The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

the take

A loud and proud solo debut by the Fugees’ Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is by no means your ordinary R&B record. It’s a statement, one that brought Lauryn heavy praise and 5 GRAMMYs in one night, including both “Best R&B Album” and “Album Of The Year”. Almost entirely self-written and produced, Miseducation takes us through a journey of the singer establishing her independence as an artist and as a woman after her messy out with the group. Lyrically, Lauryn claps back at the drama, explores pregnancy, heartbreaks, and some of her milestones. Musically, between all the references and samples, the range this album reaches is quite impressive: it builds on the pillars of Black-pioneered genres such as hip-hop, reggae, soul, and of course, R&B.  From daring and forward rapping on tracks like “Lost Ones” and “Final Hour” to vulnerable and yearning vocal delivery on songs “To Zion” and “Nothing Even Matters”, Ms Lauryn Hill showcases an impressive versatility. The heavy reggae influences leave a fun mark on the sound – for me personally, the guitars are the highlight of this album, especially on the Carlos Santana feature. Another highlight is obviously the vocals. Although Lauryn’s background with the Fugees lies in hip-hop, I personally prefer her singing over rapping, as she possesses this very soulful and earthy, lush vocal tone that works perfectly with R&B and soul. And while a frequent use of runs and melismas might sometimes take away from the song and seem excessive, Lauryn’s riff game is as organic and fitting as ever, making tracks like “When It Hurts So Bad” and “Tell Him” heavenly for vocal enthusiasts such as myself. The arrangement on the album feels very raw and intimate, as if most of it was recorded in one take, something that Lauryn noted to be her goal: for the album to convey the “human element.”