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Fugees Album: “Score”
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Release Date:1996-02-01
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Type:Unknown
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Genre:East Coast Rap
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Label:Sony Mid-Price
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Explicit Lyrics:No
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UPC:5099748354921
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Review - :
A breath of fresh air in the gangsta-dominated mid-'90s, {$the Fugees}' breakthrough album, {^The Score}, marked the beginning of a resurgence in {\alternative hip-hop}. Its left-field, multi-platinum success proved there was a substantial untapped audience with an appreciation for {\rap} music but little interest in thug life. {^The Score}'s eclecticism, social consciousness, and {\pop} smarts drew millions of latent {\hip-hop} listeners back into the fold, showing just how much the music had grown up. It not only catapulted {$the Fugees} into stardom, but also launched the productive solo careers of {$Wyclef Jean} and {$Lauryn Hill}, the latter of whom already ranks as one of the top female MCs of all time based on her work here. Not just a collection of individual talents, {$the Fugees}' three MCs all share a crackling chemistry and a wide-ranging taste in music. Their strong fondness for {\smooth soul} and {\reggae} is underscored by the two hit covers given slight {\hip-hop} makeovers ({$Roberta Flack}'s {&"Killing Me Softly With His Song"} and {$Bob Marley}'s {&"No Woman, No Cry"}). Even when they're not relying on easily recognizable tunes, their original material is powered by a raft of indelible hooks, especially the great {&"Fu-Gee-La"}; there are also touches of {\blues} and {\gospel}, and the recognizable samples range from {\doo wop} to {$Enya}. Their protest tracks are often biting, yet tempered with pathos and humanity, whether they're attacking racial profiling among police ({&"The Beast"}), the insecurity behind violent posturing ({&"Cowboys"}), or the inability of many black people in the Western Hemisphere to trace their familial roots ({&"Family Business"}). Yeah, the Chinese restaurant skit is a little dicey, but on the whole, {^The Score} balances intelligence and accessibility with an easy assurance, and ranks as one of the most distinctive {\hip-hop} albums of its era. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
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