The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is the debut solo studio album by the American rapper and singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill. It was released on August 19, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. Recorded after Hill's band Fugees went on hiatus, the album is almost entirely written and produced by Hill. It is a concept album about educating oneself on love, with lyrical themes encompassing relationship complexities, interpersonal conflicts, motherhood, and faith. Predominantly a neo soul and R&B record, Miseducation also incorporates hip-hop, reggae, and soul, and features guest appearances from Carlos Santana, Mary J. Blige, and D'Angelo.

After touring with the Fugees, Hill became romantically involved with Jamaican entrepreneur Rohan Marley and became pregnant with their first child. The pregnancy, as well as other circumstances in her life, inspired Hill to create a solo album. Recording sessions for Miseducation took place from September 1997 to June 1998, initially in New York and New Jersey, before relocating to the Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston. There, Hill collaborated with a group of musicians known as New Ark to write and produce the songs. "Commissioner" Gordon Williams supervised the project, and Che Pope and James Poyser contributed to a majority of the tracks. Hill strived to differentiate her musical style from that of the Fugees, and wrote songs discussing the turmoil within the group. To avoid mainstream trends and an overproduced sound, live instrumentation was incorporated into the recordings.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was met with universal critical acclaim, with most praise directed towards Hill's presentation of a woman's view on life and love, and her artistic range. A substantial commercial success, the album debuted atop the US Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 422,000 copies, the most for a woman at the time. At the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, it won Album of the Year and Best R&B Album, and Hill broke records for most nominations and wins at a single ceremony for a woman. Miseducation produced three singles—"Doo Wop (That Thing)", which peaked atop the US Billboard Hot 100 and broke numerous chart records; "Ex-Factor", and "Everything Is Everything". Hill promoted the record with multiple televised performances and The Miseducation Tour. New Ark, however, felt their contributions were not properly credited and filed a lawsuit, which was settled out of court in 2001.

Miseducation's success propelled Hill to global prominence, and contributed to bringing hip-hop and neo soul to the forefront of popular music. Critics have continued to exalt the album as one of the best of its era and of all time, and several artists have acknowledged its influence on their music. Miseducation has been inducted into several cultural institutions such as the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, and the Grammy Hall of Fame. The album is among the best-selling of all time, with sales of 20 million copies worldwide. In the US, it is certified diamond for combined sales and album-equivalent units of 10 million. In 2018 and 2023, Hill embarked on anniversary tours to celebrate the album. The Miseducation remains Hill's only studio album.