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Fugees
Lauryn Hill Initiated The Fugees Reunion, According To Pras
The Fugees reunion is off to a great start, with a well-received comeback show at New York’s Pier 17 as part of the Global Citizen Live concert series and a tour planned to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the trio’s classic 1996 album The Score. Now, thanks to the sometimes overlooked group member Pras, fans know who to thank for the return of Fugees: Ms. Lauryn Hill, who apparently was the one who reached out to her former bandmates during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
In an interview about the reunion with Billboard‘s Nadine Graham, Pras said, “It was kinda initiated by Ms. Hill, but the idea was floating around since last year. But you know last year with the pandemic, nobody really knew which way the world was going. It happened organically. She reached out to Wyclef and they reached out to me. I said, ‘Listen, if it feels right, let’s see what happens.’ I think the culture really needed it, wanted it, so we’re just giving them what they want.”
However, with regard to whether the crew would be turning their reunion tour into a comeback album, he was a little more cagey. “I’ma say it like this to you,” he replied. “Last night, it really felt good.”
You can watch Fugees’ reunion performance of “Ready Or Not” above.
Global Citizen Shares Fugees’ Reunion Performance Of ‘Ready Or Not’
Wednesday night, September 22, marked the first time in 15 years that the iconic hip-hop band Fugees reunited to play a live show ahead of their highly-anticipated 25th anniversary tour for their album The Score. Performing at the New York rooftop venue Pier 17 for Global Citizen Live, video of the event was limited to the very few attendees who were able to sneak in their phones, as the majority of the concert’s patrons were required to slip their phones into Yondr bags for safekeeping.
Today, however, Global Citizen shared one part of the set, a rollicking performance of Fugees’ signature jam “Ready Or Not.” Backed by a massive live band complete with a horn section that got a memorable breakdown toward the end, Lauryn Hill, Pras Michel, and Wyclef Jean sound as though they’ve never taken a break — let alone one that lasted for over a decade and was filled with borderline waspish statements from the various band members about a possible reunion.
The Global Citizen Live concert in New York City also included performances from Billie Eilish, Burna Boy, Camila Cabello, Coldplay Jennifer Lopez, Jon Batiste, Lizzo, Meek Mill, and more.
Watch Fugees’ reunion performance of “Ready Or Not” for Global Citizen Live above.
Watch The Fugees Play Together For The First Time In 15 Years
Along with death and taxes, one thing that remains invariably true about the universe is that someone, somewhere, is using a phone where they shouldn’t. Despite taking precautions such as locking attendees’ phones in Yondr bags, plenty of video has emerged from the Fugees’ first show on their reunion tour for the 25th anniversary of The Score. The group has reunited for the first time in 15 years for this tour, with their most recent performance together being in 2006 in Hollywood after their touted 2005 reunion tour.
However, the group announced their return for the 25th anniversary of their classic album earlier this week, following through with the kickoff performance at New York’s Pier 17. According to Stereogum, around 3,000 people were in attendance, while Rolling Stone reports the show was 45 minutes long. All of the songs played were from The Score, naturally, and perhaps inevitably, the show reportedly started around three hours late.
Stereogum’s recap details Pras and Wyclef freestyling and Wyclef using the platform to address the US’s current treatment of Haitian refugees. And despite banning phones from the proceedings (recordings of some of the performances will reportedly be used in Global Citizen’s broadcast this Saturday), plenty of fan-made recordings have leaked out. The fact that the group reunited after some of the prior comments they’ve made on the subject is a minor miracle and worth celebrating.
Watch video from the Fugees’ first performance together in 15 years below.
You can see the full tour schedule, which begins in proper on November 2, here.
The Most Anticipated Concert Tours Of Fall 2021
Once COVID-19 vaccines became widely available in early 2021, artists wasted no time plotting tours again. And after a largely concert-less 2020, it felt amazing to just have the option of seeing our favorite bands live onstage. Now that the year is drawing to a close, seeing bands announce tour dates feels almost normal again, with an added — and very important — caveat that fans should bring their vaccination cards if they want to attend. With fall fast approaching, we’ve rounded up 25 acts we’re excited to see live, and there are sure to be more announcements rolling out in the weeks to come.
100 Gecs
Hyperpop phenom 100 Gecs initially made waves on their 2019 debut album, 1,000 Gecs. Since then, 100 Gecs have dropped a remix album and fired off a few collaborations (including one with Charli XCX). Now, Dylan Brady and Laura Les are kicking it up a few more Gecs with the 10,000 Gecs North American tour, comprising 34 stops and kicking off in October in Oakland before coming to a close two months later in Brooklyn.
