Today we begin our 8 episode mini-series on of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. We start with Ms. Hill's upbringing in New Jersey, her rise with The Fugees, and the events leading up to the creation of Miseducation. Follow @dissectpodcast on Twitter and Instagram. Subscribe to our newsletter at dissectpodcast.com.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
From Spotify studios. This is dissect long, longform musical analysis broken into short digestible episodes. I'm your host Cold Kushner
on
February. Twenty six one thousand nine hundred and ninety seven are Umar circulated among the attendees of the 39th annual Grammy awards. The breakout hip hop tree
the Fugees were up for three awards, including,
of the year
and word on the street was that the twenty one year old, STAR Fuji members Lauren Hill, was pregnant. During Thursday's recording session Fuji Lauren Hill confirmed a real
for that had been running rampant through the Grammys on Wednesday. Are you with child? Don't blush on me now? Actually, yes, yes, I am. This is something that was planned and are you excited about it and and in the sense of you know, twenty one years old and going around the world no but plant in the sense that you know I'm very much in love and very happy. I mean I see Birthday
um motherhood as a benediction. So I'm just blessed with another responsibility, amidst external pressures, to have an abortion. This pregnancy
Miss Lauryn Hill's choice to keep the child would begin to see
when's of events that would eventually alter the trajectory of popular music forever unbeknownst to the public
Hill and fellow Fuji Member White Wyclef Jean, who was married at the time had
romantically involved throughout the creation of their breakout, album the score. However, the
it- was not why cliffs and what we'll do
Well, this complicated situation and do time so, if I said,
for now that why and missed
close personal relationship would become
and to the point that the Fuji's would never record another album together again. You know I'd intended to be in the group for ever until I found myself in in circumstances where I felt
the inner desire to express myself freely
the without any constraint you know with
Anybody saying hey this. You can't say that you know the only way I could have done that
wasn't doing a solo release.
One thousand nine hundred and ninety seven Miss Hill
Eve tour with the Fugees and return home to New Jersey where she began.
Documenting her personal experience and song I've gone through a lot. You know it's a huge, emotional and and and spiritual battle prior to the creation of that album
the funny thing is that while I was going in the battle, I couldn't see my hand spite my face. I mean I really couldn't see any.
'cause, I was so emotionally entangled and everything that gone through, but it was like once I was delivered from that situation. You know, and once I got the able was look back, look back at and look back at pain and disappointment. It all was so clear. The picture started to form itself the song started to create
selves that was able to look back and and and and and be a narrator of my own situation. The reason
to MS creative outpouring would be a
think of age story, told over fourteen tracks.
An album that sets are spiritual and emotional journey to personal emancipation. Against an eclectic backdrop of hip hop gossip,
reggae and soul. Appan. It's real
into the world in August of nineteen. Ninety eight, this body of works
packed with seismic. Simultaneous
expanding the boundaries of hip hop, while bridging the gap between Hip Hop
mainstream music. It broke the record for first
sales by a female artist, reach plat,
status in less than a month, and we go
to be nominated for a record nine Grammy awards, ultimately winning five, including hip hop's, very first album of the year, of course,
We're talking about the landmark album widely considered one of the most influential lp's of all time. The mist
education of Lauryn Hill. It's funny how money changes a situation
liberation of the miseducation of Lauryn Hill's 20th year anniversary, we're dedicating the next eight
So the price tag to uh
packing this historic album from the
spitting, album, opener lost ones.
Bridled expression of a mother's love on to Zion,
to the car,
the teachings of the number one hit. Do a we're diving, deep.
These classic cuts to discover just how Miss Hills, synthesized, a diverse array of sounds stories and emotions to create a masterwork of self expression will start from the
very beginning with missiles.
Childhood in New Jersey and arrive?
to prominence as both a teenage actress and singer. Will then
for her time with the Fugees, her relationship with
Wyclef Jean
circumstances that led to the dissolution of their relationship. Finally,
Our detailed track by track musical lyrical analysis will come
stand just tell Miss Hill translated, her experience into story and song and by doing so created
cultural treasure that is the
education of Lauryn Hill and so
out further ado, let's dissect
Lauren Noel Hill was born on May 26th, one thousand nine hundred and seventy five she spent most of her childhood just outside Newark New Jersey,
urban neighborhood called S Orange Miss Hill, who had
eventually fuse. A culturally diverse palette of musical styles creditor eclectic upbringing as an important early influence s Orange
It was interesting because it was this very
diverse, and I can't just say cell phones have to say the area surrounding S orange, because Nork is the city and then
The oranges are the suburbs okay.
