Reviews (page 12 of 13)
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
Difficult. Clearly a talented group, undeniably even. The production in hip hop means a lot to me though - and it so boring here that it drains me a bit.
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.
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.
“Killing Me Softly” was good but the rest was hard to listen to…. Rap is not my thing 2 stars
Gute Stimmen, aber musikalisch fand ich es ziemlich langweilig. Gab einen komischen Cowboysong.
Except for the well know balade, I found it rather flat and boring. 5/10
Not for me, but some really nice bits
not for me but i respect the cause
I don't like old hip hop
13/1001 First listen. I’ll need more than a day of this to rate it higher. Paying attention to the lyrics might help too. I did enjoy the singles.
Best Song: Killing me Softly I really didn't enjoy this. It isn't the genre of music as I enjoy hip hop. It wasn't Laruen Hill as she has an amazing voice. That leaves Wyclef who annoys me. On top of that, this is really timely and 1996 is long gone. 2/5.
Lyrically powerful, but musically not very interesting.
It's a damn shame we never got more from Lauryn Hill; it's also a damn shame we got this much from Pras and Wyclef. Wyclef did seem like a good dude that time we were both stuck at the border, though.
Not for me
One great original, a couple of strong covers,not much else. I think miseducation is a belting album so this really disappointed
fine very classic hip hop RnB but nothing i would reach for. i blame king taps for ruining classic hip hop forever 4/10
Maso.
Could have benefited from more Lauryn Hill. Her contributions are tremendous. The rest, not so much. The rhymes go from lyrics that pack a punch to being downright silly. When it hits, it leaves a mark, but it doesn’t hit often enough.
Album has two memorable songs and one great song. Killing Me Softly is one of the best covers ever. Needs a few more bangers.
If you wanna sound gangsta when you're rapping, make sure your swear words aren't censored, or else you'll just look like a pussy. Very telling that the only good tracks here are the ones with Lauryn Hill
Einige ikonische Songs aber nicht mein Genre
Honestly, I'm not really sure I understand why this was such a hit. Lauryn is definitely the star here. Wyclef is overrated, and Pras' contributions are easily forgotten. I remember the hits well, but not fondly. They were all overplayed. The non-hits are boring and forgettable.
Ok
It was fine, not spectacular. I don’t believe I absolutely needed to hear this in my lifetime. I also just cannot stand “Killing Me Softly” so that was obnoxious to sit through. I’ve also realized I don’t like it when albums have skits interspersed within the songs so I didn’t like when this album had that.
Well - like many others on this list, I quit after a few songs. Not a fan of the talking over each other and at the end of songs. Had some good beats, but the lyrics! Then I saw 'Killing me softly' and thought, let's give it a try. And I liked it! Better than Roberta Flack. And I saw 'No woman no cry' by Bob Marley. I liked that one too. Best two songs on here. cover songs.
Never listened to this before other than the singles. Not as bad as I thought it was gonna be but not my thing.
Pre listen notes: Ugh. I heard most of this record on the radio in 96, and I didn’t much care for it or understand the buzz about it back then. I can’t imagine much will have changed since then. Wyclef Jean has always seemed like a bit of a nob, and I heard Lauryn Hill doesn’t care for folks with my skin color…although that could very well be a rumor; I never much cared to check the veracity of that rumor because it wouldn’t change my opinion of this music either way. Listening notes: Eh, if you can disregard the handful of tracks that got ground into the dirt in the 90’s, the Score isn’t the worst record. That’s not to say I’ll revisit it, or that I’m super enjoying what I’m hearing as I listen now. But it’s not the egregiously bad record that “the hits” led me to believe it was. Truth is, at least the production is solid. But I think the Fugees made a lot of pop-culture headway based almost solely on Lauryn Hill’s presence; I guess I'm saying that the whole group feels like a novelty act. Were she not on this record, what would differentiate The Score from any other 90’s hip hop record? Would The Score be better, worse, or the same without her? I reckon no one ever would have heard this record without Lauryn Hill. And would anyone have really cared about the record at all if Lauryn Hill was just another dude, rather than an attractive, young, confident, and seemingly angry black woman? I guess that's what I mean by this record feeling like a novelty; it appealed to the sensibilities of mid-90's "girl power" culture but didn't offer much else. I don't deny that she's talented, in fact, I think she was probably better off parting ways with Wyclef and the other guy. But, I don't think there was really enough going on in this group to make this record a big deal without Lauryn Hill. Of course, I reckon the same thing could be said about plenty of other bands over the years, and it's probably really a pretty irrelevant point that I'm making, because the Fugees WAS pretty much Lauryn Hill. Probably my biggest problem with The Score is that I just feel like there’s not a ton of joy on this record. And I’m bored listening to it. I dunno, maybe it’s just not my speed. 2.8/5
A few bangers on here. A bunch of skips. Lauryn Hill is a double threat. The dudes I can do without.
