After touring with the Fugees, Hill became involved in a romantic relationship with Jamaican entrepreneur Rohan Marley, and shortly after, became pregnant with their child. This pregnancy, as well as other circumstances in her life, inspired Hill to make a solo album. Recording sessions for the album took place from late 1997 to June 1998 mainly at Tuff Gong StudiosinKingston, as Hill collaborated with a group of musicians known as New Ark in writing and producing the songs.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was among the most acclaimed albums of 1998, as most critics praised Hill's presentation of a woman's view on life and love, along with her artistic range. At the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill earned ten nominations, winning five awards, making Hill the first woman to receive that many nominations and awards in one night. The album's success propelled Hill to international superstardom, and contributed to bringing hip hop and neo soul to the forefront of popular music. New Ark, however, felt Hill and her record label did not properly credit the group on the album; a lawsuit filed by the group was settled out of court in 2001.
"When some women are pregnant, their hair and their nails grow, but for me it was my mind and ability to create. I had the desire to write in a capacity that I hadn't done in a while. I don't know if it's a hormonal or emotional thing ... I was very in touch with my feelings at the time."
—Hill reflecting on her pregnancy reinvigorating her creativity.[8]
In 1996, Lauryn Hill met Rohan Marley, son of Bob Marley, while touring as a member of the Fugees, in support of their widely successful second studio album The Score. Hill and Marley gradually formed a close relationship, and during the tour, Hill became pregnant with his child.[9] After contributing to fellow Fugees member Wyclef Jean's solo debut Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival (1997), Hill refrained from touring and recording due to her pregnancy and cases of writer's block.[10][11] However, circumstances in her life stimulated her to record a solo album, having already expressed the desire to do so and depart from the Fugees. She credited her pregnancy for rejuvenating her songwriting; according to her then-manager Jayson Jackson, the songwriting was prompted by Wendy Williams revealing Hill's pregnancy on her radio show and the intense media scrutiny over the identity of the child's father, as Hill had never publicized her relationship with Marley prior to the pregnancy.[12]
Of the early writing process, Hill said: "Every time I got hurt, every time I was disappointed, every time I learned, I just wrote a song."[13] While inspired, Hill wrote over 30 songs in her attic studio in South Orange, New Jersey.[11] Many of these songs drew upon the turbulence in the Fugees, as well as past love experiences.[14] In the summer of 1997, as Hill was due to give birth to her first child, she was requested to write a song for gospel musician CeCe Winans.[11] Several months later, she went to Detroit to work with soul singer Aretha Franklin, writing and producing her single "A Rose Is Still a Rose". Franklin would later have Hill direct the song's music video.[15] Shortly after this, Hill did writing work for Whitney Houston.[16] Having written songs for artists in gospel, hip hop, and R&B, she drew on these influences and experiences to record The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.[17]
Julian Marley (pictured) was one of several members of Bob Marley's family who participated in the album's recording sessions in Jamaica.
Hill began recording The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in September 1997 at the Chung King Studios in New York City.[18] In an interview, Hill described the first day of recording: "The first day in the studio I ordered every instrument I ever fell in love with: harps, strings, timpani, organs, clarinets. It was my idea to record it so the human element stayed in. I didn't want it to be too technically perfect."[19]Gordon "Commissioner Gordon" Williams, who engineered most of the record, acted as the project supervisor.[1][12] Initially, Jean did not support Hill recording a solo album, but eventually offered to help as a producer, which she rejected.[20][21]Columbia Records considered bringing in an outside producer for the album and had early talks with RZAofWu-Tang Clan. However, Hill was adamant about writing, arranging, and producing the album herself,[22] with Ruffhouse Records executive Chris Swartz ensuring her artistic freedom while recording the album.[23] She formed a team of collaborators named New Ark, composed of programmer Vada Nobles, songwriter Rasheem Pugh, pianist Tejumold Newton, and guitarist Johari Newton. Two of the earliest recordings Hill and New Ark worked on—"Ex-Factor" and "Loved Real Hard Once", which was later retitled "When It Hurts So Bad"—were originally intended for other artists, before being retained due to their personal content.[12]Che Pope was credited as a co-producer of "Lost Ones" and "To Zion", under his pseudonym Che Guevara. He revealed he produced "To Zion" in a small studio apartment in Brooklyn in 20 minutes,[12] and Hill subsequently recorded it at Chung King and the Perfect Pair Studios in East Orange, New Jersey.[1]John Legend, then an obscure artist, played the piano on "Everything Is Everything", which marked his commercial debut.[12]
