The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is the debut solo album by American recording artist Lauryn Hill, released on August 25, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from late 1997 to June 1998, and were held primarily at Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica. The album's lyrics deal with Hill's pregnancy at the time, the turmoil in her former group the Fugees, themes of love, and God. A neo soul album, its music incorporates R&B, hip hop, soul, and reggae. The album's title was inspired by the film and autobiographical novel The Education of Sonny Carson, and Carter G. Woodson's The Mis-Education of the Negro.
Upon its release, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill received rave reviews from music critics and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 422,624 copies in its first week and eventually being certified eight-times-platinum in the U.S. The album produced three hit singles—"Doo Wop (That Thing)", "Ex-Factor", and "Everything Is Everything"—and was promoted with an international supporting tour by Hill in 1999. At the 41st Grammy Awards, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill earned her five Grammy Awards, including the award for Album of the Year.
The album's success propelled Hill to superstardom and helped bring hip hop and neo soul to the forefront of popular music. The Miseducation has been ranked in numerous best-album lists by critics.