The Fugees return to New York for their first concert in 15 years… after three hours of waiting | Music



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Dressed in a red frock coat that flew as she performed, rapper, singer and musician Lauryn Hill told the impatient but tired crowd, “Respect the miracle. Respect the miracle of this union” three and a half hours later provided that.

Over the shores of New York City on the rooftop of Pier 17, she and her fellow Fugees bandmates Wyclef Jean and Pras gathered on stage for the first time in 15 years, a “secret show” staged by Global Citizen. The performance, which took place on the 25th anniversary of their famous second and latest album, The Score, appeared to be a preview of the group’s upcoming international tour of 12 cities.

The rap trio performed their hits like Killing Me Softly, Ready or Not and Fu-Gee-La for the excitement of their fans and the performance itself was energetic and lively, albeit short. Notably, they haven’t played any of their hits solo, perhaps because of the lack of time created by their own delay. But it was obvious the band had a mutual respect on stage, something they even seemed to admit was hard earned.

The Fugees, formed in the early 90s, quickly gained popularity over the next decade. They are always a collision between new and vintage, a perfect example of the adage “The more things change, the more things stay the same”. In many ways, these are the same Fugees, still three high school kids who met in New Jersey. But in a new era, the political nuances of their ’90s lyrics are perhaps more striking because they are still so relevant.

Fugitives again.
Photograph: Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Global Citizen

Jean, clad in an Alexander McQueen tuxedo, donned a hat with a Haitian flag hidden underneath and spoke about the citizen and migrant crisis in the much distressed country. During a monologue, Jean even called on Joe Biden to rewrite and change the policy for Haitian migrants, to overturn everything that allowed such harsh treatment of his compatriots. The Haitian-born musician referred to photos and videos of migrants being whipped by Texas border officers on horses, bringing people together in a way that is more reminiscent of cattle than humans. “Haitians shouldn’t live like this! he said, later shouting Black Lives Matter.

It was the weight of nostalgia that drew fans across the New York City area to the secret show. The aforementioned respect for the famous group’s reunion kept them in place during the three-and-a-half-hour wait without cellphones for the company (visitors were forced to donate tech devices at first). “That’s why we’re all here. We are all in this abusive relationship with [Lauryn Hill]”a fan told The Guardian. The fan mentioned that seeing them would be” an incredible sight “but she was” turned down by Lauryn [Hill]’s late “before.

With the show starting at 6.30 p.m., the large crowd of fans, consisting of those who listened to the record in the 90s and those who were familiar with the second wave of its popularity, waited impatiently but decidedly weary of it. artists. ‘reputation for late performances (Hill was two hours late for a Paris concert in 2018 and four hours late for a 2010 show in Brooklyn). At 9:30 p.m., the Fugees had not yet materialized on stage. The DJ continued to stall, even as the crowd stirred. Finally, the scene showed signs of life at 9:57 p.m., even though the venue was scheduled to close at 10 p.m. The band finally started playing at 10:07 p.m. with the band that will follow soon. After Jean’s interpretation of No Woman, No Cry, filming ended around 10:57 p.m.

A retransmission of the concert will be broadcast this weekend during the Global Citizen Live festival and the trio should continue their international tour after this New York show which will begin in Chicago. Those who intend to attend should be patient and wear suitable footwear.

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