Throughout most of the initial sessions, Hill simultaneously recorded at multiple locations throughout New York City and New Jersey; even parts of a single song were recorded at multiple studios.[24] Furthermore, "Final Hour" was partly recorded at the Metropolis Studio in London.[1] The majority of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, however, was recorded at Tuff Gong, the studio built by Bob Marley, in Kingston, Jamaica,[3] where the album would be completed in June 1998.[2] Regarding the shift in environment, Hill stated: "When I started recording in New York and New Jersey, lots of people were talking to me about going different routes. I could feel people up in my face, and I was picking up on bad vibes. I wanted a place where there was good vibes, where I was among family, and it was Tuff Gong."[25] Numerous members of the Marley family were present in the studio during the recording sessions, among them Julian Marley, who contributed with guitar elements to "Forgive Them Father".[3] In an interview, recording engineer Gordon "Commissioner Gordon" Williams recalled the recording of "Lost Ones", stating: "It was our first morning in Jamaica and I saw all of these kids gathered around Lauryn, screaming and dancing. Lauryn was in the living room next to the studio with about fifteen Marley grandchildren around her, the children of Ziggy, and Stephen, and Julian, and she starts singing this rap verse, and all the kids start repeating the last word of each line, chiming in very spontaneously because they were so into the song."[26]
Though The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was largely a collaborative work between Hill and New Ark, there was "label pressure to do the Prince thing", wherein all tracks would be credited as written and produced by the artist with little outside help.[12] While recording the album, Hill was against the idea of creating documentation defining each musician's role.[20]
In 1998, New Ark filed a 50-page lawsuit against Hill, her management and her record label, stating that Hill "used their songs and production skills, but failed to properly credit them for the work."[27] New Ark demanded writing credits for 13 of the album's 14 tracks, excluding "To Zion", alongside monetary reimbursement.[28] The musicians claimed to be the primary songwriters on two tracks, and major contributors on others, though Gordon Williams, the album's mixer and engineer, described the project as a "powerfully personal effort by Hill ... It was definitely her vision."[29] Audio engineer Tony Prendatt, who also worked on the album, defended Hill, with a statement saying "Lauryn's genius is her own".[30] In response to the lawsuit, Hill claimed that New Ark took advantage of her success.[31] The suit was eventually settled out of court in February 2001, for a reported $5 million.[12][32] While Pope was not involved in the lawsuit, he claimed he solely produced "To Zion", despite being merely credited as a co-producer, and contemplated filing a lawsuit of his own but ultimately abandoned the idea.[12]
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is considered a neo soul album, according to Christopher John FarleyofTime[38] and Rhapsody writer Mosi Reeves;[39]Complex magazine refers to it more generally as R&B.[40] Its music incorporates styles such as soul, hip hop, and reggae,[41] with some songs based in hip hop soul, according to the Encyclopedia of African American Music (2010).[42] "When It Hurts So Bad" is musically old roots reggae mixed with soul. While mostly in English, "Forgive Them Father" and "Lost Ones" both feature singing in patois, the common dialect in Jamaica. Although heavily R&B, the song "Superstar" contains an interpolation of the rock song "Light My Fire" by The Doors. Hill said that she "didn't want to come out with a [Fugees] type of sound", but create "something that was uniquely and very clearly a Lauryn Hill album."[23] She also said that she did not intend for the album's sound to be commercially appealing: "There's too much pressure to have hits these days. Artists are watching Billboard instead of exploring themselves. Look at someone like Aretha, she didn't hit with her first album, but she was able to grow up and find herself. I wanted to make honest music. I don't like things to be too perfect, or too polished. People may criticize me for that, but I grew up listening to Al Green and Sam Cooke. When they hit a high note, you actually felt it."[43]
"To Zion" is an emotional tribute to Hill's infant son.[44] She serenades her son Zion with a lullaby detailing the professional pressure placed on her to have an abortion.[45] As Hill speaks with blunt candour on contemplating whether or not to have her child, guitarist Carlos Santana plays sweet, rolling acoustic guitar licks in the background.[35][44]
"Nothing Even Matters" is a duet with R&B singer D'Angelo.[33] A dramatic ballad, it showcased a brighter, more intimate perspective on love and relationships.[44]
