Fugees rapper Pras Michel has delayed a scheduled sentencing hearing after undergoing emergency surgery for colon cancer. The hearing, originally set for August 29, was postponed after doctors discovered the cancer during a routine check-up. Michel was rushed into surgery to remove the cancer and is now recovering with his family. His spokesperson confirmed that he will remain in recovery until his doctors give clearance. The sentencing hearing has been rescheduled for October 3.
Michel’s health crisis comes at a time when he is already facing one of the most challenging periods of his life. In 2023, he was convicted on 10 counts, including conspiracy, witness tampering, concealing material facts, making false entries, and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign power. The charges stem from his association with Malaysian financier Jho Low, and accusations that he accepted millions of dollars to influence American politics. The case included allegations of attempts to funnel money into the 2012 U.S. presidential election and later efforts to interfere with government investigations.
Prosecutors are seeking nearly $65 million in forfeiture and a potentially lengthy prison sentence. His legal team, however, has argued for leniency, requesting a three-year sentence. The cancer diagnosis and surgery have added another layer of complexity to his already turbulent legal situation.
Despite his current troubles, Pras Michel’s name is etched into music history. In the early 1990s, he co-founded The Fugees with Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean. Their unique fusion of hip-hop, R&B, and Caribbean influences helped redefine the sound of the era. The Fugees’ second album, The Score, released in 1996, became a cultural milestone. With tracks like Killing Me Softly, Ready or Not, and Fu-Gee-La, the record sold millions worldwide and won critical acclaim. It remains one of the best-selling hip-hop albums of all time.
The group disbanded in 1998 but reunited for occasional performances. In 2023, Michel joined Hill and Jean on stage at the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia, where they performed a set of Fugees classics. Later that year, Hill announced a 25th anniversary tour for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, with The Fugees billed as co-headliners. The reunion signaled a moment of nostalgia for fans, even as Michel’s legal challenges loomed.
Pras Michel also found success outside of The Fugees. His biggest solo hit came in 1998 with Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are), featuring Mýa and Ol’ Dirty Bastard. The single became a global hit, topping charts around the world and earning Grammy nominations. The track’s success gave Michel credibility as a solo artist and helped him carve out his own identity apart from the group.
He released the album Ghetto Supastar the same year, followed by other projects that mixed hip-hop with pop influences. While his solo career never reached the same heights as his work with The Fugees, the success of Ghetto Supastar ensured his place in pop culture.
In recent years, Michel’s relationship with his Fugees bandmates has grown strained. He filed a lawsuit against Lauryn Hill over the cancellation of a planned reunion tour, accusing her of fraud and breach of contract. Hill dismissed the claims, calling them baseless and saying she had financially supported Michel during his legal battles. The feud spilled into the public when Michel released a diss track called Bar Mitzfa, which appeared to take aim at Hill.
The dispute highlighted the ongoing challenges within the group, which, despite their monumental success, has long been plagued by internal tensions.
Beyond music, Michel has been drawn into the world of politics and international intrigue. The charges against him placed him at the centre of a scandal involving foreign lobbying and campaign finance violations. His trial even saw Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio testify about his connections to Jho Low.
Adding to the unusual twists, Michel later claimed his trial had been compromised because his attorney relied on experimental artificial intelligence to craft parts of his defense. He has since called for a retrial on the grounds of ineffective counsel.
Speculation has also swirled about whether he could receive a presidential pardon, given his past associations with Donald Trump, who once appeared in promotional material linked to Ghetto Supastar. While those rumours remain unconfirmed, they underscore the surreal intersections between Michel’s music career and his political entanglements.
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