The Score

The best album this list has churned up so far by a very long way. Its so good I forgive the length and the interludes.

This album has aged really well. Some tracks wouldn't be out of place on the airwaves if commercial radio.

Even better than I remembered

Cracking

Amazing album with some classics

I didn't finish it yet, but this a great hip-hop/soul album. Unbelievable that I didn't know it until today. Thank you 1001albumsgenerator!

The Score is the second and final studio album by the hip hop trio Fugees. Upon its release, The Score was a commercial success, peaking at the number one spot on both the Billboard 200, and the Top R&B/Hip-hop Albums chart (it was a number one album on the latter in 1996 on the year-end chart), becoming the third best selling album of 1996. With an estimated 22 million copies sold worldwide,[3] the album has become one of the best-selling albums of all time, at the time of its release it became the best selling hip hop album of all time,[4] while it remains the best selling album by a hip hop group.[5] The Score was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, becoming the second rap album to receive a nomination and the first for a hip hop group

Haha 10/10 easily. This is arguably one of the best hip hop albums of all time for me. This will be required listening for kids if I had them. It's a complete album - front to back - this is a weird comparison, but like Dark Side, it's an experience with perfect songs that radio can pull out. It is hard to start but ideas that come to mind are : Lauren Hill Band that is loving playing music together Awesome samples and uses of them 90s poetry infused verses (makes references stand up to time and interesting) Amazing Interludes (you want beef?!) Arguments for Praz being crucial to the Fugees Wyclef Genius Maybe my favorite singing part in a hip hop song to belt out of all time? (more later) Boom Bap LAUREN at her best? Best Songs : 1) Killing me Softly Talk to me about 3:12+! Probably my favorite rap singing part ever to sing out loud doing Lauren's part? Even the later parts are good where they just talk and riff. Then! (below) 2) The Score I just like the way this one sounds mostly - New Yorkish - bassline - also, they sample themselves in it (amongst lots of other cool stuff) 3) The Mask - I honestly had this at 2 earlier, but I got caught up in the post Killing Softly hype and rolled with it. I am a sucker for songs that spell things for one - for 2 - I walk the streets and camouflage my identity. Also I am wearing the mask a lot. Also what happened to Steve, really? Mixing, creativity, band vibe : all on point. 10/10 all around.

Wow I finally see why this is so popular

i finally get it! i wasn’t old enough before

Love this, excellent songs and kept my interest throughout. The three of them have a nice dynamic that keeps the songs moving. Lots of great samples. My only complaint is the bonus tracks, not needed.

Perfect

Love the Fugees

Amazing beats and samples, rhythms are also tight

This album rules. I did not know there were so many hits on this one and I was surprised by how many songs I recognized but didn’t know were them. I think I listened to this album 3 times over the weekend! So good

Lauryn Hill is massively underrated

10/10 Intense, smooth af Damn

Amazing

Iconic tunes in there

Certified Classic . An album to study . Sample selection is crazy

Tätä tuli siskon kanssa kuunneltua moneen otteeseen aikoinaan ja edelleen toimii kuin häkä.

The singles are the keepers, but also top quality for How Many Mics, Zealots, Score, Mask and No Woman. Not much filler. Remixes are forgettable.

Amazing samples, super unique rap album. Giving it a 4 for now, but this might go up. And it did!

Not a big fan of hip-hop/rap but this album had some pretty good songs. Definitely one I will come back too.

Such an enjoyable experience! Great songs, strong beats, memorable lyrics.

Loved the lyricism and interpolation of more famous tracks (though arguable some of these have outshone their originals). Very 90s in its instrumentation, drums, and sampling. Favorites: Zealots, Fu-Gee-La, Killing me softly, The Mask

Lots of good tracks on here.

Just a smooth rap album all-around. Great rhyme flow from the talented trio, and wonderfully crafted thanks to the sampled melodies and instrumentation choices. While the skits here are not quite as prevalent compared other 90's rap albums, I didn't care much for them and thought they took away from the experience a bit. This is still a classic, however, and is a worthy inclusion. This album won a Grammy for a reason.

*1996. *I only knew Ready or Not, plus the two covers, Killing Me Softly and No Woman, No Cry. *The lyrics are complex and layered, and both Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean rap in such a musical, lovely way. *This does need to be 20 mins shorter though - too many skits and extra stuff at the end of the songs that needs to go. RATING - 7.5/10

Oh wow, this rules. So glad I finally listened to it. I could do without the skits, but it's a 90s/00s rap album so I get what I get.

I'm biased but i love it and thats all that matters.

Pretty solid albums. Killing me softly so good even though I know ms hill has some controversy with her career.

I really liked this album. Atmospheric and really well produced. Great vocals too

Really good album but a few too many misses for me to give this a 5.

A classic.

I was not into this at the time and needed to develop my taste a little more before I was ready for it. But it is of course fantastic.

Awesome saucesome

I've had the privilege of seeing the rare good recent performance by Lauryn Hill, absolutely a talent and an icon of the era and our crew mourned her fall after witnessing her completely dominate a stage. The current state of Pras and Wyclef, lol. This album is really good to excellent with the exception of the Chinese restaurant skit, which has to be one of the worst examples of the trend in all popular 90s rap albums, horribly unfunny and way too long! The singles are all timers though!

Interesting.

Heerlijk album. Leuk dat er veel gesampled is. Sommige teksten/ tunes herken ik van andere artiesten. Zouden Fugees dan de OGs zijn? Goeie feel, beats on point. Fijn om weer even uit de wereld van WMvML te stappen.

Heb de cd een tijdje terug een de kringloop gevonden. Wat een top plaat. Erg verfrissend tussen de gangsta rap van de jaren 90. Beats met soul, funk en reggae en live instrumenten. Klinkt veel levendiger dan andere 90 platen. Lauren Hill steelt wel echt de show, de stem, de flow. De covers en aantal bekende samples maakt het toegankelijk voor grotere publiek maar er zit veel meer in dit album. Het is bijna 5 sterren. Net iets te veel covers, de skits zijn een beetje overdadig.

An album I owned and loved when it came out. This was the type of hip hop I really enjoyed. I had not listened to it in a very long time. It was still good, but the two absolute standouts were Killing Me Softly and No Woman, No Cry. I love the original versions too, so I’m not sure if this is as amazing as I thought it was. There was still a lot to really like here, but what was a five star album back then is now four.

I normally get hooked into hip-hop, or not, by the production but this is a fun exception. The music is pretty minimial and repetitive (I think it's live?) but almost every track manages to establish a good hook and run with it nevertheless. The rhymes atop flow smoothly so, while it doesn't really have standout tracks as such, the whole just works. Stylistically, it feels like it owes a debt to the RZA, and it's cool to see a rap album acknowledging a debt to reggae instead of soul.

I’m culturally richer and genuinely cooler for having finally listened to this.

Listened to this before, took a while to grow on me. Shit rips. Standouts: Ready or Not, Fu-Gee-La, Family Business, Killing Me Softly, No Woman, No Cry, Manifest / Outro.

Minus a star for the racist chinese skit in the middle of the album

Loved it

Always wanted to listen to this album, put it off for years. My kind of hip-hop record.