Much of Hill's lyrics dealt with motherhood, the Fugees, reminiscence, love, heartbreak, and God.[46] Several critics characterized The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as a progressive rap work due to its lyricism.[47][48] Commenting on the album's gospel content, Hill stated: "Gospel music is music inspired by the gospels. In a huge respect, a lot of this music turned out to be just that. During this album, I turned to the Bible and wrote songs that I drew comfort from."[49] Several of the album's songs, such as "Lost Ones", "Superstar", "Ex-Factor" and "Forgive Them Father" were widely speculated as direct attacks at fellow Fugees members Jean and Pras.[50][12] Although a large portion of the album's love songs would turn out to be bitter from Hill's previous relationship, "Nothing Even Matters", a duet with R&B singer D'Angelo, showcased a brighter, more intimate perspective on the subject.[51] The song was inspired by Hill's relationship with Rohan Marley. Speaking about its lyrics, Hill remarked: "I wanted to make a love song, á la Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, and give people a humanistic approach to love again without all the physicality and overt sexuality."[52] "To Zion", among the more introspective tracks on the album, spoke about how Hill's family comes before her career,[33] and her decision to have her first child, even though many at the time encouraged her to terminate the pregnancy, so as not to conflict with her burgeoning career.[12] Discussing the song's origin and significance, she reflected: "Names wouldn't come when I was ready to have him. The only name that came to me was Zion. I was like, 'is Zion too much of a weight to carry?' But this little boy, man. I would say he personally delivered me from my emotional and spiritual drought. He just replenished my newness. When he was born, I felt like I was born again."[53] She further stated: "I wanted it to be a revolutionary song about a spiritual movement, and also about my spiritual change, going from one place to another because of my son."[54]
Throughout The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, several interludes of a teacher, speaking to what is implied to be a classroom of children, are played. The teacher was portrayed by American poet and politician Ras Baraka, who was recorded speaking to a group of children in the living room of Hill's New Jersey home.[12] Hill requested that Baraka speak to the children about the concept of love, to which he improvised in the lecture.[12] In a retrospective analysis, Pitchfork writer Carvell Wallace observed Hill educating herself on different kinds of love—love of God through love of her child on "To Zion", love of others and its nuisances on "When It Hurts So Bad", and ultimately love of self on the title track.[36]Slant Magazine's Paul Schrodt remarked on the title's reference to Carter G. Woodson's 1933 book The Mis-Education of the Negro: "[Hill] adopts Woodson's thesis and makes it part of her own artistic process. Like the songs themselves, the intro/outro classroom scenes suggest a larger community working to redefine itself."[34] Along with the book, the album's title was inspired by Sonny Carson's autobiographical novel The Education of Sonny Carson and its 1974 film adaptation; Hill originally wanted to title the album identically, but Jackson and collaborators urged her to use a more "self-deprecating" title.[12]
Having already established himself as a viable art director at Sony Music, Erwin Gorostiza was selected to manage art direction for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. As he concluded Hill was involved with her imagery more than any other artist he had previously worked with, he insisted she be given the art direction credit equal to his. Gorostiza soon enlisted photographer Eric Johnson for the album's accompanying artwork.[55] Hill decided to set the photo shoot at the Columbia High School, her alma mater, to go along with the album's title and concept.[55][56] While there were numerous images photographed inside a classroom, a hallway, a lavatory, and a school bus, a close-up image of Hill was chosen to be retouched, to look as if it was carved into a wooden desk, for the album cover.[55] Numerous publications have listed the cover among the best ever of its genre.[57][58][59][60] The high school theme was maintained in the promotional televised teasers for the album, which featured voice-oversbyJoan Baker.[55]
The marketing strategy for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was highly concentrated on print media, with Hill appearing on the covers of Details, Essence, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, Honey, Interview, The New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, The Source, Teen People, Time, and Vibe.[55][61][62] Hill's publicist Miguel Baguer pushed fashion magazines to recognize Hill as "a cultural disruptor and a cover girl". Hill was also invested in her styling for the covers, envisioning gold-sprayed locks for the Details cover, as she and her styling team "didn't succumb to mainstream’s definition of beauty".[55]CR Fashion Book editor Faith Brown retrospectively remarked that Hill established herself as a fashion icon during the promotional cycle of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.[63]
Tamara Palmer wrote for The Recording Academy that the "masterful" accompanying music videos for the album's singles "showed Hill as a woman who transcends the ages".[64] "Doo Wop (That Thing)" featured a split screen showing a block party in Washington Heights; the left side displayed the party set in 1967, with Hill wearing a 1960s-inspired wig and a zebra-striped dress, while the right side showed the party set in 1998.[65] The video went on to win four MTV Video Music Awards in 1999, including Video of the Year,[66] becoming the first hip hop music video to win the award.[67] "Ex-Factor" first pictures Hill in a light room, wearing white clothing, before transitioning into black and blue-tinged nightclub scenery, while "Everything Is Everything" shows Hill walking around New York City, which is depicted as spinning around on an enormous phonograph.[68] The latter was nominated for Best Short Form Music Video at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards.[69]
