Fugees Kick Off Reunion Tour at Global Citizen Live as Group Performs Together for First Time in 15 Years

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“Respect the miracle of this union,” Lauryn Hill said as she, Wyclef Jean, and Pras Michel took the stage in New York City for Global Citizen Live, kicking off the Fugees’ international tour

On Wed. 9/22, the reunited Fugees performed at Pier 17 in NYC in support of Global Citizen Live, a once-in-a-generation global broadcast event calling on world leaders to defend the planet and defeat poverty, airing on September 25. The show kicks off the Fugees 2021 World Tour.

CREDIT: THEO WARGO/GETTY

The Fugees are officially back after announcing their first world tour in 25 years, celebrating the milestone anniversary of their 1996 album The Score.

Lauryn HillWyclef Jean, and Pras Michel reunited Wednesday in New York City for their first performance together in 15 years, which was taped as part of Saturday’s 24-hour livestream for Global Citizen Live 2021.

The group performed their single “Ready or Not” for the enthusiastic audience, which was later streamed as part of the Global Citizen event, teasing what’s to come for their 12-city international tour.

Global Citizen’s 24-hour broadcast from cities around the world called on G7 countries and the European Union to share at least 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses with those most in need and to support calls for a waiver on COVID-19 vaccine intellectual property rights. The campaign also called on vaccine providers to share mRNA technology with the new World Health Organization-backed transfer hub based in South Africa.

“Respect the miracle. Respect the miracle of this union,” Hill, 46, told the crowd, according to The Guardian. The group finally kicked off their secret show at Pier 17’s rooftop venue after a delay of more than three hours, during which the audience had to surrender their phones.

On Wed. 9/22, the reunited Fugees performed at Pier 17 in NYC in support of Global Citizen Live, a once-in-a-generation global broadcast event calling on world leaders to defend the planet and defeat poverty, airing on September 25. The show kicks off the Fugees 2021 World Tour.

CREDIT: THEO WARGO/GETTY

They also treated the audience to their songs “Killing Me Softly” and “Fu-Gee-La,” and Jean, 51, performed his rendition of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry.”

The Fugees will continue the U.S. leg of their tour on November 2 in Chicago, before wrapping up with shows in Paris, London, Nigeria, and Ghana throughout December. They announced the reunion tour on Tuesday, just a day before the pop-up show at a previously undisclosed location in New York.

“The Fugees have a complex but impactful history. I wasn’t even aware the 25th anniversary had arrived until someone brought it to my attention,” Hill said in a statement. “I decided to honor this significant project, its anniversary, and the fans who appreciated the music by creating a peaceful platform where we could unite, perform the music we loved, and set an example of reconciliation for the world.”

Jean added, “As I celebrate 25 years with the Fugees, my first memory was that we vowed, from the gate, we would not just do music, we would be a movement. We would be a voice for the unheard, and in these challenging times, I am grateful once again, that God has brought us together.”

Formerly known as the Tranzlator Crew, the Fugees debuted in the early ’90s and went on to release their debut album Blunted on Reality in 1994. The Score was their second and final album, going seven-time platinum as one of the best-selling albums in the world with two Grammy Awards.

The Fugees

The Fugees

Although the group was initially only together for five years, their status as one of the world’s most influential hip-hop acts has long been solidified. They last reunited in 2005 for their single, “Take It Easy.”

See all tour dates and buy tickets for the Fugees’ international tour at LiveNation.com.

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