Wyclef: Affair With Lauren Hill Nearly Split My Marriage

Former FUGEES star Wyclef Jean has finally admitted his affair with bandmate LAUREN HILL split the group - and nearly wrecked his marriage.

Since the READY OR NOT hitmakers disbanded in 1997 Wyclef - who has often promised the group would reform at some point - has refused to talk about the real reasons for the break-up.

But now, in an interview with America's PEOPLE magazine, the GONE 'TIL NOVEMBER hitmaker admits his romance with Hill was the catalyst.

He confesses, "I was young, I was crazy, I was a ladies' man."

Jean admits the affair almost ended his marriage - his wife MARIE CLAUDINETTE insists if he hadn't owned up to the fling she would have left him.

She says, "I was outraged. I went crazy on him. I beat him up. I did everything an average normal woman would do.

"I think if he didn't confess, if I found out differently, I wouldn't have bothered."