Lauryn Hill remains one of the more elusive artists in the industry, choosing to retreat from the public spotlight rather than run toward it. Needless to a say, it’s a rare day when the former Fugees MC agrees to an interview. But for Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums podcast on Amazon Music, she was all in — as long as it was by email.
Naturally, the conversation revolved around her critically lauded solo masterpiece The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which was included on the list. As part of her email answers, Ms. Hill revealed why there was never a follow-up to the multi-platinum album.
“The wild thing is no one from my label has ever called me and asked how can we help you make another album, EVER…EVER,” she wrote. “Did I say ever? Ever! … With the Miseducation, there was no precedent. I was, for the most part, free to explore, experiment and express.
“After the Miseducation, there were scores of tentacled obstructionists, politics, repressing agendas, unrealistic expectations and saboteurs EVERYWHERE. People had included me in their own narratives of THEIR successes as it pertained to my album, and if this contradicted my experience, I was considered an enemy.”
Comprised of 16 tracks (including the two hidden songs “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and “Tell Him”), the 1998 album sold millions of copies and earned Hill five Grammy Awards, more than any female artist had ever taken home in a single night. But following its blockbuster success, Hill basically disappeared and would never release another solo project.
Despite her sparse solo discography, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill has an impenetrable legacy that’s been dissected and studied for years.
“I’ve always been pretty critical of myself artistically, so of course there are things I hear that could have been done differently but the LOVE in the album, the passion, its intention is to me, undeniable,” she explained. “I think my intention was simply to make something that made my foremothers and forefathers in music and social and political struggle know that someone received what they’d sacrificed to give us, and to let my peers know that we could walk in that truth, proudly and confidently.
“At that time, I felt like it was a duty or responsibility to do so. … I challenged the norm and introduced a new standard. I believe the Miseducation did that and I believe I still do this — defy convention when the convention is questionable.”
While Hill’s reputation has taken a hit for allegedly being difficult to work with, showing up hours late to scheduled performances (or sometimes not at all) and that time she was accused of saying she’d rather “die” than have a white person buy her music, her artistry still transcends the chatter. After all, Hill has consistently dazzled fans with her innate talent and always stood for something — whether she’s crying out for equality on “Doo Wop (That Thing)” or fighting against police brutality on “Black Rage (Sketch).”
“All of my albums have probably addressed systemic racism to some degree, before this was something this generation openly talked about,” she says of her discography. “I was called crazy. Now…over a decade later, we hear this as part of the mainstream chorus.
“OK, so chalk some of it up to leadership and how that works — I was clearly ahead, but you also have to acknowledge the blatant denial that went down with that. The public abuse and ostracizing while suppressing and copying what I had done, (I protested) with still no real acknowledgement that all of that even happened, is a lot.”
Lauryn Hill Apologizes For Being Lauryn Hill — Again
Elsewhere in the episode, host and Rolling Stone staff writer Brittany Spanos speaks with others involved in the creation of Miseducation, including producers Gordon Williams and Vada Nobels, backup singer Candice Anderson and Ruffhouse Records Founder Chris Schwartz.
Rolling Stone Senior Writer Jamil Smith, musician and poet Jamila Woods and Dr. Joan Morgan — author of She Begat This: 20 Years of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill — also discuss the legacy and impact of Hill’s music, her relationship with celebrity and “subsequent near-complete abandonment of both” during a roundtable discussion. Find the episode here.
She’s so pretentious and narcissistic.
Or your racist ass choked and didn’t have another one in you
She died inside when all those white people bought her album
A 23 y.o. wack rnb album hyped by pop fans who probably never heard of billy woods, SGP, Hiero or even Jeru. Fuck this racist grandma.
I get a sense that Lauryn Hill saw some shady/evil/scary stuff in her day while in the biz. She acts out in ways that one would if they were wronged and jaded. I’m not excusing her diva behavior, just saying she knows where some bodies are buried that’s it. Lol and I based my opinion while knowing very little about her personal life she just has that look.
