Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill: Song Analysis

Set in the “Booga Basement,” Praz, Wyclef Jean, and Lauryn Hill took the 1990s by storm. The group was composed of three multitalented MCs. One in particular, Lauryn Hill, found major success as an actress in the film Sister Act II and solo prestige in her critically acclaimed “Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” album. I have spent the majority of my life listening to hip-hop, so it was hard to narrow down to this song. Nonetheless, “Vocab” provides an interesting look at hip-hop. This is 1994 and hip-hop is beginning to take a prominent role in the mainstream media. When we think about gender equality in hip-hop, it is fair to say that Lauryn Hill more than holds her own. In this essay, I hope to further develop the importance of this group dynamic to hip-hop at the time and breakdown some unique hip-hop elements in the song itself. As of yet, we have mentioned several MCs in class, but we have just begun highlighting female trailblazers. The names that come to mind are Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Lil Kim. These only account for a handful of commercially successful female rappers. What might
By this point in history, The Fugees’ debut album “Blunted on Reality” had not sold well. In-fact, it was the hip-hop remixes of “Nappy Heads” and “Vocab” by producer Salaam Remi that really catapulted the group to the mainstream (Hess, 189). A few years later the group was able rise to the occasion in their classic multi-platinum sophomore album “The Score.” However, this may not have come to fruition if it was not for early hits like “Vocab” that showcased each member. As shown in their subsequent smash hits, “Ready or Not,” “How Many Mics?” and “Killing Me Softly” the talents of all three members made this possible. Especially the role of Lauryn Hill as an incredible singer and rapper made this trio unmatched, and further redefined women’s success in hip-hop for generations to