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was first released in Japan on August 19, 1998,[70] before being released in the US on August 25,[56] and elsewhere within subsequent months. To commence its pre-release marketing campaign, Ruffhouse Records mailed a promotional vinyl of "Lost Ones" to select radio stations;[71] the song managed to garner enough airplay to reach number 27 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.[72] Hill's cover of Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"—which originally appeared in the 1997 film Conspiracy Theory—began receiving heavy unsolicited airplay,[73] prompting it to reach the top 40 on the US Hot 100 Airplay;[74] consequently, the song was added on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as a hidden track.[12] "Doo Wop (That Thing)" was then released as the album's official lead single on August 10, 1998,[71] debuting atop the US Billboard Hot 100 and breaking numerous chart records.[b] Stephanie Gayle, senior director of marketing at Columbia Records, retrospectively analyzed: "'Lost Ones' set the tone for how Lauryn the solo artist would be embraced at Black radio (and anywhere hip-hop was being played). But 'Doo Wop (That Thing)' told the world there was nowhere this young lady of color would not be heard."[55]
Hill further promoted The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill with televised performances on Saturday Night Live and at the Billboard Music Awards in December.[80] "Ex-Factor" was released as the second single on December 14,[81] but failed to replicate the success of its predecessor, peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100,[82] while reaching the top five in Iceland and the UK.[83][84] Meanwhile, "To Zion" had been released as a promotional single in November,[85] and would be performed with Carlos Santana at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards on February 24, 1999.[86] "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" was also released as a promotional single, exclusively in Japan, in March.[87] "Everything Is Everything" was released as the third and final single on May 3,[88] peaking at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100.[82] Hill performed the song alongside "Lost Ones" at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards on September 9,[67] having performed "Final Hour" at the Source Hip-Hop Music Awards on August 18.[89]
Hill performing during The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary Tour in 2019
Initially, there was no immediate tour planned in support of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, due to the album not needing further promotion and Hill being pregnant with her second child Selah, due in late 1998. In January 1999, however, Hill recruited a band and began rehearsals for what would become The Miseducation Tour. Tickets sold out as soon as the tour was announced,[90] which included three sold-out nights at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.[91]The Los Angeles Times called the tour "quite possibly the most accomplished tour ever by a hip-hop artist" at the time.[92] Notable attendees included Harrison Ford, Natalie Portman, Star Jones, Casey Affleck,[93]Nina Simone, John Galliano,[94]Rosie O'Donnell, Mary J. Blige, Sean Combs,[95] and a young Adele.[96] The tour featured Outkast, Busta Rhymes, and The Roots as opening acts.[97] According to OutKast's tour manager Michael "Blue" Williams, the tour helped establish the group as touring artists, with Williams elaborating: "After that, we never went under $100,000 a show again. That was because we got in front of Lauryn's 12 million fans, who were hip hop and pop fans, and they became Outkast fans."[98]
The Miseducation Tour began at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on January 21, 1999. Hill performed there again the following night, and played at two other Tokyo venues in the following week.[90] She then flew to London for her performance at the Brixton Academy on February 5.[90] The 20-date US leg of the tour, which featured Outkast as the opening act, started on February 18 in Detroit, and ended on April 1 in Hill's hometown of Newark.[99] Hill began the tour's 14-date European leg on May 13, when she performed at the Oslo Spektrum in Norway, ending the leg on June 2 at the Manchester Arena in England.[100] Hill would return to the US, performing 10 shows throughout July and August, with Busta Rhymes as an opening act.[97] She then returned to Japan, where the tour was completed.[101] The September 7 show in Tokyo was recorded and, in November 2020, released on the live album Live in Tokyo, Japan '99.[102] Hill did not want an extensive tour because of obligations to her family and the difficulties she experienced touring with the Fugees in 1996, which she found desensitizing and isolating. According to biographer Chris Nickson, "there was the possibility of more dates being added ... but it was unlikely that Lauryn would be willing to make the tour more grueling and draining. She'd come to know that there was much more to life than a career."[101]
