Lauryn (mis)educates Hip Hop and R&B

Everyone remembers the Fugees and their classic album 'The Score', as well as it's standout track, the brilliant, melodic 'Killing me Softly'. The vocalist on that track was the velvet-voiced Lauryn Hill, backed by Wyclef Jean and Pras. So now, to coin a phrase, Where Fugees At? Pras has all but vanished, Clef has gone the way of the TRL couch and Lauryn? Well, thankfully for the music-buying public, she's still around, and, if this album, which takes it's title from the novel 'the Miseducation of the Negro', is anything to go by, will be for many years to come.

'Miseducation' is a work of genius. Lauryn Hill is back with a bang, and sets out to completely redefine the relationship between hip-hop and R&B. By using a theme of school and education about life, love and everything in between, as evidenced by the skits scattered throughout the album. She almost completely sheds her Fugees skin, and the new Lauryn that emerges is a an absolute vocal butterfly.

The intro track 'Lost Ones' is a testament not only to her powers as a lyricist, but also as a bridge between hip hop and R&B. Over a sparse beat, Lauryn uses measured lines to emcee about those who are led astray, and it's a superb album introduction. This is followed by the brilliant and highly personal 'To Zion' featuring the on-form Carlos Santana and the incredible secong single 'Ex-Factor'. It is clear that Lauryn is not afraid to bear her most personal feelings on the mic, yet she does it in such a way that it would make put most singers to shame - both are sincere and beautiful.

The other standout tracks include the funky party track 'Doo Wop (That thing)' which is fun enough without being overly commercial, 'Superstar', in which she drops an AMAZING verse addressing sell-outs over an infectious beat, 'Final Hour', a brilliant track where the eerie production and Luryn's voice effortlessly control your emotions, 'Every Ghetto, Every City', which is storytelling at it's best and the first breakout single 'Everything is Everything', as well as a superb bonus track (A cover of the classic 'You're just too good to be true') - I could go on and on. In fact, the only sub-standard track here is 'I used to love him' with Mary J. Blige. Not terrible, but it just never goes anywhere. But really, it is such a minor point - the tracks are sheer genius.

Then, we come to Lauryn herself. Imagine a combination of Aretha Franklin, Talib Kweli, Vinia Mojica and Phyllis Hyman and you're getting close to what Lauryn is like. Not only is she an extremely talented singer who has a beautiful and unique voice, but she is also an emcee to rival the best. She drops scorching verses on 'Superstar', 'Lost Ones' and 'Everything is Everything' and this, coupled with production that rivals the best (much of which uses live instruments - hiring Santana was genius decision) proves that Lauryn is one the music inductries most versatile artists.

The only really significant minus point on the whole album is that for some people it may prove slightly repetitive, but if you are one of these people for whom it becomes a serious problem then maybe you should go buy Tweet's album, because you will never appreciate this album to the extent it should be.

The fact is, this album shouldn't have won six Grammy's in 1999. It should've won them all. In fact they should've just called the Grammy's The Lauryn Hill Award Show - that's how good this album is. It is a superb, melodic, thoughtful and funky slice of R&B mixed with hip hop, blended with soul and a dash of blues and then allowed to marinate in a healthy concoction of funky originality, and it proves a welcome return to form for the Fugees vocalist.

Maybe Pras and Clef need to take a leaf out of Lauryn's album, and get miseducated. Fast.