And you know I lived in in suburb- where was like I'd- say fifty percent- maybe forty percent-
percent black sixty percent jewish- and I grew up with
this very eclectic,
just interesting exposure to all these different cultures and, of course, Manhattan is right there. So you know just from
that I was very young exposed to the
the asian community is West Indies
community cuban community. The Latin could you know just just a myriad of cultures in this one area
the hill family household included Lawrence mother Valerie, an english teacher, her father mall,
a computer consultant and old
brother bill music,
was a constant presence in the hill household and media, Miss Hills, earliest memories involve music, apparently
shuffle music little love for there's, there's so many records. So much music concert being played. My mother played piano. My father saying
it was just music,
always surrounding music. I remember when my earliest memories
movie stores that we lived in where you know the the Sundays Saturdays, maybe saturdays, we would clean the
would play. You know
Stevie wonder, is solve the kill life. The whole album should be hearing, isn't she lovely and you know and pretending to IRAN, you know so from a very young age. He was a lot of music. Ms Hill would later credit the songs of for you, that's our musical education. At nine years old, she discovered her parents record collection, stored away in the basement. Yeah I
and eighty nine years old, everybody else is listening to New edition or whatever current you know. Group is on the radio and I'm listing to like shipping line lights and Gladys Knight and the pips in all these older groups and really loving it and becoming.
You know just just die
my myself doubts myself and all this music in all this, this musical history and
and they really were. My teachers, my musical teachers, I didn't have you-
and you know I I didn't go to Juilliard. I was a classically check train, but by listening you know I mean I, I grew appreciation for certain musical philosophies and ideas and concepts. A false
speak to it
I used to play my records allowed until one night one of was like this is too loud, I'm not having it, and so I
the headphones, but in order for me to listen to the records, you know the headphones didn't stretch, always my bed from the record player. So I had to sleep on the floor in order to hear the wreck
and that's where I slept until heights of college.
Bill's parents supported her creative pursuits from an early age by
school in high school.
Pursuing singing and acting professionally appearing on local television and auditioning for movie roles in New York City. Her parents support wasn't overbearing or pressure written. Rather, it stem from love
when they could have easily said no or we have no interest. You know we're not going to drive you to this audition. No, you know we're not allow you guys to practice and play the music in the living room. You know when they could have easily done that they didn't
and just
very, very meaningful, I mean my parents,
you know really took
a heavy, a very serious interest in my creativity from
the time I was very young and not for the sake of
I they didn't know what would come of it. Just because I enjoyed it. You know
that's a reflection,
of love. When someone can see you enjoying yourself and want to participate or want to encourage, you want to help you to do something that you enjoy. It was about making her a star was just says she likes to do this. Let's supported it age,
thirteen, a young Lauryn Hill competed in the world famous amateur night at the APOLLO
Theater in Harlem. This is store. Competition sees emerging young talents going head to head kind of like an early version of american idol.
And it's over eighty years of existence. It showed
but the APOLLO amateur night competition has seen the likes of to be superstars, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie holiday.
James Brown Stevie, wonder the Jackson, five Dave Chappelle
and one Lauryn Hill, the crowd of the,
follow is notorious if they, like you, you're greeted with vigorous applause. If they don't like you, they boo they
loud now we have an exciting show and I'm telling you I promise this is going to be an exciting amateur night. So, let's bring our next contestant gets some nice
APOLLO welcome to Lauryn Hill. How old are you Lauren, Lauren thirteen? What song is singing who's loving you well come on Lauren,
yes, Superstar Lauryn Hill was vigorously booed at the APOLLO theater, with a thirty
Earl didn't cave. In fact, after hearing the boos, she took the microphone off.
Stan. I began to sing more passionately eventually
over the crowd by the end of her performance
this by any
in a high note. Lauren
in two after leaving the stage according to
Other Valerie quote. I said to her
every time they don't scream and holler you're going to cry then-
singing. Is it for you and she looked
like I had taken leave of my senses to her the Mir
Justin that this wasn't for her was crazy. Unquote, Miss Hill can
we need to pursue an array of creative endeavors throughout Highschool. Aside from-
a member of the track team and cheerleader she
Violin lessons Dance class founded the schools Gospel choir,
all up placing an advanced classes and earning a grades yeah. I think that my work ethic, I think the work ethic that was established in my,
Family was also something very important.