Still standing the test of time tight hip hop rapping without getting too gangsta They flow well and I love the in and out from Wyclef, Lauren and Praz. All three cementing hit afterwards Nice covers too made them their own while the originals shone Great album plenty of nostalgia

Not really my genre but I love at least half of it. Some of it is too crass for my liking. Overall a good listen; just skip the skits and it's greatly improved.

I think this is a good album but I did feel it went on for a bit long and needed to take breaks to finish it, some very good songs some others that were take or leave

Er mye bra her altså! Merker noe forskjell etter hvem av dem som har skrevet låta. Noe som er litt masete i skrivende stund, men velger å skylle på bankende og sliten skalle, og lar herved tvilen komme skiva til gode.

Lauryn Hill!!! Not really a genre I listen to, but I can appreciate the artistry.

Overall pretty good. I appreciate that it's a big blended album of styles and done really well. Killing Me Softly is obviously huge, but the other songs have a decent amount of muster to hang

My friend Carl brought me this and 36 Chambers on CD the same day to let me borrow them and in a small way kind of changed my life. This was the same guy who, when I told him I was going to DC for a month to be a page for Strom Thurmond, told me I would like DC because it’s a chocolate city. Carl wasn’t one of those mythical people who don’t see race and so thought I was black. I expect that when you’re one of two or three black kids in the “smart classes” of a small town Southern high school that’s basically 60/40 in the rest of the school and people would regularly tell you to your face that they didn’t mean *you* when they used the N-word that you make allies anyway you can and I wish I had been a better one to him and others. Although Nikki Davis did write in my yearbook that she and I were down like four flat tires, so maybe I did okay. Anyway, I loved 36 Chambers and really liked this album, although I think this one might have been the one that I connected with most of the two of them at first. Melodic, poppy, fun, smart. The Fugees really had something. This is a good album and worth hearing. Thank you Carl.

Shoulda listened to this ages ago

Not sure I've ever listeened to this from beginning to end. A huge album by hugely talented artists ... and yet, a truly gripping track doesn't arise until Fu-Gee-La. the sixth track (though, on an album like this, that's maybe the third actual song). Speaking of which, to get to a good track, the listener has to endure some tedious hip hop skit bullshit. (My best friend from elementary school years told me recently he harbors an ambition to create a long playlist exclusively comprised of dumb 90s hip hop skits, which is a sort of brilliantly absurd conceptual art project, but a terrifying prospect to sit through.) Absolutely beautiful bass line on the Sly and Robbie mix of Fu-Gee-La. I remember this as the cornerstone or a high point or whatever of the Phat Beat era, and yet ... I'm less blown away by the beats than I thought I would be. I think I never listened to this all the way through because I became discouraged by the boring parts and stopped. Which seems about right. Beautiful beat on the Score. I don't remember that one. Very compelling music. Surprisingly generic vocals given the opportunity provided by the music. Overall, this is surprisingly hit or miss for such a successful album.

I listened to this album a lot in my mid-20s, and it is a lot better than I remembered; I would call it "almost perfect," but it's poisoned by a couple fatal flaws. The beats are so raw and minimal in a really gorgeous way -- it holds up against the best production of almost any NYC hip hop record from the 90s. And their rhymes, flow, and chemistry are unmatched. But, (1) the skits are not only irritating, they fall victim to this insane anti-Asian trend in 90s hip hop that I cannot get down with; (2) the multiple cover songs and interpolations generally do not interest me.

Same as the previous one, rather amazing piece of history, love it 💕

It was actually surprisingly good for hip-hop. Not really a fan of most.

Classic and somehow underrated

album #78 absolutely phenomenally constructed album! the enya sampling in "ready or not" brought me /so/ much joy. this is an album that will always stand the test of time, i think! very much want to get the CD, such a good album to just have on and chill. ꩜ average track rating: 3.8/5 ꩜ favourite track(s): ready or not, the score ꩜ least favourite track(s): the beast (because of the skit lol) ꩜ album rating: ★★★★⯪ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,011 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 37 (+1 The Score) ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 16 (+1 The Score) ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 62

Classic 90’s hip hop. Soulful. Great rhymes. It’s a little dated… just a little. The best thing this record did was introduce the Lady Ms. Lauryn Hill to the world. I would rather listen to The Miseducation. 3.9

I was very familiar with the hits form this album. Taking the time to listen to the whole album really tied them all together. Some very good tracks on this album, I guess now I know the score.

High quality stuff, all 3 Fugees bring their own talents but Lauren's voice is spectacular on this

I was not familiar with the Fugees before listening to the album. The album is solid from front to back. Enjoyed the skits included in the album. It adds a break between songs. Loved all the samples used.

First time listening to this and it is really, really good.

Never been a fan of the Fugees. Distinctly remember when they came out with this record and I basically shunned the album, partly because so many people were crazy about it. There was just so many other R&B artists I would rather listen to at that time like Tony Toni Tone, New Edition (their reunion record), and others. I just didn’t care for the Fugees. So when this came up I was like “meh.” But in actually giving this record a chance, it is fire! There’s just a lot to like about it, from the grooves to the raps to the way they play off each other to the slight crackle that gives the record an old time feel. Very cool. Lots of talent on display throughout this record. Favorites were Fu-Gee-La, Family Business, Killing Me Softly With His Song. Their version of No Woman No Cry is an excellent take too. And the closer Manifest is awesome. Maybe it’s just me, but it seemed like Lauren Hill was ever so slightly behind the beat when she was signing about trying to catch her breath which, if intentional, is an amazing touch. 4 stars and an admission that I have been wrong all these years.

I like this record, but then again, this is one of those rap records that white people like.

Red Intro - 3/5 How Many Mics - 4.5/5 Ready or Not - 3.5/5 Zealots - 4/5 The Beast - 3/5 Fu-Gee-La - 4/5 Family Business - 4.5/5 Killing Me Softly With His Song -5/5 The Score - 3/5 The Mask - 3.5/5 Cowboys - 3/5 No Woman, No Cry - 2.5/5 Manifest/Outro - 3.5/5 Fu-Gee-La - Refugee Camp Remix - 3.5/5 Fu-Gee-La - Sly & Robbie Mix - 3/5 Mista Mista - 3/5 Fu-Gee-La - Refugee Camp Global Mix - 3/5

listened to this on a walk. some absolute bangers on this album, i really enjoyed it :)

This album was a monster hit when I was in college and I didn't care for it then. And honestly, it's still not my jam. But hip-hop in general isn't anyway, so I don't fault it. The trio are really "on" here and the writing is pretty brilliant really, so it's a positive review from me for something I don't particularly care for. Sometimes you can recognize a masterpiece even if it's not for you.

Classic album. Still one I need to explore more but I always enjoy it.

Good album! Interesting production and some cool delivery. Not all tracks hit but more than less.

There are very few Rap / Hip-Hop artists I like. The Fugees are one of them. Intelligent texts, without that BS gangsta stuff. And a plus for using Enya's Boadicea.

Chicken shop lol

How many mics do *I* rip on the daily? None. But I'm happy to listen to the Fugees rip many many many. The only real downside here is that the album suffers the same issues as most of the genre that I've heard. Too many slurs and too much blaa blaa blaa between tracks. I get that it was the style but fanny packs were popular once too. That doesn't mean they're actually cool. It's second hand embarrassing. It's fortunate that they're really really good. Mostly very enjoyable.

