Reviews (page 6 of 14)
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
9/10 – Great
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
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ fav: Fu-Gee-La least fav: Red Intro iconic: Killing Me Softly With His Song
Incredible!!! Was really jamming with this one and will continue to listen to it. I loved the little easter eggs of some other songs in the album embedded into eachother. Some real bops on here.
A very well produced hip hop album that leans into the absurd at times, while also delivering many classic early rap/R&B songs. I have already listened to the cover of Killing Me Softly (which is excellent), but also loved Ready or Not, and the cover of No Woman No Cry, which leans heavily into the group’s reggae influences. For me, this album sometimes can lean a bit heavily into the sampling and so felt messy at times. Also, some of the lyrics fell a bit flat for me at points, and I definitely preferred Lauryn Hill’s verses to those of the other male vocalists! A pleasantly surprised 8.5/10
Gas
Hits top, rest a bit boring
Smart and doesn’t take any sh*t, great rhymes, great hooks. Listening to it now also makes me miss New York in the 90s.
A true classic
AK
I love this album
Favorite songs: Ready or Not, Zealots, The Beast, Killing Me Softly With His Song, No Woman No Cry
Great album. Holds up really well after 30 years.
Gosto muito e já conhecia algumas musicas
EXCUSE MOI LAURYN JE N’ÉTAIS PAS FAMILIER AVEC TON FOOTBALLL. Enchaîner des couplets techniques, tranchants avec des refrains iconiques d’une sensibilité iconiques comme ça c’est juste irréel ; je vais devoir écouter ton album j’ai plus le choix. Plus généralement, énorme classique, mélange de rnb, soul, hip-hop et de rap, bien produit, Wyclef et Pras excellent c’est très fort. L’album s’en prend à la misère des ghettos, à la société aliénante mais aussi au stéréotype du gangster des quartiers. L’album se place comme un pilier du hip-hop qui ne glorifie pas la violence, qui ne fait qu’aggraver les difficultés des noirs américains (cf cowboys). On alterne entre des prods froides et menançantes, des refrains chantés iconiques et du reggae qui vient comme une note d’espoir (no women, no cry). Le rap egotrip est d’un niveau qu’on ne voit plus aujourd’hui, mon dieu Lauryn quelle reine. En bref un giga classique
Shocked this is only their second album. Lots of great songs in here, and the energy is great. Favorite Songs: The Mask, Killing Me Softly with His Song, Ready or Not
Such a warm, listenable, socially conscious album. Jean and Hill really shine. Catchy, hooky, genre-hopping/ bending, magnificent sampling. A classic.
Beats on some of these songs sound like they're 10 years in the future and some of the Lauryn Hill bars are ridiculous. I even like the No Woman No Cry cover (better than the Marley album version, at least!) Still, some of this shit hasn't aged great - the skits, for instance, really kill it, especially given how some of these songs blend together and how the album has thematic elements across it. Despicable 4, because of the skits. Otherwise great.
J’écoute pas de hip hop mais slay Lauryn Hill
No woman, no cry is the best song on this joint
Pretty cool
Enjoyable with a lot of familiar sounds 4
made me feel things for sure
Si te importan las liricas en canciones, te puede gustar este álbum. Canciones casi habladas con un beat del 80% del hip hop de la era. Fu gee la esta buena.
i love the beast but wtf was that chinese restaurant skit😭😭 🥇fu-gee-la 🥈killing me softly 🥉ready or not
Excellent album, really more like 3.5 stars for me because I don't find the flow/cadence that compelling on a lot of the tracks, but the highlights (that Enya sample on Ready or Not!!! Killing me Softly!!! etc) and the general quality warrant rounding up to 4 stars.
Heavily borrowing from a lot of other artists but the sublime lauryn hill lifts this above the ordinary to extraordinary at times. Fu gee la, ready or not and killing me softly are tremendous adaptations which update and sometimes better the originals. Unfortunately a bit too much filler towards the end of the album. Still well worth a listen or 3
One of the best rap albums of the late 90's.
This had a lot more music/acoustics than I expected!!
Very good album
Solid shit. That skit wasn’t great though was it?
Creative mix of smooth flows and melodies
Entspannter Rap, Lauren Hill auf die 1
Love the simple instrumentals Lauryn got great bars AND a great singing voice Wyclef got a great flow, not as big of a fan of pras (except in the song ,"the score" he came in strong) 6.7/10
Enjoyed the album. I think if it was a bit easier to sing along with it would have been a 5.
One of the best r&b albums, some songs are quite trendy and some aren’t as good
As rap/hip-hop goes this is a good album.
