Raised on a healthy dose of Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye in East Orange, New Jersey, Lauryn Hill's musical family made sure to incorporate singing into their daughter's busy schedule. Lauryn spent her free time at talent shows and performing. She acted in soap operas and scored a coveted role in 1993's Sister Act 2.

At the same time, Lauryn was busy trading rhymes with Pras and Wyclef as the Fugees. Their blend of Caribbean soul, hip-hop, and reggae ruled '90s hip-hop with multi-Platinum records and Grammy Awards. In 1997, Lauryn was pregnant and began to write a project all her own; traveling to Kingston, Jamaica to record the album at Bob Marley's studio.

The album would touch on topics of love, relationships, heartbreak, and life lessons. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill went straight to the top of the charts, breaking the record for highest first week sales by a female artist.

It went on to sell over 19 million copies worldwide, and Lauryn received 10 Grammy nominations, walking away with five wins, including Album of the Year, marking the very first time a hip-hop album had ever won the award. She may have only released one solo album, but The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is so rare and essential that she only needed one.