The Miseducation Tour was co-sponsored by the Italian luxury brand Armani.[103] American denim brand Levi Strauss & Co. also sponsored the tour, and sold a denim outfit designed by Hill on their website, which helped improve the company's declining sales.[104] Those sponsorships marked a relatively new concept at the time, which strayed from the traditional jingle-based brand collaborations.[105][106] Thembisa Mshaka of Okayplayer emphasized the importance the sponsorships for black artists, writing: "The Fortune 500 brand partnerships with Black musicians that are ubiquitous today, were seeded by the success of Lauryn’s solo debut."[55] Outfits worn during the tour have been displayed during exhibitions at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame[107] and Met Gala.[108] In 2019, Andscape named the Miseducation Tour the greatest female hip hop tour ever.[109]
In April 2018, Hill announced The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary Tour, with its first North American leg scheduled to commence in Virginia Beach on July 5, and finish in St. Louis, Missouri on October 5.[110] In the months preceding the tour, Hill performed at a myriad of festivals worldwide, including the Byron Bay Bluesfest in Australia,[111] the Seoul Jazz Festival in South Korea,[112] the Greenwich International Film Festival in the US,[113] and the Cittadella Music Festival in Italy.[114] As the Virginia Beach date was postponed and ultimately cancelled, the tour commenced in Boston on July 11. Nas, Dave Chappelle, M.I.A., Santigold, ASAP Rocky, SZA, Big Boi, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, Talib Kweli, and Shabazz Palaces, among others, were announced as the tour's special guests.[115] Reviewing the tour's Portland stop, Eric Diep of Billboard praised the set list and Hill's "sharp" verse delivery.[116] The tour was subsequently extended into Europe, with the leg starting in Brussels, Belgium on November 18, and ending in Stockholm, Sweden on December 10.[117] In a review of the Arena Birmingham show, published via The Guardian, Kitty Empire criticized alterations of the song's arrangements, but commended Hill's "lucid and engaged" stage presence.[118] Despite mostly favorable commentaries on Hill's performances, her frequent tardiness elicited backlash from both audiences and critics.[118][119] The controversy intensified in February 2019, when the tour visited Australia, with Hill notoriously over an hour late to her Sydney show and appearing too ill to perform.[120] Regardless, Hill continued the tour until late September, with legs in Africa and South America,[121][122] and various festival concerts across North America and Europe.[123][124][125][126]
In August 2023, Hill announced The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 25th Anniversary Tour, with initial dates spanning from September 8 to November 9, 2023, throughout North America and Oceania. With the Fugees as the opening act for the North American dates, the tour also served as the group's reunion tour.[127] In October, Hill announced 10 additional shows,[128] before postponing most until 2024, due to a vocal strain.[129] The tour, now co-headlined with the Fugees, is set to resume in Miami on August 9, 2024, with its European leg scheduled to commence in Manchester, England on October 12.[130]
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was met with widespread critical acclaim.[137][138] According to Los Angeles Times journalist Geoff Boucher, it was the most acclaimed album of 1998, with reviewers frequently praising Hill's presentation of a woman's perspective on life and love.[29]Eric Weisbard from Spin called her a "genre-bender" whose confident singing and rapping was balanced by vulnerable themes and sentiment.[37]InThe New York Times, Ann Powers found it "miraculous" and "exceptional" for Hill to use "her faith, based more in experience and feeling than in doctrine", as a means of connecting "the sacred to the secular in music that touches the essence of soul."[139]AllMusic's John Bush was impressed by Hill producing most of the album "not as a crossover record, but as a collection of overtly personal and political statements", while demonstrating "performing talents, vocal range, and songwriting smarts".[33]David Browne, writing in Entertainment Weekly, called it "an album of often-astonishing power, strength, and feeling", as well as "one of the rare hip-hop soul albums" not to lose focus with frivolous guest appearances. Browne applauded Hill's artistic vision and credited her for "easily flowing from singing to rapping, evoking the past while forging a future of her own".[131]Dream HamptonofThe Village Voice said Hill seamlessly "travels her realm within any given song",[140] while Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot deemed the record a "vocal tour de force" with arrangements which "bristle with great ideas".[141] An editor of XXL wrote that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill "not only verifies [Hill] as the most exciting voice of a young, progressive hip-hop nation, it raises the standards for it",[47] with the album being the first ever to receive an XXL rating.[142]
In a less enthusiastic review for Q, Dom Phillips felt the music's only flaw was "a lack of memorable melody" on some songs that did not use interesting samples.[136] John Mulvey from NME quibbled about what he felt were redundant skits, Hill's "propensity" for histrionics, and declarations of "how brilliant God is" on an otherwise "essential" album.[45]Pitchfork's Neil Lieberman found some of the ballads tedious and the melodies "cheesy".[35] Citing "Lost Ones" and "Superstar" as highlights, The Village Voice music editor Robert Christgau deemed it the "PC record of the year", featuring exceptionally understated production and skillful rapping but also inconsistent lyrics, average singing, and superfluous skits.[143] He appreciated the "knowledge [and] moral authority" of Hill's perspective and values, although he lamented her appraisal of God on record.[144] In the Los Angeles Times, Soren Baker believed Hill was more effective as a critical rapper than a singer on the more emotional songs, where her voice was "too thin to carry such heavy subject matter".[133]
Critical acclaim for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill persevered with retrospective commentaries. Including it in their 2003 listing The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Rolling Stone credited Hill with retrieving 1970s soul and popularizing it within the hip hop culture.[152]Jon Caramanica, writing in The Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), called the record "as earnest, unpretentious, and pleasantly sloppy an album as any woman of the hip-hop generation has ever made", and said that, by appealing to a wide spectrum of listeners with hip hop filtered through a "womanist lens", the album propelled Hill to superstardom "of epic proportions" and "the focal point at hip-hop's crossover into the mainstream."[148] According to Billboard, the album "taught a generation about the power of baring your soul through song".[153] Upon the record's 15th anniversary in 2013, rapper Nas reviewed the album for XXL, hailing it as a model for artists of all genres to follow. He further labeled it "a timeless record, pure music", and said it "represents the time period—a serious moment in Black music, when young artists were taking charge and breaking through doors."[151] Chris Mench of Complex wrote that the album "set a new standard for rap women, and even for rap in general", adding that "its influence extends far beyond the genre walls of hip-hop", emphasizing the impact it had on respective artistries of Lupe Fiasco, Kendrick Lamar, Adele, Amy Winehouse, and FKA Twigs.[154] David Opie of Highsnobiety declared that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill has educated "pretty much everyone who's recorded music since", as well as "inspiring both newer artists and hip-hop stalwarts alike."[155] Writing for The Guardian, Kitty Empire called the record a "game-changing cri de coeur" and a predecessor to Beyoncé's Lemonade (2016) and Janelle Monáe's Dirty Computer (2018), proclaiming that it "channelled some precious learning for a generation or more of young women, black and white alike; one in which a ferociously talented artist preached self-determination and self-respect, self-knowledge and getting one's due".[118] In the same publication, Kelefa Sanneh heralded the album as "the high-water mark of the conscious hip-hop movement".[156]
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was released on August 25, 1998.[33] It was promoted with three singles—"Doo Wop (That Thing)", "Ex-Factor", and "Everything Is Everything"; all of which became hits and produced popular music videos.[216] The album broke numerous sales records.[217] In its first week, it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200,[218] becoming the first album by an unaccompanied female rapper to peak or debut at number one in the US.[219][220] Its first-week sales of over 422,000 copies, broke the record for female artists at time, previously held by Madonna's Ray of Light (1998).[221]The Miseducation also became the first debut album by a woman to launch atop the Billboard 200 chart;[222] which made Hill the first act to have debuted at number one on both the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 with their first entries on each chart.[223] The album's first-week sales remained the highest first-week sales for a debut album released by a woman in the 20th century,[224][225] and the highest for a female rapper ever.[226]
It topped the Billboard 200 for a second consecutive week, during which it sold 265,000 copies;[227] and earned a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) after two weeks.[228] The following week, Hill became the first artist in the history of the Billboard 200 chart to enter the list at number one with a debut album and spend three consecutive weeks at the summit, when the album stayed at number one on the chart.[229] The album held four non-consecutive weeks at number one, which tied the record during the time for most weeks at number one for a hip hop album released in the Soundscan Era, before being surpassed by Jay-Z's Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life (1998).[230][231] By late October 1998, it had spent nearly two consecutive months within the top five of the chart,[232] and had not fallen below the number three slot. The album's chart stability was considered rare for a hip hop release at the time, since most hip hop albums that debuted high quickly plummeted down the charts.[233]
The Miseducation had sold 2.9 million copies in the United States by December 1998, becoming one of the best-selling albums of that year.[234] It topped the BillboardTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albumsyear-end chart,[235] making it the first album by a woman to accomplish this feat;[236] and was also the only album by a woman to achieve this until singer SZA topped the chart in 2023 with her album SOS. In Ireland, the album became the first rap album to reach number one on the Irish Albums Chart.[237] In Japan, it sold over one million copies in its first few months, and became one of the few million-certified albums by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.[238]