Wow surprised how much I didn't hate it
hit
This album is great to turn on while driving around. Has some real classics, too.
top tier. no notes
Really vibe-y music. The type you'll listen to when you're chilling on a Sunday afternoon with a cigarette on ur hand
Good, not as good as Miseducation
Good Album with a lot of classics.
Had listened to some songs previously, interesting to understand the wider context to each individual members own solo discography.
Couple of all time bangers.
What. An. Album. I was familiar with the song ‘Killing Me Softly’ and I hoped the album would sound similar to that. I was blown away when listening to the album- it was everything I wanted and more. I adore the songs How Many Mics, Ready or Not, Zealots + Cowboys. One of the best albums I’ve listened to for a while.
Classic
Pretty good listen! A couple of classic songs I didn't know were by them.
Fugees The score Stand outs Track 2: How Many Mics - it sounded familiar from when I first heard the lead - cool airy synth(?) Track 4: Zealots - i dont know, i just really like it Track 5: The beast - i instantly wanted to know the name of the song Track 6: Fu-Gee-La - "ooo la la la la la la lalalalalaaa" Track 8: Killing me softly with his song - classically awesome Track 9: The score - the chorus includes mix of the hooks used in each song and skit snippets Bonus track: Mista mista - I really like songs with storytelling in them. This reminded me of Bobby James by NERD because both of these songs relate to drug addiction and falling deep into it (the only difference being the perspective). Summary Overall, I liked this album and i thought it was very cool. I really liked the simple yet captivating drum patterns they used along with the amount of instruments they used; not much, but enough. I really like this style of rapping that sounds like talking and rapping at the same time. I've always wanted to get used to that kind of freeform rap and i'd say it helped a ton. 8.2/10 December 21st 2025
This is another iconic hip hop album that includes harmonies, skits, and two musical superstars, Wyclef Jean and Ms. Lauren Hill. The album did an incredible job bringing the feeling of Brooklyn through the music. Several places in the album had some dialogue plots and skits to keep the record from sounding monotonous.
Great album between wyclefs production and Lauren’s voice there is some great songs.
Yeah it’s good what else do you want
Liked this more than I thought I would - and has more hits than I thought it did! Agree with many of the reviews that the skits did not age well are detract from the album itself. Between and 3 and 4 for sure
Good album, rap isn't really my style but it has quite a lot of popular songs I know.
I really enjoyed this, a good 90s rap album with sort of jazzy elements in there.
Such seamless flow between Lauryn and Pras, then Wyclef shows up and it’s fun and different. Slight downgrade for the Chinese restaurant skit, like who thought that would age well?
Classic 90s hip hop. Solid through and through. Admittedly this may have only been like the third time I’ve listened all the way through. I forgot some bangers like “Cowboys.” Points off for Wyclef. I never liked you! You were never my friend! One time!
Yet another classic
Loved it. Such a classic album.
They suggested another hip hop album and it turns out to be another album I enjoyed.
Good album.
Some of these beats are annoying af but most of it is classic
Not your typical hip-hop record. While a lot of the lyrical themes don’t hit home for me personally, the album feels like a breath of fresh air compared to much of the genre I’ve encountered so far. The mix of soulful melodies, reggae-infused grooves, and sharp rhymes gives it a unique character. And Lauryn Hill? Absolute standout—her voice elevates every track she touches and I might be a little bit in love with it!
Nice pleasant hip hop for suburban high end mall dwellers, but it sure is pretty. Nothin wrong with that.
This was, for a long time, my sole hip hop CD. That just goes to show what a cultural phenomenon this album was - even white indie kids in the UK had a copy, and I remember hearing the Fugees on the radio in France. It's held up pretty well too. It's varied, well produced, political and refreshingly non-gangsta. Plenty of solid tracks alongside the 3 great poppy singles. Shame they didn't make more music together.
Pleasantly surprised.
Some amazing songs on here. But basically I'm just waiting for Killing Me Softly when I listen to it.
4/5
“Abstract raps simple with a street format” Having only ever heard Lauryn Hill’s work from her universally loved solo album I had an extremely high opinion of her as a singer and RNB musician. However, given how heavily weighted towards RNB rather than rap that album is, I didn’t have a full understanding of why people hail her as such a gifted rapper. This album changed that completely. This will no doubt go down for me as one of my favourite 90s hip hop albums. I can feel the inspiration from (influence on?) so many other great hip hop collectives throughout from Wu Tang to OutKast. I’m sure more will become apparent on inevitable re-listens. The only track that left me feeling a little cold is the most successful single from the album “Killing Me Softly With His Song”. Although in total fairness I have never been a huge fan of it and on this listen I think that’s because compared to everything else on The Score it feels instrumentally a bit empty. That aside though it is easy to see why despite a limited discography Fugees have achieved legendary status and I am glad to have finally taken the time to give them a listen.
