By Roman Soto
In honor of Black History Month, I have assembled a playlist of the best songs produced by one of the most influential musical pioneers of Hip Hop and R&B: Lauryn Hill. Hill’s passionate voice and lyrical brilliance display her musical genius through artistic songs that ushered in the success of a new Hip Hop generation. However, Hill’s music often lies beneath the tracks of modern rappers who have sampled her melodies; Kanye West, Drake, and Cardi B all have produced hit songs featuring a Lauryn Hill sample. Aside from carving the path for a new generation of hip-hop artists, Hill vocally advocates for women’s empowerment, racial equality, and social justice. Experience first-hand the sheer brilliance of Lauryn Hill’s musical beauty in the songs below.
“Mystery of Iniquity”
Featured in her live album, MTV Unplugged No. 2.0, Hill carefully weaves her perspective of social injustice in a modern courtroom where officials enforce prejudice through public indictments with a solemnly mesmerizing melody played on the strings of her acoustic guitar. “Mystery of Iniquity” also appears as the lead sample in Kanye West’s hit song “All Falls Down”.
“Doo Wop (That Thing)”
Deemed Apple Music’s number-one album of all time, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill expresses complex emotions through a journey of everyday societal complexities. “Doo Wop (That Thing)” epitomizes a hit song on the hit album that illustrates women’s role in the hip-hop industry. Somehow, Hill manages to keep the listener aware of her intended message through her simultaneous blend of jazzy basslines and R&B drumbeats.
“Ex-Factor”
Most notably featured as the lead sample in Drake’s “Nice For What”, Lauryn Hill demonstrates her ability to keep a listener engaged despite the song’s lack of a high tempo drumbeat. The dreamy instrumental directly contrasts Hill’s raspy yet richly full voice which results in a song considered as nothing short of magnificent.
“If I Ruled The World (Imagine That) [feat. Lauryn Hill]
When one of the best East Coast rappers of all time meets the East Coast’s R&B most poetic voice, “If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)” is the musically exceptional product of the collaboration. Nas, at the top of the 1990’s American hip hop scene, and Lauryn Hill, the diligent pioneer for R&B, teamed up to create a sound picking the best sounds of both genres.