Marked as No.10 on Rolling Stone’s ‘500 Greatest Albums of All Time’, Lauryn Hill’s 1998 debut album, ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ redefined hip-hop and feminism: combining rap with Rastafarian righteousness, neo-soul with poetry and R&B with delicate gospel. Miseducation was a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse into the new age of hip-hop, as Lauryn Hill crafted an intricate love story to her past, narrating the trials and tribulations of relationships, religion and motherhood whilst accompanied by the overwhelming declaration of female empowerment. An album of junctures - the album depicted the blurred transformation that Lauryn was embarking on, from being a third of the ‘Fugees’ to an independent artist and navigating the adversity of transitioning from adolescence to parenthood, becoming a first-time mother at 22.
“It’s funny how money change a situation” - the experience begins. ‘Lost Ones’ - the album’s opening track - is a resentful and emotive post-breakup anthem, inviting listeners into the tidal wave of emotions that they are soon to encounter. Fuelled by her recent separation from former bandmate, Wyclef Jean, the track allows Lauryn to set the tone of the album, releasing the demons of young love whilst crafting her own argument: the ultimate revenge for betrayal is sheer excellence, something that Lauryn exudes in her opening track, based on Sister Nancy’s 1982 hit, ‘Bam Bam’. Following this comes, ‘Ex Factor’. The archetypal 90s R&B ballad that demonstrates Hill’s ability to evoke emotion in her avid listeners, as the song captures the true loss of heartbreak, “Loving you is like a battle and we both end up scars” - Lauryn’s soulful approach to relationships marked a shift in contemporary music, that contrasted with the rap-kings of the 90s, like NWA who attacked romance as foolish, behind the backdrop of gangster lifestyles. Lauryn was here to educate, and the people were ready to listen. The legacy of ‘Ex Factor’ is undeniable, with its influence still prominent in today’s music, being sampled by huge artists such as Drake and Cardi B. Love and heartbreak become a driving force throughout the album, with ‘I Used to Love Him (feat. Mary J Blige)’, ‘Nothing Even Matters (feat. D’angelo)’ and her cover of Frankie Valli’s, ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You’ all exuding the extremities of passion, romance, and heartbreak, accompanied by Lauryn’s stripped-back soul, intricate lyricism and Motown-style melodies.
But love wasn’t the only thing on Lauryn Hill’s roster for Miseducation, as she wanted to showcase her prophet-like abilities to rap, performing with such a raw, smoky delivery on hip-hop tracks, ‘Superstar’, ‘Every Ghetto, Every City’ and No.1 single, ‘Doo Wop that Thing’, that make her 8 Grammy wins, the highest for any female rapper, seem crystal clear. Hill defined herself in her standout performance of Miseducation as the most-talented MC of her time, setting a new standard for rappers and hip-hop stars to challenge her unparalleled dynamism that allowed her to generate flows such as, ‘To survive is to stay alive in the face of opposition’ and ‘Wisdom is better than silver and gold’. Lauryn remains unrivalled. With a Carole King lyricism, a Whitney passion and an Aretha soul, Lauryn Hill’s incorporation of her skills on Miseducation remain an enigma in the musical world - the hip hop and R&B scene has been since transformed by Lauryn’s influence, with her impact evident in contemporary artists such as Amy Winehouse, Adele and Beyoncé.
The final element on Hill’s amalgamated album is undoubtedly: religion. A factor that Hill herself explained as fuelling her creative inspiration, Lauryn’s beautiful relationship with God is demonstrated as being the saviour to her tribulations of parenthood and heartbreak. The influence of Christianity on Miseducation is shown in an array of tracks, ‘Tell Him’ is based on the Bible’s, ‘Love Chapter’ in 1 Corinthians 13; ‘To Zion’ is an ode to her son that emphasises how the presence of God ensured her determination in raising a child as a single mother whilst ‘Forgive them Father’ acts as an apology to God for the failures of the modern world. Lauryn Hill wrote herself that, “During this album, I turned to the Bible and wrote songs that I drew comfort from.” - the religious aspect of the album doubtlessly increases its truly heartfelt nature whilst simultaneously inviting a new era of rap to arise; one that celebrated gospel and black excellence in a format that had never been seen before. The third track of Miseducation exudes this idea, with ‘To Zion’ enveloping all of Lauryn’s unlevelled skill in a delicate yet exposing piece; the track is an ode to her son, Zion, as she pulls on the heartstrings of mothers worldwide, beginning, ‘Unsure of what the balance held, I touched my belly overwhelmed’ and demonstrates the endless devotion of maternal love, whilst being a song of gratitude to Christianity, thanking her faith for guiding her through her pregnancy. For me, ‘To Zion’ is the standout piece of Miseducation, showcasing the true enlightening abilities that Ms. Lauryn Hill exudes through her lyricism whilst simultaneously being a symbol of her profound vocal strength.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was an era-defining artefact of 90s excellence in rap, hip-hop and soul, with Lauryn Hill being the architect. The melodic excellence combined with Hill’s vocal stylings generated an extraordinary demonstration of skill that exceeded anything that had been done before and has failed to be repeated. A rollercoaster of love, anger and inescapable truth, the Miseducation welcomed Ms. Lauryn Hill as an educator for the ages and celebrated her superiority in the rap game.