Lauryn Hill Dispels 'New' Fugees Song Rumors
The Fugees are back? Not exactly.
On Saturday (July 15), Hot 97 premiered “The Ish,” claiming it was a new song from the trio of Lauryn Hill, Pras, and Wyclef Jean. Since the group hasn’t released a new album in over two decades, fans were thrilled with the prospects.
But shortly after the song made its rounds, L-Boogie fired off a tweet to dispel the reunion rumors. “The ‘new’ Fugees song is indeed an old track played around with back in the day in the lab,” she wrote. “Not sure who leaked it, but I have my suspicions.”
— Ms. Lauryn Hill (@MsLaurynHill) July 16, 2017
It’s unclear when the song was made, but Pras’ verse likely came after 2014. In the song, he raps about a 2014 interview that he conducted with CNN: “Did an interview with CNN, North Korea crisis / I be speaking the truth so they ain’t advertise it.”
The Fugees have not released a new album since 1996’s multi-platinum project, The Score. Since then, there have been on-again-off-again rumors of a reunion.
In 2007, Pras said that a reunion was off the table due to Hill. “We went in the studio and recorded a couple records that were incredible,” he said at the time. “But, to put it nicely, it’s dead. Me and [Wyclef Jean], we on the same page, but Lauryn [Hill] is in her zone, and I’m fed up with that shit. Here she is, blessed with a gift, with the opportunity to rock and give, and she’s running on some bullshit? I’m a fan of Lauryn’s, but I can’t respect that.”
That same year, Pras said that he would likely never work with Hill again. “Before I work with Lauryn Hill again, you will have a better chance of seeing Osama Bin Laden and [George W.] Bush in Starbucks having a latte, discussing foreign policies, before there will be a Fugees reunion,” he told AllHipHop. “At this point I really think it will take an act of God to change her, because she is that far out there.”
However, in 2011, Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis told Rap-Up that he still thought a reunion could happen. “I believe there will be a day when the Fugees get together, but everyone in the group’s gotta be ready,” he said. “The Fugees are definitely going to get back together. The time will come. You’ve gotta wait, man.”
Until that time comes, listen to “The Ish” below.