Fugees Rapper Pras Sues Director Over Somali Pirate Documentary

» by Alvin aqua Blanco (@aqua174) December 2, 2012, 12:42pm

Considering Wyclef Jean's Yéle Haiti issues and Lauren Hill's tax troubles, it was only a matter of time before Pras got in on the legal struggle, too. The third member of the Fugees is suing a director for $70,000+ in money the rapper/producer says he put down a few years ago out of his own pocket to create a documentary about being allegedly kidnapped Somali pirates.

TMZ reports:

According to legal docs filed Monday, Pras hired Marshall Tyler back in 2009 to direct a documentary film called "Paper Dreams"-- about the rapper's real-life, death-defying incident with pirates off the East African coast.

In the suit, Pras claims he was "taken captive" by Somali pirates sometime in 2009 -- however multiple reports say Pras, and his film crew, merely witnessed the famous capture of the Maersk Alabama in April 2009.

According to his lawsuit, Pras says he put up $70k of his own money to cover filming and travel expenses --but says after the footage was shot, Marshall failed to hand it over.

Pras claims he's repeatedly asked for the goods, but never heard a word back. Now he's suing to get the footage ... or at least recover his 70 grand, plus damages.

Marshall Tyler reps say Pras is suing for material he doesn't even own.

But more importantly: back in 2009 Pras was kidnapped by Somali pirates? How did we miss this?

Photo: TMZ/Getty