Lauryn Hill ~ The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
To say Lauryn Hill is one of the great modern musical ‘what ifs’ isn’t enough. Before releasing the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, an album that swept up a gigantic amount of critical acclaim, several awards rap records had never won before and dealing out no less than 5 singles that all peaked high on the charts, she had been part of The Fugees, who had released their most successful and hailed record to date, The Score. Things were looking very bright for Lauryn Hill indeed.. But what happens afterwards is puzzling. And a full decade later, all Lauryn Hill has released only a live album and a compilation of unreleased material and past hits. Displeasure with fame and the music industry seemed to burn Hill out. ‘the brightest star burns out the fastest’ is more than appropriate to describe her career.
Despite her short career, she left behind more than her fair share of musical genius. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in particular, has proven it’s worth not only as a record, but as a testament to the talent of Luaryn Hill. Anchored by an eclectic variety of musical influences, and held together by Hill’s sense of musical composition and talent for writing, The Miseducation of Luaryn Hill has proved to be a relatively universal record, offering something for listeners of most genres. Moreover, the album’s universal appeal is firmly anchored by Hill’s ability to make an incredibly catchy single. Case in point, ‘Doo Wop (That Thing)’, an empowered, motown flavored ballad devoted to the troubles surrounding lust. Hill balances between what’s catchy and what’s weighty with expertise. It’s appeal isn’t difficult to figure out, it’s a shame Hill’s contempt for the popular music industry has thus far brought her career to a near stand-still. At least we have records like The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill to remind of us what a talent she was and potentially still is.
