2:27 pm
Wyclef Speaks on Fugee Non-Reunion: Lauryn Hill’s the Problem
On one hand you hear of a new Fugee album and think, “Umm, aren’t they called the Black Eyed Peas now.” On the other you realize that BEP are like the little cousins that soaked up the Fugee formula, yet something was left in the sponge. The Fugees had the perfect blend of commercial, soul, and hip-hop that has yet to be truly duplicated. Given the right circumstances a new Fugee album would prove that and inject a welcome dose of creative spirit into hip-hop.
Of course with Lauryn Hill looking as off-center as ever since shunning the celebrity life for babies and hard-to-grasp spiritual beliefs, that reunion might not be such a great idea. And who knows where Pras stands - although I suspect his only job would be to do just that, stand in the right spot.. thanks Pras.
Despite their problems with each other, since the surprise performance on Dave Chappelle’s Block Party, there have been talks of a Fugee reunion that’s seemingly on an on again/off again diet.
The latest being.. it’s off.
In the new issue of Scratch magazine Wyclef reveals the reason for the delays: Lauryn Hill wanting to make beats.
What’s up with the Fugees reunion, or lack thereof?
“I’m officially Paul McCartney from the Beatles now. If the Fugees wanna come back you can’t break the format. Don’t come back and be like, ‘I wanna produce a beat.’ That’s like me saying I wanna sing an R&B vocal. When we was working on the album, I was like, [to Lauryn], ‘You need to do this like this.’ [And] she says, ‘How do you know what’s relevant? I haven’t heard anything from you in the past like three, four years?’
The minute she said that I was like, I gotta go back to working [on my own.]”
So what’s ultimately holding you guys back?
“Lauryn is straight up the problem, bro. She wants to be a producer. Don’t come telling us how to chop up beats so you can get credit for it.”
What makes you think she would take the credit?
“We did a remix with Lauryn Hill for John Legend, for the record “How High.” John was saying our names. You know what she had him do? She was like, ‘Take off Wyclef and Jerry’s names.’ Because she wanted people to think that she was the one doing the beat. I’m a producer and a beatmaker with my cousin Jerry Wonder..
I’m a writer. She’s a writer, a vocalist, and a great composer. She’s great at picking out samples - she got 20 billion samples but can’t chop em up to save her life.”
So she hasn’t made any of the beats she got credit for?
“It’s real simple - if you did the beats, where are the beats?
Show us one beat that you did.
If you bring Clef in to the studio, put an MP, put an SP, .. bring a bunch of cameras and say, ‘Clef do a beat in two minutes.’ The beat’s done! Bring Lauryn Hill in the studio with the same camera - say we give you three hours. Matter fact, fuck it, we’ll give you a month - do a beat. She can’t put it together!”
——
Hmm, maybe that’s why she was strumming a guitar for 90 minutes straight on her last solo album.
☼ What's Your Opinion? ☼
ofknowimportance- Tue, Jul 31, 2007 - 12:02 ami have to say Wyclef is stretching to be so critical of Lauryn, that 90 minutes of her strumming a guitar was worth about tree times as much as whatever his last [wack] album was…
yourtheonemshill- Tue, Jul 31, 2007 - 11:52 amWhen ou have a talent like this all I can say is f*ck wyclef and pras. Rock on Ms Hill your the one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA0bbct1BUo
danzenie- Tue, Jul 31, 2007 - 1:38 pmAs much as a like L, I must say there is something inside of me that just has more respect for Wyclef as a “person”. Lauryn is off-skewed for sure. If it was your ghetto next door neighbor you would have claimed drugs.
cutiew/dafatbootey- Wed, Aug 01, 2007 - 8:53 amwho really gives a f*ck! i am tired of hearing about this shit. Wyclef is all washed up-trying to create another fugees band with them “city-high” kids—flopped. Lauryn and is just all fck’d up i have no respect for her after hearing that wack ass unplugged album that i returned to the bootlegger that sold it to me (so you knwo it was bad). And Pras….PRAS who? he never did anything…and you know what i don’t blaime ‘em get yo cake and let wyclef and lauryn war over nothing! get it together people this shit is ridiculous….
