You guessed it. This is a continuation of Music, when I was younger II .
And deep in my heart the answer it was in me
And I made up my mind to find my own destiny"
I still can remember the scene in which I bought my first CD. I was in Mexico city sometime in Nov/Dec 1996 when I was 12. I was at some dodgy mall and I heard a song played there as I passed by a music store. Guess what it was? Yep, Unbreak My Heart (i know you didn't guess it right). So I went in the store and asked for the CD to that song. I guess I must have spoken a lil bit of Mexican. Hehe. Toni Braxton's Secrets was just worth it and every day going to and back from school I would listen to the album in the car which I guess must have annoyed everyone else, but I was young and I just loved it.
My second CD was Fugees' the Score and was also bought around the same time as Secrets. I bought it at the London airport when I was about to go back to Malaysia with our family after our holiday trip. I heard their rendition of Killing Me Softly prior to buying the CD. When I heard it for the first time, I found it really interesting and Lauryn's voice extremely soulful. I listened to the whole album all through the 18 hour flight. That was the album that made me fall in love with hip-hop. I loved the soul and reggae elements which were deeply infused in most of the tracks. They broke up soon after though.
Two years later, Lauryn Hill's solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill came out and I was amazed with the her lyrical and musical talents. I loved every single song in the album even the hidden tracks. This album brought me to a new spiritual level. She's a great lyricist, rapper and singer. Her music and soulful voice are deeply heartfelt.
Some of my favourite lyrics by Lauryn Hill from the abovementioned album.
(As usual, emphasis added by yours truly)
"It took me a little while to discover
Wolves in sheep coats who pretend to be lovers
Men who lack conscience will even
Wolves in sheep coats who pretend to be lovers
Men who lack conscience will even
lie to themselves, to themselves
A friend once said, and I found to be true
That everyday people, they lie to God too
So what makes you think, that they won't lie to you"
A friend once said, and I found to be true
That everyday people, they lie to God too
So what makes you think, that they won't lie to you"
-Forgive Them Father, Lauryn Hill-
"My world it moves so fast today
The past it seems so far away
And I squeeze it so tight, I can't breathe
And every time I try to be
What someone has thought of me
So caught up, I wasn't able to acheive
But deep in my heart the answer it was in me
And I made up my mind to find my own destiny
I look at my environment
And wonder where the fire went
What happened to everything we used to be
I hear so many cry for help
Searching outside of themselves
The past it seems so far away
And I squeeze it so tight, I can't breathe
And every time I try to be
What someone has thought of me
So caught up, I wasn't able to acheive
But deep in my heart the answer it was in me
And I made up my mind to find my own destiny
I look at my environment
And wonder where the fire went
What happened to everything we used to be
I hear so many cry for help
Searching outside of themselves
Now I know His strength is within me
And deep in my heart the answer it was in me
And I made up my mind to find my own destiny"
-Miseducation of Lauryn Hill-
"Now, now how come your talk turn cold
Gained the whole world for the price of your soul
Tryin' to grab hold of what you can't control
Now you're all floss, what a sight to behold
Wisdom is better than silver and gold
I was hopeless now I'm on Hope road
Every man want to act like he's exempt
When he need to get down on his knees and repent
Can't slick talk on the day of judgement
Your movement's similar to a serpent
Tried to play straight, how your whole style bent?
Consequence is no coincidence
Hypocrites always want to play innocent
Always want to take it to the full out extent
Always want to make it seem like good intent
Never want to face it when it's time for punishment
I know that you don't wanna hear my opinion
But there come many paths and you must choose one
And if you don't change then the rain soon come
See you might win some but you just lost one"
"Now, now how come your talk turn cold
Gained the whole world for the price of your soul
Tryin' to grab hold of what you can't control
Now you're all floss, what a sight to behold
Wisdom is better than silver and gold
I was hopeless now I'm on Hope road
Every man want to act like he's exempt
When he need to get down on his knees and repent
Can't slick talk on the day of judgement
Your movement's similar to a serpent
Tried to play straight, how your whole style bent?
Consequence is no coincidence
Hypocrites always want to play innocent
Always want to take it to the full out extent
Always want to make it seem like good intent
Never want to face it when it's time for punishment
I know that you don't wanna hear my opinion
But there come many paths and you must choose one
And if you don't change then the rain soon come
See you might win some but you just lost one"
-Lost Ones, Lauryn Hill-
