Lauryn Hill is known for two things. She’s known as a core member of the iconic East Coast hip-hop group Fugees. She’s also known for releasing one of the best (if not the best) neo soul records of the 90s, her 1998 album The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill. And, oddly enough, it remains her only solo studio album.
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I was always curious about why Hill didn’t follow up on this incredible little album. She had released two albums prior with Fugees, specifically Blunted On Reality (1994) and The Score (1996). Her debut solo record was quite a success, and it has gained further cult classic status as the years have gone by. Why not capitalize on that success?
Apparently, there are a few potential reasons why Hill never dished out a sophomore hit record.
Why Lauryn Hill’s Only Solo Album Became the Stuff of Legend; And Why She Hasn’t Released Another One Yet
The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill was technically (and oddly) released in Japan on August 19, 1998. However, the album was not released in the US until August 25, 1998. The album was an almost immediate success stateside. The album’s lead single, “Doo Wop (That Thing)”, became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and broke several records. The album was the first hip-hop record to win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Lauryn Hill was absolutely everywhere, and everyone loved her. Today, The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill still pulls in five-star reviews from listeners old and new.
So… why did Lauryn Hill never (as of 2025) release a follow-up solo record after The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill?
Well, there are likely a few reasons for this. After The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill was released, Hill more or less stayed out of the public eye. She performed for MTV Unplugged in 2001, and would reunite with the Fugees off and on through the years. However, it looks like she simply preferred to focus her attentions elsewhere.
A few years back, Hill herself said that her label didn’t ask her to release another record. Sources close to Hill also said that they suspected she did not enjoy being a curated, manufactured international pop star with all eyes on her after the success of her debut album. Hill more or less confirmed this herself.
In the end, we still haven’t gotten a second album. And that makes Lauryn Hill’s debut album all the more memorable and valuable as time goes on.
Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect
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