff
OK
Way too many skits and other talk on the album. Decent songs but nothing amazing.
Melhor do que eu esperava!
Nice chill background music
This is not my preferred style of music. It does slap, though. I'm just not impressed with the other music elements of the album. I want more than just backing loops. I will say, Killing Me Softly is killing me
headbobbing-est album of all time?? really loved the pocket of this one and wow lauryn hill is so good. excited to get around to her album! standout- zealots
Some classic tunes on here
Cool 90s hip hop vibes, but it did not do as much for me as it would have done had I been ten years younger.
Hard not to like this one. Didn't know there were so many versions of fu-gee-la. Neato! 3.9
immediately forgot most of the songs after listening. i guess this genre isn't for me after all. can't say i hated it, it was definitely good, just not for me.
le mood nest pas la
Pretty engaging. I found myself really invested while paying attention to the lyrics and the overall theme. Wyclef Jean provided some of my favorite moments, but it's Lauryn Hill who is the real star here. The whole album works pretty well as a single piece despite dipping a little toward the end and I could also do without the Chinese take-out bit. But I will definitely return to this. Honestly, this is hard for me to rate because I feel it would change with my mood. 3.8
Mini mini money mics money mini Jokes aside, this wasn't bad.
The production is amazing and clean, but the rapping in general mostly didn't catch my attention. Boring most of the time but perhaps this is another one of those albums that I will eventually enjoy and regret giving the rating (looking at you, "Illmatic"). Lauryn Hill's voice is amazing at "Killing Me Softly", btw. I wonder what can she do if she went full R&B. Maybe she already did and I'm just sleeping under this rock of mine.
Ik ben positief verrast door dit album, terwijl ik niet een enorme hiphop liefhebber ben. Niet alleen de hitjes zijn lekker, maar de gehele flow en pratende intermezzo’s zetten de sfeer. Eigenlijk 3,5*
Some bangers but mostly boring
The Fugees have some really killer songs but I don't find them super consistent. This album is much like that. The lyrics are very intelligent and speak to issues that are really from a world I have a part of. Overall, not bad.
Damn it. I heard this months ago and I don’t remember my exact feelings. I think I sorta liked it? Sure. I’ll go with that.
I was really enjoying it until Wyclef turned up
This is an album that gets played regularly in our house. While I wasn't a Fugees fan in the 90's, The Score has grown on me over time as my wife is a huge fan. I'm to the point where I enjoy it while it's on, but rarely do I ever choose to put it on.
Love the singles, but overall I didn't think much of it. The filler felt like filler for real. 3/5
I know this album is important and very much appreciated, but it's just not my kind of music and/or vibe. I'll give it a fair 3, my job is done here.
This was alright. I liked Lauryn Hills verses but I wasn’t as keen about the rest of the album. The less said about the skits the better.
Funky
Seems like they had a great time recording this album. I had never listened to it all the way through before. Sorry that I hadn’t.
Some solid, some filler
Couple of standouts and a load of middle of the road stuff.
A groundbreaking album with huge crossover singles that give it that legendary status. Lauren Hill is the difference here, she was a superstar in the making. She has a fantastic singing voice, raps better than the boys and is a stunning and gorgeous woman. I appreciate the four big hits, but like most hip-hop albums I struggle to engage with this across it entirety.
Another which suffered from massive over-playing of the big tracks back in the day, which has softened over time, there's a lot of good stuff on there, particularly like the beats and samples... But it probably goes on about 15 mins too long, and there are some questionable bits in there (the outright racist Chinese restaurant "skit" stands out for all the wrong reasons). Can't deny the overall quality, though it's not one I'll be racing back to.
De paar bekende nummer zijn sterk en catchy. Maar de rest viel me toch wat tegen. Een magere 3 sterren.
Paar leuke nummers maar ook best wat crap.
I enjoyed this one more than I thought. The big 3 songs stand out for sure, especially Killing Me Softly, but the album as a whole holds up pretty well too. The beats were solid and I liked the overall atmosphere. The rapping itself was generally good also.
Better than I remembered as a teen.
this is definitely not my music, but there was no desire to turn it off cool reference on the cover btw
A few enjoyable songs on here, but the beats are slow and boring. I'd rather just listen to Lauryn Hill as she was the highlight of the album.
I was never a huge Fugees fan and so the fact that you heard Killing Me Softly absolutely fucking everywhere you went didn't make me want to have any more in my life. This was OK. I don't feel I missed out on anything.
Same old stereotypical 90s R n B album, drugs, guns, corruption, fuck the police - nothing unique, same beat throughout. 3 stars for a couple of gems. But mostly dull.
Some good tracks here, but I'm not sure I would regularly rotate this. Ms. Lauryn Hill is a standout however.
It was a decent album felt long at times
Some really good tracks on here, the obvious standout being Killing Me Softly. Still, not music that I would actively seek out, but was a good soundtrack to finishing up work on a Friday afternoon. 3/5
Pretty good! This is a very consistent album, albeit a little long. I was surprised how much of it I recognized as I thought I only knew "Killing Me Softly."
