Pras Michel

Music has only been a starting form of expression for the entire work of Prakazrel “Pras” Michel. With his Haitian heritage and New York upbringing, he had the opportunity to explore the world through his art with incredible success. At the age of fifteen he met and introduced singing sensation Lauryn Hill to fellow hip-hop head, Wyclef Jean. The trio formed the group, The Fugees (Refugee Camp), where Pras served as a lead vocalist and Executive Producer of their sophomore album The Score. The album cemented them as a renowned force in hip-hop with critical acclaim in the form of Grammy’s and record breaking platinum sales of over 30 million albums sold worldwide.  Following the Fugees, Pras’ solo debut, Ghetto Supastar, took the world by storm featuring the smash single “Ghetto Supastar.”

Aside from music, Pras’ artistic interests have led to appearances in several feature films,  including his own documentary, Skid Row, where he abandoned his celebrity life and lived as a homeless man for over a week.  “After I did the documentary it changed my life; it had an impact on me,” the experience inspired Pras to champion the homeless through the creation of the PRASperity Project, a non-profit organization that provides aid to those who suffer from homelessness and poverty.

Currently, Pras has been working on a documentary film centered around the Somali pirates on the coast of Somalia.  Pras ventured into the heartland of Somalia in early April 2009 with a complete camera crew, the first week of filming included being witness to the hijacking of the US Maersk Alabama.  With firsthand front footage, Pras’ documentary on Somali pirates will expose audiences to the overlooked threat they pose to Somalia.  A release is still pending; however it has already drawn interest from distributors.

Pras’ main goal in his music and film projects has been to highlight important social and humanitarian causes with a constant originality; he continues this with his new group AxiXs.