Reviews (page 7 of 14)
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.
i liked it, chill. not my fav of rnb of the 90s
Ignore the skits, listen to the songs
n é muito o meu estilo, mas é muito bom sim
Estubo bastante guay. Siento que si lo escuchará más me gustaría aún más. Para mí se sintió como el illmatic pero con buenas vibes en vez de chungas. "Killing me softly" es un temazo y me sorprendió "the mask" que también me gustó un montón. Un disco bastante guay. 7.5/10->4/5
I remember listening to this record when it first came out and loving it - not much has changed. This album still hits me just as it did upon release. The mood feels dark, but cozy. Lauryn, Wyclef and Pras have such great chemistry and make such enticing music. Their production was something truly distinct at the time, and even carries on its own to this day. There's such a range of melodies and rhythms, but all of it sounds so good. A couple parts on the record that aren't fully engaging for me, so I can't quite give it a 5, but it's close.
Hell yeah, more Lauryn Hill. I can see why many people wanted her to go solo - she's definitely the star of the Fugees, while Michel and Jean seem to be out of breath just catching up to her.
Absolute cinema. Lauryn Hill's vocals and rap performance was amazing! Absolutely fascinated. I don't listen to hip hop music much. But I found the elements I love about rap in this album. I sometimes listen to Kendrick Lamar, and I can clearly see that some ideas in his albums are directly used in this album as well. Which shows its influence. My favourite songs were Ready or not (here I come, I am gonna fiiiiind you) Fugeela Family business The score I realized that there are references to previous songs in The Score. But I couldn't catch them all. I didn't pay attention to the lyrics much, and usually focused on the melody and flow. I want to discover what this album tells in the future.
It was fireee fugeeeesssss
Funky, cool and fun
Great mix of R&R and Hip Hop!
The middle between hiphop and etheral melancholic choir jams.
this rocks. bopped so hard i couldn't even see straight
206/1089 - Normally I don't like skits but one of them reminded me of Xavier Renegade Angel and I found it funny. Interesting instrumentals and the singing was pretty alright.
Ooh good record. Definitely an “I’m not cool enough to listen to this” kind of an album
I'm not that into hip hop, but this album is definitely pretty enjoyable. I like the flow of the songs and Hill's singing is very much welcomed as a counterpoint to the rapping. In turn, I think this is a nice introduction to rap for me. However, the outros of the songs were a bit long and annoying.
Lauryn Hill... Waow....
pretty cool. didn't like all the talking parts but killing me softly makes up for it for sure
Evidently, this is one of the best selling hip hop albums in France. For some reason, that makes sense to me. It's soulful and smooth, intellectual and political. It's angry but retained and channeled through poetry. These are people who want to change the system, but simply get their piece of it. While I prefer Lauryn Hill's solo album, the Fugees definitely paved the way for it.
Oh La La La
Songs: Fu-Gee-La, Killing Me Softly With His Song, No Woman No Cry
Top album. Love the samples used. Insane vocals, Lauryn Hill on Killing Me Softly is epic. Bars are tight and iceee cold. Each track flows nicely into the next with a few skits helping to tie things together. I love when rap albums do this, feel like other genres could chuck in some more patter between songs. Back to the music, some of the sample sounds are dark and mysterious which I find works really well with the rapping style of the group. Think Cowboys is underrated. Obviously not the best track, Ready or Not, Zealots and Killing Me Softly could lay claim to that but for me Fu-Gee-La is number one. Listened to the expanded edition twice through. 8/10
I didn’t care much for this album when it came out – the singles were too much on the R&B side for me – so I’m glad I gave it a fresh listen 30 years later. The hits - "Ready Or Not" and the "Killing Me Softly" cover - are actually among the least interesting tracks in this album. Not only have they been overused, they also tend to eclipse what is essentially a very mature hip-hop album. I don’t like Lauryn Hill’s R&B voice – but her rap flow is impeccable. The beats, although a bit simplistic, are very efficient, and quite a few songs are more old-school than the singles would lead you to expect. "How Many Mics" and "The Score" are great tracks ; "Family Business", "Fu-Gee-La" and "Cowboys" are quite impressive, with a real narrative and a great mix of jazz samples and darker sounds. Overall a very well produced album that probably converted more than a few younglings to hip-hop back in the days. Loved it ! Almost gave it a 5*, but I'll keep those for my cult albums.