This was decent for the genre.
Meh
Did not know Lauren Hill was from The Fugees. 90s Hip hop r&b in a nutshell. Enjoyed this more than I thought. Stand out tracks: Ready or Not Killing me Softly 2.5/5
I like this. I bought the CD 20 years ago and really haven't listened to it a lot. I hope to more. 1 - bad 2 - average 3 - good 4 - great 5 - outstanding
90s rap. Not bad. Some annoying, some bangers.
Tough call.
The Fugees proberen relaxed te zijn. Dat lukt bij vlagen. Het leidt vooral tot weinig interessante nummers. De hitjes Ready Or Not en Fu-Gee-La luisteren aardig weg. Bij het andere hitje werkt de zogenaamde relaxedheid vooral op de zenuwen. Ook de cover van Bob Marley werkt op de zenuwen. Goed, het breekt de wat eentonige opzet van het album wat. Maar juist hier had ik gehoopt op een goede mix van het origineel en de stijl van de Fugees. 2.5 ster.
it’s probably okay, i don’t know, it didn’t really grab me
3/5. Debating on this one for a while and it came down to would I go out of my way to listen to it again and probably not at the moment. It’s really good but don’t think I’m putting it on repeat.
No hip hop album is made better by the skits The peaks of this are undeniably great Less convinced by some of the rest of it
Really liked some bit but overal kind of average, the no woman no cry cover was nice touch tho
Ik ben echt in twijfel hierover. Het is een soort gangster rap, maar dan her en der wel op een leuke manier, andere delen zijn weer een stuk minder. Daarom neig ik naar 3 sterren. Wel briljant om op zo'n album ineens Killing Me Softly langs te horen komen trouwens.
The tracks that moved away from the closet of the genre pushed this up a notch.
Not bad at all, but it just can't live up to the decades of praise it has received.
Staan wel echt een paar pareltjes op dit album. Natuurlijk wat nummers die ik kende, maar ook nieuwe verrassingen (Zealots mega nice). Vibe voor skaffa op de bank/balkon, maar denk dat ik het niet zomaar zelf op zou zetten
Mega album die voor een of andere reden het niet lukt om te blijven plakken bij mij. Wel een aantal mooie samples erop, en zeker de moeite waard om te luisteren
It was an alright album. Killing Me Softly is the best song on the album and it is a very good song. The rest of the songs were alright but I don't really have a need to listen to them again.
honestly not as good as I thought it would be killing me softly is still goated but the rest isn't
Some great songs, but also songs that i don´t like at all. Good overall, so 3.
Another one of these albums that was a big hit at the time and that I could appreciate while not being a massive fan of it. It is interesting that the list makes you go back to these albums. Time for a re-appreciation? I still think it is an OK album with enough to like: it is very accessible, has some nice songs Lauryn Hill plays a major role etc. But it is also a bit too straightforward, and the choice of overfamiliar covers is a bit too obvious even though there are some nice interpretations. Does not help that I listened to Kendrick Lamar (a very different level) for almost all day. Hence, 3 stars.
Really enjoyed this but not sure it's worthy of 4* so high 3*
Struggled to find this album which was strange. I've given it a 3 which is probably higher than expected due to recency bias.
Meh
This album had some good songs, good lyrics and great grooves. I can't say this is my specific style of R&B /Rap but this album was OK. Lauryn Hill has a great voice. Zealots had a wonderful beat. Fu-gee-la and Mista Mista stood pit as well. Thought the talking parts in the Beast was hilarious. Can't say anything stood out where I wanted to download, but there wasn't much that I disliked too much either. Maybe no woman no cry and that's because Bob Marley is overrated trash. A little torn here, but will give a 3. Mainly because of Hill's voice 3
3.5 So I’ve actually never listened through this one or Lauryn Hill’s solo debut for that matter, but I know they’re both considered two of the best albums of the 90s (if not ever), so I was really excited to see what all the hype is about. I wasn’t immediately sold at first, and I even raised an eyebrow pretty early on upon hearing the lyric “I used to be underrated, now I take iron, makes my shit constipated, I'm more concentrated” on How Many Mics. But as the album goes on, there’s a certain charm that develops as its personality begins to show, and the smooth flow of the album is undeniable. The way that each song segues into the next feels incredibly satisfying with how seamless or entertaining it is, though I did raise another eyebrow at the Chinese restaurant skit. Regardless, no matter your feelings on the actual skits or music, I feel like the production quirks make this a particularly unique and memorable listen - I mean, have you ever heard an album with an actual credits sequence at the end?? Anyway, regarding the music, there aren’t any bad songs, but I feel like I actually preferred the less popular songs over the hits. Killing Me Softly and Ready or Not are both pretty good, but I feel like I had a lot more fun and vibed more with the stuff in between. Fu-Gee-La is definitely solid though, but contrarily, while I like this version of No Woman, No Cry more than Marley’s, I still wasn’t a huge fan. Anyway, while I’m not sure I would consider this one of my personal favorites of the 90s, it’s still a good listen and I would definitely encourage others to check it out. Excited to listen to Miseducation when it appears on our list! Favorite songs: Zealots, Fu-Gee-La, The Score, Cowboys
Very lyrical but I just don't like their sound
Sharp and lean but seems maybe slightly too impressed with itself. One finds their street claims about pistol-whipping, etc. to be non-credible, really, and the Chinese restaurant skit isn't exactly the height of with social consciousness now is it? There are sweet moments – "Killing Me Softly," "No Woman, No Cry" and "Fu-gee-La" but overall it's never quite one's bag, but one doesn't begrudge the massive commercial success; far less records have sold more.
