If a timeless music album transcends its original date to permanently alter the cultural landscape, then The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is a classic in every sense of the word.
With 16 songs totaling about 78 minutes, the album’s dominant themes are love, patience, vulnerability, and the understanding that becoming the person you were meant to be is a process.
Many of the notable songs – “Nothing Even Matters,” “Doo Wop (That Thing),” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” – continue to make history. In June, Hill was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Living Legend Icon Award at the 2026 BET Awards.
Roanoke DJ Jonathan Ross has been a Hill superfan since her days with The Fugees. His recently created organization, Good Vibez Only, connects people to regional events throughout the Roanoke Valley. His core team includes Kiana Ross, Taylor Ross and Joshua Manns.
For his first production, Ross chose to create a tribute to Lauryn Hill because of everything she represents as an artist. Because of its location, Center in the Square in downtown Roanoke hosted the show on Sept. 26.
The production featured a talented group of 15 performers. They were Shawn O’Neal, Devin Johnson, De-Von Mitchell, Layla Preston, Tyshaun Brown, Brem Lo, Ann Artist, Lynette Ryan, Bernadette Lark, LaDajah Jumper, Michelle Renee, Nefateria Hash, Tai’Nisha Monique, TaNiah Emmons and Ementress Adams.
Junior “YoYo Jay” McGill served as the event’s videographer.
“There were moments when the performers simply followed the feeling of the room — allowing songs to continue beyond their expected ending when the emotion called for it,” Ross said. “The goal wasn’t simply to perform Lauryn Hill’s music. It was to create an environment where the message and emotion behind the music could be felt.”
Most of the show was developed in two weeks. Rather than creating a schedule for everyone to get on board with, much of the preparation happened through group messages and social media. Before performance day, Ross worked with each artist to ensure everyone was on the same page.
“As more artists expressed interest, I recognized that something unique was developing. What started as a simple idea quickly became a collaborative group of musicians, vocalists, spoken-word artists and performers with different talents and backgrounds coming together around one shared experience,” Ross said.
For anyone wondering what a perfect album sounds like, Ross says they just need to pull up The Miseducation on Spotify, hit play and let it play all the way through.