Great album art. Great album dude. Like maybe a five. It was actually really an outstanding listen. I’m going to have to listen again. Perhaps the most lyrically rich album I’ve heard yet.
Enjoyed the variety and storytelling
sounds great
många bangers!!!
Cuppa bangers
Pretty darn good. Still sounds fresh to my ears. A couple five star songs, but overall album feels like a strong four.
At times: amazing. Other times: meh. I think this is an easy 5, if you trim 20 minutes. Unfortunately, those 20 minutes brought this down to a 4 for me.
8/10 really really good didn't expect anything bad
A must listen for anyone curious about the golden age of hip hop.
An album I come back to periodically anyway but enjoyable to listen to for this project a few times in a row. You won't find much in the way of original musical ideas, any tunes or songs are borrowed / sampled, but it's the background to the interplay of rappers with the added bonus of Lauryn Hill's singing voice, and for me she makes this a 4 more than anything else.
Essential hip hop album. Great flows and production and only really suffers from a sameness in the beats and energy from the group. Lauryn Hill elevates the sound but in all they’re greater than the sum of their parts.
I wish Hip-Hop gave a damn about clever lyrics and creativity, range, as this album does. But I suppose that’s one key reason why this stands out. First half is great.
A classic hip hop album, ready or not is probably a peak 90s sample. Lauren hill’s voice takes these songs to a new level.
Fugees epitomize here today, gone tomorrow. Not long after this album, the group fell apart and none of their solo albums have reached the heights of this one, not even the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It does suffer from having the skits which I have never liked in an album and is endemic in this era of hip hop.
I think the trio's performance can be somewhat rough around the edges, but damn is it a beautiful album
fiiiire
Tatsächlich ein Hip-Hop Album, das einem gefällt. Sofern man das behaupten kann. Zwei Super Songs drauf, die wirklich jeder kennt. Deshalb drei statt zwei Sterne.
This was really cool, I didn't actually know this group existed before this list.
Definitely one of those albums that I was sure I'd listened to before, but hadn't. Really enjoyed this.
So *this* is where Killing Me Softly and Ready or Not come from! Lauryn Hill has a beautiful voice. I really like the transition between one song and the next. Surprisingly enjoyed this even though it was waaay outside my comfort zone, though I did get a bit tired halfway through. This would have made great video game soundtrack music. Interesting read on how The Fugees broke up: https://uproxx.com/music/fugees-breakup-unforgettable-legacy/
An album of standout moments. The singles sound as good now as they did almost 30 years ago - "we used to be number 10, now we permanent at one" is a great opening line. Kudos for the range of samples and swipes (Falmingos on Zealots, Cymande on The Score and Teena Marie on Fu-Gee-La). They slide into some boom bap tropes at times, and the skits can be laborious/offensive (one notorious one in particular). But the interplay between the three members, with Ms Lauryn Hill's incredible vocal performances the highlight, and general joyous nature of the record bring it to 4 stars
They managed to blend styles and not fall into the gangsta rap or pop-rap traps of the time. Production-wise, it is a product of it's time. It broke big, winning two Grammys in 1997 for best rap album and best R&B vocal by a duo or group for "Killing Me Softly". clearly, it's a big record and belongs on this list.
Maybe it was just them ending with the cover of No Woman No Cry that tugged at my heartstrings a little bit but this gets a 4/5 from me; might revisit a few songs later for sure but maybe not the whole thing
Another classic
Banger
fuck yeah. so glad to have pulled this one. it's one of the best rap albums of the 90s for sure, and has to make one pine for the return of old school east coast hip hop. the production on this record is so cool. just basement grooves all around. obviously there's a lot to love lyrically, and part of that is just because this record is a product of its time. ms. lauryn hill is a goddess and has been since 1990. there's a reason she won a grammy for this one. i actually don't care much for "ready or not", which has been sampled to hell and back. not sure why that one. we're still allowed to like this one because d*ddy's gross fuckin hands aren't on it! i learned against my will that the brits love this one. to them i say only this: get your own. we're gonna gatekeep this shit.
they don't make em like they used to by god
True generational talents. I hope the person who decided every hip hop album needed “comedy” skits during the 90s and 2000s is having a bad day.
Mä kyllä tykkään tästä räpäytyksestä ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nyt oli kyllä ihan pirun kova räppilätty. Tulee kuunneltua toistekin.
Favorite track(s): Fu-Gee-La, Killing Me Softly With His Song, Cowboys
Really good.