good album to drive in during snowy conditions. standouts: killing me softly (of course); Zealots; No Woman, No cry cover.
I actually didn't know The Fugees were really mostly traditional hip hop. (I'd been judging mostly off of Killing Me Softly and Ready or Not.) Overall, a fine album. I was never really a huge fan of the popular songs off of this but they're still good. Standouts: Ready or Not, Zealots, Killing Me Softly With His Song, Cowboys, No Woman, No Cry
No es mi estilo
3.5, A few great songs. Only one other previously unknown that I liked (Masks)
Some good moments, some meh-ments. I like “Fu-gee-La.” When they lean into a great sample and embrace the pop side of what they do that’s when I perk up.
Very good. 3.5/5
Pretty decent album, though a lot of covers that weren't necessarily better than the original. "The Beast" sounded pretty racist?
Ready or Not, Fu-gee-la, and Killing me softly are really good, the rest I could do without.
Lauryn Hill is so good. Lots of great stuff on this record but I hate the skits.
Fun album, but everything in this album is recycled. All the best moments IMO are either samples or covers (bob marley, Roberta flack etc.) some of the skits are funny and the hold em fold em sample in cowboys is hilarious.
I really like this album but I just can’t get down with the racist shit.
Good songwriting, interesting beats, and cool use of samples
A lot of filler and waffle taking a bit away from this. Stand out tracks - - Ready or Not - Fu-Gee-La - Refugee Camp Global Mix
Decent - good singing
I can remember when this album came out. It was fucking everywhere. Solid hip hop. It's good, it just doesn't blow me away. Best Tracks: Ready of Not; Fu-Gee-La; Killing Me Softly
I never liked the covers, seem hokey to me. However, having never listened to the whole album before, it was more interesting than I expected
also has a bit of filler
grew up with their singles on mtv played all the time, first time listening to the album and it's alright, lauryn hill is a good singer
Some bangers
3.5...a great sound but again, playing it at work is difficult
Knew these folks seperate, also knew some songs already but had never heard of Fugees. Would listen again.
Sign one up for socially conscious hip-hop. But this feels at times rigid and preachy and also too talky, neither as upbeat nor as fun as Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul (both bands that are notably name-drooped and/or sampled). the "Chinese Restaurant" nonsense is a waste of time. There are excellent cuts – "Kililng Me Softly" and "No Woman, No Cry" chief among them ["Fugee-La also good and groovy in a consciously contemplative way] – but they feel a bit scattered. And what does it tell us that the F's use sample "Bonita Applebaum" that distinctively, poingy sitar sound and that the best cuts are those most associated with other artists (e.g., Roberta Flack, Bob Marley). It's not the most elevating of conscious hip-hop. Plus, the principles would go on to do better work in different contexts. For all that, this feels less than the first rank.
Hip hop. Algo monótono pero con ritmos, melodías y algunas versiones interesantes.
Ready or Not is a terrible song. The rest of the album is fairly average.
Some good tracks but could not get through it. Not my music bit get how it is classic hip hop album
Not a big fan of the male rappers but the reggae was awesome. Lauren Hill was as good as it gets but she should have been featured more.
I remember this album from the time, The Fugees were massive in '96 what with Killing Me Softly and Ready or Not smashing up the charts. I liked Wyclef's stylings and Lauren's vocals are smooth but it's a middling 3/5 for me.
Falta el canuto
The album cover looks like a scene from a Quentin Tarantino or Martin Scorsese movie. Very cool! Music was OK.
Highlights are the covers... Ready or Not and Killing Me Softly. No Woman, No Cry is alright. I'm less keen on the rap tracks, felt they drag the rest of the album down. I do like Lauryn Hill's vocals, but find Wyclef Jean tiresome. 2.5
3 outta 5 not great but good
Stuff like this usually takes a couple of listens for me. Didn’t quite earn it though. No Woman, No Cry plus the Recuerdos sample were highlights.
Certainly an interesting album but not something I'm immediately going to put on again soon. Fave: The Beast
Honestly didn't really do it for me. Some great vocals from Lauryn Hill but most of the tracks were just not engaging.
