She Begat This

20 Years of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

By: Joan Morgan

Narrated by: Janina Edwards

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the acclaimed and influential debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill with this eye-opening and moving exploration of Lauryn Hill and her remarkable artistic legacy.

Released in 1998, Lauryn Hill’s first solo album is often cited by music critics as one of the most important recordings in modern history. Artists from Beyoncé to Nicki Minaj to Janelle Monáe have claimed it as an inspiration, and it was recently included in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, as well as named the second greatest album by a woman in history by NPR (right behind Joni Mitchell’s Blue).

Award-winning feminist author and journalist Joan Morgan delivers an expansive, in-depth, and heartfelt analysis of the album and its enduring place in pop culture. She Begat This is both an indelible portrait of a magical moment when a young, fierce, and determined singer-rapper-songwriter made music history and a crucial work of scholarship, perfect for longtime hip-hop fans and a new generation of fans just discovering this album.

©2018 Joan Morgan (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

Great look at Lauryn Hill's Contributions

I really enjoyed this. The interviews brought a lot of interest and value to the book. Definitely hated the fake Jamaican accent.

A Perfect Analysis of the Queen of the 90s

Lauren was so relatable back when we shoulda all been in college instead of playing in the streets. I sometimes found it hard to encompass why she was so much to so many of us alive at that specific time. Ms. Morgan captures that "why" and explains it so perfectly to the world. I'm so glad for this book; and I thank Jesus for giving us Ms. Hill. ♡

I felt like I was traveling back in time!!

I loved the break down of the album and of who Lauryn is and was at the time of that classic work. I wish the narrator did speak the King’s English lol. I would have loved to hear this read by someone who could have made a true connection to the words they were reading.

Hip Hop Feminism Squared

A beautiful read, supported by interviews within an important network, to contextualize Hill. Thank you for the reminder that we, as fans, asked too much of her, and that she will always be enough!

Skipping problems fixed

They fixed the skipping problems - I just listened to the whole thing (it's a short book) with no trouble.

Skipping—audio problems

This beautiful book and narrator were negatively impacted by skipping. There is an audio problem. Please fix, audible!

Like sitting in a circle of sister friends

I can’t believe it took me this long to read (actually, listen to) this book. I’ll likely buy the book for my shelf. This book details the cultural impact of Miseducation and Lauryn Hill. It’s like sitting down with your really smart girlfriends to discuss coming of age in the late 90s. Its also balanced, in that it touches on her brilliance and her troubles and flaws. And ultimately sides on her being human - like all of us. It’s for young women who went natural before the ethnic hair care aisle was ready for us. 😂 Miseducation was so important to my early adult years. My biggest complaint is the narration. The mispronunciations were a little disturbing to my listen.

offers a different perspective on a lyrical icon.

loved this perspective on this polarizing emcee who shared with the world her life on an album that after 20 years can still move crowds and also cause thought provoking debate.

Thought Provoking

The book was not what I expected and yet it shed some light on a lot of issues within our culture.