More similar to Wu-Tang and Tribe than I expected. Fave Tracks: Ready or Not, Killing Me Softly, Cowboys 3.8/5
It’s always Fugees and Funyuns
Transition til Ready or Not 🤌🤌🤌
Banger! Må næsten være en af de første plader der har balanceret hip-hop, R&B og soul på den her måde, og nok stadig en af de bedste.
This was so good? Great song and good production. Probably top 3 of worst albums on this list, to listen to if you're driving, because of all the police sirens.
Good album. I liked the songs I knew (the intro to Ready or Not is an especially haunting moment in context, when it emerges a couple of tracks in) and I liked the songs I didn’t. A bit more ‘alternative hip-hop’ than I probably expected from a record that broke into the mainstream in such a big way, and that’s a good thing. I’m also suitably impressed with Lauryn Hill’s rapping (as I was on ‘Miseducation’ tbh).
I've heard this plenty of times. It's a really good album. It's got a bit of everything you look for in an east coast rap album from the 90s. It's both laid back and groovy while also being intense and in your face. There's some great samples on this. All 3 MCs have great flow and great wordplay, but Lauren Hill is the star. She's a good singer too. Lyrics are pretty straight forward black militant stuff you heard from 80s-90s east coast rap, but I think they're actually rastafarian instead of 5 percenters. I think others did it better, but this is still a great album. Best songs: Ready or Not, Zealots, The Mask
Need to finish it but very good!!
Highlight Song/s: How Many Mics, Fu-Gee-La and The Mask This album has SUCH a dark atmosphere to it, it doesn't feel welcoming. The choruses on this album are quite good, to me hip-hop choruses don't tend to be too great. Well this album breaks up the pattern. The lyrics are quite intricate and the flow is considerably good whilst at the same time is quite lazy-sounding.
Pretty solid album, some great tracks, and the concept of a "score" is an interesting one. I enjoyed the James Taylor, Cindy Lauper, Robert Flack, Bob Marley references. It's clever, it is foundational and I respect it a lot. However, I do find it a bit repetitive sonically when I do play the whole thing.
Love this. Feels like it’s been constantly in my rotation for as long as I can remember, the cassette was always kicking around the house when I was growing up
okay 4/5
Excellently cool
While I know the singles, I've never actually listened to this album. I really liked it. I love how the album felt like a full experience, I thought the rapping was good - the lyrics, the wordplay, the flow. The skits amused me. I liked the variation in the rappers and the individual tracks. Thumbs up from me.
Not my taste in music, but I do appreciate this album for it's quality in songs/recording/hip hop beats. While I won't be buying this, it was a good listen!
Chocante: Um disco de Rap dos anos 1990 bom! Uma raridade, um verdadeiro diamante na lama. Mesmo assim, ele não escapa totalmente das armadilhas comuns dos álbuns desse gênero dessa época, mas é perdoável comparado à seus contemporâneos. Sim, ele perde tempo com Skits e interlúdios inúteis que só depreciam a obra, mas isso já é de se esperar. Ainda assim, diminuiu meu aproveitamento do disco, como de costume, e isso infelizmente irá refletir na nota (minimamente). Preferi começar a review falando do que mais odeio sobre esse álbum para que eu ficasse livre para falar bem dele logo. E há muitos aspectos positivos para serem apontados aqui. Para começar, a produção é espetacular. A curadoria dos samples é sensacional, e suas implementações são perfeitas. As batidas são inigualáveis, este é o tipo de disco que é impossível não bater o pé e mexer a cabeça. Palavras me escapam para descrever a performance de Lauryn Hill nesse álbum. Ela é indubitavelmente a grande revelação deste disco. Toda participação dela é memorável, poderosa, icônica, com flows invejáveis e refrões intemporais. Que artista magnânima. Os outros vocalistas são bons também, adequados, mas perto dela todo mundo fica eclipsado. O disco é longo, não vou negar, mas ele não cai no tédio como é comum com outros álbuns de Rap desse período. Eles escapam da exaustão com a dinâmica incrível do grupo, a forma com que cada membro complementa o outro, e a forma com que eles tecem seus versos melífluos sob as batidas texturizadas. A progressão interna em cada canção mantém o ritmo imparável, o único pecado realmente são os breves mas intrusivos interlúdios e skits. Minha faixa favorita é The Score. A produção auto-referencial arredonda o álbum como uma obra completa de forma maravilhosa. Disco foda, mas não é perfeito. Sim, os skits! Estragam tudo, como sempre. E sendo sincero, os covers são bons mas não parecem encaixar com o resto das faixas. São ótimas canções, mas eu as preferiria como singles e não como parte do disco. 4.5/5
first time listening to The Score in it's entirety, as it is well known for it's singles such as Killing Me Softly and No Woman, No Cry cover, but man, this is a part of a pillar of hiphop in the 90s and it's opened my ears to how well of a lyricist Lauryn Hill is.
