"Ex-Factor" | ||||
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Single by Lauryn Hill | ||||
from the album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill | ||||
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Released | December 14, 1998 | |||
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Songwriter(s) | Lauryn Hill | |||
Producer(s) | Lauryn Hill | |||
Lauryn Hill singles chronology | ||||
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"Ex-Factor" is a song by American recording artist Lauryn Hill for her debut solo studio album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998). Written and produced by Hill herself, it incorporates elements of R&B, neo soul and hip hop soul. The song features a sample of "Can It Be All So Simple" by Wu-Tang Clan.[1] It has been claimed to be about Hill's former Fugees groupmate Wyclef Jean.[2] The song was released as the second single from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on December 14, 1998, by Ruffhouse Records and Columbia Records.
Upon its release, "Ex-Factor" received widespread critical acclaim.[3] The song peaked at number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at number seven on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Internationally, it peaked within the top five in Iceland and the United Kingdom. It won the Best R&B/Soul Single - Female award at the 2000 Soul Train Music Awards.[4] Spin named it the third best single of 1999.[5] In 2020, The Ringer ranked it as the 18th greatest breakup song of all time.[6] Since its release, the song has been sampled and covered by numerous artists.