Music Stars Who Recovered From Mediocre Debuts
Some artists have shined despite rocky starts.
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Music Stars Who Recovered From Mediocre Debuts - This weekend, Blunted on Reality, the debut album from The Fugees, celebrated its 20th anniversary. The release is notable less for its impact than for the fact that the group was able to make such a lasting one in spite of it. But the trio aren't the only ones to bounce back with a vengence from mediocre debuts. Read on for more artists who've made the recovery. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
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The Fugees, Blunted on Reality - Despite having released only two albums, The Fugees are often included in discussions of hip hop's greatest groups. That esteem is somewhat in spite of their 1994 debut, Blunted on Reality, which enjoyed neither the commercial success nor critical acclaim of their 1996 follow up, The Score. (Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Records)
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T.I., I'm Serious - T.I. began making his case for King of the South with his 2001 debut, I'm Serious, but it wasn't a very strong argument — particularly compared to his sophomore effort, Trap Muzik. Despite a heavy-weight crew of producers and notable features, I'm Serious didn't make much of an impact — maybe that's why it was his only release on Arista. (Photo: Courtesy of Arista Records)
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Mobb Deep, Juvenile Hell - Mobb Deep truly made their mark with 1995's celebrated The Infamous, but that was after their 1993 debut, Juvenile Hell, which was comparatively lackluster. (Photo: Courtesy of 4th & B'Way Records)
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Janet Jackson, Janet Jackson - Janet Jackson ultimately became one of the most beloved pop stars of her generation, but she didn't hit her stride on her self-titled debut. The album failed to spawn any major hits, a funk that she would fully shake out of on her third album, Control. (Photo: Courtesy of A&M Records)
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