Probably my favourite rap album (sorry Ice Cube).
Really good album with a few recognizable hits. Pitchfork: 9.3 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #134 (2023) Best Songs Ready or Not Zealots Fu-Gee-La Killing Me Softly with His Song No Woman, No Cry
Held godt
Great album. Love the flow and the beats. Lauryn Hill is the real standout star on The Score. I really wanted to give this a 5, but I can't get past the skits. They did not age well. The singles released from this album are all great, and I also really liked "Zealots" and "Cowboys".
Ooh la la la.
Great production on here, some great vocals and rapping performances. A couple songs I don't really care about but most here are great
belllo classsiiicccc
A lot of hits - amazing sample from Lauryn Hill on How Many Mics. Zealots, Ready or Not, Killing me softly all amazing performances from her.
Great
Un album avec au moins 3 classiques, c'est un bon album.
This was a fun, entertaining listen all around. I especially liked the covers of "Killing Me Softly" and "No Woman No Cry." Lauryn Hill's vocals really elevate them and the playful chemistry between the 3 does as well. They can go lighter with pop culture references galore or they can go heavier with many allusions to police violence against black people.
Diferente!
Ironically I'm struggling to determine The Score for this. This is sitting somewhere between a 4 and 5, but I'm hesitant to give it a perfect score. Overall, I just didn't feel the final "punch" to bump this to a 5, i.e. I don't think I totally resonate with it. This album is still fresh. This is one you can still put on for a summer drive or doing chores, etc. Where it is not perfect are some of the lackluster verses, some of the hooks being a bit too similar or plain, and overall just not hitting home the social message that peeks through every now and then. I cannot say for certain, but it feels as though the social commentary is either dialed back or is just disingenuous. I also really hate the skits on 90's hip hop albums, and luckily there is only one here that really annoys me, at the end of "The Beast". Where the album excels is in vibes and in Lauryn Hill smoking everyone else throughout. The cover "Killing Me Softly With His Song" is a showcase for her, but kind of doesn't fit with the rest of the songs. Her verses on both "Zealots" and "The Beast" are some of the best ever. I still respect it being a 5 for many people.
I'm grateful to listen to this album front to back, because I somehow missed getting into the Fugees in the 90s, and I only really knew the hits. Love that they shout out Ontario on Cowboys.
pushing the beat, melancholy, eery beats, clever innervisions line hehe, hahah good beat snare line, Haitian sicilians, john travolta, found sounds, nice triplet lines, fast car tracey chapman, weird bassline, vinyl crackle, OH I KNOW THIS ONE, wild life of being gangsta af, sorry but LAURYNS VERSE, these rhymes go so fucking hard, defecating on yo microphone, ooh cheeky vocal change w nice harmonies, ali line, catchy as hell chorus tbh, smooth adlibs, 50s vibes from this beat, HOLY SHIT THE GROOVE, hehe rockwell line, turf earf, okay go lauryn, the drums from the sample make this breakdown so hard, lauryn got the flow, the transition to chorus goes hard, btw great reggae-esque chorus, cops are here, weird jungle, slidy sample, hehe star wars, lauryn what the fuck are these diabolical rhymes, nursery rhyme type chorus, america is corrupt asf, weird but fitting guitar line, very indian sounding Chinese iwl, half a chicken wing??!?, NO ONIONS., no beef, WHAT THE FUCK, HAHAHAHHAHA, mortal kombat, very mid heavy kick drum, slithery keys, OMG I RECOGNIZE THIS CHORUS, i need to listen to more lauryn hill, "hahahaha", cool vocal echo, the iconic crackle, weird alarm noise in the background, OOH JAZZY START, cool free time spanish guitar, dark feeling, "my family tree consists of street refugees", very shouty vocal, FIRE AND RAIN REFERENCE, damn this is sad, background ad libs in chorus add a lot, nice bluesy humming in last chorus, another supermarket beep, finally the best tune, sitar, acapella verse, tight bass, groovy as heck, beautiful scat part, her vibrato is actually unreal, call and response vocals on chorus go hard, cool chromatic vibrato thing, give it up for the band whoop whoop, cool repetition of previous lines, sad guitar line, driving beat, "left right left right..", really cool radio effect throughout, more crackle, record scratches, OH MY GOD THOSE TRIPLETS FROM LAURYN, yes lauryn u lyrically are gifted, "start flaking like dandriff", "HOW MANY MICHELLE LESLEY BROWNS IS THEY?", xylophone, slidy bass again, trumpets, "everybody wear the mask but how long will it last", jazzy sample there, jazz again, PHONES RINGING, classical, pow pow, more sitar wtf, yodel, i wanna be a cowboy, ze ze ze, how the west was won, lowkey kinda boring
Starting to realise i LOVE hiphop
This is a great album. I'm able to put songs I've heard before, but not quite knowing who they are, finally to a face and understanding the rest of their sound. Lauryn Hill is genius of her craft and finding the discography of the Fugees is something I wish I had found earlier. The production of this album is 10 out of 10.