Such an amazing album, thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a little bit long for my taste, not a huge fan of the skits in the middle of albums, but the music itself is so good. Four stars.

7/10

god rap

Jeg kan se appellen, jeg tror de har inspireret mange moderne albums med denne lyd. Det holder - og deres hits lyder faktisk også bedre i albummets kontekst, det synes jeg også er godt gået. Lige over 4 på denne

Great

Fresh and varied; it starts to fade in the second half of the album; some of the repeated motifs are distracting (mainly Hill's laughing)

Good ass sampling going on here.

A classic of 90s hip hop and R&B for a reason.

for a bunch of tax criminals, they sure can make one good album

Must listen/ Will listen again. Amazing trio, bars on bars on bars

some real bangers, overall not revolutionary for me therefore 4

Clean. Not so into the melodies but they work.

You'd be hard pressed to find a finer distillation of the kind of mainstream approachable yet street legitimate, conscious yet tuff soulful boombap that typifies the late 90s as this. So many reviews saying they don't get hip hop so can't rate this... bruh, what's to get?

Undeniable classic tracks here, and the influence on future hip-hop is palpable. Some of the rhyme schemes hit a bit corny, but I'm not the biggest rap fan anyway. Solid overall, don't know if I'll be back for a full listen though. Also, wtf was that Chinese restaurant thing?

One of the best best!!!

Have a listen to The Score and note how little anxiety there is in it. So much of 1996 mainstream culture now feels like it was unconsciously hardening into systems - Britpop becoming institutionally self-aware, stardom becoming more performative, music journalism beginning to mistake scale for importance. This album somehow sidesteps most of that. Catch this: it doesn’t behave like a canonical statement even though it very obviously became one. Instead, it feels inhabited. Loose. Social. More like joining a conversation already in progress than being confronted with a thesis. The album constantly leaves space for interruption, humour, overlap and drift. That matters. A lot of supposedly “inclusive” music really means “submit to this communal gesture.” The Score is different. It invites participation without flattening personality. You’re not being led by the nose. You’re being asked to step into the current. Musically, it’s extraordinary how relaxed the record remains considering how densely constructed it actually is. The sampling is less crate-digging machismo than emotional architecture. The Fugees pull atmosphere out of records rather than simply quoting them. The Mask somehow extracts nocturnal cool from Nights in White Satin. Elsewhere you get jazz-funk, soul, reggae, classical guitar, Michael Franks smoothness, old sound-effects records and Caribbean rhythmic logic all dissolving into one another without any panic about genre boundaries or credibility bookkeeping. That Caribbean sensibility is probably the key to the whole thing. Even at its hardest, the album lopes rather than marches. The grooves stay socially functional - music for rooms, kitchens, parties, cars, flirting, heat, arguments, fans turning lazily in the corner. Wyclef in particular is crucial to that balance. He overcommits to virtually every syllable like somebody trying to keep the singalong alive at a party, but the album is warmer because of it. Lauryn supplies gravity and clarity. Pras grounds things. Wyclef keeps opening windows in the music. And perhaps that’s why the album still feels so alive. It never loses sight of people. Not demographics or movements or generational declarations - actual people. Couples half-singing along to songs that remind them of old mixtapes. Someone yelling “one time” from another room. Someone hearing Marley through the haze of a hot afternoon and a badly tuned radio. Even the serious moments retain humour and looseness. The record understands that communities sound like overlapping voices rather than perfect synchronisation. That’s what makes it such a defining album of that strangely good natured summer. It was everywhere in 1996, but never in an oppressive way. It drifted through ordinary life like weather.

3.5 vibes

Classic

Classic

Awesome album

Some great tracks on here. :9’e not so great. Good listen

I think of all the 90s R&B/rap so far this is the best one. I also liked it better than Lauryn Hill's solo album. Some real standout songs here.

Great listen. Interesting in conjunction with Miseducation of Lauryn Hill to get a sense of her evolution.

Ready or not, even a non R&B fan like myself will enjoy this one! Great hooks, interesting raps, and melodies you don't always find in this genre

Great 90’s hip hop

This has so many great songs and I’m surprised Lauryn Hill and Fugees aren’t usually mentioned as the best hip hop artists. 8/10

Very chill, classic 90's hiphop. But the variety in instrumentation, songs, and even a few really good covers make it a much nicer album experience than most of the sort. Faves: How Many Mics, Ready or Not, Killing Me Softly with His Song, No Woman, No Cry

so great. I haven't listened to much hip hop before and this is a great introduction.

never heard this in full before, though i'm familiar with their best hits off of here. i'm relatively familiar with Lauryn Hill's solo album as well my rating excludes the two Fu-Gee-La mixes and Mista Mista. i thought the mixes were redundant and they're bonus tracks anyway Red Intro - no rating How Many Mics - 5/5 Ready or Not - 5/5 Zealots - 4/5 The Beast - 4/5 (would've been a 5 without that stupid-ass chinese restaurant skit) Fu-Gee-La - 5/5 Family Business - 4/5 Killing Me Softly - 5/5 The Score - 4/5 The Mask - 5/5 Cowboys - 3/5 No Woman, No Cry - 3/5 Manifest / Outro - 4/5 Average score: 4.2/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ pretty stellar conscious hip-hop album. Lauryn is a fuckin' wordsmith, easily outshined her fellow group members. considering how old this album is, i think this is one of those rare instances of a 90s hip-hop album that aged like fine wine i really wanted to give this a 5-star rating, but a couple tracks toward the end kinda tanked the average score unfortunately. still a great album i could see myself coming back to

The Score by Fugees was one of my most egregious blind spots in Hip-Hop. And even on a first listen, I can tell that this is really something special. The trio of Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras is electric. Everyone gets ample chances to show off clever, conscious, and dynamic raps. And they also contribute a lot to the production of the incredible, varied beats across here. And I can definitely see how this had some cross-over pop appeal; songs like Killing Me Softly smartly incorporate RnB into the sound here. I also want to say that the sound on this album has aged *incredibly* well. This doesn't sound at all dated or cheesy, and I was really struck by some of the flows on here. I don't have a lot to complain about, but I will say that this is a solid hour of dense rapping, and I haven't fully digested it. But as I said, there's definitely something special here, and I see myself coming back to this quite a bit. But what is certain is that this has earned it's legendary status.

This is such a fun, creative, well produced and performed hip hop album. An absolute joy to listen to. Of course I knew the classics from here, but never had the chance to listen to the entire record. It's very well crafted and I guess I'll be listening to it for day now. A 4.

16.Mai 2026

The fusion of genres is so apparent❤️❤️ Timeless in every right!

GENRE: Conscious Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Reggae FAVs: How Many Mics, Ready or Not, Family Business, The Score, Cowboys, No Woman No Cry, Manifest FIRST LISTEN RATING: 8/10

said “omg this is on here?????” to my bf at least 3 times. transportative! lauryn hill is such a beast she can be as late to concerts as she wants

I was dreading putting this on a little bit, mainly because I have a big aversion to Killing Me Softly. It was played to death and then some. But I had forgotten how good Fugees actually were, if I could pretend that one song never existed. I love Fu-Gee-La though, it's great. This album is not really like anything I'd choose to listen to but turned out to be a very enjoyable listen.