Hmm, I didn’t gel with this. There are two noteworthy tracks in Killing Me Softly and No Woman No Cry, but they’re classics in their own right, so… To the Fugees’ credit, they are top tier covers. I’m just not a fan of their original work. ⭐️⭐️
Lauryn Hill has a great R&B voice. But this is a hip-hop record, and one that was extremely hard for me to connect with, or even to keep up with, considering endless references. It gets better toward the finish, though, when lyrics start to get more personal. But still - mostly not my thing.
The Killing Me Softly cover is golden and Ready Or Not and The Mask are good but the rest sounds like a greatest bites of 90s hip hop. Rather unoriginal. And the world REALLY did not need a cover of No Woman, No Cry. Rating reduced by one star and I take time off from work to crank Dr Octagon in order restore my chi afterward.
I don't understand why this group is so revered.
Lauryn Hill is the only saving grace for me on this album. She has a beautiful voice.
„The Score“ erschien 1996 als zweites Album der Fugees, einem US-amerikanischen Trio aus Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean und Pras Michel mit karibischen Wurzeln. Aufgenommen wurde die Platte in verschiedenen Studios in New York und New Jersey, unter anderem im Booga Basement Studio. Musikalisch bewegt sich das Werk zwischen Hip-Hop, Soul, Reggae und R&B, wobei vor allem die Mischung aus Rap und Gesang prägend ist. Bekannte Titel wie „Ready or Not“, „Fu-Gee-La“ und die Coverversion von „Killing Me Softly“ machten das Album weltweit erfolgreich. Die Songs verbinden eingängige Melodien mit gesellschaftskritischen Texten und einem eher warmen, organischen Klangbild, das sich von den oft härteren Produktionen der 1990er-Hip-Hop-Szene unterschied. Insgesamt gilt „The Score“ als stilbildendes Album, das Hip-Hop stärker in den Mainstream brachte, ohne seine politische und kulturelle Tiefe zu verlieren.
OK, but I couldn't really get into it. Killing Me Softly is a great cover, but overall it didn't sync for me.
Great performances by all three MCs here, especially Lauryn Hill. There's urgency behind their rapping, and I enjoy the conscious lyrics. That consciousness sometimes slips into a holier-than-thou attitude though, which means this isn't always a positive album (and it's thus a bit ironic when stuff like that Chinese restaurant skit is included here). And speaking of urgency: I wish that was reflected in the beats. These beats are laid back, almost to a fault. The sung covers switch things up, but those songs are also pretty subdued. I think this could use some more energy or variety - there are two MCs here who excel at both rapping and singing, but they rarely do so on the same song. For an album lacking in hooks, that seems like a missed opportunity.
Rap není můj šálek kávy, ale některé skladby se mi líbily
4/10
2.5
Sorry, but I just can't enjoy this. Hip hop as a rule just doesn't do anything for me.
Hard to be objective because hip-hop is not my jam...BUT there were some moments of true musicianship and vocal skills on this disc which raises it a point for me....
I found this album boring, but not painful enough for 1 star.
Although there are some songs that I like, the album as a whole has no cohesion at all
This one was very boring. I didn't hate it, but I would never play it again. The talent is there I just don't like what they did do with it.
Killing me softly as a highlight… the rest sounds just the same
I struggled with this it started ok but I was getting bored quickly and it then I drifted off
It's rare to like the second half more than the first but that was definitely the case with this album. I'm glad I held on because by track 2 I was about ready to turn it off. The record ends strong with The Mask, Cowboys, No Woman, No Cry and Manifest/Outro as stand outs. In context, I actually don't think their big hit, Killing me Softly with His Song, even really fits. It's a weird vibe change compared to the songs that sand which it. Also, some of the skits are pretty atrocious, especially the Chinese restaurant skit. Huge shout out to Enya's "Boadicea" as the sample for Ready or Not. The original is the true banger. 2.5/5.