Honestly this whole record is a vibe. Flows effortlessly into the next song, with callbacks to previous tracks making it like a concept album.
The chillest. Need more music like this
Cooles Album, einige Bangerlieder. Durchgehend gut zu hören.
Aged well minus the pointless Marley cover and skits
First time listening to this, and I can see why it's a classic. I could do without Mista Mista though, kind of a dud at the end.
Some unreal bangers and then some okay stuff
Love getting hip-hop on here cause I do need to explore it more but I have no idea where to start. Loved a lot of this but that Chinese Restaurant skit had me scratching my head for sure
Not too much filler or any duds really. The skits at the end of the tracks feel a bit awkward but a superb sounding album overall.
I'll give it a 4, really surprised me! Good mix of Reggae, Hip Hop, R&B and comedic interludes that were actually interesting. Shout out to"Zealots" which samples "I Only Have Eyes for You" 3.5 rounded to 4
Ziemlich cool.
Brilliant
7.5/10 favourite track - "How Many Mics" least favourite track - "Mista Mista"
How many mics joins I gotta feeling in the group of ‘songs with a random mazel rob’ thrown in. Really enjoyed the rapping but the skits and unecessary reversing brought it down unfortunately. Could have been a 5 star. I do love the album having an end credits complete with applause. Quite funny Specific rating - 4.0 Fav song - how many mics Least fav-the beast
Lauryn Hill is just incredible! and those other guys were alright, I guess. The skits definitely took away from it but still a very very good album- if a tiny bit too long. Favourite song: Killing Me Softly with His Song Least: Family Business
This sort of thing seems to be happening a lot lately, but I found out about Fugees only a week or two ago because I wanted to see if Lauryn Hill ever released any music beyond Miseducation… and here we are. Part of me is a little salty that I didn’t get to experience Hill’s only solo album completely blind (since I’ve heard so many great things about it over the years), but The Score definitely wasn’t a bad place to start! In a lot of ways, this LP reminds me of Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (which I got to hear/review a few weeks ago) – both could be described as East Coast hip-hop albums that are over an hour long, feature three core artists and tie tracks together with skits. The Score was also released only six months after OB4CL, which is a pretty wild coincidence. I don’t bring this up to disparage either album (there are probably loads of other rap albums I have yet to hear that fit the same criteria), but to paint a picture of how much I enjoyed The Score by comparison – it does so many of the same things, but in a way that I found more engaging and approachable. There’s so much chemistry to be found here, especially between Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean – they often trade off verses, double each other’s lines and take turns on hook duties, which just works. Pras definitely has a presence on The Score as well (and he’s never unwelcome), but it usually takes the form of a verse later in the track that helps break up the repetition of the other two MCs’ back-and-forth dynamic. Lauryn is an amazing vocalist and lyricist, which comes out in both her bars and hooks on this album. I didn’t realize Wyclef could rap prior to hearing The Score (electronic music is my background, so I’m mainly familiar with him through his collaborations with Avicii), but he’s got some great moments as well, excluding the poop bar on "How Many Mics." He might even have the most insane flow on the entire project during verse three of "Family Business" – I had to relisten to that one a few times! The skits/interludes aren’t amazing in isolation, but they do a good job providing space between similar types of beats and introducing the next track. There’s actually quite a bit of cross-referencing across the project, which really makes it feel like a true ALBUM (as opposed to a loose collection of tracks, like many of the other LPs on this list are). If there’s one thing holding The Score back, it’s that it’s pretty long and the formula does get a little bit tiring by the end – there’s variety, but not enough to carry me through the full hour plus successive listens. It’s certainly an album I can see myself revisiting, but enough to warrant buying and putting it into regular rotation? Probably not, at least for now. Either way, The Score gets a strong recommendation from me – possibly one of the 5 best albums out of the 38 I’ve had to listen to for this challenge so far. Highlights: How Many Mics, Ready or Not, The Beast, Fu-Gee-La, Family Business, Killing Me Softly with His Song, The Mask, Cowboys, No Woman No Cry, Manifest
What I like about this is how loose it is, which is also what I tire of with this album. The album goes on for-evvvver, like watching a spark inch up the fuse to a dud firecracker. The two singles are covers or largely covers ("Ready or Not" borrowing heavily from the Delfonics original) which struck me at the time as an old record company move - have these fresh faces do stuff from the catalog. The version of "No Woman/No Cry" is dumb, a warning against giving Wyclef Jean too much latitude. The deep cuts like "Zealous" the "The Mask" hit harder for me, paving way for the inventiveness and lack-of-editor in Lauryn Hill's career. Overall, the stoney, self-care vibe is a balm against the blatant self-promotion plaguing 90's hip-hop. It was a turning point that groups like Outkast took up and ran with.