Didn't realize Lauren Hill's version of Killing Me Softly was originally recorded during her time with the Fugees. Learn something new every day.

Люблю некоторые песни с этого альбома и в целом он был бы прекрасен, если бы не трёп в конце почти каждой песни.

First time listening to the album. Had heard and enjoyed several songs. It is better as an album. Has a feel like being live in a lounge. If I like rap it would be 5. 0 songs added to playlist.

Some crazy mega bangers but also some mid songs 8 bordering on 9 out of ten

31/1089 The Score by Fugees Banger alert. This is just banger after banger. Aside from a few random skits, this album is absolutely fantastic. Of course the star of the show is Lauryn Hill. The highest highs on this album are all driven by her talent. Her rapping, singing, charisma, everything just feels on another level. That being said, the whole group works beautifully together. There’s soul, hip hop, political lyrics, rage, melody. The whole thing just feels incredibly cool without trying too hard. Absolutely loved this. It’s a 4 for me right now, but honestly I could easily see this becoming a 5 with more listens. Food pairing? Jerk chicken, rice and peas, something full of flavour and warmth. Wine pairing? A bold, juicy red with a bit of spice. Maybe a Syrah or Zinfandel. Something smooth but still with attitude. Favourite song? “Ready or Not”. Vinyl? Want this as soon as possible. First listen? Yes. Overall 4 out of 5

Very good.

I’ve always loved the hits here and I’ve listened to the whole thing but was definitely do to revisit it. Lovely!

The excellent samples outweigh the terrible skits

That was real cool. And kudos for sampling I Only Have Eyes For You by the Flamingos

Great lyrics, great flow, great beats, great album.

Hell yeah. Still a great album, except for the racist trope of the Chinese restaurant owner...

Absolutely packed album, completely stuffed back to front with just whatever the hell they wanted to do and wanted to say. Fun listen. Not really my thing, but still very fun listen.

I really liked this

Super chouette

Really liked the majority of this. Couple of weaker tracks towards the end

It’s good. Really good. An album full of 89bpm groove, my favorite groove tempo. It’s a shame that L boogie became such a diva asshole. The kind of music that I enjoy most is when I can comprehend and musicality and still feel the emotion. This hits the mark.

The more I listen…the more I remember I really like wyclef….his tone….his inflection….his style. Lauren Hill is just something special! The more I listen the more I am liking this all over again!

I prefer rap when it gets intelligently political. And this album does that really well. Some of these lyrics are amazing. And, as someone who’s kind of neutral on hip-hop a lot of the time, this is an album I really enjoy sonically all throughout. It’s really good. The cover of No Woman No Cry is so so good. A great penultimate song before the outro.

Best Song: Killing Me Softly With His Song. This song exists, for me, in a pantheon of some of the greatest songs in modern music history. It is perhaps as close to perfect that a song can get. Lyrically wonderful, and this version far surpasses all others. Worst Song: The Beast. I've never understood the impulse to put a skit within the runtime of a song, rather than between them. The song was weak already, the skit made it weaker. Overall: Sometimes the three of them seem to get in their own way, but they're all so talented - Lauryn Hill most especially - that it's hard not to have fun listening to this album. Her ability to make rap-singing sound so angelic is unbelievable.

Very good

27 de abril de 2026 omg é o album da ready or not

The sophomore album of one of hip hop's most illustrious trios.

7/10

A notable gap for me. Iconic run of tracks from Fu-Gee-La onwards. Feel like it maybe doesn’t put its best foot forward though, took a track or two to get going for me. As ever, I could take or leave hip-hop skits. They detract more than they add here though and that’s probably the worst thing I can say about The Score.

Didn't pay much attention to this record in 96. I was into Wu-Tang and Public Enemy in the 90s, plus whatever the ex-NWA members were up to. Listening ad an adult reveals an album rich with storytelling, great production, and a positive overall experience. Teenage me missed out.

Has one of the greatest songs ever

4.5

Хороший, крепкий такой рэп-альбом. Нормальный, традиционный, я бы сказал, генста-рэп, очень приятные и качовые биты, клево читают эмси, классные мелодичные вставки с женским вокалом. Стильный и крутой альбом.

Great

excellent, holds up very well.

me gustó definitivamente es un gusto diferente pero el como tocan los temas de cómo fueron tratados con injusticia en el pasado con una buena combinación y creatividad increíble

alternative hip-hop at its finest (with fire lyrics) and also i was today years old, when i found out creepin‘ sampled ready or not (shame on me)…

Have a strong style, liked zealots, mista mista. 3.5/5

Had heard the singles before, some iconic songs on this LP. Really its lauryn hill and her vocals that stand out on my top tracks, (ready or not, killing me softly with his song) Other tracks have some meaningful lyrics and good rhymes, but lack on other areas like interesting instrumentals like zealot, the beast. The score and cowboys brings some good rap into it. I'd like to have more of the Dub and reggae influence shine through, some more style switchups or similar for me to give it a 5/5. Also a bit too cover-heavy. 4/5

Nice

Some bangers For the genre - 7/10

8/10

feels pretty fancy

this was gooda fck

Jersey represent! The hip-hop is great. The mixed vocalists is great. The skits take away from the album for sure. Ready or Not and Killing me Softly are great songs.

RIP the third guy. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef crush their tracks on this one. It’s soulful, col, and so 90s. Really felt like we were on the verge of the world being amazing. Little did we know it was the beginning of the end…

what a great album personaly i don't realy like the firt 4 songs

No doy 5, porque creo que no todas las canciones son para todo el público. Pero avemaría sí aquí hay clásicos del rap.

Lauryn Hill briljerar verkligen. Varje ton hon tar lyfter skivan en klass eller mer. Hennes känsla för gränslandet mellan soul och hiphop är enastående. Det hör vi exempel på i Ready or not, Zealots, titelspåret, Manifest och förstås Killing me softly som i Fugees version blivit en modern klassiker och det tycker jag den förtjänar. De vokala insatserna från Wyclef och Pras håller inte samma nivå, även om de inte är dåliga. En femma för Lauryn Hill. En trea för resten. Då får det bli en fyra på totalen.

Lauryn, Wyclef and the other guy. Antagligen så inne man bara kunde vara på Expressen fredag 1996. Hur står det sig då idag? Både och, är väl den inte alltid helt enkla sanningen. Lauryn Hill är riktigt bra, även om jag hellre hör Robertas original av Killing me…(Med det sagt, hitsen från albumet bortsett från No woman, No cry som är en rätt seg version, håller än, inte minst Fu-Gee-La) Wyclef duger gott medan the other guy är just the other guy. Samplingarna är emellanåt snygga. Vid andra tillfällen rätt daterade. Skitsen är vilka tenderar inleda och avsluta spåren, är som vanligt urusla. Dessutom outhärdlig långa. Annars kan de mer spartanska spåren som Family business och cowboys lyftas. Summa summarum tål albumet att spelas även idag. Skippar man skits, No woman och outrot är det faktiskt rätt bra.