Talking about refugiados, people that are welcome? to us. Lauryn Hill and Pras first met at Columbia High School, in Maplewood, New Jersey. Pras, Lauryn, and a mutual friend Marcy Harriell formed a musical trio called Tyme; Pras' cousin, Wyclef Jean, joined the line-up and Marcy left soon afterward, in 1990. The moniker Tranzlator Crew refers to the name of their band at the time, which included Johnny Wise on drums, Ti Bass (Jerry) on bass guitar, and Leon (DJ). In 1993, after some gigs and recorded demos, the trio signed to Ruffhouse, distributed through Columbia Records. The members then changed the group's name to Fugees, which was purposely taken from a word often used despectivamente to refer to Haitian-Americans (refugee). Refugee Camp, while a name sometimes credited to the trio, also refers to a number of artists affiliated with the members, and particularly Jean.
Worth a listen for sure.
Een paar gekende nummers, die ik min of meer wel kon meezingen. Ik vond dit album wel oké
Not bad.
A really good record that was easy to listen to and digest. I especially enjoy Hill's contributions and it's always nice to hear a female voice in hip-hop. Though they only released two albums, their influence is undeniable. I'm still not much of a hip-hop, R & B fan, but this was enjoyable.
04/21/22
What was it with rap albums and probably even albums in general in the 90s being 60 minutes long? So many of these albums are just full of filler to pad out the length to reach an hour length when they should have been 40 minutes. This one was too long and but it did feel chills. Definitely better than some of the other rap albums from the same era I've gotten.
A lot of good stuff on this album. Not a 5-star by any means, but like 3.5/5. I think I need to round down because I didn't like the one music video I watched.
Couple of solid songs. Killing me softly is a banger! Otherwise just OK. 3.5 rounded down
Some really great songs on here surrounded by alright songs. As usual, could do without the skits.
já solid plata bara
Ganz gutes Rap-Album mit ein paar Hits. Zwischen 3-4.
Rap album just not my cup of tea
dope
This passed me by at the time. Quite enjoyed it hearing it now, but the ‘take a hook from a classic song, loop it and rap / sing over it’ thing is very much of its time. I tried to take note of the lyrics, but must admit my attention kept wandering. And I didn’t feel that the voices were that different to what I had heard elsewhere, Lauren Hill notwithstanding. It’s also quite long - too long for me.
very instrumental to the genre, but not my favorite style.
Tää on aina ollu vähän kaksjakoinen tapaus. Ready or Not on mieletön ja pari muutakin hienoa biisiä. Sit kuitenkin aika moni biisi tuntuu tosi bulkilta. Kai se on sit 3/5.
This is the second and last album from the trio Fugees. Unlike their first album, this album was critically and commercially successful. It was the third best selling album of 1996 and won a Grammy award for Best Rap Album. This album is certified 7 times platinum in the US, and is the best selling hip-hop album in France overall, with 22 million copies sold and being certified diamond. To add another accolade to an already long list, this album is also the best selling album in the world by a hip-hop group. The hip-hop music on this album is primarily created by samples of various beats and other songs, but there are some recorded instruments or drums sprinkled here and there. It was a well-produced album, with perfect rhythm and singing over top solid beats. It's no wonder this album was popular with how much care the trio put into production. I thoroughly enjoyed this hip-hop masterpiece that was released when I was just a babe.
I don't understand this, but it's different. I would have to listen to more to get the hang of it.
A Tibetan refugee from communist China. Someone who identifies as transgender. An ex-con. My temptation is to say that my best friend in middle school was black, as well as my girlfriend in college whom I almost married, that I grew up groovin’ to Motown and later what is now considered old school rap/hip hop, that I voted for Barack Obama as president, etc- all that shit that so-called progressive baby boomer whites always say in defense. But what I’m going to say is that Fugees are coming from a life experience so significantly different from mine, I almost have nothing to offer as far as a review is concerned. The few things I could authentically recognize and resonate with was the sample on ‘Zealots’ of ‘I Only Have Eyes For You,’ and ‘Knights In White Satan’ at the end of ‘The Mask,’ and, obviously Lauryn Hill’s tender cover of Roberta Flack’s beautifully mournful song, ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’ along with Wyclef Jean’s take on my favorite Bob Marely song, ‘No Woman, No Cry.’ I was living in a rural town in north east Texas when this album was released, where segregation was very much alive and well. Not explicitly, of course. But it was there nonetheless. It’s always been. Still is. Probably will be tomorrow. So while I can’t honestly say I enjoyed this recording; Fugees, I’m sincerely making an attempt to listen, to understand. That won’t, and can’t, possibly settle the score. But maybe it’s a step towards reconciliation?
A reference to "Innervisions" always makes me happy.
Album je predug i neki skitovi poput onog o kineskom restoranu su grozno ostarili. Mimo toga još i danas zvuči jebeno s tom fuzijom boom bapa i reggeea
Pretty cool sound but not as good as I remember it. Still pretty fun to listen to. Well-produced and cool samples.
