Lauryn Hill’s hit single “Doo Wop (That Thing)” is from the 1990s, specifically 1998.
The song was released as the lead single from Hill’s debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It appeared during the late-1990s peak of hip-hop and neo-soul, blending a modern rap structure with doo-wop-inspired harmonies and a retro-styled musical approach.
Hill wrote and produced the song herself. Its lyrics address relationship behavior, self-respect, and the dangers of being distracted by romantic or sexual attention. The music video reinforces the contrast between eras by showing two versions of Hill in a split-screen setting: one styled with a 1960s-inspired look and the other representing contemporary hip-hop culture.
“Doo Wop (That Thing)” became Hill’s first and only solo US Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit. It debuted at number one in 1998, making Hill the first solo artist with a debut single to enter the chart at the top. The song is sometimes associated with the 2000s because of Hill’s lasting influence, but its release firmly places it in the nineties.