Nearly three decades after releasing one of hip-hop’s most celebrated albums, Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean say fans should not rule out new music from the Fugees.
The longtime band mates reignited excitement about the group’s future during an interview with the BBC ahead of Hill’s Diaspora Calling! festival at Milton Keynes National Bowl, where they reunited on stage.
When asked whether a new Fugees album could finally be on the horizon, Hill offered an answer that immediately caught fans’ attention.
After Jean repeated the question, “Will there be music in the future?” Hill responded without hesitation: “Absolutely.”
Jean stopped short of confirming that a new album is already underway but suggested he and Hill have reached a place creatively and personally that makes future collaborations possible.
“We’re in God’s hands,” he said before adding, “I’m back with my bandmate! So we’re in an amazing place. I think the energy is very important.”
Hill echoed those sentiments, explaining that the pair have spent recent years repairing a relationship that was once strained.
“There was an incredible healing process that happened with us as a band and as bandmates, and as you said we just want to showcase that and give some of that energy to the world as well.”
The comments mark one of the strongest indications yet that the Grammy-winning artists are open to creating new material together.
The Fugees — made up of Hill, Jean and Pras Michel — have not released a studio album since 1996’s “The Score,” widely considered one of the defining hip-hop albums of its era.
Featuring classics such as “Ready or Not,” “Fu-Gee-La,” and their chart-topping rendition of “Killing Me Softly,” the album helped transform the trio into international stars before they disbanded the following year.
Although the group reunited briefly in the mid-2000s and again for the 25th anniversary of “The Score,” those comebacks were short-lived.
Their planned 2024 U.S. tour was canceled before it began, and the reunion quickly unraveled after Pras Michel sued Hill, accusing her of fraud and alleging she sabotaged the tour through “arrogance” and “narcissistic tendencies.”
He also claimed Hill approved “unnecessary and, most likely fictitious expenses” tied to the production.
Hill rejected those allegations.
In a statement issued after the lawsuit became public, she called the complaint “baseless” and “full of false claims and unwarranted attacks.”
Hill also alleged that Michel had received a $3 million advance to help cover mounting legal fees and said he still owed her repayment for substantial personal loans she had extended as an act of goodwill.
Michel’s legal troubles have cast a long shadow over the group in recent years. In 2023, he was convicted in a federal case involving an international lobbying and embezzlement scheme tied to Malaysian financier Jho Low.
His legal issues disrupted the group’s reunion efforts, and he was later sentenced to 14 years in prison — Michel began serving his sentence in April — leaving the future of the trio uncertain.
Despite that uncertainty, Hill and Jean have continued performing together. The pair reunited at Roberta Flack’s memorial service in 2025 and later shared the stage again in London, keeping hope alive among fans that the Fugees’ story was not over.
Their latest appearance together, and Hill’s emphatic response about future music, has only intensified that optimism.
The renewed partnership came as Hill prepared to launch Diaspora Calling!, a one-day festival that made its United Kingdom debut at Milton Keynes National Bowl.
The event brought together a lineup that reflects the global influence of Black music and culture, featuring performances by Hill, Jean, Erykah Badu, Giggs, Fireboy DML, YG Marley and Zion Marley, with comedian Dave Chappelle serving as host. Hill said London was the ideal place to introduce the festival because of its diverse communities and cultural ties.
“There’s so much of the diaspora in London,” Hill said. “So many people are represented here. It felt like a full-circle moment for us.”
For Jean, the festival also reflects the vision he and his bandmates shared when they first came together more than 30 years ago. Looking back on the Fugees’ early years, he said the trio always wanted to create something larger than a successful music career.
“I remember saying from a very young age, we’re not going to do music, we’re going to be a movement,” Jean recalled.
He added that the themes explored on the group’s recordings remain just as relevant today.
“When you talk about the idea of refugees, look where we are today. We were saying these things 30 years ago. It was never just about us – it was always about the movement.”
Hill agreed, saying the Fugees themselves embodied the spirit behind the festival by bringing together artists and cultures from different backgrounds.
“Our different places of origin came together to unite culture, reflect culture and show people how beautiful, powerful and resourceful that culture is,” she said.
Before taking the stage at the festival, Hill and Jean surprised fans with an impromptu appearance in London’s Piccadilly Circus, where they performed an a cappella version of “Ready or Not.”
The unexpected performance quickly spread online, adding to the excitement surrounding their reunion on Friday night. (That evening’s performance ultimately left fans wanting more after it was cut short.)
The pair also reflected on the current state of the music business, encouraging aspiring artists to focus less on chasing viral moments and more on developing lasting careers.
Jean said many young performers are becoming less interested in social media fame and more committed to creating meaningful work.
“The kids are saying, ‘I don’t want to be on TikTok like that. I don’t want to be on Instagram. I’m not trying to go viral. I just need people to listen to my music and engage with my music,'” he said.
Hill echoed that advice, urging musicians to remain patient and committed to their craft.
“Art is not gone yet,” she said. “Patience is a virtue. You want it in 30 seconds, but it isn’t going to happen in 30 seconds. If you keep coming together with a positive plan and saying, ‘We want to be heard,’ then you’ll be heard. Find like-minded individuals.”
She concluded with another reminder for emerging artists: “Respect your audience, respect yourself.”
News that Hill and Jean may be considering new music quickly generated excitement among longtime fans, many of whom said the pair’s reconciliation was just as meaningful as the possibility of another album.
One fan wrote, “Grew up with The Score on constant repeat and hearing them talk about that healing plus actual new music has me smiling so hard right now.”
Another added, “This healing process is beautiful to see. We are so ready for new music and that legendary energy back on stage.”
While Hill and Jean stopped short of announcing a recording schedule or release date, their comments marked the clearest sign in years that the door remains open. For fans who have spent nearly three decades waiting for another Fugees album, Hill’s one-word answer may have been enough to reignite hope that one of hip-hop’s most influential groups still has another chapter left to write.
