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Fugees lawsuit: Co-founders Pras Michél, Lauryn Hill trade barbs about scuttled tour

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Fugees lawsuit: Co-founders Pras Michél, Lauryn Hill trade barbs about scuttled tour

As a long-time music industry veteran, I find myself deeply saddened by the current state of affairs between Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean. I’ve seen many artists rise to stardom, some handle it gracefully, others not so much. It seems that Ms. Hill, who I once knew as a promising talent, has lost her way in the whirlwind of success.

Michael Pras is filing a lawsuit against his former bandmate Lauryn Hill in a federal court, claiming she hindered the Fugees’ U.S. reunion tour that was unexpectedly canceled last month. In response, Hill alleged that Pras exploited her goodwill and claimed he, not her, breached the contract.

51-year-old Michel, one of the original members of the Grammy-winning hip-hop band, has filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York, accusing the group’s main vocalist and her tour company, MLH Touring, of fraud and breach of contract. The lawsuit alleges that the frontwoman violated her duty as a trustee, unjustly enriched herself, and refused to allow an audit of the Fugees’ tour finances – a tour that was abruptly cut short in the U.S. due to “unforeseen circumstances.” (Later, Hill stated that the European leg would continue as planned.)

He accused Hill of taking advantage of his April 2023 criminal conviction to force an unfair contract on him. Michél was found guilty on 10 counts related to multimillion-dollar political conspiracies spanning two presidencies; he faces up to 20 years in prison but is free ahead of sentencing.

The opening statement of Michél’s lawsuit, obtained by The Times on Wednesday, reads: “Betrayals are always shrouded in mystery, yet when they come from someone close, the harm inflicted can be immense.” It goes on to say that it seems as if fate made a mistake when it brought together Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras Michel (the plaintiff), for the betrayal within their once united Fugees group has grown to legendary proportions. This is their story of sorrow.

Hill countered the filing online, labeling Michél’s lawsuit as “without merit” and “filled with unfounded accusations and unwarranted criticisms.” In a statement to The Times, she additionally pointed out that his grievance conspicuously left out claims of him receiving “excessive payment for the last tour” and neglecting to pay back “significant loans extended by me as a gesture of kindness.

Here’s my attempt: I’m excited to share that the celebration carries on with The Miseducation Anniversary Tour. Originally planned for a reunion performance with Michél and Wyclef Jean, my bandmates from Fugees, and me. We aimed to bring you music from our iconic album “The Score,” as well as tracks from my solo debut, the Grammy-winning “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

Originally planned to kick off last month in Tampa, Florida, the 2024 tour was intended to run until mid-September, with a stop at the Hollywood Bowl on September 17th. This is where Hill had started her 20th-anniversary tour based on “Miseducation” back in 2018. However, the tour was suddenly canceled just three days before it was due to start, with Hill attributing the cancellation to an exaggerated story about herself leading to poor ticket sales. In his lawsuit, Michél accused Hill of poor management and poor ticket sales.

After being apart for 15 years, the band announced a reunion tour in 2021, played one show before canceling due to issues related to the pandemic. The Fugees, led by Hill, attempted a comeback tour towards the end of 2023, but had to close it down as well, with Hill attributing the closure to severe vocal strain.

In his legal action, Michél claims that Hill and MLH have mishandled the tour in several significant ways, such as its organization, promotion, financial planning, and payment of tour-related costs. He also points the finger at her for the poor ticket sales of the tour. Moreover, he asserts that she covertly took money from the tour funds that were advanced to MLH under a 2023 tour contract.

The grievance stated that she organized the Fugees tour for the second half of 2023 with her ex-husband, Jean, unknowingly aiding her in this task, by collaborating with an independent live music concert promoter. She allegedly took 40% of the tour guarantees and profits upfront, before factoring in Michel’s one-third share.

According to Michel’s grievance, Hill’s apparent selfless act of saving Michel was actually a cunning strategy aimed at amassing a significant fortune from a Fugees tour. The earnings, amounting to millions of dollars, were funneled into MLH (Michaelle Hernandez-Laroche Hyman), as mentioned in the complaint. Despite marketing the tour as “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” Hill was aware that the level of success she desired could only be achieved if the tour was also promoted as a Fugees tour.

Michael claimed that Hill stepped in under the pretense of “rescuing the situation” for him, after his legal troubles. He stated that due to his severe financial difficulties at the time, he had no other option but to agree to terms he would have previously turned down, given before his criminal conviction.

The terms stipulated that control over the Fugees tour would be handed over to Hill and MLH, and the “Fugees” trademark for live shows was to be granted to MLH indefinitely, regardless of Michel’s participation, according to the complaint. Additionally, he alleged that she concealed fraudulent financial records from him and committed financial fraud.

The musician additionally criticized Hill, remarking that it was not an exaggeration to suggest that her early success “inflated her ego,” and he accused her of self-centered behavior. In 2021, she attempted to trademark “The Fugees” for personal use, which he questioned. Furthermore, he claimed that the initial half of her 2023 solo tour was held at smaller venues, resulting in a commercial and artistic flop.

It’s no wonder that the lawsuits point towards issues with Hill and MLH’s management, as they delayed the deal with Live Nation for an excessive amount of time. Consequently, ticket sales for the 2024 U.S. tour were disappointingly low. The lawsuit claims that there was insufficient marketing for the tour and not enough time to generate sufficient advance sales before the first concert date.

Additionally, he claimed that she disrupted the tour by arriving several hours late and stated that the main attraction of the tour was the band’s reunion, rather than her. However, he added, Hill persistently demanded equal or lower billing for ‘The Fugees’, placing her name first.

The lawsuit asks for a jury trial and is seeking a declaratory judgment to void the 2023 tour contracts and order an accounting of its finances. Michél is also seeking actual and punitive damages to be determined at trial.

49-year-old Hill stated on Instagram Tuesday, countering the lawsuit’s claims, suggesting that Michél, due to his ongoing legal struggles, might have been influenced, potentially impacting his discernment, mental state, and personality.

The singer known for “The Ex-Factor” mentioned that preparations were underway for the 25th anniversary tour of “Miseducation,” whether or not the Fugees were part of it. She decided to include her former bandmates in the tour when she learned about Pras’s financial struggles and his need for funds to support his legal defense.

According to her claims, Michel received a $3 million payment ahead of the tour as compensation for his legal expenses. She and Jean postponed their entire advance payments, they said, to ensure that he had sufficient funds and could proceed with the tour.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve shared that most of the tour costs were covered by me since the initial tour funds primarily went towards Michél. A plan was set up for him to repay the advance over time. However, it saddens me to say that Michél hasn’t returned the money he received, and as a result, he is currently in violation of our agreement.

She maintained that she covered the majority of the costs, organized the production and assembled the entire stage setup, asserting that “Pras essentially only needed to appear and perform.

She explained, “I don’t enjoy criticizing others, more so when they’re struggling. That’s why I haven’t replied yet. It’s really sad to witness Pras in such a state, as he is not only my bandmate, but also someone I considered a friend.

I wasn’t part of Pras’ life when he chose to take the unfortunate step that landed him in legal issues. I didn’t suggest he should make that choice and thus, I bear no responsibility for his decision and its outcomes. However, I have chosen to assist him. Despite his criticisms, I continue to show compassion and hope for the best in his situation.

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2024-10-02 23:31

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