Fu-Gee-La

Is this Farewell?

27 Years after the legendary release of ‘The Score’, the highly revered Hip Hop group – The Fugees – returned for what is being described as their 'Last Reunion', ever.

After announcing- then scrapping - their 2022 tour, much to the disappointment of their long standing fans. The trio made a surprise appearance at The Roots Picnic in Philadelphia. Their first performance as a collective in over a decade, albeit brief. They serenaded audiences with classics like 'Killing Me Softly',

Sadly however, further performances are firmly off the cards as Prazkazrel Michel - better known as Pras - awaits sentencing after being found guilty of Political Conspiracy. He was charged with 10 counts including acting as an unregistered foreign agent of China, witness tampering, falsifying campaign finance records. Colluding with Malaysian financier Jho Low to influence the US government under two presidents.

At this point, the group deserves a Bio-pic chronicling the Rise and Fall of the Fugees. For those who don't know The Fugees, they gained notoriety in the 90s as one of Hip Hops most influential bands. The Score went Platinum, Diamond and Gold across continents. Their albums sold an estimated 22 million copies worldwide until a prolonger hiatus.

Whilst Pras remained relatively under the raydar, Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean went on to have their own hugely successful solo careers. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was certified diamond, making her the first female rapper to ever achieve such a feat. Wyclef too was nominated for numerous awards, countless collaborations and iconic performances (See Woodstock).

By xxx they announced their split and since then we have been teased, countless times, with reunions. Their chemistry as a musical collective is undeniable after all.

However, it was long speculated that it was Hills reluctance preventing the group from reuniting sooner. She had earned a somewhat notorious reputation for being 'difficult'. Shunning Hollywood and several high profile acting opportunities over the years.“Lauryn wasn’t trying to do anything,” says Pras once said of the Fugees, almost lamenting.

Truthfully, it is/was Hill and Jeans complicated personal history that has prevented any reunion. It culminated in the bands demise the first time.

In his autobiography Purpose, Wyclef Jean wrote they began dating in the early days of The Fugees, and continued their dalliance after Jean married designer Marie Claudinette. The relationship was rocky and it is said some of their most iconic sounds were inspired by their ‘Outlaw romance’. However, Wyclef claimed when Hill got pregnant with her first son, Zion, she tried to convince Jean that the boy was his, even though the real father was Rohan Marley, the son of infamous Bob Marley. When Jean found out Hill had lied to him about paternity of her child, things hit a breaking point.

That is of course, his versions of the events.

Whatever their speculative or complicated history may be, their sound cemented them as Pioneers of Hip-Hop. Icons of an unforgettable era of music. Fans may wait in vain for a reunion but the legacy of there music will far outlive any scandal or gossip.

The Score and Miseducation will forever be on my playlist