Wyclef Jean and Lauryn Hill have had their ups-and-downs as friends, lovers and collaborators over the years. But Jean still believes in his former Fugees bandmate and her talent. Hill made headlines last week when it was reported that she’d signed a new deal with Sony and was working on new music. The deal came just in time, as she was facing a possible three year prison sentence for tax evasion.
In a recent interview, Wyclef voiced his support for L-Boogie’s musical comeback, while also stating that he hopes she avoids similar pitfalls in the future.
“I wish her the best, I think she’s going to have a great album,” Wyclef told MTV’s “Rap Fix.” “You’re going to have ups-and-downs and in the industry.”
Lauryn hasn’t released an official studio album since the 1998s multi-platinum, Grammy-winning, Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Her last album of any kind was 2001’s Unplugged 2.0, an acoustic set of songs–many of which were unfinished. Despite that relatively small solo discography, Hill’s fans and admirers have never wavered in their support of her music.
She pleaded guilty in 2012 to three counts of failing to file her tax returns from 2005 to 2007.
Regarding her tax issues, Jean says that he believes that artists have to be mindful of who they keep in their inner circles.
“What I learned in the industry is just make sure that you surround yourself with the best people,” Clef shared. “Not people that are just going tell you what you want to hear, but people that are going to tell you the truth,” he said. “You develop a God complex. Trust me when I tell you that.”