The beat-making on this record is a little uneven; some of the tracks are backed by a pretty unimaginative boom-bap, but there are some real gems. The rhymes are tight throughout.
Another album that I feel suffers from the misguided CD-era desire to fill up the entire CD. Some really great tracks on here. Some really mediocre filler on here. 3 stars for it being something different at the time. Bonus star for Lauren's fab cover of Killing me Softly.
ONE-TIME 4/5
„Too many MCs“ - word!
An all around great album, with nice sounds, iconic songs and filled with amazing and also funny lines! I hadn't listened to it completely before but now i finally know what i was missing on. I would give the album a 4/5 or a great 8 out 10
I feel like my trouble with rap albums on this list is they require much more attention than most other albums… so this is probably a 5 but I gotta go 4 cuz I just missed most of the bars
# Album Name: The score # Artist: Fugees # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: A pretty fun and good listen. Its not normally my thang, but this was a good listen. The top tracks speak for themselves - everyone knows them. You can enjoy them regardless if you like the genre or not. They are big big hits. Theres a fair few fillers in here too. Most of them were mellow and enjoyable for the most part. Biggest issue i have with the genre is the shitty skits. Valiant effort covering no woman, no cry. Doesn't come close to the OG though. Im sorry. Regardless, this was a solid listen. Ill come back to it. # Top Tunes: Ready or not / Fu-gee-la / killing me softly / score / mask # Would I listen to it again? Yes
Hip hop with a mix a musical genres and sampling. Lyrics are good and all vocalists have a good delivery and flow. Lot of mid 90’s political commentary mixed in here, so if you’re from that decade it’s kind of a nice hit to get. Favorites include Ready or Not, Zealots, Fu-Gee-La, Killing Me Softly With His Song, Manifest/Outro.
(79/100)
Quintessential 90s album, Killing Me Softly is 😙🤌
yay!
Smooth and fun. Great overall.
Loved it - but the fiancé said ‘turn it off, it’s too early’. Ah well
i enjoyed its old style rap music
There is some great music here. I've liked Killing Me Softly since it came out, but I didn't pay any attention to the rest of the album. Some of the tracks are good, some aren't, and the skits are terrible. Nothing else grabbed my attention like Killing Me Softly. It's about a 3.5.
Great tunes. Innovative, kicked off great solo careers. Faves are The Score and Ready Or Not
Wow, okay, another one I wasn't expecting to enjoy. But, just wow! This will be on a regular rotation.
Lauryn Hill takes this album to the next level. Killing Me Softly With His Song is one of the best covers.
A generational album that launched the careers of three stars. There area some real classics on this, some good covers and some filler. Lauren Hill's vocals are so soulful and the production and vibe are perfectly of their time.
I will not include the bonus tracks in this review. I have heard of the East Coast hip-hop group Fugees. The collective of Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras Michel took elements of funk, R&B, and reggae with socially conscious lyrics at a time when gangsta rap was dominant. They only released two studio albums before internal conflicts led to their split and subsequent pursuit of solo careers, occasionally reuniting to perform since. The Score is the latter of those two records, becoming a commercial success, and I can see why. This is a well-produced album where the live instrumentation is balanced with eclectic sample choices. Some truly inspired samplings are blended well, including Enya's "Boadicea" on "Ready or Not", the Flamingos' "I Only Hae Eyes for You" on "Zealots", and A Tribe Called Quest's "Bonita Applebum" on the cover of Lori Lieberman's "Killing Me Softly with His Song". Combine that with the main trio's laid-back lyrical flows, equally shared among each other, with the occasional extra singing on Lauryn's part, and the result is a sound that has aged remarkably well. That said, the lyrical subject matter could have been more varied. Multiple tracks on this album are about the Fugees' ability to rap and outwit their contemporaries. Of those tracks, it's clear that "Ready or Not" towards the beginning remained the best, followed by the title track, which also served as a warning for other emcees to avoid any street violence their music might instigate. The only other tracks that vary up the lyrics are "The Beast", which alludes to police brutality towards minorities, and "The Mask", in which African-Americans had to conceal their true emotions to present themselves neatly in a white-dominant society. Outside of those, the skits haven't exactly aged well, and it's clear that the songs that remained in the public consciousness either had a prominent recognizable sample, are a cover of a well-known song, or both in the case of "Killing Me Softly with His Song". Still, I'd say The Score is a solid record that exemplified a lot of then-young talent and proved that conscious rap still had its place in music.
not my style, but good
I like pretty much everything about this album, the beats, vocals, and rhythm is all top notch. Killing me softly and No woman no cry are legendary for a reason Big fan of How many Mics and Fu-Gee-La
OMG
I didn't think I would like this album, but dang dude, it's fire! I would recommend 7/10.