The Score is near perfect 90s hip hop. Literate, free-associative verses following the rhyme wherever it might take them. Warm production with enough edge to maintain momentum. Smartly foreshadowing what might come next to weave the record together, ensuring flow between tracks with clever callbacks so they lock. We can acknowledge that the Chinese Restaurant skit at the end of The Beast is a bit rough — it's not the worst thing I've heard from a hip hop/rap skit but it's one of the elements that has aged unfavorably. I'm not saying that from any claim of moral authority, it just sounds like something you might find funny in your 20s over twenty years ago and cringe at now. While we're in the territory of edits I'd make, Cowboys feels 32 seconds too long and I prefer to stop the album at the end of Manifest/Outro when I'm near the controls. Keep things tight, it's a score after all. You don't linger during a heist and this album can steal your heart.

this is GOOD!! the sampling and production is fire. i like the rapping on this, and especially lauryn hill’s rapping/ singing on this a lot in combo with the production.

Listening session: april 10th, while getting ready in the morning Listened to before: listened to a few songs before Thoughts: my 100th album on this project and what a great one for that! As I said before, I love hiphop and this album is a great example of covers and sampling done right Favourite tracks: Zealots, Killing Me Softly With His Song & The Mask

I love this album,. so much and lived it even more when i was younger. This listen through, whilst still being very very good it just didnt have the same oomph that it used to. Lauryn Hill is so fucking talented, and this album is so good almost excluisvely because of her. Hard to pick a favourite track: Probably ready or not, but i've always had a soft spot for the ridiculous cover of No Woman, No Cry

Découverte du groupe. Très bon album de hip-hop/RnB. Des samples connus, de belles voix, ça groove, j'aime beaucoup. Un gros classique.

C’est un no skip. Que des bons titres, un très bon album au global. Il se mange un 4.

Atmospheric and laid-back. An album that works as both background music, and rewards closer attention.

Interesting, creative and cool. Need to listen to it again in one sitting. Enjoyed some of the songs immensely and thought the album was v well produced

Primeros temas buenos rap de chill

Solid 90s hip hop album. Knew a few of the big tracks.

What is to be done, what has been created. What should have been done. And it's true man, first human.

Jättebra förstås... Fortfarande. Älskade Fugees när de slog igenom, de var överallt och sedan var de försvunna. Lauryn Hill är fantastisk och tillsammans med Pras och Wycleaf blir det någon sorts magi. Sedan blev de alla konstiga och problematiska. Suck... Men just här, just då var det underbart! Ready or Not, Killing me softly och Fu-Gee-La. Vilka bangers!

A great album, some songs have a deep message. The style and the voices are amazing Fav songs - Ready or Not, Killing Me Softly With His Song, No Woman, No Cry 4/5

One time one time Two time two time

It's the Fugees. Lauren Hill is amazing. Wyclef, is acceptable. They basically owned mid ninety's. Ready or Not and their reinterpretations of Killing me Softly and No Woman No Cry, are great versions.

Bueno tengo opiniones mezcladas con este album, por momentos parece que Lauryn esta carreando heavy y por otros se luce el flow de uno de los vatos cuyo nombre no ubico. De igual forma, los lyrics de los vatos estos son flojisimos, que poronga es "I used to work at a Burger King, a king taking orders"???😭 Los covers están muy bien y especialmente How Many Mics es un banger muy destacable, pero otras canciones se me quedan cortas. A todo esto yo soy muy fan de Miseducation (aunque Lauryn sea mala persona) y nunca habia escuchado este album entero, pero no creo que le vuelva a dar mucha bola. 7,5/10

I was expecting to like this one pretty well and I did. One of the few rap albums I own is the *The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill* and I do adore that album. I also have dug some Wyclef Jean singles, most notably "Any Other Day" (f/Norah Jones). This is the first time I've listened to this album as a whole though I knew a couple of the singles of course "Killing Me Softly" which I always did like that version, and "Ready or Not" which I didn't really pay much attention to at the time but actually I really like that one actually a bit more than "Killing" (yikes, that sounds bad... Lol). But I think even deeper into the album there's some songs I really liked "Family Business" is one I really got into musically and thematically. It seems like most of the street violent rap that I heard in the 90s tended more towards praising the lifestyle, where this actually made it feel like it was a harrowing story as a mean as a necessity for survival. I also like the use of the Flamingos "I Only Have Eyes For You" in the song zealots. And I'll have to say their cover of "No Woman No Cry" actually kind of slaps. This is definitely one I should spend a little bit more time on at some point (8.4) ★★★★

The skits and the dumb intro/outro bring it down a bit, but I think the actual songs are pretty great here. I think the blend of hip-hop and R&B is really cool and in a lot of ways it shaped the future of both. Highlights for me are "Ready or Not", "Zealot", "Family Business", "Fu-Gee-La", and "Killing Me Softly". 4.5 stars.|

Hip hop, a veces no entiendo por qué se repiten tracks con algún remix eso se me hizo muy largo e innecesario, pero el disco es una maravilla the score ❤️

favs — 'killing me softly with his song', 'the score', 'cowboys'

exelente album. 4/5 cancion fav: ready or not

Not my favorite east coast classic but I appreciated it far more this time around.

Love this record.

Great production, great flow, great melodies. Favourite Track(s): Fu-Gee-La, Killing Me Softly With His Song Least Favourite Track(s): No Woman, No Cry

Remember listening to this freshman year a ton. Think Panichelli and Melchior had CD. Several incredible songs. Don’t need the interlude snippets.

How Many Mics Ready or Not Killing me Softly The Score Cowboys Fu-Gee-La (Feat. John Forte)

How Many Mics Zealots Fu-Gee-La Family Business Killing Me Softly With His Song Cowboys No Woman No Cry

I have purchased this album on CD three times due to how much I listened to it. The in-between song sketches are dated and racist, the songs are flawless.

Very good. Poignant but has Lauryn Hill's voice accompanying rap verses.

Well here's one that I've spent way too long waiting to hear. "Ready or Not" using an Enya sample to create an atmospheric, ambient pad for its beat to rest proves my personal taste in those kinds of beats. Love a good amount of the lines here too, amazing flows and performances. I'm still sick of mid-90s hip-hop records filling a CD just because they can though. I know the main album ends at 60 minutes but man I still think my preference for most hip-hop is 45 minutes or less (The Infamous and 36 Chambers not included). A very strong 4-stars, since it handles the length pretty well and my enthusiasm for the album grew as it went on. Looks like I'll be coming back to this one, especially once I hear Miseducation.

Great album, very pleasant to listen you, regardless if you're into the genre or not. It's eclectic, crisp and pleasant to listen to. It has quite a few of bangers, with "Ready or Not" probably the most obvious choice for a no. 1 track. That being said, the biggest complain one might have is that some of the best tracks on the album ("Killing Me Softly" and "No Woman, No Cry") are not their original composition. Credit where credit is due though, they made those songs their own. Fantastic alternative hip-hop album, one I will probably go back to once in a while.

it’s hard to find a single flaw. It feels like one of those rare, "near-perfect" moments in music where everything—the production, the chemistry, and the message—just lines up perfectly. It’s legendary for a reason. Right from the jump, the atmosphere is incredible. The way they blend cinematic samples with those heavy, dusty boom-pap beats gives the whole record this gritty, cinematic weight. It doesn’t just feel like a collection of songs; it feels like a cohesive world they’ve built. The production is incredibly lush but still has enough "street" edge to keep it grounded. The dynamic between the three of them is what really carries it: • Lauryn Hill is a revelation here. Going from her sharp, aggressive flows to that soulful, effortless singing is mind-blowing. Her presence on "Ready or Not" and "Killing Me Softly" is just haunting. • Wyclef and Pras provide the perfect contrast, bringing in those reggae and Caribbean influences that make the album feel much more global than your standard mid-90s hip-hop record. The lyrics aren't just "poetry exercises"—they feel urgent and lived-in. They’re tackling social issues and personal struggles, but it’s balanced with so much musicality and melody that it never feels heavy-handed. Every track seems to lead perfectly into the next, and there’s no filler to speak of. I walked into this knowing its reputation, but hearing it for the first time is a different experience entirely. It’s soulful, it’s raw, and it has this timeless quality that makes it feel like it could have been released yesterday or thirty years ago. Definitely an essential listen that I’ll be keeping on repeat.