Not really my style
I can tell this is good hip-hip. It feels well thought through, delivered, and produced. A few tracks in there I recognise and then obviously some classic reggae influences throughout. I think it just takes itself a bit too seriously. It listens like an album trying to sound deep and meaningful. It is also a bit of a mash of different styles and I was never quite sure what I was listening to.
Pretty bland rap.
387/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
I’m sorry. Hip Hop is boring. The lyrics juvenile and the music repetitive.
Un paio di canzoni belle (Ready or not, Killing me soft)
This only has limited nostalgia value....
As someone who isn't a huge fan of rap, I was surprised by how much I did not mind this. It has a smooth, soulful sound. I have always enjoyed and sung along with the song "Killing me softly". This album won't make me a rap fan overnight, but I can see myself listening to it again.
The supporting shout outs from Hill every few words actually make their words have *less* impact. The skits are tedious. Still, they have talent and can write some earworms.
Highlights: Killing Me Softly With His Song, Zealots. In a nutshell: the music that the refugee bring The Score has all the things I like and dislike about hip-hop. I like the sample use and the vocal acrobatics by Lauryn (pardon me, Ms Lauryn Hill). Dislike the tracks that stretch over 4 minutes, skits and intro/outro monologues. I think you can get away with listening to Zealots and Ready or Not instead of the whole album. Then if you like what you hear, keep going. Overall: 4/10
Good just not my sort of thing
If I am going to hear a sample of The Flamingos "I Only Have Eyes for You", I might as well just listen to the original. I was never a fan of their cover of Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly". Their use of The Godfather film font and the album cover design just weirds me out. Has all the things that I find annoying about hip hop. Didn't enjoy this album when it came out in 1996 and I don't enjoy it now.
I could listen to Lauryn Hill sing all day long, unfortunately she doesn’t really sing that much on this record. The rest of it is ok, but I found it pretty unmemorable.
Not really my style, some good songs. It was not bad
J'ai franchement écouté que la moitié de l'album c'est pas trop mon style. Fun fact la meuf dans le groupe a joué dans sister act et elle a été mariée pendant un bon bout de temps à un des fils de Bob Marley. Ça se trouve c'est le messager. I and I brother. Brother from another mother.
Obviously very accomplished but not for me, dawg. Beautiful singing but rap is just noise for me xx
This was good. But not very memorable
no
It was pretty cool to see 2 songs I recognized. And I didn't hate the beats. But wow every song is sooo repetitive.
To be honest, if I ever listen to hip-hop, I usually prefer its more extreme forms—like Cypress Hill. My usual taste leans more toward prog rock, alternative, and other genres. This is my first time listening to The Score, and so far, it feels more dull than engaging. Still, I’m not giving up—I’m genuinely curious. But wow, “Ready or Not” is so overplayed, and to me, it’s forever linked with clumsy, mainstream vibes. I can imagine a scenario where I might enjoy this album—probably around 4:00 AM after a big party, using it as a chill-out soundtrack. But realistically, I wouldn’t play it on my own during the day. That said, there’s something oddly soothing about it. Maybe it’s best enjoyed at low volume—as background music. 🙂
pretty ok
This was a big deal when it came out my freshman year of college. Didn't do a lot for me then, doesn't now, but I can get the appeal.