Good lyrics, nice mix of paces and some great tracks. Really good album
Non il mio genere, ma si sente la qualità a pelle. Da riascoltare
I knew most of this album before coming in to this, with Ready or Not being a personal favourite. Forgot how good fu-gee-la was. But that doesn’t rescue the album. Sometimes the lyrics are amazing while other times I’m confused at what the fuck I’m listening to. I honestly thought I liked the album more than I did, but I’ve drifted away from listening to this kind of music since I was a teenager. Also the skit at the end of The Beast. Oof
Pretty great. Hill is the standout, and I wish she had been featured more. The skits are annoying, but not enough to drag it down.
foda d+ mais um pra série: tudo que a lauryin hill colocou a mão na década de 90 é ouro puro
Generally good, occasionally brilliant. Standouts in this album ('Fu-Gee-La', the all-timer cover of 'Killing Me Softly') elevate this group into myth; that's especially true because of their later descent or dissolution, however you'd like to frame it. The Fugees were a thoughtful and interesting, socially conscious hip-hop group from the 90's .Between their strong ties to Haiti and their advocacy, they seemed somehow apart from the East/West beef that defined rap for many of those years. Each of the three MCs -- Wyclef Jean, Pras Michel and Lauryn Hill -- were major talents in their own right, evidenced by their solo work and collaborations with other artists. All three blur the line between the spoken-word tonality of rap and the melodies of R&B. Certainly they fall on the rap side of hip-hop, but the fluidity with their voices is noticeable. All three have distinct flows and timbres, though it is easier to spot Hill for obvious reasons. Her singing voice is a special contribution to this trio; without Lauryn Hill, the Fugees would be somewhere on the Wu-Tang/Roots/Public Enemy spectrum of rap groups (less to more activism, that is). Her smooth, warm, clear singing work elevates the Fugees to something that much more remarkable. The Score isn't without flaws: I've never been a fan of sketches in rap albums, even if they've been around since the beginning. The parts of the record that hold up less well tend to be in these sections ('Fu-Gee-La' ends with a confrontation in a Chinese restaurant which seems less than charitable to Chinese immigrants). They're relatively limited, thankfully. Each of these members were multitalented (they'll remind you!) and it's worth revisiting this Grammy-winning Best Rap Album of 1996 just to see how much more there was to 90's hip-hop than a feud between New York and LA. It's worth addressing the central role that Hill played in both their success and their demise: she remains a rare talent -- gifted in flow and lyrics, blessed with a beautiful singing voice and, to boot, a talented actor, she pushed the Fugees to another level. However, Hill's relationship with the other two members was always fraught, leading to each reunion disintegrating with a public feud. This is chill as hell and very well-produced. It feels loose and comfortable, as if the members could show up in a studio and do this any day of the week, which is a real trick of production for a group that likely prepared meticulously for this. If 36 Chambers feels like a kung-fu film (not a great insight), this feels like a Western. The Score is a solid damn album and you can listen to the whole Fugees discography in a morning, so you should. They're one of hip-hop's (and possibly the 90's, writ large) greatest what-could-have-been questions. 4/5 (or call it 29/36 chambers)
I could do without the skits, but otherwise I loved this. Really liked Zealots on top of all the hits. It was fun to ID all the samples and references. Will def come back to this again.
3.5
Classic Fugees
The singing on ‘ready or not’ and ‘killing me softly’ is iconic, this was good 4/5
Volvemos al ruedo después de algunas semanas con un disco que juraba ya haber escuchado por éste reto pero veo que no. Tremendo segundo álbum y despedida de esta banda, hitero y con un mood ideal para una juntada. Increíble la voz de Lauryn Hyll. Sin nada más que agregar, me despido hasta mañana.
I love the way this album sounds. I remember when it came out, I was 18 and finding all kinds of music that I'd never listened to before. I still get chills when Ready Or Not comes on. It set a really high bar for hip hop.
Let's gooooooooooo. Love the solo Lauryn Hill record, like what I've heard from the Fugees, so I'm excited for this! Was not expecting this weird sample in How Many Mics, but love the tone it sets. Ready or Not is a classic, not much to say there. I was so shocked to hear the sample in Zealots. Love the original, really like this too. Interesting title too... I'll just say this right now, I'll need am loooot more time with the lyrics for each track. But loving this so far. Fu-Gee-La is another immediate stand-out, and then there's Killing me Softly... classic isn't enough. The Score and The Mask are more straight-foward rap or hip-hop songs. Not at all a bad thing, but they do stand out in the tracklist. I prefer The Mask. Cowboys is in the same vein, not as impressive. I like how its outro adds a different context for the next track, their cover of No Woman No Cry, which is a great note to end things on. This was a very enjoyable experience! The classics deserve their status, but there are also some hidden gems in the mix. I can see the album growing on me a lot more too. Great stuff. Bye
Great, though like a lot of hip hop albums of the 90s, too long!
Funky
back when woke meant something more than “liberal idea that i don’t like” good album
Very eclectic sound on this album. Very fun stuff.
Did not know that I was going to find this to be as good as I did. Though some of the language is outdated, the lyrics were very interesting to listen to. And Lauryn Hill crushed it.
