Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
This interview was published on August 21, 2024 after the Fugees North Americanreunion tour dates were canceled.
In the canon of legendary hip-hop groups,the Fugeesare in lockstep with the best of the best.
Fans took to social media to express their exasperation, especially with Hill.
But the tour cancellation, along with hisongoing legal issues, flipped circumstances on their axis.
He also insists Bar Mitzfa is not intended as a diss record.
I love Lauryn, he says.
Shes like a little sister, we could not beef at all.
This is not something that just happened overnight.
My frustration was for the fans.
They are paying their hard-earned money to see you.
She was three hours late.
We had fans whose cars were getting towed.
The mayor had to reimburse some of the towing.
Hes a fan of the Fugees too; he felt bad.
I felt so bad.
I took a photo with them.
It was the closest thing they could get to seeing a show.
Were going on almost three decades of our existence, individually and as a group.
To have people still interested in wanting to come see you, man, you have to be grateful.
Artistically speaking, sometimes we say things because thats how we express ourselves.
This track is me speaking my truth.
When I was writing the record, those lines just came out.
It brings back the innocence of when we were kids.
Ive known Lauryn Hill since she was 11 years old, and Clef way before that.
But theres obviously reservation.
It gets to a point that you say, is it even really all worth it?
Last year, there were supposed to be 20 shows, and we did ten.
They were all sold out, but ten extra shows needed to be donethat she canceled.
Theres so much you have to coordinate in your life.
This dynamic is a two-way street.
But this is not an indictment of her and her character.
All people are complaining about is lateness.
This has been going on how long has it been going on thatyouknow of?
Maybe two decades?Thats not even normal.
Im curious about your dynamic as a group off-stage.
What is the interpersonal connection like between you, Lauryn, and Clef?
Is it more professional now?We communicate sometimes.
I guess Im like the Bobby Brown of the group.
Theres a little ambiguity as to what your status currently is.
Constitutionally, some of my rights were violated.
Were waiting for this judge to give a ruling on it.
She agrees with the new defense team.
Part of it was also my previous attorney; he used AI to help representme.
I havent even gotten to the sentencing stage yet.
Im just gonna have to trust the process.
Im still waiting for some definitive conclusion on this whole situation.
you might go crazy.
Has Clef been there for you as youve gone through this process?Clef has been very supportive.
Thats my older brother, he doesnt want to see anything happen to me.
So hes been as supportive as he can be.
I love him, just as much as I love Lauryn.
Its you, Clef, and Lil Wayne.
How did the song come about?This track was supposed to be a Fugees and Wayne track.
Wyclef and Jerry Wonda produced it.
Clef reached out to me last year, right before the tour.
I just came out of my situation and was bringing in a new legal team.
He was like, I got a track for you, you gotta speak your truth.
My truth is Free Pras.
He said, I got Wayne and Im waiting for Lauryn.
He sent me the verse, Wayne is killing it.
But Im at a point right now where I cant just be doing things for exercise.
Im asking, is this real?
But hes like, Nah, man, I spoke to her.
It would just have been a great moment for her.
Did you ever speak with her directly about being disappointed by that?It didnt happen.
I dont talk to her about stuff like that.
The track is hard without her, but it would have been great with her.
The case is complicated; O.J., we know what it was.
It was a simple, did he do it or did he not?
Its political, and you cant expect the average person to begin to wrap their head around it.
Like where I say, They took $73 million for me, bugs on a windshield.
[Laughs]But I mean, I still got my health, my family, my beautiful children.
You just put things in perspective.
Like, do I care about my Patek anymore?
What do you think has been misunderstood?Thats a good question.
Hopefully, theyll know the truth and have a little more understanding of what happened.
Im one of those people who like to be in the shadows.
Moves in silence like the G in lasagna, like Wayne said thats been my whole M.O.
Thats what the Fugees, in essence, is really about.
The international leg of the Fugees tour is still happening.
Are you looking to it?Its a loaded question.
Im always going to love to perform.
I feel like when were onstage, nothing can stop us.
The thing that I dont want to do is be inconsiderate to the fans.
If the tour in Europecan be cleared up, I want to come.
