Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Designed by Leslie Bonzella Inspired by The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Designed by Leslie Bonzella Inspired by The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
3
5
Intro
Lost Ones
Ex Factor
To Zion
Superstar
Final Hour
Everything is Everything
Lauryn Hill’s journey to transcendence is told in three parts through her first and only full studio
album. Part I is based in anger and fear of the unknown. “Doo-Wop (That Thing)” marks a transition
into understanding the dangers of love. Part II is the story of painful growth as not only an artist,
but as a lover as well. She understands her place in the music industry and warns her counterparts
of the downfalls of stardom. She also learns to forgive those who have caused her pain in the past.
She reconciles her relationship with God and undergoes a metamporphosis, allowing herself to move
forward. Part III solidifies Lauryn’s relationship with God. She has also revealed that she has found
an all encompassing love, in which her self worth is an integral part. She has a new world view and
is no longer blinded by the toxic forces that exist in the world.
This book is my visual interpretation of each track on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. I encourage
you to take a listen to the album for yourself. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Leslie Bonzella
9
The first lines on her first solo album after the dissolution change going from one place to another because of my son.
of The Fugees, Ms. Hill addresses straight away the elephant in When he was born, I almost felt like I was born again.” Ms. Hill’s
the room with the now iconic lines, “It’s funny how money can first pregnancy was not without controversy, sending Ms. Hill into
change a situation, miscommunication lead to complication”. an emotional, spiritual crisis of sorts. Ms. Hill became pregnant
Here, Ms. Hill lays out the thesis she’ll work to develop throughout at age twenty-one. The same year, The Fugees released The Score
the track. How success and its manifestations disrupted the Fugees and were quickly becoming an international sensation. Many
and more specifically, her romantic and creative relationship saw the pregnancy as a conflict of interest, including some in her
with Wyclef Jean. Technically, the lyrical couplet contains a few inner circle and at the record label. Lauryn Hill was a superstar
clever rhyme schemes. Aside from the standard rhyme with the in the making and having a child was viewed as a hindrance in
last word of each line, in this case situation and complication, her development as an artist. Ms. Hill was pressured by some to
Ms. Hill also rhymes funny and money in line one, following the have an abortion, but she chose instead to keep the child, which
word money with change, a type of money as in pocket change. she viewed as a direct blessing from God. It was a decision that
Situation is followed by the rhyme miscommunication, and provided clarity.
Ms. Hill fuses those two words together to get the word
complication, which ends the couplet. In Doo-Wop (That Thing) Ms. Hill warns women to watch out for
guys only concerned with “that thing”, which is a euphemism for
Saying her emancipation or freedom doesn’t fit his equation refers sex. This introduces the cautionary tone to the song’s message, and
to her being freed from their unequal romantic relationship, but the dynamics between one track minded men and the women that
by saying equation, it also ties back in the money reference in they court. As we’ll see in both of the songs verses, Ms. Hill places
the verses opening line that her leaving him creatively would blame on both the men and the women for the creation of these
negatively affect his finances. dynamics, specifically within the young black urban community.
In verse one, she speaks to the women directly. Ms. Hill begins
Hill cleverly plays on Wyclef’s adultery with metaphor, comparing by presenting a micro-narrative about a one night stand, directly
sexual exploits to scrimmage or meaningless games of sport line addressing the woman. In this scenario, she says, “it’s been three
comes when she says that, because of those meaningless wins, he weeks since you were looking for your friend, the one it hit it and
lost the real game. He lost her. never called you again.” The implication here is that the woman
was hoping for something more to come from this romantic
On Ex Factor, Ms. Hill removes her armor sentimentally, relationship, but instead she was ghosted, never hearing from the
expressing her grief with admirable honesty and vulnerability. man again.
It displays not only Ms. Hill’s emotional complexity, but the
universal complexity of love and love lost. After a breakup, A second iteration of the song’s hook is no longer a euphemism
one moment you’re spiteful, the next you’re mourning, the next for sex. Rather, that thing is now money and materialism.
you’re really jealous or angry. “You always seem to let me know, This helps us look verse two which addresses the men directly.
It ain’t working, it ain’t working” displays the retrogressive nature Ms. Hill makes very clear who she’s addressing with the opening
of their relationship. Everything seems to be going well, only lines. “The second verse is dedicated to the men more concerned
when progress is perceived to be made, they regress again to a with his rims and his Timbs than his women.” She draws attention
tumultuous state similar to the expression, “one step forward, to these men prioritizing materialism, while neglecting the women
two steps back”. The hook continues and “when I try to walk that they’re with. And just like certain women prioritizing their bodies
away, you hurt yourself to make me stay, this is crazy”. While to meet expectations culture has set for them, men flaunting wealth
suicide or self harm is, of course, an issue that should always is also attempt to fulfill some invisible expectation society has
be taken seriously in some cases threatening your partner with pressed upon them.
self harm. If they leave is a desperate to they can be used to
manipulate and maintain control over that person, a definitive Part I of Miseducation is the collection of Lauryn’s lessons learned
11
record that a relationship has reached an unhealthy state. It’s a through her experiences. Although she has not found complete
person who wants out in an impossible quandary. They don’t know peace in these experiences, she is working up to a point of
if their partner is serious about self harm or, if they’re just being becoming teacher, rather than student.
manipulative, making it very difficult to leave.
Ms. Lauryn Hill’s timeless ballad, “To Zion” tells a powerful story
about the birth of her first child. “I wanted it to be a revolutionary
song about a spiritual movement, and also about my spiritual
☞ It’s funny how money change a situation
Miscommunication lead to complication
My emancipation don’t fit your equation
I was on the humble, you on every station
Some wan’ play young Lauryn like she dumb
But remember not a game new under the sun
Everything you did has already been done
I know all the tricks from Bricks to Kingston
My ting done made your kingdom wan’ run
Now understand, L-Boogie, non-violent
But if a thing test me, run for my gun
Can’t take a threat to my new born son
L been this way since creation
A groupie call, you fall from temptation
Now you wanna bawl over separation
Tarnish my image in the conversation
Who you gon’ scrimmage, like you the champion?
You might win some but you just lost one
eee
I– And no one ever will
I ex
eelf
?
has beee n ju st one
pain ful else
thing I ca n ’t no
as
be
this with
as
know
what We’ve got to do o o o
I
S ee Ooo
oo
and
19
21
☞ Unsure of what the balance held
To c o m e t h r o u g h u n t o l i f e t o b e
Is in Zion
Marching, marching, marching, marching to Zion, marching, beautiful, beautiful, Zion, Marching, marching, marching, marching to Zion
bal
my
of what ance
belly sen
the held I cho
ure what had
un s to
o v er w h elme d
by been perform
I touch
reer
look your ryn
they
at ca said
baby
Z I O N
m y w o r l d
JOY
is
the 25
of
now in
27
☞ It’s been three weeks since you were looking for your friend
The one you let hit it and never called you again
‘Member when he told you he was ‘bout the Benjamins?
You act like you ain’t hear him then give him a little trim
To begin, how you think you’re really gon’ pretend
Like you wasn’t down and you called him again?
Plus, when you give it up so easy you ain’t even foolin’ him
If you did it then, then you’d probably fuck again
How you gonna win when you ain’t right within? Performed by Ms. Lauryn Hill
Come again, come again Girls, you know you’d better watch out Written by Ms. Lauryn Hill
Produced by Ms. Lauryn Hill
Come again, come again Some guys, some guys are only about
That thing, that thing, that thing
That thing, that thing, that thing
Guys, you know you’d better watch out
‘Cause girls, some girls are only about
That thing, that thing, that thing
That thing, that thing, that thing
31
“Doo Wop (that thing)” was the first of a trio of songs on labo. Et velis con pa solorporem nonsed ut alit quam accus ipsum
Miseducation that quickly addressed what Ms. Hill views aut millatur rerferi busciis des vent verehent volupta voloribus
as flawed or superficial in the contemporary culture of her era, utem eium corpore pudiae. Lamus, untem dipsa consequam,
specifically within the hip-hop community. Many observations odignis et dolorepudi di optatio ma volor rem restorehent venis
and opinions about the subject formulated while Hill was pregnant autatis invendeseque voluptae la aligent, se aut restem hariti quid
with her first child. She told the Rolling Stone, “Once I had my ut qui iliquatur? Arum rerspicatem quaesedi tectur aut aspedit
child, I was forced to sit still. Had I not sat still, maybe I would Fuga. Pa de nam re intin natque provitibus, que volorum volupid
have been caught up in the whirlwind too. Because I was on the ustibus eum conserum repel intiur repernatem aborend itiores
outside, I could see just how materialistic the industry was. It utemod ex et aut utemporum essenda ne quibus vendigenem
frustrated me that it had nothing to do with talent and musical asped molessit apiet im sim et laborit, et qui tenihil et, que dunte
merit. MCs didn’t have to write the rhymes, singers didn’t really explaboreic te dolentio corum remquo voluptam niendis eic
have to be able to sing. I just felt like the world of music was upside torporest millatqui culluptas dolorehenis voluptusam ra voluptas
down.” This disheartened sentiment about the music industry is volent assimil molorrumqui comnis voles ex endant et ducient
expressed potently on Miseducation’s next two tracks, the first of earum, te volupit el incte labo. Venis erumquas reriore caeptatio.
which is The Doors-inspired lament “Superstar”. With the song’s Corepuditio. Nequam rest, aut que et, cone porro blaborio qui
introduction, Miss Hill makes it very clear just what Superstar’s dolum sam velestrum aut aut acia volecatia sit preiunt, offictae.
about: the growing lack of authenticity in hip-hop. She’d rather live Da am, omnis dustiorate iur aut ex et latur?
in such a way that ensure she excels in the afterlife. Moleseque laborempelis escias dolut la ende rem ulparitiur sum
nobitate maximol ecatae poribere veribus dolorio con rem eum as
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reperrum re quat. Dusam dis aut ipitiumet vendis ut veniet is volore restium hit, tet et qui tor repudit expelias est, tenimus aut
essitin con reprem eumque ium velentusam nonem volum re quaecerit repuda inctiumquodi cus explab in nis rae erumquiam,
perspie nditatur alit adiorepre nam, ommolut hilitio nsercie occus sit asperiatium que cullatque cum in cus etus que et faccab
ndamus magnate voluptatus, volorem intur seque quiberor maionet ipsa nonsequi omnihil inte res mo volupta tecate peris sum ut ider-
haruptusam fugitia vellori tioribusam latia vellamusti dipsantus, feriorro ommod ulpa assedi que simpore volenistis mi, ad ut offici-
officabore niae. Pudicab ipis et quam derum sima que solorem am ne int duciam, unt que volles eate cus ea voluptur, utem aliquae
ipsam sum quas vendit, imi, in re viduntu menime etur? Im utem. non nosam que praes verion rempore ceaquas aborpor iatur?
Epro occumquo berro te plab iumenest, que vendipsum arum es Facerch illesti onecatibus si re pos re molum fuga. Nam que nonse
ratibeatem fuga. Liqui omnim autem quunt. et alicium vellignis a venducia sunt ium facest, sitatiore, quam, tor
aut molupta dolupti atibea aut haris dolupta voloreh endam, sin-
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quis ressi accumet odistist, volest mi, tem auditis plamus reptam ictiorerchil estiissinus.
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autem dolorro entotaturi te non et arit, adistem. Ga. Nem. Itatus
as molupis am re pro te est omnis escientius errovit as delignatur, 33
omnihil laccus si totatus, omnis arum facepta tiostio etus molor at.
Alit, santempos molorio corporemos molorer umquam labore et
quia nos qui nis aligeni stibus, qui atur? Ibustium iducima quas et
☞ Yo hip-hop, started out in the heart
Uh-huh, yo
Now everybody tryin to chart
Say what? Hip-Hop, started out in the heart
Yo, now everybody tryin to chart
C’mon now baby c’mon now baby c’mon now baby c’mon, Come on baby light my fire Now t ell me y our p h ilosop h y
Everything you drop is so tired
Music is supposed to inspire
C’mon now baby c’mon now baby c’mon now baby c’mon How come we ain’t gettin no higher? On exact ly wh at an art ist sh ould be
Come on baby light my fire And d oes any t h ing t h ey feel j ust because
Everything you drop is so tired
Music is supposed to inspire
How come we ain’t gettin no higher? Th ere’s alway s someone t h ere wh o’ll ap p laud ?
B ut wh en y ou d o, wh o y ou gonna call?
I know it h asn’t h it y ou y et !
35
I cross sands in distant lands, made plans with the sheiks
Performed by Ms. Lauryn Hill Why you beef with freaks as my album sales peak? Uhh
All I wanted was to sell like five hundred
Written by Ms. Lauryn Hill, Johari Newton, And be a ghetto superstar since my first album,
Blunted
& James Poyser Come on baby light my fire I used to work at Foot Locker, they fired me: I fronted
Everything you drop is so tired Or I quitted, now I spit it -- however do you want it!
Produced by Ms. Lauryn Hill Now you get it, writing rhymes, in the Range, with
Music is supposed to inspire the frames
How come we ain’t gettin no higher? Lightly tinted, then send it to your block to have my
full name
Come on baby light my fire Cemented (Lauryn Hill!) And if your lines sound like mine
Everything you drop is so tired I’m taking a percentage (ka-ching!)
Unprecedented, and still respected
Music is supposed to inspire When it’s finished, I’m serious, I’m takin over areas
How come we ain’t gettin no higher? in Aquarius
Come on baby light my fire Runnin red lights with my ten thousand chariots
Just as Christ was a Superstar, you’re stupid, star!
Everything you drop is so tired They hail you then nail you, no matter who you are
Music is supposed to inspire They’ll make you now then take you down, and make
you face it
How come we ain’t gettin no higher? If you slit the bag open, put your pinky in it and taste it
what
tell your actly
philo so phy an
artist should
me
ex- b e
Now on
no
prosperity? r ealit y ?
they one
Should of
be some- with concept
and
know
who flaw s?
you
without theabove spiritual
any Who
laws?
now lives 37
39
☞ Yo, I treat this like my thesis
Well-written topic, broken down into pieces
I introduce then produce, words so profuse
It’s abuse how I juice up this beat, like I’m deuce
Two people both equal like I’m Gemini, rather Simeon
If I Jimmy on this lock I could pop it, you can’t stop it
Drop it, your whole crew’s microscopic
Like particles while I make international articles, and on the cover
Don’t discuss the baby mother
Business, I been in this third LP you can’t tell me, I witness
First handed I’m candid
You can’t stand it, respect demanded
And get flown around the planet
Rock Hard like granite or steel
People feel Lauryn Hill from New-Ark to Israel
And this is real, so I keep makin’ the street’s ballads You can get the money
While you lookin’ for dressin’ to go with your tossed salad
You can get the power
But keep your eyes on the Final Hour
You can get the money
Yo u c a n g e t t he p o w e r
But keep your eyes on the Final Hour
I’m a bout to cha n g e the fo c u s f r o m th e r i c h es t to th e b r o k es t
I w rote this opus, to r e ve r s e th e h y pn o s i s
W hoe ve r ’s close st to the li n e’ s g o n n a w i n i t
Yo u g on n a fa ll tr yin g to ball w h i le my team w i n th e pen n an t
I’m a bout to be g in it, for a mi n u te, th en r u n f o r s en ate
Make a slum lor d be the ten an t g i v e h i s mo n ey to k i d s to s pen d i t
And the n a me n d it, e ve r y law th at ev er pr ev en ted Yo u c an g et the m o n e y
Yo u c an g et the p o w e r
B u t k eep y o u r e ye s o n t he Fi n a l H o u r
Yo u c an g et the m o n e y
Our sur viva l sin ce our a r r i v al d o c u men ted i n T h e B i b le Yo u c an g et the p o w e r
B u t k eep y o u r e ye s o n t he Fi n a l H o u r
Yo u c an g et the m o n e y
Like Mose s a n d A a r on Yo u c an g et the p o w e r
B u t k eep y o u r e ye s o n t he Fi n a l H o u r
Yo u c an g et the m o n e y
Th in g s g on ’ cha n g e , it’s a p par en t Yo u c an g et the p o w e r
B u t k eep y o u r e ye s o n t he Fi n a l H o u r
And a ll the tr a n spa r e n t g on n a b e s een th r o u g h
Let G od r e de e m you, ke e p y o u r d een tr u e
Yo u ca n g e t the g r e e n too
Watch out wha t you clin g to , o b s er v e h o w a qu een d o
And I r e ma in ca lm r e a din g th e 73r d Ps alm
Cause with a ll tha t’s g oin g o n I g o t th e w o r ld i n my palm
You can get the money
You can get the power
But keep your eyes on the Final Hour
You can get the money
41
Now I be breaking bread sipping Manischewitz wine Yo u c a n g e t t he p o w e r
Pay no mind party like it’s 1999 Performed by Ms. Lauryn Hill
But when it comes down to ground beef like Palestine But keep your eyes on the Final Hour
Say your rhymes, let’s see if that get you out your bind Written by Ms. Lauryn Hill
Now I’m a get the mozzarella like a Rockafeller
Still be in the church of Lalibela, singing hymns a cappella Produced by Ms. Lauryn Hill
Whether posed in Mirabella in Couture
Or collecting residuals from off The Score
I’m making sure I’m with the 144
I’ve been here before this ain’t a battle, this is war
Word to Boonie, I make salat like a Sunni
Get diplomatic immunity in every ghetto community
Had opportunity went from Hoodshock to Hood-chic
But it ain’t what you cop, it’s about what you keep
And even if there are leaks, you can’t capsize this ship
Cause I baptize my lips every time I take a sip
43
☞ When it hurts so bad
When it hurts so bad
Why’s it feel so good?
Now I don’t
I used to love him but now I don’t
Now I don’t
I used to love him but now I don’t
Now I don’t
51
type I’ve
I’ve of
I life
look at d liv
o ed
ne that
As The
what
things for
will
er give
y I th
an Fa
m pray the
How
h
i now
I m I
I – used love
and lov
e
him don’t
to
53
“She is no longer concerned with the physical world now that she’s il escim velignis dolores in et as doluptatquia quis eos sin reptasi
found a transcendent, spiritual love.” Regarding the collaboration mincipsunt fugita sam et liqui ut verum doluptis earibusti ipsamus
with Ms. Hill, D’Angelo stated, “working with Ms. Hill was very dolupta tiuribusam fugitas volorese denis praturem is doluptam
cool. When Lauryn and I went into the studio together, I laid down fugiatures sum essimporat min consecu lluptur?
my vocals in the course of an hour.” The idea to collaborate with a Ut atemqui dolupta temolup tatibusa dem volorrume niendanti dias
male singer was inspired by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway. excepud isquam que de eruntet eum quas dersper natusdam, int.
Nothing Even Matters was modeled after the Flack and Hathaway Sedisquas necum ium et officid empelit liam, im aut et molorro cus
duet, “The Closer I Get to You”. aut lit, cor aut qui offici corem ratquunt ut quis quias voloriorae
sed quas ut laboriberis ea pe sum laudae nullab inimusdae
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Matters. Ms. Hill exhibits a tranquil contentment as she sings. exerferum a consed maios re labore velis audigni hillab ipsusant
This newfound serenity and acceptance is epitomized in the ratium, net pore volenim comnihi llessum et reptiuntiant exerum
refrain, “nothing even matters”. Though this is often a phrase used restios sincte rest essunt aspera volores assus.
nihilistically, here it’s used to describe a zen-like emptiness of Itatiorpos natibus estor adit, culpa id estis excestia vende magnam
mind achieved through love. volorepe vellitatiam etur aut re int adici issinct emoluptatur adit
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everia imus.
If you looking for the answers then you gotta ask the questions
It took me a little while to discover
Wolves in sheep coats who pretend to be lovers And when I let go, my voice echoes through the ghetto
Men who lack conscience will even lie to themselves,
to themselves Sick of men trying to pull strings like Geppetto
A friend once said, and I found to be true Why black people always be the ones to settle?
That everyday people, they lie to God too
So what makes you think, that they won’t lie to you? March through these streets like Soweto, uhh 57
backstabbers do this
59
‘Ca use n othin g ev en matter s at all
☞ Now the skies could fall Now you won’t find me at no store
The world it seems so very small With you it’s never either-or
These buildings could drift out to sea Now my team could score
To me
Nothin g e ve n matter s at all
To me
To me
To me
could The small
should c a l y
skies fall not
ev- l world, ver
the en it
if m
y boss
seems so
Now
thin even
no- g even nothingev
en nothing matters all- thing
no-
matters at
mat m at te rs hing
ters see even at ll t all
cause matters see no- even
Everything is everything
Our philosophy
Possibly speak tongues
Beat drum, Abyssinian, street Baptist
Rap this in fine linen, from the beginning
My practice extending across the atlas
I begat this
Flipping in the ghetto on a dirty mattress
You can’t match this rapper slash actress
More powerful than two Cleopatras
Bomb graffiti on the tomb of Nefertiti
MCs ain’t ready to take it to the Serengeti
My rhymes is heavy like the mind of sister Betty
L-Boogie spars with stars and constellations
Then came down for a little conversation
Adjacent to the king, fear no human being
Roll with cherubims to Nassau Coliseum
Now hear this mixture, where Hip Hop meets scripture
Develop a negative into a positive picture
Everything is everything
Everything is everything
Everything is everything
After winter, must come spring
Everything is everything
Sometimes it seems
We’ll touch that dream
But things come slow or not at all
And the ones on top, won’t make it stop Everything is everything
(won’t make it stop) 67
Everything is everything
So convinced that they might fall Performed by Ms. Lauryn Hill
Let’s love ourselves and we can’t fail Everything is everything Written by Johari Newton & Ms. Lauryn Hill
To make a better situation (better situation) Produced by Ms. Lauryn Hill
After winter, must come spring
Tomorrow, our seeds will grow
Everything is everything
All we need is dedication
Let me tell ya that Everything is everything
Everything is everything
Everything is everything
After winter, must come spring
Everything is everything
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☞ My world it moves so fast today
The past it seems so far away
And life squeezes so tight that I can’t breathe
And every time I try to be, what someone else has
thought of me
So caught up, I wasn’t able to achieve
I look at my environment
And wonder where the fire went
What happened to everything we used to be
I hear so many cry for help
Searching outside of themselves
Now I know that his strength is within me
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And deep in my heart, the answer it was in me
Performed by Ms. Lauryn Hill
Written by Tejumold Newton & Ms. Lauryn Hill
And I made up my mind to define my own destiny
Produced by Ms. Lauryn Hill
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Lauryn Hill’s work continues to inspire rappers and can still be heard sampled in Hip Hop today.
In 2018, Hill was sampled on Cardi B’s “Be Careful”, Drake’s “Nice for what”, and A$AP Rocky’s
“Purity”. Kanye West has mentioned Lauryn Hill in a couple of his songs. In Kanye West’s song
“Champion”, released in 2007, he says “Lauryn Hill said her heart was in Zion, I wish her heart still
was in rhymin”. Zion is Hill’s first born, who she sings about in “To Zion”. Kanye also talks about Hill
in his song released in 2016, “No More parties in LA”. He states “I was uninspired since Lauryn Hill
retired”. This is referring to Hill not releasing any new music since 2013.
Other samples of Lauryn Hill’s work come from artists such as J Cole, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, and
Kanye West. J Cole samples Hill’s “Nothing Even Matters” and “To Zion” in his song “Cole Summer”.
A Boogie samples a few Hill songs including “Ex-Factor” in his song of the same name as well as in a
remix of Drake’s “Nice for What”. Kanye famously samples Hill in “All Falls Down” where he samples
“Mystery of Iniquity”.
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Resources:
Dissect Podcast: A serialized analysis of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
genius.com