“This is a Chinese restaurant, but HAVE IT YOUR WAY”
85% Best: Ready Or Not; Fu-Gee-La; Killing Me Softly With His Song; The Score Must-Hear? Sure
Convulsing suave.
This would be an easy 5 if it wasn't for the skits
Really good, sort of dark, downbeat sort of rap album. I can see why this won a Grammy (Good for Lauryn Hill!). I didn't know Wyclef whatshisface was in here since I only knew him from Hips Don't Lie, but I guess he does serious stuff too. I knew some songs from this album already, like Killing Me Softly With His Song, Fu-Gee-La, and maybe even Ready or Not. All the songs were great! How Many Mics is cool and catchy. Contraire, mon frere!... I wear sunglasses at night... They sound a little villainous. Lauryn saying "many, many, many," especially, is sort of Disney villain. Zealots. I liked the "somebody's watching meee!" bruh idk it was good I liked the restaurant skit. It's funny. It's stupid. LMAO "I'm gonna show you deez nuts." im gonna cry holy shit Killing Me Softly is SO good soOOOOOO fire Love this album HIGH 4.
Enjoyable, didnt go as hard as I expected for an album this iconic. Beats were on point tho, jammed to it for sure. Favourite Song: Zealots Honourable Mention: Killing Me Softly with His Song
It's been a while since I've listened to this and it's aged pretty well. There are still a couple songs that were so played out I really don't need to hear them again, and the energy does seem to dip a bit in the second half, but overall it's really will done and there's a reason it was so huge when it came out. I'm happy to hear this again.
This is one of those albums that I’ve probably not listened to enough in my lifetime. I was a kid when it came out, but it’s certainly reached legendary status is many circles. It’s an excellent, cohesive listen with some great stories within. Excellent production - it doesn’t sound dated at all. I don’t exactly have the nostalgic factor that would probably push this to 5 stars for me, but maybe one day after a few more spins I’ll update it. Killing Me Softly is a stunning cover.
So many songs I liked that I didn't know were from this group. Definitely adding some songs to a playlist.
"The Score" has been described as one of the best alternative hip-hop albums of the decade, a title the album truly deserves. The Fugees draw clear inspiration from other east coast acts of the time and still manage to make the music their own. The melodies are largely sampled throughout the record but often interpolated into something else, indicating a level of care not often seen. The lyrics are heavy hitting, thoughtful, and paint a vivid picture of the culture the group was experiencing at the time.
I remember when this album came out that it received a tremendous amount of praise. I knew Killing Me Softly because it was on the radio but the rest was not something I was able to access in my small town midwest home. So it was interesting to listen to. It is interesting how Lauryn Hill became the star of this group, but Wyclef and Pras seem to do the majority of the lyrics. They are poignant, deep, feel authentic and go well with the melodies. The album tells a story connected to a world and place in time. overall it is a really well done album. Now I can't not mention the Chinese Skit because I have included criticisms on misogyny and racism on other albums. Yes this was almost 30 years ago, but that shouldn't have been okay even then. It is also interesting that they are discussing the plight of the Haitian immigrant but also mock an Asian immigrant. I hate the human need to fight hate with more hate. If not for the Chinese Skit I think I could give this a 5, but I just don't want to overlook that portion.
The music is pretty minimal. It's really all about the raps and the beats. No horn samples needed. Lauryn Hill's distinctive vocals put this a cut above the rest. Not bad (for 90's rap).
Great vocals from Lauryn. Classic hip-hop/soul/r&b songs. Super influential record for the genre.
Energy. Nothing but pure internal energy. Not energenic, for the most part, but more like here is that feeling in your chest you don't know what to do with. This is very good. The skits are terrible, and have aged more terribly than you can remember, like most rap skits. But the music and lyrics hit harder now than ever before, and it isn't even about anything I've been through.
Absolute fantastic album. I remember Lauryn Hill having an amazing voice and listening to the album again reminding me what a great group they are as a whole
This album and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill have been on my list to listen to for a while. Well put together album that seems cohesive while also having diversity. Of course, Killing me Softly is an all time great. Genre I don’t listen to much. I realize part of that is because I don’t hear words, only music, so songs that feature the same loops are less interesting to me. And lyrically based music (rap) means I missing out if the majority of what makes the music good.
Fun, Funky, Powerful, Soulful. This album flits between playful and emotional and does both well. Earnest from the outset.
A great album that didn’t feel its length at all. Bangers and classics here. My one thing was the skits pulled it down a bit.
I can definitely see how this album influenced a lot of artists that I really enjoy now. It’s the exact style of hip hop that I look; suave, effortlessly cool, nothing too frantic. Admittedly, I think I still prefer the artists of today that have been influenced by these folks, but it’s still an album that deserves a lot of credit.
