The Fugees consisted of Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras. They released their first album, called Blunted on Reality, back in 1994. Despite the album not being successful, the head of their label decided to give the group another chance. Chris Schwartz was that guy, and he gave them a $135,000 advance and granted them complete artistic control. The Fugees began working on the album between June and November of 1995. The album would be released on the 13th of February in 1996, and the same day as 2Pac’s All Eyez on Me. Fu-Gee-La was their first single from the album that was released at the end of 1995. The song peaked at number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, the Fugees’ highest position on the chart. The video for Fu-Gee-La took place in Jamaica, and the single went on to go platinum.
Killing Me Softly was the second single off The Score, and it featured Lauryn Hill showing her vocals. The song has been certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In the United Kingdom, it broke the record at the time for the most radio plays in a single week. Killing Me Softly remains one of the best-selling singles of all time in Germany. Killing Me Softly was hailed as one of the most essential hip-hop songs in history by XXL. In autumn 2008, VH1 placed it at No. 25 on their list of the “100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs“. In 2021, Rolling Stone included it in their revised list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The track made all hip-hop heads want a solo joint from Lauryn Hill. Two and a half years later, she released her classic album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
In September of 1996, the Fugees would release their third single called Ready or Not. Ready or Not earned them another platinum single. Ready or Not” reached the top ten in fifteen countries. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included “Ready or Not” on their list of ‘Songs that Shaped Rock’. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked it as one of the 100 best East Coast hip-hop songs of all time. Ready or Not is another classic record off the Score album. The fourth and final single from the Score was No Woman, No Cry which is a Bob Marley remake. No Woman, No Cry didn’t chart because they didn’t release a physical copy of the single. The track was another dope record from The Score album. The Score was a commercial success, peaking atop the U.S. Billboard 200.
It also topped the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart for eight weeks, becoming the longest-running number one for a hip-hop group. The Score went on to become the third best-selling album of 1996 in the United States. It received a nomination for Album of the Year at the 39th Grammy Awards. They won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, along with Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for “Killing Me Softly”. The Score was included on the list of 200 Definitive Albums in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The album was ranked number 134 on Rolling Stone’s revised list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Those are just two of many publications to add The Score to their All-Time list. The Score sold over 22 million records worldwide, and one of the many highlights in 1996.
Check out my top 5 tracks from The Score album below. After that, you can check out the track listing and stream link for the album.
Top 5 Tracks: Killing Me Softly, Ready or Not, Fu-Gee-La, How Many Mics, and No Woman, No Cry
The Score Track Listing
- Red Intro
- How Many Mics
- Ready or Not
- Zealots
- The Beast
- Fu-Gee-La
- Family Business ft. John Forte & Omega
- Killing Me Softly
- The Score ft. Diamond D
- The Mask
- Cowboys ft. the Outsidaz
- No Woman, No Cry
- Manifest/Outro