Very very cool, flera hits, inte riktigt min grej helt mwn ändå mkt cool
Five absolutely classic tracks in a 90s time capsule. But also, maybe just take those tracks and drop the rest. N bombs still constantly distracting; I wish they weren’t necessary to make the point.
An excellent collaboration between three stellar hip-hop titans. A solid blend of beats, bars, and social commentary thrown in with some not-too-cringy skits make for an enjoyable LP, though I wish Hill had more airtime on this one.
Buon ritmo, beat coinvolgente, un giusto mix di voci. Inoltre è un mix di generi su una base hip hop, rappata. Ottime Zealots e Killing me softly, le restanti si perdono un po'. Anche Fu-gee-la e Manifest/Outro però...
Fav songs: - Killing Me Softly with His Song
nhe i dont really see what everyone is talking about im probably missing something will give an extra star because i feel good today and it has been two weeks since a nice album was generated for me
Couple of classics here! Had to skip for explicit lyrics tho!
Better than I remembered. Maybe because I hadn't listened to much hip hop beyond Public Enemy at the time - some amazing tracks but could do without the racist skits
6/10. At the start of the album I was thinking this would be closer to a 4, because I didn't love the sound. I still don't think it's fantastic, but either it grew on me as I was listening, or it got better as it went. Furthermore, it felt really well tied together as an album, with good transitions and callbacks. Still, every track just felt too long, and the album dragged too much for me to rate it higher.
Enjoyed this album solid 3.5, but not quite 4.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting. Not my usual type of music, but pretty enjoyable with a good bit of variety in the songs.
Força revolucionari quan va sortir, mai li vaig trobar la gràcia que hom semblava trobar-ne. Vaig preferir els discos posteriors de Lauryn Hill i Wyclef Jean, tot i que les versions de 'Killing Me Softly' i 'No Woman No Cry' i sobretot el single 'Ready or Not' valen el seu pes en or
Some great tracks. The grade-school level novelty at saying "fuck" in verb or noun form for no discernible reason wears very thin very quickly, 3 stars.
Just going to say this one time (one time). This album is very adequate.
That was much more rap-heavy that I expected. Not sure where I got my perception of Fugees from but it was totally wrong. Anyway some cool stuff in there!
7.5 or 8/10
they had no idea that what they were making would go on to be a classic. so much soul. killing me softly, and no woman no cry covers still sound fresh. ready or not and the score all always be classics
Meh. Ready or Not is good, 2 stars for the rest of the album
Damn, so much better than I expected. Knew a few tracks but lyrics and beats across the whole album are great.
I know it's a classic of the genre, but it never made much impression on me, and that hasn't changed. The production is good with nice old-school sampling, but there's something lacking from some tracks. The flow is amazing, especially from Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill. But on some tracks, the lyrics are mediocre and throwaway. This is one genre where I definitely want the lyrics to have an impact on me. I like Wyclef's ragga style and the Caribbean influence you don't hear so often in American hip-hop. I also like the soulful elements, esp. on the two big hits. But I've got no love for the questionable Bob Marley cover shoehorned in at the end. The album doesn't justify its hour-long running time (and rubbish intros/skits are another thing that ruins many hip-hop albums for me).
Listenable catchy, clever
Cracking tracks interspersed with some nothingness and an awful comedy skit (why?). I liked that they were very open to music that influenced them with many nods throughout.
Nice sounds but I felt like the beats/tempo got a little samey after a while. I like the dynamic between the 3 though, especially when Lauryn Hill utilises her singing voice. Best track: Fu-Gee-La
Some memorable tracks, pretty alright hiphop overall. I always assumed they would be a little more soul-influenced based on Ready or Not.
Nice, even for a long album it doesn't feel overlength except on a couple of tracks. Sadly, still my favorite tracks were the covers. Liked: Lauryn Hill's voice.
The Score is very powerful particularly given Ray Floyd et al. and the heightened profile of BLM. “Killing me softly . . .” makes me chuckle. As a kid I couldn’t stand the brutally overplayed original but when this was released I kinda liked it.
Deluxe editions are virtually always awful. At least this time I didn't have to research the album since they titled something /Outro. Anyway, I've tried before, and never really understood the appeal of Fugees. Yeah, Lauryn Hill has a nice voice, but only a couple of the highlight singles (obviously Killing Me Softly With His Song and Ready or Not) stand out at all, and it usually is because of her. Cowboys strikes me as a thrown away Wu Tang Clan track, but I respect the line about shooting John Wayne. No Woman, No Cry is just as annoying as the original. And what the fuck is the skit at the end of The Beast? The best thing Wyclef Jean ever did was feature in Young Thug's "Kanye West." Damn it, I could have been listening to Young Thug and smokin penises this whole time. This is a 2.5 I'm going to be generous rounding on because the aforementioned singles are worth it, but once they're over it's a slog.