Obviously great and the mix of voices are perfect together. They have their rhythm and harmony down. Lots of recognizable songs like Ready Or Not, Killing Me Softly, and Zealots. 4 stars just because I don’t think I’ll listen to it often
This one surprised me since hip hop isn't my thing. I really liked Fu-Gee-La, Killing Me Softly With His Song and No Woman, No Cry.
I can see where most of samples used in mid 2000s was from Great beats, flow, iconic 90s hip hop sounds Fu-Gee-La a banger
Awesome album.
Brought back a lot of memories since I haven't listened to this in a long time. It used to be in my rotation a TON back in the day but has fallen off since. Overall, I think it has held up to the test of time and it was still mostly good.
A prime example of how great 90's hip hop was. Probably don't need 3 remixes of Fu-Gee-La, though.
I have never heard of Fugees before. I will most likely be listening again.
Dope album and a fun listen. Already knew the hits off of this one but worth going through to find a few tracks that were new to me. The balance between R&B with Killing Me Softly, wutang style rap on Fu-Gee-Lah, and reggae hip hop on No Woman, No Cry or Zealots is really enjoyable. Not flawless as I was not a fan of How Many Mics or Mista Mista. Only makes me wish Wyclef Jean was a better person and Lauren Hill was a better performer.
I liked this. Very cool hip-hop!
the chinese restaurant skit was bad but the rest of it is pretty good
I was not ready for it but it came
Great album, it was so nice listening to this gem again
MO BUENO
This is such a special album. Certainly a rap royalty crown jewel. It is damn NEAR flawless. Near because the skits obviously have not aged well. Otherwise a beautiful album with incredible samples, timeless beats, incredible interpolations as well. The influences this album brought together are unparalleled even to this day, it seems like an album at the center of the crossroads of black culture in the mid 90's, and times were indeed quite different back then. Iconic hooks, iconic refranes, iconic bars, and getting to appreciate this album later in life is definitely a treat. Cowboys is fucking insane, Family Business is also insane, and the title track is a classic of classics too. Lauryn is a SICKENING MC all over this thing, jesus. And she can REALLY sing too. Classic boom bap done for the most part tastefully at the highest level. Cultural riches man.
A lot of great beats and clever lyrics. The career trajectory of this trio after this album is fascinating.
Alomtegenwoordig in mijn jeugd. "Killing Me Softly" en "No Woman No Cry" hoef ik dan ook niet meer te horen. Voor de rest een zeer solide plaat. "Fu-Gee-La" klinkt nog steeds hard.
Classic
I've somehow never come across this album before. Fantastic album which shows off the best of hip hop - great atmosphere, flow and layering. Lauren Hill's rapping is fantastic and her voice on songs like Killing Me Softly is jaw dropping. Ready or Not, How Many Mics and Fu-Gee-La were the other standouts. Only listened to it once so far, but lost attention a tad in the last quarter of the album and felt the Chinese Takeaway Skit took me out of it a bit, so rounding down to 4 stars rather than up to 5. 9/10
Thought they only did about two songs before disappearing. Solid listen
Good
lovelovelove no time today to write my lame review but I love this album still listen to it
Enjoyable, liked their controversial songs and story telling.
Flow and lyrics were great, enjoyed the samples for the choruses but not really original work here, beat and cadence got pretty generic and repetitive after a while
J'ai eu du fun à écouter ça
Good job 👏
Ça groove. 1h15 de rap c'est trop pour moi mais ça reste mieux que 37 min de reggae (jkjk, j'apprends à apprivoiser Exodus en parallèle). No, woman, no cry! L'omniprésence des sirènes de police sur l'album est cool, ça met sur les gardes, j'imagine c'est une façon de faire vivre c'est quoi être black dans une grande ville aux États-Unis(je vais présumer côte Est ou Chicago). Pas encore eu le temps d'analyser les paroles, mais les bribes de paroles que je comprends ont l'air d'être sur le thème des fausses accusations. L'humour des bouts parlés (the beast avec la sitar et les talks de fast food) me fait penser au Wu Tang Clan ou à The Wire. Il y a une esthétique très cinéma d'ailleurs, clin d'oeil au mouvement Blaxploitation. D'ailleurs, très nice pochette Goodfellas blaxploited. Killing me softly c'est une tonne de brique, une excellente idée de reprise et merveilleusement exécuté. J'adore The Mask! Gorillaz a rien inventé avec Clint Eastwood! Musicalement il y a définitivement quelque chose avec des emprunts au jazz, flamenco (Family Business), r&b/soul, gospel. Album concept, belle unité avec des rappels, des références culturels partout ("mama se mama sa mama coo sa", "The Mask") Vraiment proche d'un 5 étoiles, reste à me brancher après une 2e écoute
Wonderful
I started listening to this and was wondering why it was so good. Then I read the description and learned this was Lauryn Hill. It all made sense after that. Great album from The Score.