Peak hip hop icl. I like a few of the tracks but “Ready or not” has always been a banger. This is something you actually have to hear before you die.

8.5 / 10

Banger 90’s

Album is good, not a huge fan of this genre

Previously known. So good. Just not really a fan of the skits.

En hip hop-trio bestående av Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean og hans fetter Pras Michel. Låter med attitude og fantastisk produksjon. Megahits som Killing Me Softly og Ready or Not. Kan minne litt om The Roots. Veldig bra. Top 3: Ready or Not, Killing Me Softly, Fu-Gee-La

I feel like this is going to be a highly rated album. Lauryn Hill's voice was the backdrop to the 90's. There are songs on this album that I have vivid memories of singing over and over in my bedroom while imagining I was a popstar. Even the songs I didn't previously know, were mostly really good!

east-coast hiphop hårdere trommelyd og mere lyrisk fokus. det er forbundet til NYC-scenen. alternativ hip hop så det blander genre. progressive rap i album mode hvor produktion tema og variation tæller mere. Der er sygt mange populære sange på det her album som man kender der er virkelig gode. Det er rimelig fire må jeg sige, men ved heller ikke rigtig hvad jeg ellers har at tilføje. Jeg synes der er nogle gode beats og sikkert også lyrikker.

Great hypnotic 90s east coast sound

Iconically iconic. Lauryn Hill’s legendary vocals both rapping and singing. This album is filled with the hits. The ones that have been sampled and remixed a countless amount of times. Great all around album, but could have done without some of the skits. Anyways. The hits are the hits: Ready or Not, Killing me Softly, Fu-Gee-La… I really enjoyed Zealots, and The Beast. 8.2/10 Classic

Great album. Holds up really well after 30 years.

Very Good Album

Lauryn Hill is fantastic on this. I would have been 10 when this came out. I seem to have watched a lot of MTV in that mid-90s era and I know I heard "Killing Me Softly" plenty (maybe "Ready or Not" too), so I think this one's got a little nostalgic weight.

Really liked a lot of these tracks, Lauren Hill is excellent, could have done without the skits

Another classic I haven’t listened to in years. This album is effortlessly cool. All three Fugees really shine here on (though one shines brighter than the others). The hits are great and the B-sides are just as good. If I had one negative thing to say it would be that the Chinese restaurant skit is cringe but whatever. Favorite track: Killing Me Softly with His Song

I knew some songs on this album, but i never thought this could be such a masterpiece. The clean cuts, or rather the blends between songs are immaculate. The way this has made me feel, I really don't know how I didn't listen to the whole thing until now.

What a trio. Although my favorite tracks are always fronted by Lauren Hill. This whole album is a balance again the gangsta rap that was dominating my High School Ready Or Not Fu-Gee-La Killing Me Softly with His Song No Woman, No Cry

3/12/26

Wonderful.

Me like much

Still a great album.

I haven’t listened to it in years. I hadn’t heard all the once omnipresent singles in ages. I thought it would sound dated and overly familiar but it didn’t- fresh, new, exciting. 4 1/2 because the skits are errrr.

When I started this project I said I wouldn’t let the skits cloud my rap album ratings. They were just part of the deal in the 90s and you gotta move on. But they absolutely kill the flow of what has every right to be a 5-star album. The Score is amazing. Incredible variety, consistent quality, remarkable vision and uniqueness. Just a bummer it felt like half of it isn’t music.

Best R&B/Hip hop album I’ve heard I think. Goes well. 8/10

Day 211 Absolutely love this album, Lauryn Hill is flawless all the way through, would definitely be top marks if it weren’t for the annoying skits. Highlights How Many Mics Ready or Not The Mask

Despite its ubiquity in my youth, I'm not sure I've ever properly listened to this end to end. How wonderfully referential and beautifully stripped back.

Love this album. College. Doesn’t need the silly little skits.

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would

a lot of iconic songs here.

Would but

the flow in this album is insane, this group was really insanely talented, can’t believe the number of iconic samples that come from it.

Hip-hop hit its golden era in the burgeoning days of the CD format, meaning you're very likely to find albums falling into the trap of trying to fill 80 minutes, instead of the 45 minutes you get on an LP. And with that comes the very real danger of bloat. Disappointing tracks, hidden tracks and, 'skits' became 𝘥𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘶𝘳 as artists decided that filling 80 minutes was more of a requirement than an option. The only downsides to this slick and brilliant album are its runtime and its annoying chattering skits between the tracks. The hits are all superb; Killing Me Softly, Fu-Gee-La and Ready Or Not, but there are also plenty of excellent deeper cuts, The Score, The Beast, Cowboys... and it's just a shame you have to keep hitting the skip button to put a stop to the nonsense and get on with them. All three of Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel are on top of their game and surpass the sum of their parts consistently. It's a shame their ambitions drove them all off into solo projects that never quite reached these heights but sometimes you just catch lightning in a bottle.

I got The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill a few days back. This could be even better but it's possibly just on par. Could be a shorter/tighter album and the best songs aren't originals. 4/5.

Me re gusto, algunas para escuchar de fondo, con actitud, baladas. Guarde varias

Amazing and perfect. Timeless

Loved this album, such a classic and been samples so many times

good covers. vibes soul, hip hop combo

This album made me realize what a wimp I am, some songs were very real and the expressions were direct and it made me a little uncomfortable. At the same time I added a couple stellar tracks into my regular rotation!

Heerlijke nummers, meerdere 5/5, maar als album is het voor mij net wat teveel gezever met onnodige skits die het tempo er af en toe volledig uit halen, dus dat is jammer. Maar goed, de muziek zelf blijft nog steeds heel erg goed.

love it, shout out dirty jerz

What a quality album. My only complaint is it’s a bit too long

Great storytelling and production value

I listened to this… two times

really wonderful experience, enjoyed it very much like a 4.25

Блять я перепутала. Ну я так поняла, что это были известные исполнители. В целом хорошо 6/10

Que buena vibra que tiene, no pare de menear la cabeza todo el album

The trio works realy well with each member, singing parts of their tracks; beats remind me of ATCQ. Skits revolve around ghetto East Coast life

Such a talented group. Wish I had listened more when I was a kid.

Nice album. I was previously familiar with Killing Me Softly, possibly one or two other songs.

I find the songscape of this album to be very diverse. Recognized songs I had no idea where from them - maybe I do live under a rock. All in all, very enjoyable, will be coming back to it.

