The Fugees

They were on the verge of dominating the world for a long time. But their separation spoiled everything, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of all hip-hop lovers. So today we wonder: what would have happened if they had gotten along all the way? We'll let you guess.

They grew up in Brooklyn, but much more than that: they were immersed in a hip-hop culture that at the time only had a few underground places to express themselves. So, when these young refugees started to get into it, their enthusiasm and class quickly sparked a spark between America and the Caribbean. In no time at all to compose a hit in New Jersey studios, they brought classics to life, inspiring a whole generation of apprentice sorcerers with a hot flow.

Subscribing to internal tensions and crises of confidence, The Fugees are a far cry from the gangsta rap that guns down Dr.Dre or feverish pop. Together, Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel have always been in a kind of in-between, flirting closely with the reggae of their idol: Bob Marley. Outside the ghettos, these rap soldiers with their heady and positive melodies, close to the Black Eyed Peas and Outkast on the artistic level, fight like tigers to condemn a system they don't adhere to and get out of the permanent fights between the West and the East Coast as best they can. Bling-bling, money, guns: very little for them.

So today, what is left of all that? Great memories, of course. Regrets, probably. But above all, a secret dream that every hip-hop lover has in the corner of his head: a reformation, at least a real one, like a newfound love that lasts over time. Because no one knows how to set the stage on fire, carry messages of hope and sculpt such sumptuous hits as they do.