The album's sales increased after Hill's appearance at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, as it sold 234,000 more copies in the week of March 3, 1999,[239] and 200,000 copies the following week.[240] 198 days after its release, the album was certified 5× platinum by the RIAA, and is one of the fastest-selling albums to achieve this milestone.[241] By August 1999, it had sold 10 million copies worldwide, including nearly 700,000 in Canada.[242] The album would eventually log a total of 26 weeks in the top ten of the Billboard 200 chart.[243] In April 2002, Columbia said that the album had sold 12 million copies worldwide,[244] and by 2009, its global sales were reported to be 19 million copies.[245]
As of 2015, it is the only rap album by a woman (from July 1995 - July 2005) to spend more than one week at number one; is the longest-running number one album from a woman rapper; and one of the longest-running number one rap albums ever on the Billboard 200 chart, according to XXL.[246] In 2018, it was announced that The Miseducation was the most-streamed album released in 1998, on Spotify.[247] It is one of the 20 most streamed albums from the 1990s in the United Kingdom,[248] along with being one of the most streamed albums from the 70s, 80s and 90s, according to the Official Chart Company.[249]
The album held the record for the longest-charting debut album by a female rapper on the Billboard 200, at 91 weeks, for over 21 years before being surpassed by Cardi B's Invasion of Privacy (2018).[250] In 2021, the album was Diamond certified by the RIAA,[251] which led Hill to earn the Guinness World Record for being the first female rapper to reach RIAA Diamond status.[252] It was also reported that the album has sold 20 million copies worldwide according to Sony Music.[253][55][254]
InThe New York Times, Danyel Smith stated that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill "dragged rap back to the land of the living" after the twin drive-by murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G.[255] When Hill appeared on the cover of the February 8, 1999 issue of Time, she became the first rapper ever to appear on the magazine's front cover,[256] as well as the first black musician.[257] Later that month, Hill broke a multitude of records at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, winning Album of the Year—often recognized as the most prestigious award in the music industry[258][259]—for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, among other awards.[160] According to music executive Clive Davis, the win helped the Grammy Awards become more accepting of rap and hip hop music, while Amazon's former senior music editor Pete Hilgendorf stated the win marked the start of "the progression of R&B moving into hip-hop".[260]
Radio personality Ed Lover argued that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill offered a different perspective from other women in hip hop, who generally rapped about sexual themes or being "rugged", while rapper Redman emphasized its empowerment of women and compared Hill's lyrical impact to Martin Luther King Jr.[261]Jay-Z stated that Hill "made something that's going to stand the test of time" with the record,[262] while Cyndi Lauper remarked that the album "changed everything and everybody. Lauryn Hill changed phrasing. She started a whole new kind of singing, taking church and hip-hop and stirring it with this freaking great feeling and voice."[263]Christian rap artist Lecrae credited the album and its religious themes for introducing him to gospel music.[264] Talent manager Nick Shymansky recognized The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill prompting him to search for an artist similar to Hill, which led him to discover Amy Winehouse,[265] who eventually began working on her debut album Frank (2003) with many of the producers whom Hill has worked with.[266]
Along with Brown Sugar (1995) by D'Angelo, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (1996) by Maxwell, and Baduizm (1997) by Erykah Badu,[267][268]The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is considered to be one of the most important and definitive releases in the history of neo soul music.[269] Credited for bringing neo soul to the forefront of popular music,[270] it became the genre's most critically acclaimed and popular album.[42] Kyle Anderson of MTV emphasized the album's influence on neo soul artists such as Badu, Alicia Keys, and Jill Scott.[271]Encyclopedia of African American Music (2010) noted that, while some tracks are based in hip hop soul more than neo soul, the record is filled with live musicians and layered harmonies, "and therefore it is a trendsetting record that connects modern hip hop, R&B, and classic soul music together, creating groundwork for what followed it in the neo soul genre."[42] In conversation with the Los Angeles Times about the success of Black Diamond (1999) by Angie Stone, editor Emil WilbekinofVibe stated: "I think [1998's] The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill changed the way a lot of R&B artists are presenting their music", adding that Hill, alongside Badu, D'Angelo, and Maxwell, reintroduced live instruments to popular music.[272]