Bekannt und gut
top 3: - ready or not - zealots - killing me softly with his song special mentions: - fu-gee-la - family business - the mask
Never knew hip-hop could be so laid-back.
This is the first hip hop album on this list I have enjoyed rather than suffered through.
So many indelible hits! But also minus 1 for skits
This is smooth hip-hop with a lot to say. I never cottoned onto the idea that “Fugees” is short for “Refugees” (?). Music that speaks up for its roots whilst speaking to everyone so beautifully that it can’t not be heard.
Muy disfrutable y divertido, Lauryn Hill es genial. Siento que me gustará más si escucho con más detalle las letras
A great album that had a massive influence on the rap game in the 90s. effortlessly sampling older works and endlessly sampled by modern hip hop artists, this album has everything. Perhaps, more than that, it features Lauryn Hill, who would just two years later put out one of the greatest albums of all time as a solo artist.
I can't stop thinking about how much more I like The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, but that's probably not fair. It's very good on its own! But I can't help comparing. For that reason, Killing Me Softly is my favorite track.
8/10 - classic 90s hiphop, Lauryn Hill is a gem, some big tunes on this: killing me softly, fugeela, ready or not
Musikken er klink 5/5, fluffet i mellom er mer variert...
Didn't realise this was a project - Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel. Some all time bangers.
This album is so much fun and brings back lots of memories of the late 90s. It is one I return to from time to time and always love hearing it.
I could have sworn this album already came up in this collection, but I guess I was just confusing it with the solo Lauryn Hill album, and perhaps also because I own this album. It's been a long time since I listened to "The Score" in its entirety, and I'm surprised how the experience was a bit...disappointing. Their singles continue to shine, especially "Ready or not" and "Killing me softly" (which ranks up there for me as one of the best covers of all time, although Roberta Flack's cover version is also pretty good too), but the rest of the album doesn't come all that close to matching those hits, aside from perhaps "Zealots" and their cover of "No woman no cry". Having now heard so many other rap/hip-hop albums from the same time period in this collection, I'll admit to feeling over-saturated on hour-length albums that are comprised mainly of driving beats and half-spoken lyrics, although Lauryn Hill does a nice job mixing it up with genuine singing, and the instrumentation and samples on the album are at least more varied and interesting than much of the contemporary fare. And full credit to them for creating a through story-line of sorts on the album, even if I'm not sure it's as coherent as Lauryn Hill's description of it as "a hip hop version of 'Tommy'". I'm torn between three and four stars for this album, but it only feels fair to lean into four stars given how well they steered away from gangsta rap (apparently the reason Enya didn't sue them for appropriating "Boadicea" in "Ready or not").
As much as I dislike Wyclef Jean and Lauren Hill as people, this album slaps.
good vibes
I'm glad to be introduced to this album, liked it a lot.
Beautiful. Despite her odd existence in the music world, Lauryn Hill's voice continues to be so infectious both with her objective range and her ability to use it to rap or sing. Wyclef has some strong bars with political and social frustrations interwoven between catchy hooks.
Great album.
i dont know its like good
This album really forced me to stretch my ears -- I don't usually listen to lyrics too intently. If an album is musically strong, chances are I'll like it. Here, to be perfectly honest, the music itself is really good -- but kind of just good. Nothing too extraordinary there. But when you do listen to the lyrics, mother of god. These cats were cooking man. The flow, the references, the material...solid, solid album. Fave songs: Whole album, but I gotta say: "No Woman, No Cry" is for sure my least favorite song here. Not what I was expecting.
Great mix of hip-hop and RnB
a few iconic songs, overall so so cool
Huh, I liked this? The skits were a skip and didn't age well, but the fusion of reggae, low key rap, beautiful singing on the part of Lauryn Hill all stand out. I've had Fug-Gee-La stuck in my head for a few days now.
Disclaimer: I am not really a fan of hip hop in general so this wasn't my favorite thing ever, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. The rhymes were fun and clever and the beats were neat.
not my usual fare but i know fire when i hear it.