Lauryn Hill – Lost Ones (1998)
Recorded in Jamaica with musicians including guitar don Earl “Chinna” Smith (of Soul Syndicate, Upsetters and the Wailers fame), “Lost Ones” was one of several reggae-leaning tracks on 1998’s landmark debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Though never officially released as a single, it’s been canonized as a hip-hop classic, and rightfully so, as it showcases Ms. Hill at her best. The reference to Sister Nancy here isn’t a sample, but rather a vocal interpolation of “Bam Bam” in the song’s hook, which Lauryn used to emphasize her excoriation of former beau and Fugees bandmate, Wyclef.