Exactly. So Bad that 23yrs after she STILL will only hint and prelude to it. It’s almost hard to understand what she’s speaking, the way she has to find words to circle around the PURE evil she has witnessed. Her MTV unplugged was probably the Clearest we will Ever hear her speak on it.
It amazes me that people still list Lauryn as one of the GOATs, even when she hasn’t released an actual album in over two decades. And that she’s the best female rapper when she was singing in a majority of her songs. When it comes to dropping music, she’s like the female Jay Electronica.
But how can the critics not consider her a GOAT? She raised a respectful, lyrical and versatile album that is STILL revered to this day. And without shaking booty, wearing scandalous attire nor do dumb stuff for shock value. She was pulling off Drake vibes with the lyricism and singing. And she’s authentically black, hasn’t altered her body nor skin tone and most impious not a bow down to the industry “massa” artist. Don’t get it twisted young gun. She’s put out one of the best female (if not greatest) albums ever. She never talked nor rapped about selling her body.
You called him young gun…I ain’t young, I was there back then. and I’ll tell you with the utmost confidence. Lauren Hill is NOT a GOAT mc…and you’re ridiculous if you think she is. 1 album and she quit, yet she gets crowned as some shining light of hiphop. It’s all bullshit, she was just a non Kim/Foxy type of female rapper so she got elevated for not being a ho type femcee. She barely even spit…Rah Digga, Rhapsody, Jean Grae, etc…all better mc’s than Lauren.
All your female examples got put on. Rah Digga was dope, but what album of hers will rival Lauryn’s? She was the female token emcee of flipmode. She did her thing but she was basic. Nobody talks about Jean Grae, though she has skill. 9th put her on. Rhapsody…she does her thing, so I’ll let that pass. But your argument is unwarranted. An artist should have a narrative to stand out. An identity. Be flexible. So yes, Ms. Hill covers those spectrums. We all know she was the real reason The Score went as far as it was on the billboards, not Wyclef. And don’t forget, she put Rah Digga on, on Cowboys. They were a great duo on the joint but we know who killed that joint.
Who??
True, but to be part of any GOAT conversation you have to have a sizable catalogue…after 25+ years, her catalogue is pretty damn small lol.
So you’re saying a catalog is the measure of an artists excellence? Biggie had 2 studio albums alive and Big L and Big Pun etc didn’t have extensive albums due to their tragedies. But guess what. They put in work and are revered. Don’t come into this argument because artists can release album after album but yet they have no substance and nobody from their era can quote a damn line nor sing along to every joint on any single album. Sit down. Next question from the audience…
The problem is that the word G.O.A.T has been abused so much that there are around 50 G.O.A.T.’s already… and when you are among a dozen of G.O.A.T.’s then you end up being just another one, not a G.O.A.T.
That goes not for Lauryn but any of the so-called G.O.A.T.
Dude I understand where you’re coming from. And in all honesty if projects were the only metric, then you’d be correct. But there’s just something about how impeccable that album was. Plus let’s be honest she is/was a really dope lyricist. You can’t take that away from her. BIG only released 2albums before he passed, and he was barely in his prime.But fact remains he could go toe to toe with the very best of them, same as Lauryn. In his defense he wasn’t given the opportunity to do more unlike Lauryn who threw it all away. That is where the main grouse against her is sourced. Take that away and she still has the potential
Her ghostwriters got exorcised by Wyclef
Her MTV unplug songs where very good, but her voice was out. Ain’t that some shit
Once she married a Marley it was a wrap! Got to smoking that good Jamaican ganjah, and when she would make appearances, was talking crazy. Also, ole boy probably didn’t want her working with Wyclef anymore because of their prior relationship, and convinced her she didn’t need to make music anymore. Now you can read this and feel it’s far fetched all you want, but if you really think about it? ?
Well… it’s hard to recreate something you did not create on your own… and those you created it with you completely disowned/discredited/disrespected/abandoned. She doesn’t even play the original versions live. That tells you a whole lot about how bad things went for her. Narcissism at its finest.
This discussion demonstrates why no one with an IQ over 70 wants to make music for you sad little shrimp dicked scene deacons and your sad little rules. 100% of you are losers. You deserve nothing in life. Nothing.