Wyclef Jean Carnival continues
Wyclef Jean took his time. At first remaining in the shadows behind The Fugees’ Lauryn Hill he harvested some of the most beautiful energies and talents. Producer, rapper/singer, guitarist, humanitarian and so much more he blossomed into a raw urban pop sensation without sacrificing the messages of beauty, love and peace.
His message can not be summed into one sentence. This Haitian musician paid more homage to his roots than most of his peers and actually made a difference. He established Yele Haiti, an organization responsible for improving education, health and lifestyle in Haiti. He even became an ambassador of Haiti to carry the nation’s message to the world. Issues like Restavek and overall poverty can only be eliminated with help of people like Wyclef.He performed at a UNAIDS concert. His song Million Voiced from the Hotel Rwanda soundtrack brought additional attention to the issues in that country.
As a musician, Wyclef Jean does not shy away from the commercial spotlight. After going solo a little over 10 years ago he’s released 6 new and 1 compilation albums, all to high acclaim. His collaboration efforts include everyone from Lil Wayne to Whitney Houston. His music does not only associate itself with high quality but also with a respectable depth of a veteran professional. He doesn’t only focus on Hip Hop and R&B thou. He’s work has included artists like Gloria Estefan, Celia Cruz, Sublime, Mick Jagger and Rammstein. His famous 1999 Woodstock show became legendary as he paid tribute to Jimi Hendrix. He also burned his fingers setting fire to his guitar, ala Hendrix.
Wyclef’s live performances gather an immensely diverse crowd. From 14-yearolds to grown men and women, all come to enjoy his authentic sound and his precise and absolutely flawless delivery. L Boogie may have dropped off of the scope. Pras is staying active thou. His humanitarian efforts and his solo musician career are in full blossom. He got on stage during Wyclef’s recent show in New York. Terence Howard came out to see Clef as well. Angelina Jolie was absent, but her support for Jean has been consistent throughout the years.
21 years in music, 35 years on this planet, Wyclef is showing no signs of stopping. His latest album, Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant, brought a mixture of social messages with its lyrics. Superb production efforts and conscious words of this release continued the fame of this musical connoisseur. The saga continues and Wyclef has no intention of slowing down. His impact on music and his home country is far more than simply great. It’s grand and at time socially crucial. What more could any man want?
Dmitriy Goldin
