The lawyer for ex-Fugees member Prakazrel “Pras” Michel says he is trying to “reinvent” himself with his upcoming “Elon Musk” album so that he can pay child support and other legal bills.
Michel’s lawyer, Judith White, made the statements at a Manhattan Family Court hearing where Michel is asking a judge to lower his monthly child-support payments — currently set at $4,800 — to ex Angela Severiano for their son Landon.
”My client is aware that he has to reinvent himself… so that he is able to pay money for this child and he is doing everything in his ability [to do that] such as attempting to release a new album called ‘Elon Musk,'” White told a judge.
“He hit a very hard low and is attempting to bring himself up in the best way he knows, through his art.”
White added: “Right now he simply has no income.”
Michel, 46, faces federal campaign-finance violation charges in Washington DC for allegedly conspiring with fugitive Malaysian playboy Jho Low to pay $865,000 to “straw” donors reportedly connected to President Obama’s 2012 re-election.
A federal civil case also accused him of conspiring with an ex-DOJ official to thwart the US probe into Low.
Severiano’s lawyer, Robert Wallack, asked a judge to toss Michel’s motion to lower his child support payments since, he claims, that Michel hasn’t provided the necessary financials to prove he has no money.
“We have no idea what his income is. We have no idea what the sources of his money are because he has not provided a sworn affidavit,” Wallack said.
“How is he traveling? How did he fly to town for this appearance? How did he fly to Washington DC three times in the last two months?” Wallack asked. “How is he supporting his lifestyle? He is releasing a new album.”
“It’s preposterous to sit here and say, through his attorney, that he has no money and no access to money,” Wallack added.
Outside court Michel told The Post that he currently doesn’t have access to his $100 million fortune because the feds took $75 million and his imprisoned manager disappeared with $25 million more, as well as with all of his financial statements.
“I’m doing everything I can. I’m not trying to not pay child support. The best thing I can do is work on my creative,” Michel said. “Hopefully it will be successful and then once it’s successful then everything will be back to normal.”
“For six years we have no problem. I paid [child support]. I am not trying to run away from my responsibilities,” Michel added.
In the meantime, Michel said he living with his mother in Florida and his friends and family are helping him pay for living costs.
Michel said that he plans to release the 10 to 11-track album this fall.
The “Ghetto Superstar” rapper said he named the new album after the Musk because he is inspired by the Tesla CEO.
“He [Musk] is a great American inventor,” Michel told The Post. “He is going against the grain and I want to emulate myself after him.”
In November, Michel was swept up in an international corruption scandal for allegedly helping Low funnel $73 million into four US bank accounts in a scheme to pay off DOJ officials in the hope of influencing a criminal investigation against Low, the Department of Justice alleged in a pending civil case.
He was hit with criminal charges in May after Low allegedly transferred $21.6 million to Michel which he is accused of using to pay the donors.
Michel declined to comment on the federal charges Monday. He said through a lawyer previously that he is innocent.