Since their highly-publicized breakup in 1997, the Fugees have been a topic of much debate and controversy.
With tales of Lauryn Hill’s growing eccentricity and her relationship with Wyclef Jean, as well as bad blood between Pras and Jean, the group’s history in the past decade has been a veritable soap opera.
In the first part of a recent interview with Us magazine, Pras sat down to lay some of the rumors to rest, and give his take on the breakup.
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“I just made sure I kept the balance,” explained Pras of his role in the Fugees. “You had two personalities [in Lauryn and Wyclef]; if I became the third personality, it would split everything apart.”
Pras denied rumors which called into question Lauryn Hill’s sanity. “It wasn’t about her being crazy, it was just that she was like…’I gotta make sense of all of this.’ I haven’t spoken to her about it; it’s me analyzing it.”
Pras also revealed that Lauryn Hill will be releasing her first album since 1998’s Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. “I heard they’re trying to drop it by the summertime.”
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“Let me tell you something. Somebody played me…something she worked on. Goosebumps. Like, 2015 Lauryn Hill.” (November 2)
UPDATE: In part two of Us magazine‘s groundbreaking interview with former Fugees member Pras, the New Jersey native makes another jarring revelation. Wyclef Jean and longtime partner Jerry “Wonder” Duplesis joined Shakira in producing her 2006 hit “Hips Don’t Lie.” The song would go onto become the most successful worldwide hit of that year, from Shakira’s album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2. According to Pras, that song was initially made for a short-lived Fugees reunion attempt.
“When we did the reunion, we felt the magic in the studio. It was about to be explosive,” Pras told Us’ Ian Drew. “I just remember that Wyclef [Jean] and I were working on ‘Hips Don’t Lie.’ That was a Fugee record. Imagine if we did that record,” Pras said recalling that the trio’s version may have been called “Lips Don’t Lie.” In any event, the song was never to be completed.
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“Lauryn [Hill] didn’t like it. Charlie Walk, who used to be the President of Epic [Records] called me that night saying, ‘I gotta do a remix with Shakira of what you’re doing.’ I said, ‘You’re not gonna believe this: I’m depressed. Lauryn Hill walked out of the studio. The Fugees, we’re done.” Pras notes in the interview that other things contributed to Hill’s leaving, but that song was a factor.
Visit UsWeekly.com to read the story and hear if Pras thinks another renion is possible, or watch the video below:
