Regarded as one of the most iconic albums ever, The Miseducation was not only a testament to Ms. Lauryn Hill's legacy but also defined it.

With timeless tracks like "Ex-Factor," "Nothing Even Matters" with D'Angelo, "When It Hurts So Bad," and "Lost Ones," the album remains as resonant today as it was upon its debut.

Twenty-five years after its release, here are 10 reasons why we're still talking about the seminal album.

10. "Zion" as a name choice.

Lauryn's heartfelt tribute to her firstborn ignited a trend in naming. We did the research – in 1996, "Zion" ranked #3860 among boys' names. By 1999, just a year after Miseducation dropped, it soared to #556, as per the Social Security Administration. That’s an impressive 85 percent surge.

9. It was groundbreaking.

While Monie Love, Salt, Rah Digga, and others were rocking their baby bumps with pride, Lauryn's "Zion" put the spotlight on the real talk surrounding women having babies while they're blazing trails in their careers. It wasn't just a song – it was a statement, opening doors for deeper conversations and giving a mic to countless women who followed in her footsteps.

8. The lyricism.

Lauryn was a top-tier lyricist before she dropped her solo album. While there were murmurings about why she didn't rap more on the album, whenever she did, like on "Lost Ones," she shut everybody up.

7. We saw another side of Ms. Lauryn.

"Lost Ones" gives us a taste of a fiercer Lauryn, using Sister Nancy's "Bam, Bam" as a springboard. This Lauryn defends her "newborn son" by any means necessary and isn't hesitant to remind folks about the unyielding force of karma: "Never underestimate those who you scar/'Cause karma comes back to you hard."

6. The raw emotion in "Ex-Factor."

No matter how many spins it gets on urban radio, this track remains ageless, largely due to its raw, heart-wrenching authenticity. Its vulnerability set a new standard for R&B lyricism, not to mention the achingly brilliant lines: "(Cry) cry for me, cry for me/You said, you'd die for me/(Give) give to me, give to me/Why won't you live for me?"

5. All of the reciprocity.

Speaking of which, you know you and the homies started using the word "reciprocity" in everyday conversations after "Ex-Factor" dropped.

4. The features were fantastic.

Lauryn and Mary J. Blige together on "I Used to Love Him"? Gorgeous. Carlos Santana sprinkling his magic on "To Zion"? Perfect. D'Angelo on "Nothing Even Matters"? Beautiful.

3. A new wedding classic was introduced.

Maybe it didn't completely replace Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn's "If This World Were Mine" or Stevie Wonder's "Ribbon In the Sky" but be real — you know at least two or three couples whose wedding song was "Nothing Even Matters."

2. The kids.

The classroom conversation scattered throughout the album about love was pure, memorable, and important.

1. The lasting impact.

Over the years, there's been much discussion about the trifecta of statement albums released in the two-year period surrounding The Miseducation's debut — The Miseducation, Erykah Badu's Mama's Gun, and Mary J. Blige's My Life. While Mama's Gun arguably reigns supreme, there's no denying that all three albums were essential at the time, pivotal and influential in their own right, with The Miseducation emerging as both a community standard and mainstream classic. At the 41st Annual Grammy Awards in 1999, Lauryn Hill was nominated for ten awards and won five, making her the first woman to win five Grammys in one night. The album also broke a record for first-week sales by a female artist and achieved diamond status. But the power of The Miseducation goes well beyond the numbers. It's about the perspective, the soulful energy, and the delivery. It's why everyone was talking about it when it dropped, and why, even 25 years later, the conversation continues.