Check out 100 Gecs’ tour dates here.
Adrianne Lenker / Big Thief
Both Adrianne Lenker AND Big Thief are headed out on the road this fall, which shouldn’t get confusing at all! (I kid.) Let’s break it down: In November, Lenker will tour a series of dates, kicking off in Burlington, Vermont, and wrapping up in Minneapolis. It’s all likely in support of her 2020 album(s), Songs and Instrumentals. Meanwhile, the wider collective are going on tour in September for a month-long journey wrapping up in early October in Philadelphia. During that trek, they’ll no doubt play both previously released singles “Certainty,” “Sparrow,” and “Little Things,” not to mention more new music the indie-folk favorites cooked up during their time spent at Sam Evian’s Flying Cloud Studios in the Catskills.
Check out Adrianne Lenker’s tour dates here, and check out Big Thief’s tour dates here.
Ava Max (opening for Maroon 5)
Ava Max — an Uproxx cover star — turned some heads with her 2020 debut album Heaven & Hell, including those of some of her peers in the industry. She’s worked with people like Charlie Puth, Kane Brown, and Jason Derulo, but these days she can be found on the road with Maroon 5. The longtime pop-rock outfit have been touring steadily since mid-August, with Max joining up with them in Chicago, Hersey, PA, and Boston. Come October, her last date with Maroon 5 will be in Los Angeles at Banc Of California Stadium, with the guys concluding their tour later in the month in Concord, CA.
Check out Ava Max and Maroon 5’s tour dates here.
Beabadoobee
Uproxx cover star Beabadoobee only just put out her debut album, Fake It Flowers, last year, but already she’s released a follow-up EP, Our Extended Play, which was created in collaboration with the 1975’s Matty Healy and George Daniel. Now comes the victory lap, with a full North American tour featuring Blackstarkids, starting in November in Washington D.C. at the 9:30 Club and concluding in mid-December in Pittsburgh.
Check out Beabadoobee’s tour dates here.
Caroline Polachek
If memory serves, Caroline Polachek contracted COVID while on tour in Europe early last year, sharing updates to her Instagram Story about how she was doing health-wise. And it was particularly frightening because we knew so little about COVID at the time. Now, two years after releasing her debut solo album, 2019’s Pang, the former Chairlift singer is staging a comeback, complete with the single “Bunny Is A Rider” and the “Heart Is Unbreaking” tour, which kicked off in August at the Greek Theatre in LA. Moving through the US, the (Covid-safe!) tour will wrap just before Christmas in Santa Cruz.
Check out Caroline Polachek’s tour dates here.
Don Toliver w/ BIA
Houston’s Don Toliver has opened up for the biggest artists in the game — Travis Scott in 2019, and in 2022 he’ll be in the supporting slot for The Weeknd. In addition to showing up on a collaboration with Skrillex and Justin Bieber (“Don’t Go”) and prepping his forthcoming sophomore album L.O.A.D., the Don will be playing across the US on his Life Of A Don tour with BIA supporting, starting in Austin, Texas, and wrapping up at Day N Vegas and Rolling Loud California.
Check out Don Toliver and BIA’s tour dates here.
Fiery Furnaces
Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger have been making a low-key comeback for a couple of years now. Last year, the Chicago indie-rock torchbearers released “Down At The So And So On Somewhere,” their first new song in over a decade. Then came its B-side, “The Fortune Teller’s Revenge.” This fall, they’re hitting the road again with special guest Fred Armisen. “We’re very excited to be playing again, to get a chance to do new things with old stuff, or old things with new people,” the band said in a press release. “And we’re very happy to have Fred opening the shows.”
Check out the Fiery Furnaces’ tour dates here.
Fugees
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of their hugely influential 1996 album The Score, Fugees — aka Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras Michel — plan to reunite this fall for a brief set of reunion tour dates. The first of them is on September 22 at a yet-to-be-announced venue. After that, they’ll pick things back up in November and December for a handful of shows in the US, as well as dates in Nigeria and Ghana. The moment carries a great deal of significance for all involved. After all, the trio, each of whom went on to have extraordinary solo careers after The Score, have a fraught history with one another, to put it mildly.
Check out Fugees’ tour dates here.
Harry Styles
Harry Styles‘ Love On Tour was originally meant to run in 2020, which meant, of course, that it got postponed due to COVID. Since then, the former One Directioner hit the road in September with opener Jenny Lewis, with dates running through late November 2021. Lewis will accompany Styles on every date, with the exception of October 30 and 31, which will be Styles’ “Harryween” concerts at New York’s Madison Square Garden. (Orville Peck and Madison Cunningham will open those dates.)
Check out Harry Styles’ tour dates here.
Japanese Breakfast
Despite a pandemic, this has arguably been the most active year of Japanese Breakfast’s career. In addition to releasing a remarkable memoir, Crying In H Mart, Michelle Zauner also dropped her band’s critically beloved third album, Jubilee. Fall 2021 brings the indie-rock band’s victory lap, with Japanese Breakfast hitting the road in mid-September and touring across the US, wrapping up in Pomona, California on November 16.
Check out Japanese Breakfast’s tour dates here.
Jason Isbell
Alabama-born alt-country player Jason Isbell has been one of the most vocal supporters of COVID-safe concerts, therefore supporting him as he tours through the country with The 400 Unit is probably in everybody’s best interests. Isbell, who actively maintains an entertaining Twitter presence, was unfortunately not able to tour his band’s 2020 album, Reunions, so you can definitely expect to hear some cuts from that. Even better, don’t be surprised if Isbell churns out some covers from his forthcoming Georgia Blue charity album, featuring renditions of songs by Georgia Artists, such as R.E.M. and Gladys Knight.
Check out Jason Isbell’s tour dates here.
J. Cole w/ 21 Savage & Morray
Back in the spring, J. Cole released his sixth studio album, The Off-Season. Not only that, but he even did some remarkable album promo by even playing pro basketball in Africa. Now comes The Off-Season Tour, which is set to feature two of the album’s guest rappers, 21 Savage and Morray. Beginning in September, the tour will hit 17 cities, kicking off in Miami and concluding in October at LA’s The Forum.
Check out J. Cole’s tour dates here.
Kaytranada
Kaytranada had a great start to 2021, winning the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album (2019’s Bubba) and Best Dance Recording (for “10%” featuring Kali Uchis). Moving forward, the Canadian DJ/producer is hitting the road now through December, where he’ll wrap up with a show in Toronto.
Check out Kaytranada’s tour dates here.
Khruangbin
Texas trio Khruangbin expanded their psychedelic funk sound with their third LP Mordechai, but more recently, they released a 10-track effort called Mordechai Remixes featuring contributions from Kadhja Bonet, Ginger Root, Knxwledge, and more. In support, Khruangbin has been on tour since August, but the journey is nowhere near complete. They’re doing a series of dates through December, hitting Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre, Atlanta’s The Eastern, and New York City’s Radio City, among others.
Check out Khruangbin’s tour dates here.
Lil Baby w/ Lil Durk & Coi Leray
In June, Lil Baby and Lil Durk released their collaborative album, The Voice Of The Heroes. To celebrate, both Lils are hitting the road on their Back Outside Tour, which also has a supporting slot from NJ rapper Coi Leray and kicks off in September and runs through mid-October at West Palm Beach’s iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre.
Check out Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s tour dates here.
Machine Gun Kelly / KennyHoopla
Capping off a very Machine Gun Kelly summer is the rapper-turned-pop-punker’s 2021 fall tour, starting in mid-September and featuring singer/rapper KennyHoopla. I repeat, if you haven’t seen or heard enough from MGK this year, you’re likely in for a treat. I mean, it’s not every day that a rapper pivots to pop-punk, gets matching tattoos with Travis Barker, and starts a highly public relationship with the most beautiful woman on the planet. In addition to cuts from 2020’s Tickets To My Downfall, fans will no doubt get to hear new music from MGK’s forthcoming effort Born With Horns (release date TBD).
Check out Machine Gun Kelly and KennyHoopla’s tour dates here.
The New Pornographers
It’s been a meaningful few years for the Canadian indie-pop supergroup. Last year marked the 20th anniversary of their 2000 debut, Mass Romantic. Since they couldn’t celebrate properly (because, pandemic), The New Pornos have plotted out a fall tour where they’ll play Mass Romantic and Twin Cinema (celebrating its 16th anniversary) in their entirety. Joining them will be original band members Neko Case and Destroyer‘s Dan Bejar (!), plus AC Newman, Joe Seiders, John Collins, Todd Fancey, and Kathryn Calder.
Check out The New Pornographers’ tour dates here.
Omar Apollo
Last fall, Omar Apollo shared his long-awaited debut project, Apolonio. The Mexican-American singer-songwriter has been on the road since July for his Desvelado Tour, and he has a long way to go. He’ll be performing throughout the US all the way through mid-November, wrapping up at Boston’s Big Night Live.
Check out Omar Apollo’s tour dates here.