Ms Lauryn Hill the woman you are 🫡

Fuck this is good. Effortlessly way too cool, smooth, angry in an intelligent and simmering way. The beats and production are absolutely insanely well-made in their simplicity and ability to showcase very incisive rap. Individual members are damn talented but together something emerges that is absolutely on fire. Lauryn hill lifts this to a spacious, cool, laid back place that sets the bar for cool in the 90s

Not a big fan of skits in albums, but otherwise this was pretty good!

Red Intro-7 How Many Mics-5 Ready or Not- 9 Zealots-9 The Beast- 6 Fu-Gee-La-9 Family Business-6 Killing me Softly- 10 The Score- 6 The Mask- 5 Cowboy-5 No woman, No Cry-8.5

Für mich ist es eines dieser Alben, die einfach nie a Kraft verlieren. Es fühlt es sich für mich wie ein warmes, souliges R&B‑nahes Gesamtwerk an. Die gibt dem Album diesen organischen, leicht rauen Charakter, der mich jedes Mal packt. Lauryn Hills Stimme ist für mich das absolute Highlight, und Songs wie „Killing me Softly“ oder „No woman no cry“ funktionieren bis heute perfekt. Ein paar Skits sind aus heutiger Sicht verzichtbar, aber das ändert nichts daran, wie stimmig das Album ist. Insgesamt es für mich knapp hinter Thriller – weniger perfekt, aber emotional und atmosphärisch unglaublich stark.

Feeedt, elsker bare rap😍

red intro - 5/10 how many mics - 7/10 ready or not - 6/10 zealots - 8/10 the beast - 6/10 fu gee la - 8/10 family business - 7/10 killing me softly - 9/10 the score - 10/10 the mask - 7/10 cowboys - 8/10 no woman - 5/10 outro - 9/10 overall score - 7/10

banging

Something different. When I explored way more hip hop back in college for a while, this came across my radar but don’t remember it except for Killing Me Softly, so excited for a re-listen. Always liked that old school 90s hip hop sound like this. Ready Or Not is the first song I recognized again and it’s great. Love the sound of this style of hip hop. A simple beat, a great hook or chorus, some great production. All simple but elevated somehow, with one song going seamlessly into the next. This is all so good. Fu-Gee-La is awesome. Just a really fun easy listen. Not always or often in the mood for this kind of music, but I almost always enjoy it when I do listen to it and this is about as good as that old school hip hop gets. Overall, album feels a song or two too long? But nothing bad here, so hard to complain. Not sure it’s an album that would regularly enter my rotation and I gotta stop giving 5s too lightly. This feels like a solid 4.

This is a great album. It's the Fugees at their best. The track segues range from frightening to hilarious. The songs are all fantastic.

I mean, Lauryn Hill is on this. -1 point for the Chinese restaurant skit

some certified bangers in here. I really enjoyed the sampling

El hiphop no es lo mío, pero es un buen álbum y un clásico dentro del género

Really solid album. Really liked it for a long time. It embodies that hip hop soul sound of the time.

Wow The Fugees. Who knew? Dig it but could be 20 minutes shorter.

I "came of age" in the late 90s and missed this album by a few years. I remember my childhood best friend's older sister had it, but that's as much as I knew about it at the time. I do have distinct memories of the Lauren Hill and Wyclef Jean solo albums, and owned the former. I always wanted to circle back to this record because I understood it was a big deal, but never could justify spending money on this few-year-old CD when there were newer things I also wanted. The pitfalls of being a young, broke, hypebeast, I guess. Sometimes this list serves you albums in a way that seems like it's intentionally helping you build context. In this case, I got The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill last week, and Liquid Swords by GZA earlier this week. The Lauryn Hill connection is obvious, but the GZA piece is interesting. I tend to think of the mid-90s as being prime 'gangsta rap' era, but between WuTang, Fugees, and I'm sure plenty others, the roots of 'alt hiphop' are also here. The Chinese restaurant skit on "The Beast" really helps underscore the spiritual connection to GZA/WuTang; but let's all be glad the skit era is over, right? Still, if I have to pick a cringiest moment here, it's "No Woman, No Cry" - I appreciate the intent but, at the end of the album, it just feels kinda corny and beneath them. "Killiing Me Softly With His Song" is the showstopper that I think "No Woman, No Cry" wanted to be; there's no doubt these tracks switched position on the live setlist. Anyway, I didn't just listen to this one time (one time), but two times (two times) and really enjoyed it; I get the hype. I'd buy it on vinyl, but only if you promise the bonus versions of "Fu-Gee-La" won't be included. The bonus tracks really make this feel long in the tooth; let's just end it with "Manifesto/Outro" like they clearly intended.

Ate it up. Stunning Queen. You have DONE IT again.

Wow this was actually pretty good! I would listen to this again. Fits the "old school hip hop" vibe and I swear I recognize some of the songs even though I've never heard of this artist before.

Red Intro 3/5 How Many Mics 4/5 Ready or Not 5/5 Zealots 3/5 The Beast - includes Chinese restaurant skit 2/5 Fu-Gee-La 5/5 Family Business (feat. John Forte) 4/5 Killing Me Softly with His Love 5/5 The Score (feat. Diamond D) 3/5 The Mask 3/5 Cowboys (feat. Outsidaz) 3/5 No Women, No Cry 5/5 Manifest/Outro 3/5 Overall Album 3.69

Really good album. Incorporates elements of reggae, but it's mostly rap. Quintessential rap album. Overall, one of my favorite rap albums.

Hyvää ysärihiphoppia. Pari tuttua hittibiisiä, muuten ei ollut tuttu. Lauryn Hill jossain määrin tutumpi omasta tuotannostaan. Upposi aivan hyvin, ei nyt suuremmin jääny muuten mieleen ku hittibiisit jäi pyörimään päässä toviksi.

Blending chill hip-hop production with stark, socially conscious lyricism, The Score remains ridiculously relevant nearly 20 years later, with skits softening its heavier moments.

Still sounds good.

Enjoying this overall; skits are cringe but there are some great songs on here; 4 stars

