No One is Going to Kill Me Softly

The Fugees

The Score

1996, Ruffhouse

produced by Jerry Duplessis

Wyclef Jean

Lauryn Hill

Pras Michel

John Forte

singles-

• Fu Gee La
• Killing Me Softly
• Ready or Not
• No Woman No Cry

I don't own much rap stuff, most of the hip hop I own came out between 1986 and 1999. Apparently, to pop culture, this is the music of the ancients. This particular ancient album could be the best hip hop album of all time.  

Up until I heard this, I was not a fan of anything rap. Basically, my only exposure up until this album had been early Snoop, the I Like Big Butts song and popcorn rappers like Vanilla Ice and Kris Kross. None of which was appealing, and even the Run DMC/Aerosmith collaboration was pretty silly.  

I gave this album a chance though and it opened a huge door into a genre of music that I had previously dismissed. This is not just beats and rhymes and sexual lyrics and bravado. Wyclef Jean shows his brilliance, and Lauryn Hill has an amazing voice, and proves how clever and talented she is, despite being a woman in a male dominated genre (at the time). There is melody, intelligent banter, well constructed music, and definite homages to other older and well respected genres including reggae, the blues, and rock. I ate this up.