Ready or not and killing me are 5 star songs, rest of the album really holds up. Seminal and hard to believe nearly 30 years old, would hold up today
This was fantastic. Their cover of No Woman No Cry has always been a favorite. 4.5
The only song I really was familiar with was (of course), "Killing Me Softly" but I was very surprised to find myself enjoying this listen overall, since hip hop is definitely not typically a favourite.
Вообще в итоге в целом лучше, чем сначала думал, но дослушать не смог - настроение вообще не то. Под настроение может и может зайти. Поставил бы 3.5
great lyrics, great tunes
This album has some stone cold classics but I found it a little long to say the full album is a masterpiece. Still a great listen. Favorite Songs: Ready or Not / Killing Me Softly With His Song / The Score
An imperfect understanding of the talent available. A tad long, but hey there's a great album in there somewhere. 7.78/10 Favorite Song: Killing Me Softly with his Song
The year this dropped I was more immersed in rock than hip-hop, particularly underground artists, so when The Score became a major hit I ignored it. I definitely heard "Killing Me Softly" because it was unavoidable, but if I heard any other singles I didn't realize it then, nor did I recognize any others today. So I was pleasantly surprised that I mostly enjoyed it. I'm not in love with it yet, but the songs are pretty good & I enjoy the group dynamics. I do feel like it's a little lazy to have 2 covers included, but at least they're both solid. It didn't hook me in as heavily as most of my favorite hip-hop albums, so time will tell how often I'll return to it. But I definitely get the appeal now, and I'm glad this project gave me a reason to finally sit down with it.
What the FUCK was going on at the end of The Beast ?????????????
I really liked this one. It had a lot of cool songs I recognized from when I was younger on it, and I LOVE Ms Lauryn Hill.
Love Lauryn Hill but had never listened to this before! Pretty much every song was awesome what else can I say ^_^ Fav song: Fu-Gee-La
The Fugees are a force to be reckoned with. Easily one of the most unique and important hip hop acts of the 90's, the chemistry between the three members and the product of their shared vision is incredible. Lauryn Hill's ability to rap and sing (very, very well) is the Fugees secret weapon. "Killing Me Softly with His Song" is probably the one everyone knows, but there are a wealth of great songs that, I would argue, outshine this one. There's such a great mix of emotions, topics, and production: all of it *rich* and *lush*. Absolutely deserves to be here!
Amazing, I actually knew quite a few of these
Enjoyed it.
I like rap, but I don't listen to a lot of it. I enjoyed this album a lot. I was already familiar with "Killing Me Softly With His Song", but there were a few others that I had heard before but never realized with was by Fugees. Overall, I enjoyed the album.
Some of the tightest percussion production I’ve ever heard
Great album with beautiful songs. Lauren Hills vocals are amazing
Thought it was mad experimental then realised I was listening to the non explicit version, still really good
lauryn hill carried this but it’s still pretty solid lol
Enjoyed this as a teen, but didn't remember how funny some of the lyrics were
Listened quite recently, but decided to relisten. My opinion hasn't really changed since first listen, but I also really enjoyed it then. Obviously the rapping is insane, the attention is probably usually just to Lauryn Hill, but Wyclef is also amazing and has a quite unique style. I think the thing that's amazing about Lauryn Hill is that she's also an insane singer, which fits well for the choruses of quite a lot of these songs. The instrumentals are very good, and the live guitar in some of them fits quite well. The downsides are that the skits are not really needed (especially the racist Chinese shop one which I thought sounded like Scooby Doo). Some of the adlibs aren't so great either, but thats quite a small complaint. Favourite songs: ready or not, zealots, the beast, fu-gee-la, family business, the score, the mask, cowboys, manifest/outro Overall around 8/10
Fiyah! A little long for me
I listened to this a lot when I was younger and figured it'd be a 3 before listening. The album is on the longer side compared to contemporaries, but being ~1 hour long isn't necessarily a detriment. As long as it is varied and consistent it should be good, but I don't think it quite achieves that, not like Enter The Wu-Tang or Black On Both Sides. I think it is worth a 4 though; there are some great beats on the first half of the album, second half slows down a little, but I think it flows well enough that its okay. The singles, though, are fantastic, so I think it needs to be better than a 3.
An absolute power house display of great hip hop. So much talent on this album.
Fantastic blend of RnB and HipHop. Lauren Hill's voice is magical. 4 stars.
“ready or not” is really good. that’s partially because i recognize it from samples. also “killing me softly” is always PERFECT. i ascend every time i hear it. didn’t realize it was from this album! everything was actually so fun! all in all a 4/5.
This is legendary album.
Again, not huge on rap, think it’s limited as a genre. That said, Ms. Lauryn Hill is very talented, she has creative rhyme schemes and interesting lyrics. Production is cleaner, but keeps the rawness. Good variation in the themes and melodies and lyrics. Ended up liking this a lot. 4.5 imo
Solid beginning to end
Enjoyed a lot more than I thought. A lot of songs I had heard and were overplayed. But loved the songs I didn’t know yet. Great album. Lauren is the standout.
A 90’s hip hop all timer.
Solid
Perfect album!
Some good songs on here, I liked it.
Simpatico, belle basi, attualissimo. Non riuscivo a credere fosse uscito nel '96!
The Score is one of those rare albums that feels both of its time and timeless. Lauryn Hill’s voice is the undeniable standout — especially on “Killing Me Softly,” which is arguably one of the most beautiful remakes ever recorded. That said, the loop-heavy production and slow pacing make parts of the album feel repetitive and forgettable to me but I still recognize its brilliance.
Never really listened to the Fugees before but I love this
Not what I would normally listen too but enjoyed
silky smooth, with hard hitting lyrics and beats throughout. i had listened to this album a bit ago, bit it was really great to revisit and put under a lens. definitely enjoyed and will keep in rotation.
Awesome album with some awesome standout songs. My only complaint with it is the length. Make it 20 minutes shorter and you might get that last star from me.
Really like the vocals and lyrics but this loses a point for over reliance on samples
There's a few strange parts here but mostly just very beautiful and boppin' to listen to.
Some misses but some big swings could i write poetry to this? n
Intense and creative, but I can only get into the Lauren Hill parts.
Liked a lot more than I thought. Female singer was so good, entertaining. the skits and stuff was not really my thing, but overall I really enjoyed it
My ultimate rainy day record. Lauryn was just so talented man. 8.5/10 Fave track: Fu-gee-la
Some classics but the rest is hit or miss
Enjoyed this
Nice hip hop with r&b roots.
This takes me back to high school. Damn!!! So good
general: im not super into older hip hop as a whole but this is pretty catchy i love her voice sm, it’s so pretty (and her flow is lowk the best too) bro he’s ordering chicken wings in one of these songs?? 😭 top 3: zealots killing me softly with his song ready or not
7.5/10 very very fun; i like fav songs: Fu-Gee-La; Ready or Not (i know this from Disney); Zealots
A lot of iconic songs that I recognized by their use as samples. Good album and a good time. Really funny sketch about a Chinese restaurant in the hood.
On 'Red Intro' I just thought - jeez. Calm down. You would be the most annoying man to try to converse with in a social setting. The obligatory, pointless hip-hop album intro done with, the album quickly finds good ground with 'How Many Mics' which is like a twisting Pharcyde rhythm and delivery, with a dark carnival feel. In general, the album feels elevated above the countless pile of 90s hip-hop albums, narrating life in the streets. It falls into it a bit ('Manifest'). That and the Outro, which is ridiculous, nearly torpedo the whole thing. I've always thought Fugees a bit lightweight really. As good as Wyclef and Pras can intermittently be, the real magic is when Lauryn sings or raps, and the difference is marked. On 'Killing Me Softly' I just want her to sing without the 'one time' bullshit, which is equivalent to the 'so good' add-on in Sweet Caroline. In saying that, when they all hit form (mainly the singles) the results are excellent.
"Killing me Softly" was played waaaaaaaay too much, but the album overall is a delight. More Hip-Hop like this and less with the ridiculous low-hanging jeans and abuse of women please.
The skits and ad libs are horrible and dated (bing!), but the tunes hold up pretty well and Lauren Hill still sounds great.
A great listen that needs to be revisited to fully appreciate the lyrics. Both fun / lighthearted and cutting with the depiction of America in the 90s.
I'm not typically big on R&B, but this was good stuff. 3.8
What an album: great lyrics, great songs, great artists! Some tracks were felt a bit repetitive, and this is definitely not my favourite genre, but other than thst I can't fault it. 4.2
Great/ classic album
Pretty good album. One of the most listenable of the myriad of terrible rap albums on this list.
Idk I've never really listened to this sorta thing before. I kinda diiiig it.
👍
Thought this was on track for a 5 but it wavers at points. Extended version has way too many versions of Fu Gee La, why not remix something else? But I'm being unfair, it's very very good
Remember this being released and my friends older sister being obsessed with it.... Never listened to the album before but obviously know the hits. Thought it was pretty decent mostly. Must've been a nice change to all the gangsta rap being released at the time. The 4 different versions of Fu-Gee-La annoyed me, but I assume they weren't all on the original release. Aside from the huge hits, "zealots" was the highlight. I like the creole 3.5
великолепная Мисс Лорин Хилл
pretty solid
Very much a moment in time album for me. Tons of great songs, but when listening to the album straight through, the outros can be distracting or sometimes unnecessary. Still so solid all the way through.