Really good. Hypnotic. Groundbreaking (it sounds well ahead of its time). Do you remember when Tom Facebook stalked Ishbel’s music taste and then spent a whole date gushing to her about how much he loves Lauren Hill and it freaked her out? Food for thought.
I didn't realize I knew Killing Me Softly until it came on! What a hit, huh. Anyway, as far as East-Coast Hip Hop goes this is good but definitely not the best. This feels more like a tea-up for Lauryn Hill who would go on to release an incredible solo album. For what it's worth though, it's still a real good hip hop album. More of a 3.5 than a 3.
Probably more like a 3.5ish, but I enjoyed it overall. Songs like "Killing Me Softly With His Song" definitely stand out, though I don't think there is anything I disliked. It does drag on for a bit long, though I think I'd listen to it again eventually (but now I will probably just listen to "Killing Me Softly" more!).
I cyk, pierwsze murzyny na liscie, albumik oczywiscie znany, jakos specjalnie hajpowany przeze mnie on nie jest i nigdy nie byl, oczywiscie murzynski albumik na liscie 1001 albumikow cieszy, materialem tym fugees otworzyli sobie drogie do mainstreamu i karier solowych, bo kto przeciez nie slyszal o laurynie hill i jej dorobku muzycznym utrzymanym w kilmatach r&b oraz dorobku dzieciowym w klimacie mieszanym, albumik mocno w kilmatach wyspiarskich, nie tylko przez cover no woman no cry, ktory byl mocnym hitem w 90s, ale stylistycznie calosc jest utrzymana w rodzinnych klimatach wyclefa, na plejliste leci fu gee la oraz ready or not
Not for me but I recognise it’s importance and influence
This old school hip hop is certainly more accessible than the stuff we hear today, album has a few nice tunes such as Ready or Not but most of it sounds meh now.
This is Golden Era Hip-Hop for a reason.
Not bad but not really my thing. 5-6/10
3 1/2 stars... come back to us Lauren.
The highs are really high on this album, and the effort is special, particularly for the time and where rap and hip-hop were. The talent is there, but there's just too much throw away that's not actually that enjoyable.
Like Lauren Hill. Good songs
Oh shit, this is actually pretty good. I know the name but my hip-hop knowledge is quite lacking. I know "Killing Me Softly With His Song" which is great, but I enjoyed "How Many Mics". There is a chill jazzy-ness that is the backing feel for the vocals. Some of the other tracks fall a bit flat for me. Also, "The Beast" is a weird track with the "Chinese Restaurant" bit, like... is this offensive, IDK. It's dumb regardless. If this album was half as long it'd be better IMO, so 3*.
good
Solid mid-90s hip hop, great vocals, great rhymes, not really something I listen to often
Classic but not my thing. I knew this album already, but not one I go looking for.
Lauryn Hill kills it. Impressed by her on all tracks. Fav is How Many Mics. Overall, good songs, just not in love with it.
enjoyed this in college
when i started the album, i couldn't go on. it's very hip-hop. gave it a 2nd chance by starting with killing me softly. now that wasn't so bad. and im surprised when one of em's like this is wyclef. true enough, it's wyclef jean lol that's a weird ending tho but i guess that's hiphop. i like fu-gee-la too especially the female parts
Mix three dishes you don't like much, Hip Hop, R&B and Reggae, and you’ll probably end up disliking the menu. I especially hate these supposed-to-be-fun skits.
I don’t know what group I was thinking of, but this is not an r&b group from the 70s and it’s not my vibe.
This brings me way back to my high school years when I was really into rap & hip hop. Still have some fond memories of hanging out with friends as we had just started high school and this album was being played everywhere. On this re-listen I was surprised at how much of it I still remembered. It doesn't hit the same as it did back in the late 90's as I haven't been into this type of music since graduating. I can still see the appeal it's just not my thing anymore. Some tight rapping but too much goofiness with lame lyrics and skits that pull me out of the flow. I enjoyed Lauryn Hill's singing more now than the rapping I preferred on this back in the day.
Nope
another rap album! except this one was worse than just being background noise for me and went as far as to make me dislike my experience with it. i know it's an objectively good album, but these guys' fusion of hip hop and reggae felt like it took only the worst parts of both to make an album i really did not enjoy at all. 2/5, also probably deserves to be here just from how i know it is objectively really good, just not smt i like myself
90's rap is just difficult to listen to, There is one redeeming song on this album and it isn't even rap. 2.0/5.0
4/10
Tiene temas históricos pero no me parece en general un gran álbum
Listens: 1 I guess it's about time I get a rap education! I think the type of music listener I am—i.e. one who pays very little attention to lyrics—means I'm inherently predisposed to not be too into rap or hip-hop. The artistry of the lyrics is kind of the whole point of rap, but that's not really something I get excited about. I can appreciate a good flow or witticism, but that's not generally going to make me enjoy listening to a song. For me, it's the music itself that counts. And the music here is... fine. I'll be honest and say I thought Fugees was an R&B group, so I was a bit surprised when I put it on. The album starts off with very minimal beats, making the trio's vocals indisputably the centerpiece. It does get a bit more interesting in the second half, and I'll bob my head a little bit, but overall I just don't really feel it. (And was that racist "Chinese Restaurant" skit really necessary?) There's a couple of songs I was able to muster up some enjoyment of ("Fu-Gee-La", "Family Business", "Manifest"), and I appreciate some of the socially aware themes, but overall I just can't really see myself listening to this again. I know there's rap out there I'll like, but this isn't it!