For some reason I thought I would enjoy this more than I did, though I'm not really sure why. It's not that I'm an established Fugees fan, more that I've been aware of their influence for some time and for some reason had preconceived notions that I hold them in high regard. I've had Killing Me Softly in my Liked list forever and after this listen I actually decided to take it off. It's not that it'd bad, it's more that I'm not sure why I thought I liked it so much. I got through the album and basically shrugged my shoulders as to what the buzz was all about. Second half hooked me more than the first half but that isn't saying much as I couldn't tell you much about it. The beats are simple, the vocals are basic and melodic (which is fine) but the interludes between songs are pretty annoying. Wyclef, Ms. Lauren Hill and Pras just basically whiffed on me. Maybe it was the time and place when I listened to it but The Score didn't feel like much of a score. 1.73 stars
Not a fan…
Meh not by style
I just didn't get this, though I did like Cowboys and Killing me Softly
Some good songs, but not my thing and not very interesting overall. The best song here "Killing Me Softly" is not an original and even pales in comparison to the Roberta Flack version. At least, nowhere near as overrated as Ms. Hill's solo album, which I haven't gotten yet but am not looking forward to. Key tracks: Ready or Not Fu-Gee-La Killing Me Softly
Another rap album
I really wanted to like this. But honestly apart from the singles - this was really really boring 2 ⭐️
It seems that, for the most part, 90's Hip-Hip just isn't my thing. I can recognize the important records, but they just don't move the needle much for me. The Reggae-ish tone on many of these songs does not help matters at all for me. It's also worth noting that the biggest hits from this record were covers of other artists' work.
Some classics. 2/5
Couple of solid tracks I’d forgotten about
not for me
The lyrics were obviously better than a lot of rap/hip hop lyrics but this album was so not interesting. I didn't make me want to turn it off immediatly but after some time I got tired of it. Some parts were nice, mostly when Lauryn Hill was on vocals.
Nothing grabbed me about this album. Feels a little all over the place without anything that really ties it together. 2.5 stars
Album is boring to me. The talk/rapping is boring. I think I don't care for the voices of the majority of the group. I'd rather be listening to The Gravediggaz.
The songs that aren't covers have 1 musical idea, repeated to the point of medium. The covers are ok, but hardly greatest album material. I don't appreciate it lyrically, and I feel that it is where it's got to hit you, as the songs are so repetitive.
Album 724 of 1001 Fugees - The Score (1996) Rating : 2 / 5 Not really my thing, but not bad for the genre. There were a couple of decent moments. Certainly a step above some others.
No problem with this white guy not buying this
2/5
# 425 : nnng! I just can't get the hype for Lauryn Hill - I can listen to it, but I found it drawn out, tedious and boring. Nothing really grabbed me - not even the so called hits and if the music isn't good, I'm not sure I need to hear it before I die. Thanks.
If you followed the Grammy’s this year you might know Doechii, who won a few awards. You can hear the influence of albums like this in her music, 90s-style rap is recently really popular. Anyway, I liked some of the songs such as fu-gee-lah and skipped “killing me softly with his song” because I find it very annoying and overplayed.
Un album de pop rap qui participe à signer la fin de l’âge d’or du style, entre autres avec cette reprise de killing me softly - succès énorme qui m’avait tellement saoulé à l’époque - ou celle de Bob Marley alors à nouveau hype. Le rap entre définitivement dans le domaine de la musique populaire. Reste la pâte caribeenne de Wyclef Jean et la voix de Lauryn Hill (qui, après Queen Latifah, a eu le mérite d’être l’une des toutes premières femmes à s’imposer dans le rap), mais tous 2 feront, selon moi, bien mieux par la suite et chacun de leur côté. Perso, Cowboys et Fu-gee-la en principaux highlights, le reste m’ennuie un peu et les textes ne sont franchement pas dingues.
« Ouh la la la », indeed ;)
Interesting choice for the beginning of my 1001 journey. I haven't heard it a while, and I remembered it having better rhymes (still grooves though).
I enjoyed the songs with Lauren Hill the most because her voice is like buttah. The rest? Meh.
This album was too long and should have been split into two albums of standard length. There was too much repetition here, e.g. all those Fug-ee La mixes. My usual comment with rap music applies here - too much talking. I liked that the group incorporated clips of older music throughout.
Another one that comes across as just very self-indulgent.
It seems fine just not for me.
This is one of those albums people love to say they love. I never got into it and listening to it I can see why. Wyclef is a nob and Loren Hill is over rated. The skits aren’t funny.
Not my cup of tea
Not for me but I appreciate what it did for the genre.