Jah- Wed, Aug 01, 2007 - 8:04 pmCan’t we all just get along?
Tash- Thu, Aug 02, 2007 - 2:20 pmNobody will ever know the real story behind what went on between the fugees, there are three sides to that story and the TRUTH. I am a big Lauryn Fan, although that Unplugged albulm was (not lauryn), I’m still behind her…. so, Lauryn if you are reading this… girl you were at the top of your game, take a deep breath, exhale and get back on top!!!!!!
Ms Hill Speaks, Belgium July 27th- Thu, Aug 02, 2007 - 3:47 pmHere is an interview were Ms Hill dicusses her new album, fugees and more. Please post this and give it as much attention as you did Wyclef and Pras.
Ms Hill Interview, July 27, 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGdQHoeg2ow
Dr, Thrill- Thu, Aug 02, 2007 - 4:47 pmLauryn Hill is at a stage in her life/ career where she wants everything done her way. And i believe she deserves that.
The only anticipated artist and (real star) in the group is Lauryn. neither Pras nor Wyclef can make a hit on their own. They need Lauryn and She doesn’t need them. (Wyclef never never had a huge SOLO hit)
Wyclef is afraid that when the Fugees’ album came out everyone would be praising hill and overlooking him just like they did for ‘Blunted On Reality’ and ‘The Score’, and just like Lauryn’s solo effort by far overshadowed Clef’s.
LOL- Thu, Aug 02, 2007 - 5:59 pmLauryn got torched.
“Matter fact, fuck it, we’ll give you a month”. LOL.
LOL- Thu, Aug 02, 2007 - 6:01 pmFujitsu’s need their own unreality show - would be classic…
CallOut, baby!
Peace to my peeps on the bbs (all three of you).
l Moore- Fri, Sep 07, 2007 - 2:20 pmLauryn Honey i don’t know if you ever read this stuff!!! but Pleeeeeease come back with or without the fugee, with or without your own beats. with or without your guitar your voice and your lyrics alone can touch millions. whatever you went through that made you leave the industry use that to make a come back all your songs in the past were relevant and all you did was spoke on what you knew what you were going through and almost every woman in the world could relate. so come back . screw what he say you can do it allthe beats the lyric. hell you can can work in thefctory that makes the cd’s for all i care. just go ahead and make come back!!!!
st louis
mygalmshill- Sat, Sep 29, 2007 - 11:29 pmThe talent of the fugees was in Ms. Hill. She is trying hard to grow in her music and Wyclef keeps talking about the fugees. SHUT UP already! The few tracks you guys put together with Lauryn’s most masterful lyrics should feed you and Praz a little longer. Now shut up and let her get on with telling her story the way she wants to. I heard Guarding the Gates (new song) and Loose Myself and, guess what, I like both of them. Ms. Hill is real versitle.
sandile- Wed, Jan 02, 2008 - 4:23 amA systimic deprivation of truth plagues humanity and when by the grace of God you get to know the truth and start reflecting it people don’t understand and wish you were still your old self. Lauryn you have been blessed with the knowledge of truth and my God continue to shine on through you, for man is in darkness and has failed to comprehend the light. Mis L keep on transforming to being his reflection, the unplugged no 2.0 is beautiful.
cannan7@webmail.co.za
Where does Pras stand? He made it pretty clear to Billboard recently - “Me and Clef, we on the same page, but Lauryn [Hill] is in her zone, and I’m fed up with that sh*t. Here she is, blessed with a gift, with the opportunity to rock and give and she’s running on some b*llshit? I’m a fan of Lauryn’s but I can’t respect that.”
I saw it on HearingTest, but they got it from Billboard:
HT:
http://www.musicnewsculture.com/fugees-dead-to-pras/07/2007/