courtesy of Honey Magazine, edited by Ivan Mendoza

Released August 25, 1998, Lauryn Hill’s breakout album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” became an instant classic for its catchy choruses and beautiful lyricism. As the album turns 25 years old and fans buy tickets for her upcoming anniversary tour, her only studio album continues to inspire music enjoyers across the world.

Throughout the course of 50 years, hip-hop has experienced a remarkable transformation as various producers and rappers rewrite the definition of the beloved genre. August 11, 1973, serves as a historic timestamp for music, as DJ Kool Herc fused funk and soul onto a pair of turntables and set the blueprint for hip-hop instrumentals. In 1986, The Beastie Boys’ debut album became the first hip-hop album to reach #1 on the charts, and prominent artists such as Ice-T and Snoop Dogg sparked influence for the West Coast rap style. Years later, N.W.A. took the baton of West Coast rap and brought the genre into national prominence. As influential producers such as J Dilla ran the underground hip-hop scene, Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. infused witty rhymes and powerful lyricism into their music. Yet, none of these people could match the brilliance of the artist who released her debut album August 25, 1998. Ms. Lauryn Hill made history with her award-winning masterpiece titled “The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill.”

At 22 years old, the world’s expectations of Hill shifted and grew like never before. As she initially rose to fame due to her role as an actress and an artist for the Fugees, people began to love her sonically as a result of her amazing performances in songs such as “Ready or Not” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song.”  Yet, at the cusp of the group’s fame, she ultimately decided to leave the Fugees as a result of toxic relationships and disagreements. Along with her struggles of finding new producers and artists to work with, Hill found out about her pregnancy in the midst of writing songs about love and independence. Even though pressure continued to grow around her, Hill managed to curate a refined crown jewel in the musical landscape.

Her debut album abruptly starts with the sounds of a school bell and a teacher calling out for attendance. The teacher then repeats Hill’s name but receives no response and the murmurs of children begin to fade as the hip-hop-inspired track  “Lost Ones” starts to play. Mixed with turntable scratching and subtle drums, Hill raps her heart out using skillful rhymes and sequenced flows, along with repeating catchy lyrics such as “You might win some but you just lost one.” While “Lost Ones” heavily focuses on her ability to rap, “Ex-Factor” highlights her smooth voice and delicacy in songwriting. “Ex-Factor” chronicles her failed relationship with Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean, yet Hill approaches her past affair with beautiful lyricism as she sings about how if they stayed any longer it would continue to hurt both of them and leave scars in the process.

As previously mentioned, Hill recorded her first album while pregnant with her first child. The guitar-based “To Zion” contains potent vocal inflections from the artist, but also displays gorgeous lyrics dedicated to her son. According to Hill, people around her believed that introducing a child into the world would ruin her career and reputation. Yet, in an act of adversity and perseverance, she wrote this song as an ode to her firstborn. Throughout the album, she makes clever Biblical references in songs such as “Final Hour” and “Forgive Them Father”, but “To Zion” acts as a catalyst for her dedication to her son while praising God for granting her joy in Zion.

“The ability to reshape the Black musical space while allowing for consistent and brilliant dialogue is why the album should continue to be appreciated and studied today. Especially during the beginning of her scene, she became a beacon for the complexities of living in America as a young Black woman,” NC alumna Zioni Moore said. 

If a song could showcase all of Hill’s various talents, “Doo Wop (That Thing)” cements itself as a classic where she utilizes her singing and wordplay. “Doo Wop” acts as an anthem for women across the globe, as she preaches lyrics about self-love and avoiding exploitation from men. With harmonious moments and memorable bars such as “How you gonna win when you ain’t right within?”, Hill paved the way for mixing melodic choruses with fast-paced rapping. 

“My favorite song from the album is probably “Doo Wop” because I heard that song so much even when I was little, so it’s like one of those songs you just know by heart as soon as you hear it,” Campbell High School senior Olivia Thorne-Jackson said. 

 “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” became an instant classic when it was initially released. After spending weeks at #1 on the Billboard charts, Hill went on to win five Grammys for her debut album and she made history as the first hip-hop artist to ever win Album of the Year. Known for her ability to seamlessly transition from quick bars to smooth melodies, Hill expanded the limitations of what hip-hop could sound like with the only studio album she ever released. As prominent artists such as Drake and Kanye West sample her music in their songs, a multitude of rappers have incorporated melodies and R&B into their work thanks to Hill. With “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” she transformed hip-hop by using the genre to reflect on her own shortcomings and fragility. She educated the world on the excellence of womanhood and continues to leave listeners awestruck with her timeless talent.