Lauryn Hill Reveals Why She Never Made Another Album After 'Miseducation'

Lauryn Hill's debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, is arguably one of the greatest albums of all time.

The LP, which was released in 1998, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 422,624 copies in its first week, breaking the record at the time for first-week sales by a female artist, and it was the first hip hop album to ever receive a Grammy Award for Album of The Year. Beyond its critical acclaim and commercial success, the album solidified Lauryn as a musical genius.

While the reason why Miss Hill never produced a follow-up to Miseducation has been a hot topic for decades, she finally explained why in a rare email interview with Rolling Stone.

“The wild thing is no one from my label has ever called me and asked how can we help you make another album, EVER…EVER. Did I say ever? Ever!” Lauryn shared. “With the Miseducation, there was no precedent. I was, for the most part, free to explore, experiment and express. After the Miseducation, there were scores of tentacled obstructionists, politics, repressing agendas, unrealistic expectations, and saboteurs EVERYWHERE. People had included me in their own narratives of THEIR successes as it pertained to my album, and if this contradicted my experience, I was considered an enemy.”

As for the album's lasting impact on listeners, Lauryn credited that to the love she put into it and her authenticity, which has stood the test of time.

“I’ve always been pretty critical of myself artistically, so of course there are things I hear that could have been done differently but the LOVE in the album, the passion, it’s intention is to me, undeniable,” she said. “I think my intention was simply to make something that made my 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.”

Lauryn added, “At that time, I felt like it was a duty or responsibility to do so. … 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.”

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