Lauryn Hill’s undeniable talent is the lone saving grace of The Score, but even her brilliance can’t save this monotonous and overhyped album. “Killing Me Softly” is fine at best, but it pales in comparison to the original—hardly worth the effort of this reimagining. The rest of the album drones on, recycling the same tired beats for nearly every track, making it feel like one endless, lifeless loop. Even the skits, which should add charm or personality, are nothing more than irritating interruptions. The lyrics? Without having them in front of me, I’d have no idea what’s being said, and when I do catch bits of it, the subject matter is either gratingly crude or so far removed from anything I care about that it’s impossible to engage with. "Mista, Mista," for example, attempts to be a soft, reflective ballad but is ruined by gratuitous profanity and its overly bleak focus on addiction. It comes across as trying too hard to be edgy rather than meaningful. If anything, listening to this album underscores why Lauryn Hill left the group to go solo—her talent deserved so much better than this repetitive, uninspired production. Adding to the distaste is the knowledge of Wyclef Jean’s mismanagement and exploitation through his Yéle Haiti charity, which casts an even darker shadow over the whole experience. The Score may be considered a classic by some, but for me, it’s a shallow, monotonous slog that I couldn’t wait to end.
Not my favourite style of hip hop. It was ok but more the RnB aspects of it.
Some artists go with the time, this album went away
Little boring for me
Not impressed by this album it seems pretty flat to me. I love Ms Lauren but I like her a lot better solo and with some R&B focused vocals. There's one song on here that does that but other than that this isn't for me..
Lauren Hill is the only thing worth listening to here. She is amazing. The rest just isn't.
There were a few tracks on here that got some playtime a very long time ago. I did go back and attempt to listen to this; it didn't hit the same 25 years later. Let it go.
Blah blah bla blah bla bingbong blimmpoplie blubping
Never got it - Lauren Hills solo stuff is far superior - and if I hear killing me softly - one more time!!!!!
It’s like if someone kept rapping mildly obscure references that educated people would get like Porgy and Bess and Colecovision and Paralax over backing tracks made entirely of songs from Pure Moods. It’s hip hop for the most annoying liberal you know! Jesus
Killing Me Softly is such a good song, it brought the album up from a 1 to a 2 for me. Now i know why I never really listened to this when it came out, either.
Without the hit songs this would've been a one
HipHop not my real taste.
Kinda meh outside of the few hits
Ok I guess. Not my bag, but I know this is a groundbreaking album.... sort of...
I had high hopes for this one. I had never listed to this entire record, and I gotta say, I was underwhelmed. I guess I had all sorts of anticipation for listening to Lauryn Hill's gorgeous voice, and her ability to wail was undermined by mid 90's rap/sfx noise that was disappointing. Maybe it is simply that time doesn't help this one.
Played this a lot back in the day, I’m fine leaving this one back in my memories.
Beats are fairly bland and lyrically nothing unique going on. Lots of better hip hop albums from the 90s. The covers were kind of annoying too. My fav track is Family Business.
I think this album caught the end of the 90s hip hop / jazz trend and as a result it’s of it’s time. I thought it was ok, but it kind of left me with the impression that the people who made probably think themselves as the only ones cool enough to listen to it. I can’t say I would rush back, despite a few decent, catchy tunes.
Well nothing on the album was bad, while at the same time I didn’t love any tracks either. Just some 90s hip hop without too much excitement. Knocking a mark off for tragic skits.
Not a fan. It's that level of talky rap stuff that isn't interesting, but also doesn't have the decency to fade into the background. The title track is, at least, musically strong.
I love a few songs but not a fan of the whole album.
2.5 ok
I personally don’t really care for their flow so 78 minutes of run time felt far too long for me. Don’t care for how crude the lyrics are either. Feels like a lot more swagger than substance. 4.5/10
Still definitely not my genre but more listenable than most hip hop, albeit sounding a little like listening to two radio stations at the same time; at least it doesn’t sound like noisy neighbours as well.
didn't have a good time listening to this. aside from the one or two bangers (lauryn hill!!) This was lowkey an album half the cast of Hamilton would be in and it didn't really float my boat 2/5
Un poco pesados.
I think it's good for what it is but I don’t like it.
The only two songs I really like on here are covers. The rest I find kind of boring and repetitive, tho I’m sure the lyrics mean more to some people than they do to me. It might be a character defect in me that makes me not really like intelligent rap. Wish wyclef Jean hadn’t defrauded haiti to such an unfashionable extent. Not cool man.
