Look, if you grew up in the late 90s, you remember where you were the first time you heard The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It wasn't just an album. It was a cultural shift. But tucked away at track 12 is a song that feels like a warm exhaled breath after an hour of raw, heavy-hitting emotion. Lauryn Hill Nothing Even Matters is that song.
It’s the kind of track that makes time stop. Literally.
You’ve got Lauryn at her peak. You’ve got D’Angelo, the king of neo-soul, sounding like velvet. Most people think it’s just another pretty love song. They're wrong. It’s actually a masterclass in minimalism and a snapshot of a very specific, very intense moment in music history.
How the Magic Actually Happened
Believe it or not, Lauryn almost passed on the track.
Producer Vada Nobles and Che Pope were messing around in the kitchen of Lauryn's house in New Jersey—yeah, she recorded a good chunk of that album in her attic and living room. Che had this simple finger-snapping pattern. Vada brought the idea to her, but Lauryn wasn't feeling it at first. She was under massive pressure from Sony to finish the record.
Eventually, the pressure worked in our favor. She sat down, the lyrics started flowing, and she realized the song needed a specific kind of energy.
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Enter D’Angelo
Lauryn wanted that old-school Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway vibe. She didn't want a "pop" duet; she wanted soul. She invited D’Angelo over to her place. Can you imagine being a fly on the wall for that? They hung out, she played him a bunch of tracks, and he just got it.
When they finally hit the studio (Sony Music and Chung King in NYC), D’Angelo didn't overthink it. He laid down his vocals in about an hour. That’s it. One hour.
Most artists spend weeks trying to get that kind of chemistry. These two did it before their coffee got cold. It helps that D’Angelo also jumped on the Rhodes piano, adding those hazy, shimmering chords that give the song its "quiet storm" feel.
Why the Lyrics Hit Different
The song is allegedly a dedication to Rohan Marley, Lauryn's partner at the time. While the rest of the album is grappling with the messy breakup of the Fugees and the betrayal she felt from Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill Nothing Even Matters is the outlier. It’s the safe harbor.
- "The skies could fall / Not even if my boss should call."
- "You're part of my identity / I'm looking at you religiously."
It’s about that stage of love where the outside world becomes background noise. It’s deeply humanistic. Lauryn famously said she wanted to make a love song without all the "physicality and overt sexuality" that was starting to dominate R&B at the time. She wanted to talk about how love makes your stomach feel funny.
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Basically, it’s a song about being present. In 2026, when everyone is glued to their screens, that message feels even more radical than it did in 1998.
The Tragedy and the Legacy
We can't talk about this song now without getting a bit heavy. As many fans know, we lost D’Angelo in late 2025. It’s still hard to process. When the news broke, Lauryn herself posted a tribute saying she regretted not having more time with him.
The two of them actually never performed the song live together. Not once.
Think about that. One of the greatest duets in the history of R&B, and we never got to see them share a microphone on stage. Lauryn didn't even perform it live herself until 2011. It’s one of those "lightning in a bottle" moments that belongs strictly to the recording.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Credits
There’s been a lot of drama over the years regarding who actually wrote what on Miseducation. A group of musicians called New Ark sued Lauryn, claiming they were the primary songwriters for tracks like "Nothing Even Matters."
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The liner notes say Lauryn wrote, arranged, and produced it herself. The lawsuit was eventually settled out of court, but it adds a layer of complexity to the song’s history. It wasn't just a girl with a guitar; it was a massive, sometimes chaotic collaborative effort involving people like James Poyser and Loris Holland.
Regardless of the legal paperwork, the feeling of the song is pure Lauryn and D’Angelo. You can't sue for chemistry.
Why You Should Listen to It Today
Honestly? Because it’s a detox for your ears.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the world, put on some good headphones and let the Rhodes piano wash over you. Notice the finger snaps. Notice how their voices don't compete; they twine around each other.
Actionable Ways to Appreciate the Track:
- Listen to the "Quiet Storm" version: Try to find the original 1998 vinyl pressing if you can. The analog warmth makes the Hammond organ sound much deeper than a digital stream.
- Compare it to the "Voodoo" sessions: Listen to D’Angelo’s Voodoo album (recorded around the same time) to hear the sonic parallels in the keyboard work.
- Read the lyrics as poetry: Strip away the music and just read the words. It’s a study in how to be vulnerable without being "sappy."
Lauryn Hill Nothing Even Matters isn't just a 90s relic. It’s a reminder that amidst the chaos of life, there is usually one person—or one thing—that makes everything else irrelevant. Go find that feeling today.
Next Steps for the Soul Searcher:
To get the full experience of this era, listen to "Nothing Even Matters" immediately followed by "Ex-Factor." It highlights the incredible range of Lauryn's emotional state during those 1997 sessions, moving from the height of devotion to the depths of heartbreak in just a few minutes of music. You can also look up the live versions from her 2011 Rock the Bells set to see how she reinterpreted the vocals later in her career.