Ugh, another hip hop rap thing I didn’t really enjoy. This one has a more positive message overall, but the music is just boring. I did enjoy some tracks, interestingly all Lauryn: “Killing me Softly” “Ready or Not”. The “No Woman No Cry” cover was interesting and bold. But that’s about it
Wasn’t overly enamoured with this. I remember them being popular when it came out, but it seemed their popular songs were all covers. Didn’t do much for me.
We didn't need to hear a rap version of Killing Me Softly. We have the Roberta Flack version which is lovely enough.
Surprisingly boring. The best songs on here being covers or heavily sampled reduces the marks further. The beats were formulaic and had little of interest. Hill’s vocal performance is the best of the bunch here but it still sounds like they are just going through the motions.
Lauren Hill has got a great voice but the album isn't as good as I remember.
Enjoyed this but not sure it I'd listen to it in full again
I was kinda expecting this to be a glorious 4-0 victory but it was more of a 0-0.
not my vibe
Zwei gute Songs, der Rest ist mist.
The rap is ok, but all the random talking I could be without.
I recognized a bunch of songs but also didn't care for them.
Not much to say, the hits are pretty good
Ain’t terrible ain’t great
Not a fan of hip hop. An OK album.
just ok
Smooth hip hop with a lot of socially conscious lyrics. An interesting listen but not something I can see myself returning to. The cover of Killing Me Softly is the stand-out track to me.
A solid 2. I find this stuff quite boring. Ready or Not is ok as is Killing me Softly - but no comparison to the Roberta Flack version. As for the cover of No Woman, No Cry….
Just a bit dull. The comedy skits felt very dated. I guess I never knew who sang Ready or Not, though, so that was nice.
I honestly couldn’t enjoy this album that much it felt like random tracks just because talking instead with little music in the background, although a few good songs which I you’ve probably heard before as there fairly popular and the only good tracks on this album.
No es para nada mi estilo pero un descubrimiento total. Se sintió un poco como ir andando por las calles de New Jersey o algún barrio bien profundo de New York lleno de canchas de basket y muchos grafitis
1996. No Woman, No Cry is a cover of Bob Marley. Marley's children did the backing vocals. Best-selling hip-hop album of all time.
Ei ollut mun mieleen, aiemmin kuultujen hittien lisäksi. Ne oli hyviä, muuten tusina tavaraa.
Okay
Emmm, not my vibe
Think of this record like a very cool movie theater experience where the main feature film is absolutely spectacular, but the venue forces you to sit through twenty loud, annoying commercials between every single scene. Lauryn Hill sings her heart out beautifully, but the endless skits will have you diving for the skip button constantly.
I struggled to like it :(
It's weird when a song I don't like is my favourite bit.
Good but i don't like it
Ready or Not rulez, other hand sorry, "boys and girls", this is not music for me.
Hip hop
No es para mí. El rap nunca me ha gustado, tal vez unas contadas excepciones con algunas canciones, así que no pude disfrutar más que unas 2-3 canciones.
Didn't like the Fugees in the 90s. Still don't like them. I think their version of Killing Me Softly was the first I'd heard. Now being familiar with the original, I am even more upset that they just ruined it. One time... Two time... No thanks.
I grunden ganska dålig och inte minst tråkig hiphop. "Ready or not" och "Fu-Gee-La" är två rätt bra dängor, resten kan man va utan, menlösa covers och remixar som inte tillför nånting hjälper inte till Knapp tvåa
Could have been 4 in or 5 stars were it not for the little scenarios scattered throughout, as was the style of the day (which I never understood the appeal of). Even the lode star track, Killing Me Softly, is ruined by this as it closes out. This track was going great while Jean and Peas let Hill do her thing. Leans heavily on references. I doubt any youngling today knows why squeezing the Charmin is an act of defiance. Some good beats packed around some covers, not as great as people remember.
No es es meu estil però te temazos molt coneguts com Killing me softly with his song. De fet, diria que ses cançons que més m'han agradat son ses que surten més d'aquest estil "rap" que te s'àlbum.
Not my favorite; idk why I feel like the verses are not especially good, same w the instrumentals. Like, ATCQ wipes this on every album, sans Lauren Hill’s vocal strength I don’t really see the appeal of this album.
