As reported by Variety, Pras Michél, a founding member of The Fugees, has filed a lawsuit against his bandmate Lauryn Hill in federal court, alleging fraud and breach of contract related to their 2023 tour and canceled concerts. Michél claims that Hill mismanaged the tour's setup, marketing, and budgeting and secretly siphoned off money from the tour guarantees. The lawsuit also includes claims of breach of fiduciary duty and refusal to permit an audit of the tour finances. Hill has dismissed the lawsuit as baseless and full of false claims and unwarranted attacks, and her attorney stated that Michél was over advanced for the last tour to help him pay his mounting legal bills.
The lawsuit alleges that the 2023 Fugees tour should have been a commercial success, with most shows sold out in advance, but Michél came away empty-handed due to Hill's alleged mismanagement of the tour budget. “Hill was taking 40% of the tour guarantees and tour net profits ‘off the top’ for herself, leaving the remaining 60% to be split equally between Hill, Pras and Wyclef,” the suit states. The tour was cut short when Hill canceled the second half in November 2023, citing vocal strain. The lawsuit also presents details of Hill's alleged rejection of a $5 million offer for the Fugees to perform at Coachella, claiming that her ego was bruised because another group was given top billing.
The Fugees, formed in the late 1980s, are known as one of the most influential Hip-Hop acts of the 1990s, with more than 22 million records sold globally. According to the lawsuit, Hill proposed the idea of a Fugees reunion to Michél and Wyclef Jean in 2023, exploiting Michél's financial situation to push for the reunion.
The lawsuit also mentions Michél's legal battles and financial struggles, including his involvement in a legal case with the U.S. Department of Justice.
The lawsuit further alleges that Hill entered into a new agreement for a Fugees U.S. tour without disclosing it to Michél, and blames her for the tour's dismal ticket sales. It also addresses Hill's chronic tardiness for shows and her alleged tarnishing of the Fugees brand. The lawsuit paints Hill as a wolf in sheep's clothing with narcissistic tendencies.
The legal battle between members of musical acts seems to be a trend, as Hall & Oates founders Daryl Hall and John Oates are also engaged in legal disputes over the sale of their business partnership.
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