InThe Rough Guide to Rock (2003), author Peter Buckley hailed The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill as the "ultimate cross-over album of the hip-hop era".[273] The album has been cited as one of the earliest to fully blend rapping and singing, with Genius dubbing Hill as "the first superstar to excel at both singing and rapping".[274] Writing for The New York Times in 2018, Jon Caramanica noted the influence the performance style had on Drake, adding: "Rappers are singers now, to the point where the framework of singing has been refracted almost wholly through the needs of hip-hop."[275] When speaking to Pitchfork about the album, rapper Vince Staples stated: "Nowadays we get a combination of singing and rapping in a lot of music. But back then, it was a risk. So for her to sing like that early on, combined with the subject matter, the arrangement of the album with its throughline, and how it just flows with you... it's definitely a classic body of work."[276] Janelle Monáe shared a similar sentiment, arguing that Hill "was hip-hop and R&B, but nobody had used [the combination] in the way she did. She created something that we had never tasted before."[277] Author Kathy Iandoli recognized how the album touching upon themes of love, distrust, pregnancy, and self-actualization introduced emotionally charged lyricism to hip hop, allowing rappers such as Kid Cudi and Kanye West to showcase vulnerability in their music.[278]
Following the success of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Hill rose to international superstardom and established herself as a pioneering woman in hip hop, as well as a "quadruple threat"—a successful rapper, singer, songwriter and producer.[312][153] In 1999, she was described as a hip hop icon in Jet.[313] Brandon Tensley of Time remarked that she achieved the icon status through the impact of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill alone.[314] However, the record remains Hill's only studio album. After its success, she shunned her celebrity status and pursued a private life, raising six children, but both personal and professional difficulties followed. As Miami New Times journalist Juliana Accioly explained, Hill was reported to have spent years "on a spiritual quest while dealing with bipolar disorder. She was sued over songwriting credits. She served a three-month prison sentence in 2013 for tax evasion. She was deemed a diva for wanting to be called 'Ms. Hill' and criticized for her erratic performances." In the anticipation of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary Tour, Accioly further reflected on the album in the context of the MeToo movement: "Against that backdrop, Hill's own descriptions of mistreatment carry validation and support for victims. For women who came up during Miseducation's zenith, attending Hill's 2018 performance could serve as a measure of how much the world around them has changed — and how many things remain the same. Her crash course on life is still very much relevant: 'It could all be so simple,' but it's not."[315]
In 2015, Marvel Comics released a series of variant comic book covers inspired by influential contemporary rap albums, which included a reimagined The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill-themed Ms. Marvel comic cover.[316] In September 2018, in conjuction with the album's 20th anniversary, Legacy Recordings launched "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Album Cover Experience", which allowed users to recreate and personalize the cover, and subsequently post the final product on social media.[317] The album was the subject of the 2018 book She Begat This: 20 Years of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by author and journalist Joan Morgan.[318][319] To further commemorate the anniversary, Hill collaborated with American clothing company Woolrich to design Miseducation-inspired pieces for their collection "American Soul Since 1830", and starred in its accompanying advertising campaign.[320][321] She performed at New York Fashion Week to promote the collection.[322] Meanwhile, Spotify both presented the art installation "Dear Ms. Hill" in Brooklyn, which featured fan letters, and launched the miniseries Dissect, whose first season covered The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and its impact.[253] Furthermore, a 2019 episode of the BET anthology series Tales was inspired by and titled after "Ex-Factor".[323]
The interludes "Love", "How Many of You Have Ever", "Intelligent Women", "Love Is Confusion", "What Do You Think" (part one), and "What Do You Think" (part two) appear after "Lost Ones", "To Zion", "Doo Wop (That Thing)", "When It Hurts So Bad", "Forgive Them Father", and "Every Ghetto, Every City", respectively, as hidden tracks.
On Japanese pressings, the interludes are listed as individual tracks; the Japanese limited edition further includes a remix of "Ex-Factor" as the 23rd track.[70]
Some digital editions exclude "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and "Tell Him",[324] while others include them as individual tracks.[325]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^The Tuff Gong Studio is listed as Marley Music, Inc. in the liner notes of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,[1] while several authors recognize the location as Tuff Gong.[2][3]
Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 [Only Successes: Year by Year, 1959–2002] (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN84-8048-639-2.