Released as the second single from the Fugees’ diamond-selling, genre-defining 1996 masterpiece The Score, "Ready or Not" stands as one of the most atmospheric, haunting, and enduring achievements in hip-hop history. Blending gritty street realism with cinematic soul sampling and poetic urgency, the track cemented Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, and Pras Michel as visionary architects capable of commanding both the underground and global pop charts.