You know the you know if you plant the seed, if you you know, if you
you know so sparingly. You reap sparingly. If you someone in you're reaping abundance, so that was
You know always sort of in us from very
even the things that I love that try to you know put a couple seeds in it. You
bunch of seeds in the ground and see what sprung up, and sometimes it was out
Sometimes it was music, but whatever it was. I continue to play it during high school, Miss Hill's, acting career
to develop after an agent notice. Her performance in an off broadway hip, hop reimagining of Shakespeare's twelfth night.
He landed a recurring role in the soap opera, as the world turns playing a trouble
Runaway named Kira Johnson, in one episode
still, Hill was able to showcase their vocal talents. Performing you
I'll me love at a wedding
and I'll be there for you, like you, been there for Maine one thousand times I'll do just as you do for you who brought me long is here: Rodney Hawaii,
when Miss Hill was a senior in high school. She landed what would be
biggest role of her acting career co along
Whoopi Goldberg in Sister act. Two. She played Rita Watson,
Belias City Catholic School team, with a golden voice, the movies climactic moment
come. Join Reid, delete the school choir to win a national competition,
well, Miss Hill was developing her acting career in high school. She was
continuously developing her music career as a freshman. She was approached
haitian American Name Prize about a group, you, a starting first one prize in high school,
surprise wow. He. You know he was the type of kid who had a real, strict mother who used to dress
You know like dress, pants and dress shoes and
you know he was really you know he was. He was very popular in school because he was sort of like this real.
As the guy he's, the only guy in high school would a pinky ring and
I first met him. He said you know Laura you. I didn't know how this thing
No, I know you brother, so I think you can join my group guys, like I yeah I was down, but I just want to make music
and then you know like a month later, he introduced me to his cozen Wyclef and you know he wou. I never forget the first day
He walked into the studio and he had on like a anti Batman, uniform
when the Batman Movie first came out and it was like really big. They would just Batman button, but,
cousin, hats and buckles on his
so here very dramatic.
And you know we make good music we make music and at that point in our career, is very you
or an insincere. You know we all put our hearts into it. You know so we decided to become a group
Originally named time the tree-
Lauren products and Wyclef Cleft change your name.
The translator crew and began for
locally and recording demos
While Miss Hill was originally recruited for her singing talent. She was encourage,
I prize and why to try your hand at rapping she told the rolling stone quote. I used to write
and I was real sensitive about my poems. I remember Wyclef and prize hearing my poems and going YO. You should write some rhymes.
So I tried writing some rhymes reluctantly and at first
They were very hard, I'm I am seeing. They were like that's wack, right that over
So once again I was challenged by the boys, and I saw
better and really started, taking rap seriously more
basically even then singing at that time, because I felt like it say more and what I could
They would be taken more seriously as an MC unquote. Why
It tells a similar story in his book purpose quote for months process and I did all the wrapping
felt like there's something missing, though so one day I asked Lauren. If she would ever rhyme, she told a sure if you two can do it. I know I can unquote. Whitecliff remembers
impressed by how quickly Mishil excelled quote. I wrote down a few verses for her some I had been working
and added a few lines I made up on the spot. She looked at the paper for a few minutes and then told me to put on a beat
and when I did, she tore through them like a pro, not even looking at the words if she
memorize lyrics that quickly. I knew she
one hell of an MC. I gave her a
lack of Mc Lyte and Queen Latifah CDS and told her to listen carefully and learn the rhyme she heard she took to that. Like
pirate to a matches and had the
it's down in two or three days, soon
rhyming lines, terror that she would memorize on the spot and spit back at me better than I had expected. Unquote,
in nineteen. Ninety three: the translator signed to the translator, roughhouse an extension of Columbia, Records and
change, their name to the fugees Fugees was an abbreviation of refugee, alluding to and whitecliffs haitian roots, but according
wycliff. The name was the universal to the american experience quote:
everyone in the United States as a refugee. To some degree, no one's culture originated here, unquote,
the Fugees debut album blunted on reality was real
February. First, one thousand nine hundred and ninety four led by their first single booth, bat
into their later work, blunted on
body was loud, exuberant an unpolished, a commercial flop that nearly got the group dropped from their label, but the Fugees thrived as life perform
opening for acts like NAS Wu, Tang, the notorious b, dot, ig, onyx and naughty by nature. Regarding the album Wycliff, recalls
blunted on reality, captured our talent, but it sounded out of touch with who we
as performers. Unquote, this disconnect was in part,
two to the out being recorded in one thousand nine hundred and ninety two afful two years prior to its release.
