I wish Lauryn Hill’s heart was still in rhymin’

April 21st, 2010

L Boogie

There are many things that Kanye and I have disagreed on in the past (the Single Ladies video was good, but not the greatest). Yeezy and I were 100 per cent on the same page when he rapped:

Lauryn Hill say her heart was in Zion
I wish her heart still was in ryhmin’
‘Cause who the kids gon’ listen to? Huh?

It’s true. Who are the kids gonna listen to? There is a lot of great pop and hip hop on the charts right now. But, I don’t know that there has been an artist since Hill that has made the kind of impact that she did with The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (btw, amazing album title).

I know that I’m not alone in hoping that the indefinable Lauryn Hill will someday make a triumphant return with a follow up to the Miseducation that is of the same caliber as her debut solo album (I’m ignoring the MTV Unplugged album – that two disc rambling mess broke my lil heart). Few musicians have received the kind of love and respect that the former Fugees singer has enjoyed. Let’s have a look at some musicians that paid homage to the great L Boogie.

Kanye West: When West released his 2007 album Graduation it included the track Champion. In the song, West raps “Lauryn Hill say her heart was in Zion/ I wish her heart still was in ryhmin’/ ‘Cause who the kids gon’ listen to? Huh?/I guess me if it isn’t you.” True dat, Kanye.

Talib Kweli: Kweli’s song Ms. Hill from his album Right About Now does an amazing job of reflecting on Hill’s reasons for leaving the spotlight of the music industry, including accusations that Hill was not the primary songwriter for The Miseducation as well as her history of speaking out against abuse in the Catholic Church. Kweli also raps about his love for Hill and says “You give us hope, you give us faith, you the one/ I write this song and hope you feel how much we love you.”

Beyonce: During her 2007 tour The Beyonce Experience, B often broke into Hill’s Lost One’s when singing her hit song Baby Boy.

Amy Winehouse: While promoting her Back to Black album in 2007, Winehouse would sing Hill’s Doo Wop (That Thing) during her song He Can Only Hold Her. I would lose my shizz to get to see an actual duet between Winehouse and Hill.

Rihanna: Like Winehouse, Rihanna sang Doo Wop (That Thing) in concert while promoting her 2008 album Good Girl Gone Bad.

Musicians who have said their work has been influenced by Lauryn Hill: Alicia Keys, John Legend, D’Angelo, Mary J. Blige, and Prince.

If you don’t own The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill I URGE you to cop it. It is one of my top five favourite albums of all time. Of all time, Kanye!

What is your favourite album?

And now, for two of my faves from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill…