With only one studio album under her belt, Lauryn Hill is the first solo rapper to go Diamond. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was officially certified Diamond by the Recording Industry of America. The 5x Grammy-award-winning actress, singer, songwriter released the album over 20 years ago and is still inspires the young and old. Her music is classified as legendary and one of the best albums in the 1990s.
Hill released three chart-topping singles: “Doo Woop (That Thing,” ” Ex-Factor,” and “Everything is Everything. ” The record is also known for its’ album cuts as well. She touched on various subjects that highlight love and life from a woman’s point of view. It was indeed one of those albums that challenged your intellect, way of thinking, making you more aware consciously, and the themes are still relatable in 2021.
“I think my intention was simply to make something that made me foremothers and forefathers in music and social and political struggle know that someone received what they’d sacrificed to give us and to let my peers know that we could walk in that truth, proudly, and confidently,” said Hill. “At that time, I felt like it was a duty or responsibility to do… I challenged the norm and introduced a new standard. I believe The Miseducation did that, and I believe I still do this- defy convention when the convention is questionable.
The 41st Grammy Awards premiered in 1999, and the album received ten nominations, winning five trophies. She was the first woman to receive various nominations in one night.
This is quite an achievement for Hill, and she joins the diamond club, which features Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Adele’s 21, Britney Spears’ Baby One More Time, TLC’s Crazy Sexy Cool Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP, Usher’s Confessions, and Tupac’s All Eyez on Me. To this day, the album is successful because she incorporated neo-soul and hip-hop on the album, and it changed the landscape of music. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill became the official “cross-over” album for hip-hop and R&B.
