Before TMOLH, The Score was the last album by a hip-hop artist(s) to be nominated for AOTY, and before that, MC Hammer was the only other one with Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em. So only two other albums by hip-hop artists had ever been in that position before then, which is why it was a big deal at the time. It was the first album by a hip-hop artist to receive critical acclaim and mainstream awards (outside of its own little category in the "urban" niche), and it was just inducted into the Library of Congress last year. Though there were people who were disappointed that Lauryn Hill didn't rhyme more, as they were looking forward to a solo album from her after The Score. And that's where you and others are coming in, pointing out that it isn't a hip-hop album, though it is an album by a hip-hop artist, which was what the OP said. In the aftermath, whereas there were only two albums by hip-hop artists nominated for an AOTY Grammy before Lauryn Hill won the AOTY Grammy, afterwards you had Eminem, OutKast, Nelly, Missy Elliott, Kanye, Lil Wayne, and Kendrick Lamar receive AOTY nominations, with OutKast becoming the second hip-hop artists to win with Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. So the issue here is that you and others and he are coming from different sides on the "album by a hip-hop artist" and "hip-hop album" distinction.
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