2.5 - Hill carries
2.5 stars. One star for each decent song with those songs being Killing Me Softly, Ready Or Not and the one that has the cool sample of Flamingos I Only Have Eyes For You (just half a star for the use of the sample though and not the whole song as the whole song is not deserving of a full star). I would like this album more if it was What Is The Scores, George Dawes or Final Score with Ray Stubbs and special guest Mark E Smith.
cool pero no me copa tanto el hip hop y menos en inglés
The more 90s hip hop I hear, the faster I’m getting tired of it. It all sounds so similar. At least there’s a relatively high floor for how good it sounds.
Not my style. Very groovy but hard to understand the lyrics.
Killing me softly is the only song I care about on this album. Cool to listen in context though.
no hip, no hop for me
Couple Great tracks but the others just fell flat.
Once again I am defeated by the rap and hip hop genre. Pretty much the only songs I liked were the two cover versions.
Tiene valores musicales pero no disfruto el género, creó que no me gustó ninguna canción por completo. 2
Honestly, I’ve not been the biggest hip-hop / rap fan, but this album was a pleasant surprise. It wasn’t something I’d choose to listen to again, but I didn’t hate listening to it.
At the time this came out, I was a freshman in college and definitely not listening to this kind of stuff. My musical tastes have grown much broader since then, but this still doesn't do it for me. Also they feel like the Quiet Riot of hip hop in that the two songs I know by them are both covers.
Aside from a couple of the tracks, I don't think I would listen to this again. It's a fine album, but that's it. It didn't inspire me much.
Okay rap album
Meh.
too much going on but is art
Не моё , не зашло
The first half was rough but it picked up by the second half. The covers we're really the only songs I enjoyed
Apart from the "Ready or not", "The score" and the chorus from "Killing me softly" nothing really interested me. Im kind of person that listen to music to actually listen music, i dont pay much attention to lyrics so im no reliable reviewer of rap. So from musical side this album is 2/5 - i cannot give more for 2/3 listenable tracks for a dozen or so.
Not sure why the Lauryn Hill album was such an amazing surprise but this left me completely cold, but there it is. Absolute snoozefest.
Only liked one song (Killing me Softly sample).
😐
only liked a few songs
Hip, hop and skip to the next album.
Bot much of a hip hop Guy. Just Not my Kind of music
Heard it before. I love Ready or Not and I know to many people this album is an absolute classic but honestly most songs here have a very similar sounding 90s hip hop beat that makes this album very uninteresting 2/5
Não é minha praia
Honestly, I know this is a well regarded record, but it's too long and aside from a few of the songs, and some of the choicer verses, I find it too smooth, too even, too produced, and boring. Hill is great, of course, but with so much great 90s hiphop out there, this one doesn't rank.
Some songs a good, but in general this is not my album.
Not for me
I would go as far as to say surprisingly unenjoyable.
I’m obviously not cool enough to like this sort of thing … 😴
nota 4 - nao fui mto fã, ja tinha ouvido antes, poucas musicas que gostei
Eh rap. 2/5
Far too long and the best songs are bad covers
OK
I have made it clear I am not one of the cognoscenti of hip hop but honestly this was a struggle to get through. I don't know why this cover of Killing Me Softly is so popular, I can't imagine picking this version over Roberta Flack's. There are some good moments on here that make me feel that I can't give this a 1 in good faith.
I used to be a fan of the fugees. These days I find the much of the music cringey, especially knowing what Lauren Hill and wyclef would do with their lives.
Seems a bit dated and those awful, racist skits.
I think this was an of it’s time type deal. No one can argue with the impact and beauty of Killing Me Softly tho. I think Lauryn Hill is the only good part of it outside of a few good beats. Two covers on one album was a bold choice. Fav tracks: KMS, Zealots
I remember the Fugees from back then but never listened to them. Honestly I wasn’t terribly impressed, this was a bit boring and altogether too long an album. 2.25/5
Just annoying. This hype man shit over the top of "Killing Me Softly" is stale and weak. I won't speak to the rhymes but the beats were boring and the flow seemed so-so. Mask was a fun introspection but the rest of the album just goes for the same pissing contest that Mask went against. Gangsta shit with women involved.
A bit more melodic and professional sounding, but still not my thing!
Everybody loves them, but they don’t really have a lot to offer on this record.
Not my style. Very smart.
This talented trio were on top of the world for a while. If nothing else, they had the vision to sprinkle enough melodic pop hooks over their own rap-heavy material, while their sublime treatment of Killing Me Softly ensured their success. For my tastes, the remainder of the album is not as musically inventive, nor as big in the beat department, as I like my hip-hop, and it has dated a fair bit, but it's ok for the most part.
While there are some gems amongst the rough, the majority of the album is filled with relatively forgettable songs.
Getting the impression that 1001 thinks Rap was the only thing of value in the 90s. I'm here to be educated but not at all sure that's the case. Proof in point with this album. Some nice tunes. But with the exception of Killing me Softly, which stands out as an insult to the original, it just leaves me cold. Hoping for a but more variety of genre in the next few days.
It's an album for people who care about lyrics, and I'm definitely not one of those people. The music is fine.