Best of the 90's: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill

I have come to think of Lauryn Hill as the JD Salinger of her generation.  She splashed on the scene with the Fugees, then shocked everyone with her debut album.  Not only was it a huge seller, but it was critically acclaimed.  It would be four years before anyone heard from her again and it was an odd live performance where she spent a lot of time talking about all the phonies and then disappeared. 

In many ways I think this has hurt the legacy of this album.  If Hill had continued to produce music at this level she would easily be one of the most important R&B artists of her generation.  As it is she seems to be fading from our consciousness.  There is no doubt in my mind that this album is the best R&B album of the 1990's and yet it sits at number 75 on the Best of the 90's list. 

The album is an interesting blend of sounds that all manage to come together on this album, and though it's long at 16 tracks it doesn't feel long.  Like most really good albums you can put it on at any time for most any purpose and if you don't know the album at all I highly recommend it. 

If it's been 15 years since you heard it, give it another listen and you'll be surprised at just how well it's aged. 

Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 4 out of 5 stars for Really Good.