Essential Hip-Hop knowledge, incredible flow and sounds. The symmetry of the group is notable and all songs sound great.
I liked it Will I listen to again: 75%
Beautiful Hip-Hop album!! Lauryn Hill's voice really shines in this record. Songs are good and catchy and the lyrics are awesome as well.
Was a great listen, always love Lauryn Hill
I've heard parts of this one before and those parts have been pretty good. Favorite song off of it before listening is Killing Me Softly. After listening to it, that's probably still true. Maybe Cowboys or Zealots are close. Over all, I liked it and I'm glad I listened to it. I loved the reggae themes combined with soul and hip hop. I've heard a lot of Lauryn Hill's and Wyclef Jean's solo careers, but nothing from Pras. I should check him out. Overall, great album. 7.9/10
Very enjoyable
tbh the lyrics are sometimes quite lame, but the rest makes up for it
Smooth OG rap vibes
Rien que pour Ready or not, cet album est mythique.
incredible
Loved. Added "Killing me softly" to my liked songs.
Un classique. Difficile d'écrire une critique tant The Fugees sont ancrés dans mes souvenirs bien avant que je ne m'intéresse au rap. J'étais au collège et je pense qu'à l'époque il était impossible de ne pas avoir connaître (et aimer) Killing Me Softly. L'exploration de l'album s'est poursuivie avec les années, confirmant que l'album entier est une référence du rap. Et quand on est capable de s'inscrire aussi durablement dans la mémoire collective, au delà d'un genre musical, c'est qu'on est un classique.
First i was not to big on it however after listening to it a few times i love it and it is truly amazing
Et album med nogle gode bangers, ikke mindst de fire single udspil og titelnummeret. Fugees har ikke smidt interludes ind, men bare ladet deres snak og sketches være i enden af numrene. Det gør det så sværere at skippe dem. Lidt for mange fillers. Men kæft Lauren Hill rapper lækkert
I was there when it hit and it hit hard. Hip hop in 1996 was so happening and this was one of many highlights back then, especially due to Lauryn Hill's vocals. Over time some of the glitz has rubbed off for my taste, but still a good record.
Already heard this one, but it was nice to revisit
Somehow it's the year of our lord 2025 and I've never listened to this album before. Probably because it was released and super popular when I was still actively rejecting music that didn't fit my identity. I really liked this album, it's a classic for a reason. I found it odd what a 90s hip-hop album this was - verse-trading MCs, fairly straight forward beats, it was good and comfortable. I could absolutely have done without the (period appropriate) skits though, they're always so bad.
I like this one, but I don’t love it. I expected to be more into this than I actually was, it’s good and I like Wyclef’s style but as an album it falls a little short of what I remembered. The singles are (obviously) the best tracks on here. Overall, although most of the beats feel kind of simplistic, they work. Rating? 3.5? I’ll bump this to 4 stars it’s definitely close.
I really like this album. Lots of good stuff here, good beats, Lauren Hill is an outstanding vocalist. Not one I put on all the time, but it's good to hear it again and remember just how good it really is. Couple of my favorite lines - "2 MCs can't occupy the same space at the same time, it's against the laws of physics" along with "And even after all my logic and my theory, I add a "motherfucker" so you ignant n***ers hear me. And I know the Chinese restaurant sketch isn't in good taste, but it will ALWAYS be funny to me. I love the back and forth on that so much. That's probably the best rap album skit I've ever heard.
I liked this album alot when it came out -- and I still do.
Classic rap album
This hits
Кайфовые минуса для 96 и прикольная читка. Лол вот откуда семпл Ready or note
Bop and a half. Tons of classics and Mrs. Lauren kills it. I didn't know dick about wyclef but I sure as shit am gonna find out. It's just that facial song from thugger. But good stuff. For sure gonna re listen for a whole while here
Nice hiphop med typ precis så mycket RnB jag pallar. Några klassiker jag inte visste var deras och för det mesta mycket skapligt man kan gunga med till 👌
I'm not bumpin' too much Biggie Smalls. Great album, could live without all the skits but otherwise a high score for this one.
A classic. The skits are a bit too much, but the music, the lyrics, the message, all of it is amazing. 4/5 Will listen again
Chill flow Singles kinda slap Liked the bob marley cover
It was a beautiful and interesting album. I do enjoy hip hop, and there's a lot going on here. It's pleasant and worth revisiting.
Crazy how clearly you can hear how this album and their music has directly influenced other artists. Favorite tracks: The Mask
This album was EVERYWHERE in ‘96. You couldn’t escape it! MTV had the videos for “Ready or Not” and “Killing Me Softly” heavy rotation. I’m not complaining, though; “The Score” is very near perfection. I could do without all the skit interludes, but doing that kind of thing was kind of en vogue then, for some reason (there’s a bunch on “The Chronic”, too). Not every song on this album is a 100% banger, either. “The Beast” and “Cowboys” being the weakest tracks on the album. Four stars is the rating here but the more accurate score (pun intended) would be 4.5.
