Flashback Friday: 10 Hits, Remixes, And Rare Songs By Lauryn Hill

Sweetest Thing-Refugee All-Stars f/ Lauryn Hill

In 1997, The Fugees were on hiatus and individually pursuing solo endeavors. However, at the time they still functioned as a unit. Lauryn and Pras could be heard repeatedly on Wyclef’s debut, The Carnival, as well as making cameos in the subsequent videos. The single for the soundtrack to Love Jones was a ballad with a hip hop-esque drum pattern, Clef playing the guitar and L-Boogie singing about a love that can only be summed up by the song’s title.

So High (Cloud 9 Remix)-John Legend f/ Lauryn Hill

The remix for John Legend’s “So High” was a treat. The public hadn’t heard much from Ms. Hill since her meltdown Unglugged 2.0 set in 2002. One felt that a comeback was underway. And it was. The follow-up to Miseducation was underway and The Fugees had reunited for Dave Chappelle’s Brooklyn block party in 2004. Unfortunately, the high didn’t last long, and all we have had since are similar hiccups along the way.

Nothing Even Matters (f/D’Angelo)

THIS IS THE ONLY SONG FROM THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL THAT WILL BE ON THIS LIST! Why? Simply because I hate that album (as a die-hard Fugee fan and Lauryn Hill faking me out with her first two singles being rap songs I was disappointed). Also, this is the best song on the whole album (although I refuse to listen to one song just to say I haven’t in its entirety). We all-I mean we all know-people who have gone through breakups, been all in their feelings, and played this song repeatedly to soothe their ailing hearts. Now, as much as I am not too crazy about Miseducation, Ms. Hill needs to make like D’Angelo and drop an album in 2015…I’ll take anything at this point.

The Beast-The Fugees

L-Boogie’s verse from nineteen years ago on police brutality:

The subconscious psychology that you use against me,
If I lose control will send me to the penitentiary
Such as Alcatraz, or shot up like al Hajj Malik Shabazz
High class get bypassed while my a** gets harassed.
And the fuzz treat bruh’s like they manhood never was,
And if you too powerful, you get bugged like Peter Tosh and Marley was.
And my word does nothing against the feds,
So my eyes stay red as I chase crazy bald heads, WORD UP.

Joyful Joyful-The Cast of Sister Act 2

How could I not add this to the playlist? I remember seeing this movie and thinking there was something special about Rita Louise Watson. She butted heads with her teacher, classmates, and her mother because she was gifted. In the beginning it was assumed that she was a rapper who could not only hang; but out rap her two male counterparts. Towards the middle of the film we saw internal conflict because ultimately everyone wanted to put her into the box that they saw fit for her. When she was free to sing and just be, she shined because being “Rita, Diva with a ‘tude” was part of her charm. It’s funny how much this movie has played out like Hill’s career.

His Eye Is On the Sparrow-Lauryn Hill and Tonya Blount

In the film, there is a short scene in which Lauryn Hill and Tonya Blount sit at a piano and sing the first verse as well as the chorus to the popular hymn. For those who have listened and/or owned the soundtrack, they know that it is a gorgeous two part harmony version with musical accompaniment.

Turn Your Lights Down Low-Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill

This is one of the best-produced posthumous albums of all time. Each song didn’t sound over-produced. Everything stayed true to Bob Marley’s essence all while sounding modern. Nothing stood out like the “duet” between Robert Nesta and Lauryn Hill.

All That I Can Say-Mary J Blige

The first single from Mary J’s fifth album, Mary, peaked at no. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Chart and was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance by the Grammy’s. It was written, composed, and produced by Lauryn Hill.

Music-Joss Stone f/ Lauryn Hill

In 2008, Joss Stone released a mid-tempo song that was a love letter to music. She personified music by saying that she owned everything to it in spite of the fact that there are many women who love him. It only made sense for the song to feature Ms. Hill because the chorus borrowed the melody of The Fugees’ “The Mask.”

Killing Me Softly-The Fugees

The Fugees’ first album Blunted On Reality was a flop. What resuscitated their career was soon-to-be producer extraordinaire Salaam Remi (Amy Winehouse, Nas, etc.) laced the crew with remixes for “Vocab” and “Nappy Heads.” Based off this, Columbia Records gave the Fugees a second album. The Score had two singles that fared very well with “Ready or Not” and “Fu-gee-la.” However, the remake of Roberta Flack’s song of the same title juxtaposed with A Tribe Called Quest’s “Bonita Applebum” took the Refugee Camp to another level. As a result, The Score sold over 16 million copies worldwide. It wouldn’t have happened and there would be no playlist had it not been for this one.