Phoebe Bridgers
Now through October, Phoebe Bridgers is touring the US in support of her critically adored 2020 album Punisher, which she mostly promoted last year via livestreams and other pandemic-safe events. Bridgers’ Reunion tour has a number of COVID safeguards in place: all previously indoor shows have been moved to outdoor venues (per an Instagram announcement), and entry will require proof of vaccine or a negative COVID test within 48 hours. In more exciting news, though, the Reunion Tour will feature special guests Muna, who recently signed to Bridgers’ Saddest Factory records and released “Silk Chiffon” with Bridgers.
Check out Phoebe Bridgers’ tour dates here.
Playboi Carti
It’s been a few years since Playboi Carti’s last tour. Last time the Atlanta rapper toured was his headlining jaunt in 2018 for Die Lit. Now, though, Carti is heading out to arenas on The Narcissist Tour, kicking off in mid-October in Nashville and concluding just before Christmas in Carti’s hometown. It’s all in support of his forthcoming new project of the same name, which the rapper revealed via Instagram, where he is pictured wearing a series of layered outfits.
Check out Playboi Carti’s tour dates here.
The Rolling Stones
Despite the unfortunate loss of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts earlier this year, the band’s fall 2021 tour is still scheduled to go forward as planned. The beloved classic-rock act are set to hit the road in late September and wrap up in November in Austin, Texas. Still, before Watts’ passing, it was announced that longtime Rolling Stones associate Steve Jordan would be stepping in for the revered drummer, as Watts needed to rest and recover after a medical procedure. At the time, Jordan said, “It is an absolute honor and a privilege to be Charlie’s understudy.”
Check out the Rolling Stones’ tour dates here.
The Strokes
The Strokes had a banner 2020, despite it being a pandemic year. Not only did they release the Rick Rubin-produced The New Abnormal, they even won Best Rock Album at the 2021 Grammys. So it seems only fitting that they should do a victory lap now that it’s possible. In October, the band will hit III Points Festival in Miami, followed by Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta. Then, they’ll hit The Forum in Los Angeles and Outside Lands in San Francisco. Short and sweet.
Check out The Strokes’ tour dates here.
St. Vincent
In support of her latest album, Daddy’s Home (and perhaps also her just-released rockumentary/mockumentary The Nowhere Inn), St. Vincent (aka avant-pop powerhouse Annie Clark) heads out on the road this fall for a tour hitting all of the big venues: Radio City Music Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and more. Running for a little over a month, the Daddy’s Home tour will wrap up on October 22 at Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta.
Check out St. Vincent’s tour dates here.
Tame Impala
Even though Tame Impala released an album, The Slow Rush, in 2020, the psychedelic rock figurehead (Kevin Parker) was, like everyone else, forced to postpone touring. Now, thanks to Parker’s patented “drug” Rushium, Tame Impala is hitting the road for the band’s official The Slow Rush 2021 North American tour, kicking off in September (they were originally supposed to play Bonnaroo, but that was canceled due to weather) and closing in November in Dallas, Texas. Press materials also noted that this tour is only “Phase I” of the “Rushiam trials,” suggesting that more tour dates could be announced in the near future.
Check out Tame Impala’s tour dates here.
Thundercat
Grammy-winning R&B bassist Thundercat has already played a few sets at various festivals this summer — Maha Music Fest in Omaha, Stern Grove Festival in San Francisco, Pitchfork Fest in Chicago — and in October, he’ll hit the road again. With support from Channel Tres (plus some surprise special guests), Thundercat will start out in Orlando at The Plaza Live on October 24 and wrap up at Boise’s Knitting Factory on December 5.
Check out Thundercat’s tour dates here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Fugees Are Going On A Reunion Tour To Celebrate 25 Years Of ‘The Score’
Fugees were only active for a few years, but their star burned brightly during that brief window thanks to their massively influential 1996 album The Score. That release celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, so Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras Michel are marking the occasion by reuniting for a brief set of reunion tour dates.
The first of them is this week, on September 22 at a yet-to-be-announced venue. After that, they’ll pick things back up in November and December for a handful of shows in the US, as well as dates in Nigeria and Ghana.
Hill says, “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. 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 also says, “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 un-heard, and in these challenging times, I am grateful once again, that God has brought us together.”
Check out the full list of dates below.
09/22 — New York, NY @ TBA
11/02 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
11/07 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
11/12 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
11/18 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
11/21 — Miami, FL @ FTX Arena
11/26 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
11/28 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
12/04 — Paris, France @ La Defense Arena
12/06 — London, UK @ The O2 Arena
Date TBA — Nigeria @ TBA
12/18 — Ghana @ TBA