Lauryn Hill wrote “Everything Is Everything” with Johari Newton as a response to youth struggles in urban areas of the United States. Hill’s encouraging words towards young people facing certain injustices over hip-hop beats fashioned from foundational funk rhythms crystallized a modern protest song hidden from the average listener. John Legend made his commercial debut playing piano on the song which was released as the third and last single from The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill. The singer/rapper/actress walked the streets of New York City in the video that received three MTV Music Video Award nominations and a Best Short Form Music Video nomination at the Grammys. The clip was also acknowledged with a Soul Train Lady Of Soul Award nomination. American Songwriter lists “Everything Is Everything” as one of the 10 greatest Lauryn Hill songs. In 2024, TMOLH is still a cultural juggernaut inspiring countless artists, editorials, and conversations among critics. Apple Music positioned the album at number one on its 100 Best Albums list. Hill is the last Black woman to have won the Album Of The Year Grammy making her the third after Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston. Hill’s son YG Marley, recently told TMZ that his mother is working on new music. 

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Is Lauryn Hill really getting ready to release new music soon? 

Wyclef Jean’s version of “Guantanmera” featuring Queen of Salsa Celia Cruz, Lauryn Hill and Jeni Fujita appears on his first solo album, Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival. Cruz had recorded the song about Cuban patriotism several times before working with Jean on his version. He changed the lyrics to a tale about a beautiful woman, and Hill rapped about her power over men. Culturally, “Guantanamera” had Cuban, Haitian, and African-American references, making Jean’s tribute unlike any other. The video was played heavily on MTV, and the single received a Grammy nomination. The Carnival was critically acclaimed and it performed by music industry metrics. But most importantly, the album connected with people worldwide and Jean created a legendary collaboration with Cruz. Jean’s solo debut does not sound like any other rap album and “Guanatanamera” is still a favorite from his catalog because of its warmth and originality. Jean released Wyclef Goes Back To School Volume 1 in 2019, and it is his is 9th solo album. The Fugees reunited at The Roots’ 2023 picnic for the first time since their 2021 Global Citizen Festival performance. 

The Fugees were in their moment when a song written for Spike Lee’s Clockers was transformed into “Fu-Gee-La.” The lead single from their sophomore album The Score was the first sign that things had changed for them because Blunted On Reality didn’t show attract the same notice. Producer Salaam Remi cleverly blended their reverence for reggae and the influence of their home base in New Jersey to craft the sound. Samples of  Teena Marie’s “Ooo La La La” and Ramsey Lewis’s “If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don’t Want To Be Right)” and the Poor Righteous Teachers’ “Shakiyla (JRH)” was recycled into the profile of their seminal breakthrough song. The video was inspired by Jimmy Cliff’s movie The Harder They Come and was also shot in Jamaica. “Fu-Gee-La” was The Fugees’ announcing themselves and being noticed by the world. It was the beginning of the album’s greatness which would grow in recognition with “Killing Me Softly” and “Ready Or Not.” The Score would define greatness for the era and won Best Rap Album at The Grammys. The Fugees’ second album was their last as the members went solo but The Score’s pulse continues to be felt in pop music through artists like Kanye West and Doja Cat. In 2021, The Fugees announced a reunion tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Score but the dates were postponed to 2022.