The Fugees’ “The Score” went 6x platinum by the end of 1997 and took home Grammys for Best Rap Album and Best RandB Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for “Killing Me Softly.” Through these releases, Hill and Nas introduced hip hop to new audiences and broadened the culture’s appeal on commercial and artistic levels.įollowing the success of “The Score,” Hill began working on her first solo album “The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill,” which would eventually establish Hill’s aesthetic as equal parts songstress and MC. For Nas, “If I Ruled the World” powered “It Was Written” to 2x platinum and garnered a Grammy nomination in 1997. Nas’ “If I Ruled The World” (Imagine That)” was released the same week as The Fugees’ second single “Killing Me Softly.” Both songs crossed over into the pop realm, garnering the elusive mix of mainstream praise and critical acclaim. The conventional thinking was that it would also become a breakout hit like “Fu Gee La.” And the theory proved valid. Meanwhile, label exec Steve Stoute and production duo Trackmasters set up a lead single for Nas’ forthcoming sophomore album “It Was Written” that sampled the 1985 Kurtis Blow hit “If I Ruled The World” and featured Hill on the hook. Shortly after their debut dropped, the Fugees returned to the lab to craft what would become their hugely successful sophomore album “The Score.” Powered by the breakout hit “Fu Gee La,” which featured Hill paying homage to Teena Marie’s “Ooh La La La” on the song’s hook, “The Score” flew off store shelves and the album’s sound buzzed from street corners to college campuses. What happened next indelibly impacted both artists’ careers. Two months later, Nas released the landmark “Illmatic,” which was widely considered a masterpiece and produced several classic singles but lacked commercial appeal and failed to go gold.
The Fugees’ debut, “Blunted On Reality,” was released in February of 1994, and though it showed flashes of brilliance on tracks like “Nappy Heads” and “Vocab,” it ultimately proved an uneven effort. As two hip hop legends and worldwide superstars prepare to share the stage this weekend on their Life Is Good/Black Rage tour, the Banner takes a look back at their parallel paths to success.īefore they were superstars, Nas and Lauryn Hill were labelmates on Columbia Records: Hill was a member of The Fugees - a trio comprised of her, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel - while Nas was a solo act. In fact, Nas owes some of his present fame to a Lauryn Hill guest appearance back in 1996. Rap icons Nas and Lauryn Hill will co-headline a sold-out show at House of Blues this Sunday, but it’s hardly the first time their paths have crossed. Rap icons reconnect for co-headlining tour
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