This felt like very standard hip-hop to me. There wasn't much in the way of variation within tracks or between tracks, creating a slightly monotone atmosphere for a grand 77 minutes. The songs involving (melodic) singing rather than rap were easily the highlights; Ms Lauryn Hill is always a win. (I still regret giving her "The Miseducation..." album as low as 3/5, but I was much more naïve back then.) I'm surprised this album was the 5th best-selling hip-hop LP of the 90s, because it's very nondescript. It wasn't terrible, though. I enjoyed the variety of rappers, and the cover of No Woman No Cry was almost as good as the incredible original. The production was fairly good as far as 90s hip-hop goes. 2/5 Key tracks: Fu-Gee-La, Killing Me Softly With His Song, No Woman No Cry
Did not like the lyrics. Too many F and N words.
Deras största hit är en cover.
This is the kind of music where I can tell it’s well done. I can tell it’s meaningful to the right people. I am not those people. I try to give every rap and hip hop album a chance, but between the skits, the language, and the general themes, I just can’t see myself listening to the whole album again. I could listen to the singles again, and I think they have a great dynamic in the music they make. It’s just all a vibe that is not meant for white guy me.
too inconsistent to be great but has a couple great songs
Most of the songs in this album have very basic beats and weren't super interesting to me. I do like "Ready or Not", "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and "No Woman No Cry" however.
Goed te luisteren R&B en verwacht dat ik dit op een mooie zomerse dag wel vet zou vinden maar moet zeggen dat het me een beetje tegenviel. Kon me niet echt bekoren. Misschien verkeerde timing. 5/10 Highlights Killing me softly
I thought it was boring in the 90s. If anything, it's gotten less interesting with age.
Some very good covers, but still hip hop…
90s hip-hop. This has a few good songs (mostly the covers), but the skits bring it down. Stand-out: Fu-Gee-La
expected this to be better, not gonna lie!
I remember back when "Killing Me Softly" was huge hating the idiot constantly singing "one time, one time" all through it, so I didn't hold high hopes for this album. Somehow it's even worse than I feared. A lot of the songs come across as wannabe gangster. The skits are terrible.
Lauryn Hill is a good singer. I wish she did more of it.
I kind of like Zealots
I don't like hip hop. I think it's a shame with this album in particular. There are great vocal passages and fine choruses. The vocals are great. But I can't do anything with the chanting. I always enjoy listening to Ready or Not, Killing Me Softly and No Woman No Cry. I only played the rest of the album and skipped it. 2/5
Un poco pesados.
noh, killing me softly, ja maar nee
Snippets of good stuff.
Don't like rap
nudy
I can dig some hip-hop/rap , but this one just seemed like more noise than music to me. Some of the rhymes were creative, but back beats were mostly one note/one beat. All the senseless chatter and N-bombs are grating.
Boring
not for me
Not my bag
While I acknowledge the talent, I didn't enjoy this album as much as I anticipated I would. I didn't find that the non-lauryn hill members added much. Best Song: Killing Me Softly With His Song Worst Song: N/A
its fine ig. bit too cruisy for me overall, even tho it has some nice snappy moments. i think it tends to suffer when hill isn't on the mic tbh. favs: ready or not fu-gee-la
This list is opening me up to how many varied types of hip-hop I don't care for (and a few I do). The opening rample about corporations is pretty laughable given the extreme commerciality of this highly polished effort. Apparently they are refugees... well one of them... probably... form some where in the Caribbean. Isn't Lauryn Hill a refugee from Hollywood child stardom? I don't know, so many post 1990 rap/hip-hop things seem very fake and over-produced to me. And to my untrained ears this is mostly just another rambling rap album with not much original to say, and some limp wristed reggae thrown in towards the end when they remember they are cosplaying as refugees. Of course it's saving grace and key to success are the storming vocals of Lauryn Hill, her voice is wasted on this album. Those are my thoughts. But then I only listened one time (one time).
Pretty good for the good songs, the rest is somewhat mid
Not my cup of tea...
Ein paar bekannte Songs mit Gesang, die gut sind. Für Rap Songs sind nicht mein Ding.
Just bit boring other than Lauren the performances weren’t that good
I have a hard time listening to the “N” word as it was drilled into me as a child that it was wrong. This band seems to have staked their fame as cover artists
Too laid back, never gets going
Nope
Nothing near the seminal album it is portrayed as. It has some decent moments, but most of it is forgettable. Just never fully understood the appeal. 1.5/5