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Complete List Of Lauryn Hill Albums And Songs looks at the work of an artist born on May 26, 1975, in East Orange, New Jersey. Lauryn Noelle Hill grew up in a family that encouraged her musical pursuits. With a soulful voice and a deep sense of musicality, Lauryn was exposed to a range of genres, from gospel to soul to classical music, all of which would later influence her work. Her early career began with acting; she appeared on the television show “As the World Turns” and in the film “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.”
Fugees Era
In the early ’90s, Lauryn Hill joined Pras Michel and Wyclef Jean to form the Fugees. Their first album, “Blunted on Reality” (1994), was met with mixed reviews, but it was their second album, “The Score” (1996), that catapulted them into stardom. With hits like “Killing Me Softly,” “Ready or Not,” and “Fu-Gee-La,” the album became a critical and commercial success, winning two Grammy Awards and achieving multi-platinum status.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
In 1998, Lauryn Hill embarked on her solo career with the release of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The album received widespread acclaim and numerous awards, including five Grammy Awards. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and has since been certified 8x Platinum in the United States. Produced primarily by Lauryn Hill herself, the album showcased her versatility as an artist and was instrumental in bringing neo-soul music to a mainstream audience. Songs like “Doo Wop (That Thing),” “Ex-Factor,” and “Everything Is Everything” became anthems of empowerment and introspection.
Post-Miseducation Era and Hiatus
After the overwhelming success of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill took a step back from the music industry. She gave a series of performances and released MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 in 2002, a live album that received mixed reviews. Lauryn Hill then largely retreated from public life, citing the need to focus on her family and personal well-being. Although she continued to perform occasionally, no full-length studio albums have been released since The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
LAURYN HILL STUDIO ALBUMS
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Released 1998
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill’s debut solo album, was a groundbreaking work that infused R&B, soul, and hip-hop with emotional depth and complex songwriting. Released on August 25, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records, the album was both a critical and commercial success. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 422,624 copies in its first week, breaking a record for first-week sales by a female artist at the time. A multi-platinum record, it has been praised for its thematic depth, exploring love, heartbreak, and social issues with an intellectual and emotional wisdom far beyond Hill’s years at the time.
The album was primarily produced by Lauryn Hill herself, with contributions from other producers like Che Pope, Vada Nobles, and John Gamble. It featured a plethora of talented musicians including Carlos Santana on guitar for “To Zion,” James Poyser on keyboards, and Tejumold Newton on piano among many others. The recording process took place in varied locations, including Chung King Studios in New York and Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Studio in Jamaica. It won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, making Hill the first woman to receive that many Grammys in one night.
CD Track Listings:
- “Intro” 0:47
- “Lost Ones” 5:33
- “Ex-Factor” 5:27
- “To Zion” 6:09
- “Doo Wop (That Thing)” 5:20
- “Superstar” 4:57
- “Final Hour” 4:16
- “When It Hurts So Bad” 5:42
- “I Used to Love Him” 5:39
- “Forgive Them Father” 5:15
- “Every Ghetto, Every City” 5:14
- “Nothing Even Matters” 5:50
- “Everything Is Everything” 4:53
- “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” 4:17
LAURYN HILL LIVE ALBUMS
MTV Unplugged No. 2.0
Released 2002
MTV Unplugged No. 2.0, released on May 7, 2002, marked a departure from Lauryn Hill’s earlier works. Recorded on July 21, 2001, at the MTV Studios in New York City, this album deviated from Hill’s earlier fusion of hip-hop and R&B, and instead leaned towards a raw, acoustic sound, replete with soulful melodies and deeply introspective lyrics. While it did not replicate the massive commercial success of her debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, it debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and went on to be certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Produced by Lauryn Hill herself, the album featured her in a more minimalist setup. She was mainly accompanied by an acoustic guitar, leaving her voice to carry the substance of the album. Musicians who joined her included bassist Tom Barney and drummer Rudy Bird. The live format allowed Hill to incorporate spoken interludes where she reflected on her life, the industry, and spirituality. These interludes were both celebrated and critiqued, adding a level of vulnerability and rawness that some found enlightening while others considered it to be too much of a departure from her earlier style.
CD Track Listings:
- “Intro” 2:30
- “Mr. Intentional” 6:31
- “Adam Lives in Theory” 7:25
- “Interlude 1” 1:56
- “Oh Jerusalem” 8:49
- “Interlude 2” 1:21
- “Freedom Time” 4:06
- “Interlude 3” 2:25
- “I Find It Hard to Say (Rebel)” 6:50
- “Just Like Water” 6:09
- “Interlude 4” 1:40
- “Just Want You Around” 4:36
- “I Gotta Find Peace of Mind” 9:19
- “Interlude 5” 1:42
- “Mystery of Iniquity” 5:10
- “Interlude 6” 1:30
- “I Get Out” 5:17
- “Interlude 7” 2:00
- “I Remember” 3:45
- “So Much Things to Say” 6:00
- “The Conquering Lion” 3:19
- “Outro” 2:57
LAURYN HILL COMPILATION ALBUMS
An Invitation to the Best of Lauryn Hill
Released 2000
A pretty rare best of compilation released by Columbia Records in 2000. It was released as a two lp vinyl set that featured tracks from across many different time periods. of Lauryn Hill’s career including some of the songs she recorded as a member of The Fugees.
Side One:
1. Doo Wop (That Thing) 3:59
2. Ex-Factor 5:24
3. Everything Is Everything 4:51
4. Lost Ones 5:32
Side Two:
1. I Used To Love Him -Featuring – Mary J. Blige 5:37
2. To Zion – Featuring – Santana 8:07
3. Do You Like The Way Featuring – Cee-Lo, Santana 5:49
Side Three:
1. Nothing Even Matters -Featuring – D’Angelo 5:48
2. Killing Me Softly – Featuring – Fugees 4:58
3. Ready Or Not – Featuring – Fugees 3:47
4. Fu-Gee-La – Featuring – Fugees 3:47
Side Four:
1. If I Ruled The World (Magine That) Featuring – Nas 4:44
2. Guantanamera – Featuring – Wyclef Jean 3:27
3. Rumble In The Jungle – Featuring – A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, Forté, and the Fugees
4. A Rose Is Still A Rose – Featuring – Aretha Franklin 4:24
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