The Score is tense and militaristic. It is also carefully interjected with the bare amount necessary to bridge unflinching "Real Hip Hop" with something even more musical. The Score is groundbreaking for this bridge. The strength of this album is how woven into bleak realism and severe Hip-Hop dogma (very normal pre-Bad Boy Records NYC posturing), there is still humor, contemplation, social commentary, and a tenderness to musicality. Credit to Lauren Hill's exceptional, stark, and unexpected vocal sections alone, the album would certainly otherwise fall apart under its own seriousness. The album starts. The Fugees are so, so angry at whack MCs. They are also (eventually) highly organized and disciplined. The intro is a barrage of complaints, yelled by everyone all at once. I didn't mean to bring this up right after talking about discipline and organization. That actually comes in the second song. It's funny, though, how intense the intro is. To being something I've never heard before, I give it credit. The next three tracks go into more organized fashion to establish their superiority over rap competitors. It is an exhausting start, but I am now so, so certain I understand why they feel they are the best. Of course, this is all in old rap tradition and knowing the release year gives plenty of context. Seemingly built from the same bones, crime thriller "Set it Off" coming out later in the same year as "The Score", carries a same grit in theme of crime, survival, and discipline, and transformation. (Promo posters alone, "Set it Off" rhymes to the cover of "The Score" a little closely. Contemplative Black faces emerging from darkness.) Aside from the album's opening salvo of bragging. The boot-camp-like tensions are further supported by overt moments such as repeating marching orders of "Left, Right, Left", long sections of more-is-less production, and, expanding out from the base bragging, themes of System oppression ("The Beast"), family loyalty ("Family Business"), and false pretenses ("The Mask"). Fugees, even when too annoyingly close to the craft, still are hard to fault. Their flows and lyrics are easy enough to follow on the surface, but show deep attention to detail. Lines from each MC ring effortless swinging between triplet and quarter-note feels. This commands attention over beats that often compose of nothing more than simple drums and a bassline. This is, again, hip hop and adherence to form and tradition. There are also some WTF absurd moments, such as Lauren Hill's line, "I'll be Nina Simone and defecating on your microphone". Although skits don't deserve so much critical weight thrown at them as the actual music of the album,"The Chinese Restaurant Skit" is notably cringe. For whatever reason features incongruous sounds of Indian Sitar and Tambura as the soundtrack to the fictional restaurant. The production on The Score also deserves praise and attention. It is rife with clever and interesting samples. Despite having an array of producers working on the album, the whole is cohesive. On each track, samples are manipulated into stony clouds that form a melodic haze over the boney bass and drums. A sample becomes a hook unto itself, in the Sitar lick lifted from The Rotary Connection, to support the turnaround in "Ready or Not". The album also features Wycleff's own guitar playing, which is a nice, humanizing contrast to the grittier aspects of album. I had thought I ignored "The Score" when it came out. At the time, I was even falling in love with underground Hip-Hop. It was their constant presence on MTV that ignorantly prevented me from seeing The Fugees as "Real Hip Hop" like Rawkus Records joints (that would come after "The Score") and deserving of my time. To my surprise, even though I never took on the album as a whole, I was already familiar with nearly every song. The songs were still baked in to my memories, either through endless inclusion in Hip-Hop mixtapes, DJs playing the tracks out, or just smoking weed in my friends' cars.

8.5/10

Great music, enjoyable album all the way through. I loved hearing the transition into Killing me Softly!

Very good apart from the irritating one time two times

Such a great album. It's a shame they couldn't stay together and record more. Only one song that I disliked, and it's only because I really hate the song they used as the backing track ("Zealots" with The Flamingos "I Only Have Eyes For You"... just has always grated on me). The rest of the album, top notch. Loved revisiting this one.

If I'm honest, I'd always thought of the Fugees as Lauryn Hill and the two blokes who were holding her back. I owe Pras and Wyclef an apology - she's the standout here, but this is clearly a group effort and a lot better than I remembered.

This reminded me that I don't dislike hip-hop, I only dislike atrocious new school. This was pretty good.

the chinese restaurant skit was PAINFUL. more of a 3.5 for me, but i'll round up for lauryn hill's beautiful vocals.

i enjoyed this album more than i expected, given that i only knew killing me softly going into this. the beats and samples are solid, the skits were weird and unnecessary, and there are some catchy hooks here. mixed bag, but trending towards good. 3.75? favorites: how many mics, ready or not, fu-gee-la, killing me softly with his song, cowboys, no woman no cry

Score!

Well done

Took a little bit to get into this album but after a couple listens it is a great, soulful, groovy, and really in depth album. It has a lot of interesting elements that are questionable at first but they add a lot to the tracks and the album as a whole. Amazing production and instrumentation. 7.5/10, Favorite Song: Cowboys

4⭐️/5 01.26.2026

Score override. I love this album deb doesn't

love my smooth R&B, they didn't miss here Would I listen again: probably Deserves to be on this list: Yes 3.9

Ouuuu it was soooo goood def added it too myyy profile

This album drags a bit, but your patience is also rewarded on each and every track. If you are willing to listen to a slower more methodical rap album then The Score is the choice for you. I really wish Ms. Lauryn Hill was front and center on more of the tracks but overall I was quite happy with this.

origin of peak

This is such a fun album to listen to. These many years later, though, I realize the degree to which what is great about the album is very much the vibe, the sleek production, the quality of their voices, etc. A lot of the biggest songs here are functionally covers (of varying creativity). Still an iconic and compelling album.

Lauryn Hill is a beast. Some really great vibes songs in the first half but I lost interest in the back half. Probably a 3.5 for me, I don’t see myself returning to the full album. But I may throw on some of the songs occasionally.

3.9/5 all time classics and then some

7.5/10

Rating: 8/10 A great album experience beyond the certified classics it contains. Feels pretty distinct from other records in the pantheon of 90’s east coast hip hop. Great production. Some radically political lyricism. One thing about Fugees though is that whenever Lauryn Hill isn’t currently present on the track…you just want her to come back. She can sing and she’s got bars. I think the best song on here has to be Fu-Gee-La. While it’s not a personal 5 I still think it’s great and I’m not sure how you could rate it low!

Really some solid hip hop tracks on here. My first full length album experience with Lauryn Hill and it really didn’t disappoint. Her vocals are top notch and for me the highlight of the album when she’s on the mic.

Realy cool album, lyrically insane and beats hit hard. My fav songs are how many mics, No woman no cry and cowboys

Some incredible classics and incredible rapping all around, but don’t love the interludes

The great songs are great and the not great songs are pretty good too. I could listen to Lauryn Hill sing the phone book

Pretty good

With these beats and melodies I could listen to this over and over. Maybe a little too heavy on the simile rap but that was the time I guess. The little spoken word sections are fun the first time through but get skipped later on. Quibbles though. Great album

Haven’t heard this in years. Hip hop isn’t my thing but if there’s something called user friendly this album is it from the start it keeps throwing up a balance of music and skits that give a good balance to keep you interested. I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to give hip hop a go. It’s a great starting point. However, i think it is probably 15-20 mins too long. I’d have given 5 stars otherwise

This was good!

It was pretty good, didn’t blow me away or disappoint me, 81/100 Favorite Tracks: Killing Me Softly with His Song, Fug-ee-la

I enjoyed the concept of this album. How Many Mics, ready or Not, the Beast (that skit was something else lmao), Killing Me Softly With His song, and The Mask were all highlights of this album. I find the majority of these albums in this list suck if it’s not a certified classic rock album everyone has heard or a 90s Jess-infused r&b/rap album. I enjoyed this one.

One of the things that’s surprised me the most is the creative sampling and appropriating, the weird use of Enya and various little danchell references. It’s kind of one of those classic albums that you know is a classic for a reason. I’ve obv heard all the big singles from it, but then you listen to the whole thing it’s obvious why. All the same, when records are this tightly crafted, I sometimes struggle to feel a personal connection.

Maybe I do like some hip-hop. Accessible, and doesn't have the dull bravado of most rap albums. Some great pop songs on the album too - forgot how good a song Fu-Gee-La is. Could be even better but for some pointless drivel and filler in between some good tunes.

Ben echt blij verrast! Lekker chill. De stem van die vrouw is echt fantastisch. Dacht ik ken haar stem ergens van. Toen kwam ready or not, en die ken ik natuurlijk van allemaal remixes. En het origineel heb ik ook wel eens gehoord. Fu-gee-la kende ik ook al, en natuurlijk killing me softly with his song