Lauryn Hill’s Rock ‘N Roll Nomination Proves She Is Still Untouchable

Lauryn Hill being nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame feels less like a surprise and more like overdue respect. When The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill dropped in 1998, it didn’t just debut — it shifted culture. The album earned 10 Grammy nominations and won five in one historic night: Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (“Doo Wop (That Thing)”), and Best R&B Song (“Doo Wop (That Thing)”). At the time, she became the first woman to win five Grammys in one night and the first hip-hop artist to take home Album of the Year. The project also went multi-platinum, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and blended hip-hop, soul, reggae, and R&B in a way that still hasn’t been duplicated — only imitated.

Hip Hop History: The Fugees Changed the Game with The Score

And here’s the truth: almost three decades later, that album still feels brand new. Miseducation is fine wine. The heartbreak I heard as a kid hits differently as an adult. The vulnerability. The accountability. The spiritual undertones. The warnings about love and ego. The celebration of Black womanhood. Every stage of life reveals a new lyric I didn’t fully understand before. Lauryn Hill didn’t just make songs — she made lessons. She’s the blueprint for artists who want to balance lyricism with melody, vulnerability with strength, and commercial success with cultural integrity. Without Lauryn, there is no blueprint for so many of today’s hip-hop and R&B artists.

Kehlani Brings R&B to Life in the Classroom — And Why It Matters

As for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame process, nominees are voted on by an international panel of artists, historians, and music industry professionals, with fans also able to cast ballots. Inductees are officially announced later in the year, and the induction ceremony typically takes place in the fall in Cleveland. If Lauryn Hill’s name is called — and I believe it should be — it won’t just honor one album. It will honor a body of influence that changed music forever. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill isn’t just my favorite album of all time — it’s one of the greatest albums of all time, period. Bennett Knows.