It's a really cool rap album, there are a lot of things in the production that most other concept albums don't. That being said - I really wish they rapped more. When they did it was good, but most of the time it was just a bunch of disparate talking. I even liked a lot of the filler, but at some point it became a little bit too much filler and not enough music.
3.8/5
Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Pras. "Ready or not" super recognizable, good track. Recorded really well, super clean. Drums especially really good. Really distracting me from studying physics. Vaguely reminds me of Mezzanine, especially "Zealots". "The Beast" reminds me of De la Soul's feature on Plastic Beach. Fu-Gee-La reminds me of Coast Contra freestyle but more mellow. Very good, will listen to again, highly recommend.
Lowkey some songs are fire! I added one to my playlist
Red Intro 3.6 How Many Mics 3.4 Ready or Not 3.7 Zealots 3.6 The Beast 3.4 Fu-Gee-La 3.8 Family Business 3.5 Killing Me Softly 4 The Score 3.4 The Mask 3.4 Cowboys 3.2 No Woman, No Cry 3.8 Manifest/Outro 3 Sxcore: 3.523076923
My sister had a variety of music for me to borrow growing up. Korn, ICP, Marilyn Manson, Garth Brooks, and this album. I still haven't deviated much from the rock realm when listening on my own, but I can appreciate a good variety. This album was everywhere in 96 and I remember it being a big thing at the Grammys. It's one of those albums that you can't really give any good reason for not liking it without sounding racist, and I think even me saying that my seem a bit racist somehow. I like the singles well enough, but many other songs have a message that isn't meant for me so it feels awkward to me listening to it. I understand a lot of the issues but unfortunately the country has a bunch of babies running it now that can't listen to reason and logic. A lot of these grievances in the songs are ignored by the powers in charge because keep these issues keeps the focus off the true problem, which is money controlling the powers that be. Once the money gets out and the politicians can address the people then progress can resume. Favorite track "Killing me softly" 4/5
To jest totalny klasyk. Lauryn Hill genialna. Rap to nie jest mój ulubiony gatunek, ale nie da się tego nie docenić. Hit za hitem, hitem pogania. A Killing me softly to wisienka na tym, naprawdę smacznym torcie. 8/10
3.5, but rounding up to a 4. The absolute best thing on the album is Lauryn Hill's vocals. I'm still not a huge fan of hip hop, so for me the standout songs are Killing Me Softly and No Woman No Cry. I don't think this is a commentary on The Fugees' writing as much as that I like the singing more than the rapping. Other songs I enjoyed are Ready or Not, Zealots, and Fu-Gee-La; especially when Lauryn gets the spotlight.
Would get canceled today for some of the between-song filler! Otherwise, still great. Not something I would listen to regularly, but I can't deny the greatness.
I really liked this one. It’s cool, has nice homages, and is what I would call ‘funky fresh’
I knew a couple songs from just listening to Lauryn Hill but this was an amazing album altogether. One of the best R&B I know.
Full of classics! Love the funky r&b and a worthwhile listen
A hip hop classic that I had listened to years ago. It's a great listen although it would be topped by Miseducation a few years later
A little bit difficult to rate. While I absolutely love the words and way they are presented, even sometimes sung, and the astoningly laid-back approach to music making despite of much of the anger that shines through the lyrics, it is exactly that laid-back approach that makes it feel a little bit samey all over. I would have given it a three, but Lauryn Hill propelled this up. The best they and the individual members did, maybe apart from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill...
A hugely influential and impactful jazz-rap/R&B this album is a classic. It’s not my favorite genre but holy shit is this album great. It’s so smooth and catchy, and features a few huge hit songs. This is the album I’d recommend to people who are not familiar with R&B classics, cause there’s no doubt this album is a classic. It does feature a skit that would offend the easily offended, but that’s not an issue for me. Overall a top ten R&B album.
One of the better hip hop albums with enough pop sensibility.
Thanksgiving
Another good album
Really solid record. I knew "Killing Me Softly" and "Read or not", but the rest of the album was unfamiliar. I really liked "Fu Gee La" and there were various other songs that were pretty solid (Zealots, Beast, Mask...). Awesome grooves.
Flirts with a 5-star rating. There's a couple missteps and too much between-song chatter, but there is a lot to like here.
Did not realize there were multiple lyrical references to poop. And a super solid album nonetheless.
cinematic, I really love killing me softly.
wasn’t immediately on board but then Ready or Not started and the rest of the album was great
I have to confess that this is Not bad! I’m not a hip hop person but it’s actually very good. The lyrics are extremely intelligent.
Cool