Though they were at risk of being dropped from their label. The Fugees life
line was extended due to producer Salaam Remi and his remix of their song nappy heads through his remixes
He had a reputation for making jamaican dancehall reggae palatable for America,
urban audiences, ready disk,
the original version of nappy heads as sounding like a grimy uptempo on Extract Grammy, stripped down contemporary production of nappy heads Remix contrasted with the bombast of the original, laying the groundwork
the future of the Fuji Sound,
Melissa,
internet Columbia records who is responsible,
putting Remy in the Fugees together credits, the nappy head remix for the Fuji Second chance, Jack,
call John Morgan in her book. She be this quote: the Fugees had talent
just had figured out how to channel it
we're coming out of a moment in hip hop for groups like onyx who
I'm really fast, had a lot of success. But there is a shift going on
hip. Hop was slowing down a bit more and Salaam knew it. He told the Fuji
to slow their ship down. Let people under
and what they're saying and add a catchy hook. Then he just bodied it. A quote
the success of Rammy's nappy heads Remix, led to another collaboration with the Fugees arena,
their song, Vocab
studio session proved to be pivotal as it inadvertently.
Juice. What would become one of the Fugees, most successful songs, Remy, told large up dot com quote the nappy heads Remix worked, then I remix both
During the same session I had a beat I made for fat. Joe Lauren said play that fat Joe Beat and Wyclef Cliff jumps up and says we used to be number ten. Now we permanent
number one. That session ended up being the original incarnation of Fuji LAW
William criminal minds.
continues quote that song was recorded
put together before they even had a second budget for another, album the scores
energy is based around Fuji LAW, unquote, based on the '
potential shown from the collaborations with Salaam Remi. The Fugees were given a second chance and
One thousand nine hundred and ninety five there,
need a one hundred and thirty five thousand dollar advance for their sophomore album. The group you
money to set up a studio and Wyclef's uncles, uncle's basement, eventually dubbed the Booga basement, with
more experience? In a new artistic vision, the group went to work
what would become their final album the score
with his finger
We're
wanted on reality failed in showcasing each Fuji members talents, the scored,
so triumphantly the members,
the coalescence with returning to who they were creatively, and
burdening themselves from pressures to succeed by conforming to what already existed in the book check the technique. Fuji member price, told Brian Coleman quote after the first
album. We just started making songs that would work without compromising what we believed in our strength was in being
Individuals who blended together perfectly cleft, brought the musicality Laura, brought the soul for this, and I brought the roughness and flash and close why cliff could curse.
Saying quote: the score was done calmly, almost and
there wasn't any pressure. It was like. Let's make some music
just started forming into something amazing. It sounded like a feel good, hip, hop record to us,
It was different than what anyone was doing at the time. It was three kids
from an urban background expressing themselves, you have three different points of view from three different worlds. On that album, I'm from the
in prize. Listen to a lot of rock stuff and lore,
the soul three into one. A fusion
it had happened on blunted on reality and quote
blunted on reality. The new stripped down production
style, and laid back temple of the score allowed,
ace for Miss Hill singing voice to radiate throughout the album play,
crucial role on all three commercial singles, Fuji LAW, killing me
flea and ready, or not
Miss Hills. Mc skills were no longer work in progress either. Wyclef recalled quote I'll, never
being impressed by how much Lauren came into our own on the score. She was the caterpillar that became the butterfly
did she was still learning how to rhyme so lyrically. She had
training wheels on and the years between she wrote she practiced and she became a true artist
She is one hell of a rapper and that came shining through
the score unquote as nightclub.
LIVE Miss Hills, unique ability to seamlessly transition from wrapping to singing without pause, we're going to dissect or contribution
to the Fugees Third Single ready or not, but first a word from our sponsor
today's episode of dissect is brought to you by Sonos or anything
like me, you probably didn't think twice about the speaker:
your television when you bought it.
I get it's sold on pixels and picture, not sound, but sound
such an essential part to an on screen experience
I was reminded of this when I recently upgraded my television with Sonos Beam asleep.
Smart, sound bar for your tv, the Sonos
full range, wolfers and tweeters. Harmon
is low and high frequencies able to handle with ease the most nuanced dialogue,
earth shattering explosions
because I have a little one who sleeps in a room near the television I found
night sound feature essential as it allows
watch late at night without waking, the whole house, but what I
most about beam, is its versatility.
And not only delivers incredible sound for your tv, but you can also play
favorite, music, podcasts audiobooks. Basically,
I think you want, and it's all
all by your phone or Amazon, Alexa Voice Command,
to learn more about beam and the whole family of Sonos. Speakers visit Sonos dot com again
Sonos dot com, if you're like me,
you're, always looking for new podcast to check out well. I've got one for you, it's called undercover and it's about the art of the cover song
each episode features one of today's top artists, talking about their inspirations, fears and the fund of trying to put a unique spin on someone elses song, one of my face.
Episodes of undercover features, the band panic at the disco talking about their expiry
it's recording a cover of Outkast check out
recover only on Spotify and catch new app
every Thursday welcome back to dissect before the break
discussed a twenty year old Lauren Hill's array of towns were showcased on the Fuji's. The score as an example of those town
we're going to dissect the scores third single Barack Obama.
Favorite song of all time, ready or not.
You can't hide
you.
Sleepwalk await those who, commonly known the world naked jail, bars angle gates, those who think they break when they meet their four hundred pound exhibiting their eclectic music
influences ready or not,
the convergence of two diverse sources. The hook is,
interpolation of the Delfonics one thousand nine hundred and sixty eight hit ready or not. Here I come
the Fugees took this hook and laid it at sample of Nes. One thousand eighty seven track bow at DCA,
Wyclef,
What's the creation of ready or not in his memoir quote
I had a simple hip, hop breakbeat, going on mile in nine thousand and was lube.
In any sample over on my mpc-
just then my door burst open and Lauryn Hill was standing there. She scanned the room, then look me in my eye. What's that she said I don't know yet. I've got beat and a loop. I'm just messing with this. We both sat in the semi dark just listening.
The sample came back around and then to be kicked in and then Lauren started singing ready or not. Here right you,
you can't hide
I want to find you
take it slowly. I got shivers
all of my spine? It was magic. We both knew it.
And saying ready or not. This is
verse on ready or not finds, are flexing or lyrical prowess name. Dropping
diverse array of influences that she has sold her competition. I play my lease, like our friends, know wed some make tracks like let caption young ballsy like yes, which is so why you might say, and now its application, Ms Hills Burst, begins. I play my enemies like a game of chess.
Chess is, of course, a game of strategy or
makes a series of tactical moves to set up an
will kill. Cleverly missile will do exactly that with her verse,
will see. There are several references stated early in the verse that will come back around as punch lines in the end. Miss Hill continues
I rest no stress if you don't smoke, Sess session
Slang for Marijuana- it's in
v of the spanish word sense, Amelia, a high quality, very potent female cannabis in an era of hip.
In which glorified marijuana use was nearly a prerequisite. The Fugees were
to be accepting of all that is, they did
judge either way. Hence hairline no stress. If you don't smoke, Sess Miss Hill continues. My destiny's manifest
Manifest destiny refers to the 19th century, belief that the United State
was destined to control the entire territory from the Atlantic.
Into the Pacific. On one hand,
Miss Hill is saying her own personal destiny. A star MC was inevitable, but in the subsequent line she also play
after long expeditions, early american settlers made West as she says, and some Gore Tex and sweats I make tracks like I'm homeless,
Foretrex, if used, to meet both trek as a
traveling long distances and track, as in recorded song.
But Miss Hill also plays off the two standard definitions of track one
definition is to travel or migrate, typically by foot tying into a reference to a homeless person. The
definition is to travel by ox wagon, just like early Americans.
Dealers did tying into
reference to manifest destiny, Miss Hill, continues RAP or geez, with Porgy and Bess capture, your bounty like Elliot Ness,
These two references are set up to slide punch lines later in the verse, porgy and
as an american opera by jazz, classical composer George Gershwin and Miss Hill makes.
Reference to it as a way to display or eclecticism as an MC, an artist elliott-
was an american prohibition agent who famously took down crime boss,
Al Capone in nineteen, twenty nine, not uncoincidentally, Eliot Ness Prohibition, Al Capone's arrest and poor,
best all existed in the same era of american history. The 1920s and 30s
known as the jazz age. Miss Hill continues bless you. If you represent the foo
but I'll hex you with some witches brew. If you're do do voodoo this likely
it's to the early nineteen nineties, hit shoop by salt and pepper, which contains a similar ride, Kane somewhat still for a the food that so to
Apple's rhyme is actually a reference to jazz composer Cole, Porter and his night
twenty nine song. You do something to me.
