“Oooh la la la,” Lauryn Hill is firing back.
After Prakazel “Pras” Michel, one-third of the Fugees, launched a lawsuit against his bandmate Lauryn Hill, claiming she mismanaged finances related to their Fugees 2023 reunion tour sales, she responded by calling his complaint “baseless” and “full of false claims.”
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In his lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York on Oct. 1, Pras claimed he did not receive the expected earnings from the “arena size” shows that were “sold out in advance” during the Fugees’ tour last year. He alleged that Hill’s management of the event’s budget was problematic and “bloated with unnecessary and likely fictitious expenses,” allegedly structured to incur losses. He also claimed that he did not receive enough money to cover legal expenses tied to his lengthy embezzlement case with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Now, Hill is speaking out about the case, and she says it’s absolutely “false.”
Hill Denied The Accusations Via A Statement To BOSSIP
In a statement to BOSSIP, Hill addressed Pras’ allegations, explaining her silence during their legal dispute stemmed from her awareness that he might be “under duress” due to the stress of the case, which could impact his “state of mind” and “character.”
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However, she felt it necessary to defend herself. According to Hill, Pras’ suit is false and filled with “unwarranted attacks” against her. She alleged that Pras was given a substantial loan to cover his legal expenses, which he allegedly “failed to repay” following the tour’s cancellation.
“Fact #1: This baseless lawsuit by Pras is full of false claims and unwarranted attacks. It notably omits that he was advanced overpayment for the last tour and has failed to repay substantial loans extended by myself as an act of goodwill. Last year’s tour was put together to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. It was being planned whether the Fugees were involved or not.”
Hill stated that the tour was expanded to include the Fugees because she learned Pras was in financial trouble and needed funds for his legal defense. She claimed that Pras received a $3 million advance from the tour to help cover his legal fees.
“Wyclef and Myself deferred our full advances to make sure he had what he needed and was able to go. I covered most of the tour expenses, as the majority of the tour advance had gone to Pras. An agreement was put in place to secure the repayment of the money he was advanced,” the “Ex-Factor” singer claimed.
“Pras has not paid back the money he was advanced, and is currently in breach of this agreement. Fact #4: Because my tour, band, production, and set up were already happening, the Fugees set utilized this same production. I absorbed most of the expenses myself, produced the show, put together the entire set (with Wyclef’s participation for the Fugees and Wyclef’s set). Pras basically just had to show up and perform.”
The Grammy winner went on to say that she was disheartened and upset by their legal conflict, given their close friendship. She mentioned that Pras had previously thanked her for “saving his life” during the last tour.
Read more of her statement below.
“Fact #5: As of the last tour Pras thanked me for ‘saving his life’. (I have the receipts.) Fact #6: I am not in the business of kicking anyone, especially when they’re down, which is why I haven’t responded to date. It is absolutely disheartening to see Pras in this position, my bandmate and someone I considered a friend but this leads us to Fact #7, which probably should have been Fact #1… Fact #7: I was not in Pras’ life when he decided to make the unfortunate decision that led to his current legal troubles. I did not advise that he make that decision and therefore am in no way responsible for his decision and its consequences though I have taken it upon myself to help. Despite his attacks, I am still compassionate and hope things work out for him. Respectfully, MLH.”
Pras Claims He’s $1 Million In Debt Due To Hill’s Money Mismanagement
As previously reported, Variety reports that Pras claimed that he was relying on the funds from the abruptly canceled 2023 tour, which allegedly stemmed from Hill’s “serious vocal strain,” to manage his mounting legal bills, which he argued Hill exploited during his vulnerable situation.
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At that time, Pras was embroiled in a four-year legal battle with the U.S. Department of Justice, having been named a co-defendant alongside Jho Low, the financier behind the Wolf of Wall Street, who allegedly embezzled $4.5 billion from Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund in one of history’s largest financial scandals.
While Low remains a fugitive believed to be hiding in China, Pras was convicted in April 2023 for violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act and for acting as an agent of China. He contends that Hill’s actions did little to alleviate his financial burdens, leaving him nearly $1 million in unrecouped expenses, the lawsuit claimed.
In a statement to Us, Pras’s attorney, Robert S. Meloni, asserted that Hill “exploited” Pras during his vulnerable legal moment, manipulating him into an unfair agreement for the Fugees’ 2023 reunion tour. Meloni further alleged that Hill misrepresented vital financial details and concealed her intention to take an excessive 60% share of the tour’s proceeds, leaving Pras with only 20% instead of the customary one-third split.
Notably, Pras accused Hill of having narcissistic tendencies and claimed she turned down a $5 million offer for the Fugees to perform at Coachella this year. According to the lawsuit, the decision stemmed from her bruised ego over the group No Doubt receiving a primetime spot on the night of their show.
Pras is suing Hill for breach of fiduciary duty, improper accounting, breach of contract, and several other allegations.
Thoughts?