Pras Michél, a founding member of the Grammy-winning hip-hop group The Fugees, has filed a lawsuit towards bandmate Lauryn Hill, accusing her of fraud and breach of contract associated to their shortened 2023 tour and a canceled 2024 tour.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday within the Southern District of New York, alleges that Hill mismanaged varied features of the 2023 tour, together with its setup, advertising and marketing, and price range. In response to the grievance, Hill’s actions have been “a veiled and devious try and make an enormous rating for herself,” with claims that she siphoned cash from the tour ensures for private achieve.
Selection experiences that Pras additionally accuses Hill of stopping an audit of the tour’s funds, alleging that she withheld funds that ought to have been shared among the many band. The complete record of claims towards Hill consists of fraud, fraud within the inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility, breach of contract, and refusal to allow an audit of the tour.
The Fugees, identified for hits like “Killing Me Softly” and “Prepared or Not,” had beforehand reunited for his or her 2023 tour, which was reduce brief earlier than it absolutely launched. The authorized battle now casts uncertainty over the way forward for one among hip-hop’s most iconic teams.
“This morning, we filed a grievance for Prakazrel ‘Pras’ Michel towards Lauryn Hill and MLH Touring, Inc. within the U.S. District Courtroom for the Southern District of New York (Case 1:24-cv-07403) for fraud, breach of fiduciary responsibility, and breach of contract. The lawsuit alleges that Ms. Hill exploited Mr. Michel’s weak authorized state of affairs, manipulating him into an unfair settlement for The Fugees’ 2023 reunion tour. Ms. Hill’s continual tardiness was a trademark of the tour, with exhibits routinely beginning two or extra hours late. Hill cancelled the second half of the tour and, on the identical time, financially penalized and defrauded Mr. Michel. We assert that Ms. Hill misrepresented important monetary data and hid her intent to take an extreme 60% share of the tour’s proceeds, leaving Mr. Michel with solely 20% as a substitute of the group’s customary one-third cut up. This authorized motion goals to carry Ms. Hill accountable and safe justice for Mr. Michel. The lawsuit comes on the cusp of the “Fugees” European tour by Hill and Wyclef Jean, at which Michael is not going to be performing.”
– Robert S. Meloni, Meloni & McCaffrey
In response to The Supply, Ms. Lauryn Hill addresses Pras Michél’s lawsuit:
Some readability and info must be introduced. I’ve been silent and pushing by as a result of I understood that Pras was underneath duress due to his authorized battles and that this was maybe affecting his judgment, way of thinking and character.
Truth #1: This baseless lawsuit by Pras is filled with false claims and unwarranted assaults. It notably omits that he was superior overpayment for the final tour and has didn’t repay substantial loans prolonged on my own as an act of goodwill. Final yr’s tour was put collectively to have a good time the twenty fifth Anniversary of the album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It was being deliberate whether or not the Fugees have been concerned or not. Truth #2: The tour was expanded to include the Fugees as a result of I discovered that Pras was in bother and would wish cash to help his authorized protection.
Truth #3: Pras was given a $3M advance for the tour, which he stated he required to pay his authorized charges. Wyclef and Myself deferred our full advances to ensure he had what he wanted and was in a position to go. I coated a lot of the tour bills, as nearly all of the tour advance had gone to Pras. An settlement was put in place to safe the compensation of the cash he was superior. Pras has not paid again the cash he was superior, and is presently in breach of this settlement.
Truth #4: As a result of my tour, band, manufacturing, and arrange have been already occurring, the Fugees set utilized this identical manufacturing. I absorbed a lot of the bills myself, produced the present, put collectively your complete set (with Wyclef’s participation for the Fugees and Wyclef’s set). Pras mainly simply needed to present up and carry out.
Truth #5: As of the final tour Pras thanked me for ‘saving his life’. (I’ve the receipts.) Truth #6: I’m not within the enterprise of kicking anybody, particularly after they’re down, which is why I haven’t responded up to now. It’s completely disheartening to see Pras on this place, my band mate and somebody I thought-about a pal however this leads us to Truth #7, which most likely ought to have been Truth #1…
Truth #7: I used to be not in Pras’ life when he determined to make the unlucky choice that result in his present authorized troubles. I didn’t advise that he make that call and subsequently am by no means answerable for his choice and its penalties although I’ve taken it upon myself to assist. Regardless of his assaults, I’m nonetheless compassionate and hope issues work out for him.
Lauryn Hill received’t be on phases nationwide, however she carried out at her highschool reunion. Hill carried out on the Columbia Excessive Faculty reunion...