Do you spell do that boo? Do that you,
who win
unclear whether Miss Hills rhyme is a reference to shoot or Cole Porter. Given that she
well versed in both contemporary and vintage music is likely and not to both. Miss Hill continues her verse.
Do what you do easy believe me fronting Edwards. Give me the Heebie Jeebies,
This is Miss Hill standing tall among a male dominated hip, hop industry not only saying she can rap better than most but prove
She can, with the quality of reverse, with the
This final lines. We get the payoff. The check
she's, been setting up throughout the verse have another listen
so why you would say it now: it's application on your microphone already Miss Hill calls out the prevalence of inauthentic gangster personas in hip, hop, saying
So, while you're imitating Al Capone as you '
earlier in the verse, Miss Hill declared herself to be like Elliot Ness, Al Capone's capture, so how
pun. Reference here comes with it,
establish superiority in contempt? She
is a verse saying I'll, be Nina Simone and defecating on your microphone,
Nina Simone was a multi, talented, american singer, songwriter pianist and activists that seamlessly blended genres like jazz, blues folk, gospel and pop being multi
Allen, Tate and diverse herself, it's only
Natural Miss Hill would choose Simone as a comparative figure, but we
I also realized that Simone's, one thousand nine hundred and fifty eight rendition of I loves you Porgy from George Gershwin's, opera, Porgy and Bess charted in the
twenty helping
popularized, the song. I love you,
Don't let him, as you know,
the best was name dropped earlier in the verse another.
Tickle setup, payoff, lyrical checkmate. That proves Miss Hill
as indeed rap strategically, as if playing chess with
Al Capone, like enemies.
Extremely high caliber verse in both its writing and delivery. Miss Hill seamlessly transitions into the song's hook, displaying an unrivaled
quality in our towns as both an MC and vocalist. Okay, the food she's. The score was released on February thirteenth, nineteen, ninety six to widespread critical and commercial acclaim, the Album
He got number one on the billboard chart one
Grammy awards and by fall
one thousand nine hundred and ninety seven was certified six times platinum
meanwhile, behind the scenes why
Jean and Lauryn Hill have become romantic,
involved, despite Wyclef being married since one thousand nine hundred and ninety four, the fair, existed
about the creation of the score and according to Wycliff,
filled. Much of the album's greatness quote. I was a big brother figure to Lauren and it turn romantic
and the soundtrack of a relationship is the score that album
came out the way it did because of our passion. We have become a real couple
even though I was with someone else at the time it didn't matter
she and I had our own musical romantic language and
I hear that in the music we made together, that's why it touched people, that's why it's so real, unquote
I know the relationship helped fuel the greatness of the Fugees. It was also a big fat,
their demise by all accounts. Why,
Lawrence relationship oscillated between two extreme polarities love and rage. Why stated quote? We were either deeply love or
there's no middle ground. It was like a passionate roller
right, every single day we had fights on planes, we had the police called
our hotel in Germany, because our
arguing with keeping the neighbors awake unquote, while
smoking groups to one thousand, nine hundred and ninety six Miss Hill
Metro and Marley Bob Marley son and brother of Ziggy Marley, the two of
we became intimate and miss still
at the age of twenty one became pregnant with Marley's child
various accounts, various accounts in competing storylines. Regarding this love triangle between white, Cliffs and Rowan. Why claims he was led to believe
the child, was his one,
tell herself hasn't said much. Regarding the specifics of that situation, we now
at the time, nor desire to attempt to detangle
seems to have been a messy, complicated set of circumstances, but one thing was clear: wycliff
or in personal relationship, deteriorated to a point that it affected their creative relationship,
Fugees would never make another album together. Again, everything happens in time. You know there's a time, for everything is a time to be in a group and there's a time to be so. At least it was for me
If I had it my way, I would have been in the group forever. You know I enjoy the
atmosphere. I thought it was
good to have two guys
stage backing you up, but the interesting
but entertainment is that when you struggle
everybody goes in with the same goals:
it was somewhere along the success area. You start,
look at everyone around you and go wait. A minute where you going,
because I'm going this way, what
When I thought we were all on the you know and um
Some success can do that. Sometimes it it really illuminates. You know creative differences, spiritual differences. You know emotional differences, an I
you know just like a a a a a a young person would think that you know the friends that you
great friends are friends forever. You know throughout high school throughout and it's not that they cease being
friends, but sometimes you just mature to a place and some people get there.
Masses of people, don't you know and- and you know hope,
ultimately, everyone catches up but
you know, I uh it is
really interesting cuz. I didn't actually make a decision to be solo. It really just happened. I promise you that,
to explain, but you know I'd intended intended to be in the group forever. Until I found myself in in
stances where I felt the.
Inner desire to express myself free,
we openly without any constraint. You know with
anybody saying hey. You can't say that that's not that's not fly.
Can't say that people won't. You know what I mean. So you know the only
I could have done that
wasn't doing a solo release,
one thousand nine hundred and ninety seven throughout her pregnancy, Miss Hill began
work on a solo project, she assembled
New Jersey musicians that came to be known as a new arc studio band Rasheem,
hello, pug, Vada, nobles and twin brothers.
Are intangible Newton regarding the creative process, Joe Hari Newton recalls quote. Lauren was definitely the guide. It was her
our job was to take whatever was in her head and put it down for her unquote quote: Tyler recounts quote:
everybody had jobs, Vedas his
to find that groove that made us hub. Then
joes job was the instrumentation to enhance that groove and when the groove was so
he that it made his harm either. Lauren or then it was time
create those words that she wanted to sing. It was literally constant work. Even
you didn't think you're working your working, the vibe was incredible. Unquote
miss Hill, also recruited producers, shake Rivera and James Poyser, who both contributed,
Lee to the album. So at the time coming off the success of the Fugees as well, she was interested in producing. She really wasn't a producer, so it was like kind of like well if I partner, if we, if we
together. Then you can help me. You know I have the name. I have the success you're, you know, you're a beginning producer and you're learning and
in you know you have this experience from Teddy. You have this experience from cliff and you know, let's, let's partner up and so
really organic, literally just sitting in her addict in her at the
and that was their parents house in Jersey,
the creating of the album was an amazing experience is about a year and a half out of my life, like you, feel, like you gave blood like everyday, an
we sat in a room when we started the record- and it was me her and james- and the first thing she said she,
I, like soul, music,
reggae music and I like Wu Tang. Let's go
regarding her choice to use relatively unknown producers, engine
commissioner, Gordon said quote. No one believed Lauren said I want to make my own record. Have the Bay
and use these unknown guys they're, like your Lauryn Hill. Why aren't you with trackmasters it
a lot of courage to go down that road, and we all felt like
soldiers in our army, Lord will push you to
tenth level to get something to.
She's hearing it. The divinity
The scenario was always overwhelming to me, because I could feel it all the time a over the
course of a year and a half in New Jersey,
the New York Miami in Jamaica, Miss Hill,
team would work to shape a collection of songs that reflected her influences emotion,
A personal journey. I've gone through a lot. You know it's a huge emotional and spiritual battle prior to the creation of that album
and the funny thing is that, while I was going in the battle, I couldn't see my hand spite my face. I mean I really couldn't see any
'cause. I was so emotionally entangled and everything that had gone through, but
like once I was delivered from that situation.
And once I got the perspective was able to look back at heart ache and look back at pain and disappointment.
For some reason: it always so clear. You know it was just like a you know. The picture started to form itself. The
to create themselves. I was able to look back in
and
and be a narrator of my own situation. But the interesting thing was that it didn't
it happened. While I was in the middle of the confusion
of course, Miss Hills. Emotional creative outpouring would result.
The creation of the miseducation of Lauryn Hill. One of the
I claim a beloved albums of all time
an album that will dive into note by note line by line next time. I dissect
Dissect is written and produced by me projects
my Spotify is Michelle Santucci
play music by bureaucratic song.
Re creations by Andrew Atwood,
additional research by Akash Pandey
when you listen to dissect on Spotify you'll get episodes a week
early plus access to exclusive bonus episodes. You could also fine
growing catalog of Spotify Exclusive podcasts like undercover season two of gimlet.
Prime town and one of my
more favorites. The Joe Budden Podcast follow at Dissect podcast.
Twitter and Instagram.
Join our newsletter at dissect, podcast, dot, com, okay, thanks, everyone talk to you next week,.
Transcript generated on 2019-11-12.