Before Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean were known as superb solo acts in the calmed-down hip-hop scene of the ‘90s and early ‘00s, they worked together alongside Prakazrel Michel ("Pras") to form the contemporary rap/R&B trio the Fugees. Naming themselves after the term to describe Haitian immigrants, the Fugees released instant hits through the ‘90s like "Killing Me Softly with His Song," conjuring up every ounce of soul and gangsta rap they could afford while laying it thick into their hit music.

The Fugees were the product of a New Jersey region, where Hill and Pras attended high school and began collaborating with each other. The group formed officially in 1987 when Wyclef Jean ("Clef") joined the duo, eventually even attracting the attention of Ruffhouse/Columbia in 1993. Then known as Tranzlator Crew, the Fugees soon changed their moniker to fit their outfit, releasing Blunted on Reality in 1994. The album featured a hardcore gangsta rap inflection that may have been forced, but the Fugees nevertheless prevailed. Their debut album hit the R&B/hip-hop and Billboard 200 charts, paving the way for their next album The Score to fare even better with American hip-hop audiences.

Finding their signature jazz-rap style with The Score, the Fugees demanded success with singles like the soulful "Killing Me Softly with His Song," a staple in 1996 that went to number one on the charts the same year The Score also hit the number one spot. Further creating a buzz with a doo wop cover of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry," the Fugees continued to wow the masses while at the same time group members were headed in their own directions. In the late ‘90s, Clef ventured out on a (highly successful) solo career, releasing The Carnival Featuring the Refugee Allstars, while Hill released her highly-anticipated The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and also gave birth to a child.