It is a matter of degree, but a hegemon has to be superior in a sense. As well there is the question if a military and economic superior country is seeking for direct commanding power or not. It becomes pretty difficult to pretend to be the good guys, when you use your military power directly to enforce your will.
Would you deny that during the cold war the US was a hegemon in western Europe or that western European states have never done anything purely because they were urged to do so by the US?

I think, as you can see now in Africa, today and more so in the future countries will simply change their partners when one partner demands things which seem to be unbearable. That was close to impossible in the past and especially the US was so important for everybody that nobody really can turn his back on it.

Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers