Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Though the Fugees had been wildly successful, and Lauryn Hill had been widely recognized as a key to their popularity, few were prepared for her stunning debut. The social heart of the group and its most talented performer, she tailored The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill not as a crossover record but as a collection of overtly personal and political statements; nevertheless, it rocketed to the top of the album charts and made her a superstar. Also, and most importantly, it introduced to the wider pop world an astonishingly broad talent. Hill's verses were intelligent and hardcore, with the talent to rank up there with Method Man. And for the choruses she could move from tough to smooth in a flash, with a vocal prowess that allowed her to be her own chanteuse (à la Mariah Carey). Hill, of Haitian heritage, rhymed in a tough Caribbean patois on the opener, "Lost Ones," wasting little time to excoriate her former bandmates and/or record-label executives for caving in to commercial success. She used a feature for Carlos Santana ("To Zion") to explain how her child comes before her career and found a hit single with "Doo Wop (That Thing)," an intelligent dissection of the sex game that saw it from both angles. "Superstar" took to task musicians with more emphasis on the bottom line than making great music (perhaps another Fugees nod), while her collaborations with a pair of sympathetic r&b superstars (D'Angelo and Mary J. Blige) also paid major dividends. And if her performing talents, vocal range, and songwriting smarts weren't enough, Hill also produced much of the record, ranging from stun-gun hip-hop to smoother r&b with little trouble. Though it certainly didn't sound like a crossover record, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill affected so many widely varying audiences that it's no surprise the record became a commercial hit as well as a musical epoch-maker. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

Name Credits Ahmed Wallace Vocals (Background) Al Anderson Guitar Andrea Simmons Vocals (Background) Andrew Smith Guitar Anita Gibson Make-Up Brian Vibberts Assistant Engineer Bud Beadle Sax (Tenor), Sax (Alto), Flute Carlos Santana Guitar Che Guevara Drum Programming, Producer Che Pope Programming Chip Verspyck Assistant Engineer Chris Theis Engineer Christopher Meredith Bass Chuck Young Vocals (Background) Commissioner Gordon Mixing, Engineer D'Angelo Vocals, Fender Rhodes Dean Fraser Sax (Tenor) Debra Ginyard Stylist Derek Khan Stylist Devon Kirkpatrick Digital Editing, Assistant Engineer DJ Supreme DJ Don-E Piano, Fender Rhodes, Organ (Hammond), Wurlitzer Earl "Chinna" Smith Guitar, Vocals (Background) Earl Robinson Vocals (Background) Earle Brown Assistant Engineer Eddie Stockley Vocals (Background) Elisabeth Valletti Harp Eric Johnson Photography Errol Brown Assistant Engineer Erwin Gorostiza Art Direction Everol Ray Trumpet Fayyaz Virji Trombone Francis Dunnery Guitar Fundisha Johnson Vocals (Background) Grace Paradise Harp Greg Thompson Assistant Engineer Herb Powers Mastering Indigo Quartet Strings James Poyser Moog Bass, Celeste, Wurlitzer, Piano (Electric), Organ, Fender Rhodes, Harpsichord, Synthesizer Bass Jamie Seigal Assistant Engineer Jared "Chocolate" Crawford Drums Jennifer McNeil Vocals (Background) Johari Newton Guitar John Stephens Piano John Wydrycs Engineer Johnny Wydrycz Engineer Johnny Wyndrx Engineer Julian Marley Guitar Ken Johnston Engineer Kenny O. Bobien Vocals (Background) Kevin Robinson Flugelhorn, Trumpet Lauryn Hill Art Direction, Vocals (Background), Vocals, Guitar, Executive Producer, Arranger, Producer Lenesha Randolph Vocals (Background) Lori Holland Wurlitzer, Clarinet, Organ, Fender Rhodes, Piano (Electric), Organ (Hammond) Marc Baptiste Photography Mary J. Blige Vocals Matt Howe Engineer Matthew Rubano Bass Nambo Robinson Trombone Neil Tucker Assistant Engineer Paul Fakhourie Bass Racheal Wilson Vocals (Background) Ramon Rivera ? Rasheem "Kio" Pugh Vocals (Background) Robert Browne Guitar Robert Williams Assistant Engineer Rudy Byrd Percussion Sabrina Johnston Vocals (Background) Shelly Thunder ? Squiddly Ranks Drums Stewart Zender Bass Storm Jefferson Engineer, Assistant Engineer Tameka Foster Stylist Tara Wilkons Vocals (Background) Tejumold Newton Piano Tom Barney Bass Tony Prendatt Engineer Vada Nobles Drum Programming, Producer Veronica Fletcher Hair Stylist Warren Riker Mixing, Engineer