Photo: Mark Elzey
In the peak of the 90s, several women who had made strides in Hip-Hop. Yet, Ms. Lauryn Hill's success for her only solo album couldn't be matched.
On August 25, 1998, the New Jersey native released her debut studio album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Her first solo effort, which followed her success with The Fugees, contains 16 timeless tracks including her biggest hits "Ex-Factor," "Doo Wop (That Thing)," "Everything Is Everything" and "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You (I Love You Baby)." The LP features contributions from Santana, D'Angelo and Mary J. Blige.
Photo: Ruffhouse/Columbia Records
"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," Hill told Rolling Stone about the album in 2021. "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."
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was considered to be the stand-out album of 1998. The album helped Hill achieve plenty of "firsts" in her career, and in the music industry overall. She was the first woman to receive the most Grammy nominations in one year, and later became the first woman to win five Grammys in a row for Best New Artist, Best R&B Song, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and Best R&B Album. In addition to those accolades, her debut album became the first Hip-Hop to win Album of the Year.
Within a month of its release, Hill's album was already certified platinum by the RIAA. As of 2021, the album reached diamond status after it became 10x multi-platinum. Relive the magic of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on iHeartRadio now!