Artist/Group: Lauryn Hill
Album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Released: 1998
Label: Ruffhouse/Columbia

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"Lost Ones" is a diss song by American rapper and singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill. It was released on August 25, 1998, through Ruffhouse and Columbia Records. It was written by Hill and produced by Hill, Vada Nobles and Che Pope. Despite never naming him in the song, the song is widely considered to be aimed towards Hill's former Fugees Bandmate Wyclef Jean.

The song wasn’t released as an official single, however it peaked at number 27 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. Introduced by David Bowie, Hill performed the song at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. "Lost Ones" received a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance nomination at the 41st Grammy Awards. It is often considered to be one of the best diss songs by many critics. In 2013, Complex named it the best Rap song made by a woman. In June 2017, Rolling Stone ranked it 45th on their '100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs of All Time' list.

"Lost Ones" was written and recorded at Chung King Studios in New York City, and completed in June 1998 at Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston, Jamaica, the song makes mention of this with the lyrics "I was hopeless, now I’m on Hope Road," and Hill figuratively and literally was: Tuff Gong's address is 56 Hope Road. The song is considered to be a nameless diss track aimed towards Hill's former Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean. Following the split of The Fugees, Hill's former bandmate Jean blamed the split of the group on Hill's pregnancy, his tumultuous relationship with Hill and Jean marrying another woman while being in a relationship with Hill. Shortly after Hill began working on solo projects, ultimately turning down Wyclef Jean's offer to produce an album for Hill after urging her not to start a solo career. According to her former bandmate Pras this led to Hill's animosity towards Jean after she fully supported his solo career and featured on his album, Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival.

When asked if he believes the song is about him, Jean responded "personally I don’t take it as a shot". However Fugees member Pras claimed that Jean did think the song was about him when it was released, stating "obviously, he(Jean) thought it was about him. But I think he just kinda shrugged it off."

"Lost Ones" has been placed on many critics' lists of the greatest diss songs, as well as the greatest hip hop songs of all time. Music journalist Danyel Smith referred to it as "the greatest diss record of all time". In conversation with Smith, rapper MC Lyte referred to the track as "the most beautifullest diss song". O magazine placed the song on their list of 'The 50 Best Hip Hop songs of All Time'. Music critic Kathy Iandoli placed the song at number two on her ballot of BBC’s 'Greatest Hip Hop songs of all time'. MTV placed it on their list of 'Rap's Top 10 Diss Songs' list. Rolling Stone ranked 45th on their '100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs of All Time' list. NME placed it on their list of '19 Of The Fiercest Diss Tracks In Hip-Hop, Rock And Pop History'. Complex ranked it 28th on their list of the '50 Greatest Hip Hop Diss Songs, and it topped their list of the '50 Best Rap Songs Made By Women'.

Rapper Fabolous samples the song on his single "Real One". Singer-songwriter H.E.R. flipped the song on her single "Lost Souls" by using a similar flow, drum pattern, and scratches. The song "We Know" from the Broadway musical Hamilton references "Lost Ones".

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