In a surprising legal move, Pras Michél, co-founder of the iconic hip-hop group The Fugees, has filed a lawsuit against fellow bandmate Lauryn Hill.
The suit, brought before a federal court in New York, accuses Hill of fraud, breach of contract, and other serious claims surrounding the canceled Fugees tour in 2023.
Pras alleges that Hill mismanaged the planning, marketing, and finances of the highly anticipated reunion tour, which he claims was poised for massive success.
According to the lawsuit, Hill is accused of secretly pocketing funds and inflating the tour’s budget to the point where it was “designed to lose money,” leaving Michél with nothing.
Despite fans’ excitement for the 2023 Fugees tour, which sold out many arena shows, Hill abruptly canceled the second half, citing vocal strain.
However, Pras’s lawsuit paints a different picture, calling her a manipulative figure who used the tour for personal gain.
One particularly eyebrow-raising allegation involves Hill reportedly rejecting a $5 million offer for the Fugees to headline Coachella, all because she felt slighted by No Doubt receiving top billing.
According to the suit, she never informed Pras of this deal and, in a twist, later asked him to perform Fugees songs for free as part of her son’s opening act at the festival.
The Fugees, which Michél co-founded with Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean in the late 1980s, are regarded as one of the most influential hip-hop groups of the ’90s.
Their last album, The Score, was a massive success, earning multiple Grammy awards and selling over 22 million copies globally.
At the time of the failed tour, Michél was already embroiled in legal issues connected to the infamous 1MDB financial scandal.
He claims the financial arrangement for the tour was lopsided, with Hill allegedly taking 40% off the top and splitting the remaining profits between herself, Pras, and Wyclef.
Adding more fuel to the fire, Michél’s lawsuit reveals that Hill entered into a new agreement with Live Nation for another Fugees tour in 2024, without his knowledge.
Ticket sales were reportedly slow, which the suit attributes to Hill’s delayed negotiations and lack of marketing.
Pras further claims that Hill’s reputation for showing up late—sometimes hours after the scheduled start—has hurt the Fugees’ brand.
As Pras Michél’s legal battle against Lauryn Hill unfolds, fans of the legendary group will be watching closely to see how this drama plays out in and out of court.
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Source: Variety
