Released in 1998, Lauryn Hill’s debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, garnered critical acclaim for lyrics of life, love, and faith. The success of this album launched Lauryn Hill in to superstardom, earning 10 nominations and 5 Grammy Award wins at the 41st Grammy Awards. She became the first woman to receive that many nominations and wins in one night. With a blend of Neo Soul, R&B, and Hip Hop, Miseducation’s lead singles “Doo Wop (That Thing),” “Ex-Factor,” and “Everything is Everything” helped the album debut at number one upon its first week of release.
Even though I was only five years old when this album released, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was the first album I remember purchasing when I was old enough to receive any kind of allowance or Christmas money. Lauryn’s song, “Superstar,” solidified her as one of my favorite female rappers / artists growing up, and I’m even more appreciative of these lyrics now. Lines such as: “Music is supposed to inspire…How come we ain’t gettin’ no higher?” or “Now who you know without any flaws? That lives above the spiritual laws?” speak of the toxicity in the music industry. In many ways, she predicts the future of music and calls out artists in the industry for selling out instead of staying true to themselves. She claims, “They hail you then nail you, no matter who you are” as a way of emphasizing that despite who you proclaim to be, there will always be people rooting for your success as well as failure. If this is the case, then why must artists latch on to popularity over authenticity?
