The Fugees

The alternative rap group the Fugees formed in New York City in 1992 when local rapper Lauryn Hill joined forces with two Haitian-American MCs Wyclef "Clef" Jean and Prakazrel "Pras" Michel, first cousins who were born in Haiti but grew up in New Jersey. Originally called the Tranzlators, the trio quickly landed a deal with Ruffhouse/Columbia only to find another group had a similar moniker; hence, they renamed themselves the Fugees to evoke Jean and Michel's refugee status.

The Fugees' reggae-tinged debut, 1994's Blunted on Reality, won them a devoted underground following, while their 1996 follow-up, The Score, made them superstars, selling more than four million copies and reaching No. 1 on the charts. In 1997 Wyclef Jean released the gold-selling solo album, The Carnival Featuring the Refugee All Stars, which featured cameos by Michel and Hill.

RollingStone.com