Lauryn was already a known commodity, thanks to her work as a member of The Fugees. But being a solo act, where all of the focus is on her output, was something else entirely. Her talent was always apparent, but there will always be heightened expectations on the first member to go solo. Lauryn rose above all of that, delivering a classic that was unique in its time for quite a few reasons. The album features Lauryn rapping as if she had something to prove (“Lost Ones,” “Doo Wop (That Thing),” ”Final Hour”) packed with emotion, incredible delivery and potent lyrics. Those songs exist right next to deep R&B ballads (“Ex-Factor,“ “Nothing Even Matters”) about love, her new child with Rohan Marley, and the trials and tribulations she’s experienced in her life. The lines between both kinds of creation were simultaneously blurred and distinct, whenever Lauryn felt like making them so.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was just as impactful musically as it was commercially. The album sold 422,000 units in its debut week, a record for female artists back then. Miseducation also has a slew of huge singles, including the previously-aforementioned “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and “Ex-Factor.” Lauryn took home an Album of the Year and R&B Album of the Year Grammy in 1999, in addition to three more awards. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is certified Diamond, and was No. 1 on the Billboard album charts for three weeks in a row. Lauryn pulled off something special, in that she dropped an album that moved music forward while getting it’s just due from the powers that be. In reality, the fans spoke with their support of her, turning her first and only solo album into a key checkpoint in Black music history.