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With a formidable new album, "The Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant," on the way, the Haitian-born Five-time Grammy Award-winning musician/rapper/producer/social activist, Wyclef Jean is entering an important new phase of his career. "In the past few years many things have happened that have effected who I am," says Wyclef. "The unexpected passing of my father brought great spiritual reflection on what matters in life. God's gift of my daughter reminded me of how love is the greatest way to heal. I have traveled the world, seen the issues in my native land, and worked some of the most important recording artists artistically. This has given me a second wind, so to speak. Inspiration."
In the 20 years since first meeting his fellow Fugees cofounders -- Lauryn Hill and Prakazrel ("Pras") Michel -- and 10 years since launching his prolific solo career with 1997's "Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival Featuring The Refugee All-Stars," Wyclef Jean has effortlessly crossed genres, generations and geographic boundaries as a musical goodwill ambassador and a diplomat for positive cultural evolution.
"Everything I do revolves around music," says Wyclef. "If there was no music, I wouldn't be where I'm at. My music is the vessel I use." His musical journey began in Haiti, where he sang in his father's church at the age of 3. 12 years later, after moving to the United States at age 6, Wyclef formed his first serious musical collaboration, the Tranzlator Crew, in 1987, with New Jersey classmates Lauryn Hill and Pras Michel (whom Wyclef calls his "cousin"). By 1994, the Tranzlator Crew had become the Fugees and the group enjoyed its first critical acclaim and moderate chart success with its debut album, "Blunted On Reality," and a pair of singles: "Nappy Heads" and "Vocab."
The Fugees next album, 1996's "The Score," fulfilled the group's promise in bigger ways than anyone had imagined, becoming a full-blown cultural phenomenon. "The Score" reached the #1 slots on Billboard's Top 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums charts, produced three hit singles -- "Fu-Gee-La," "Killing Me Softly With His Song," and "Ready Or Not" -- and earned two Grammys: Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals ("Killing Me Softly With His Song") and Best Rap Album. "The Score" went on to become the world's #1 top-selling hip-hop album of all-time, selling more than 17 million copies globally and still counting.
In 1997, the obvious next move for this very gifted writer and producer was to embark upon a solo project. "Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival Featuring The Refugee All-Stars" (aka "The Carnival") peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200 and #4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop album charts while generating the smash singles "Guantanamera" (which earned a Grammy nomination), "We Trying To Stay Alive" and "Gone Till November," which continues to be a signature classic. Guest artists on the album included Lauryn Hill and Pras as well as the I Threes (Bob Marley's backup vocalists), the Neville Brothers, and the legendary salsa singer Celia Cruz.
Wyclef branched out even further with 2000's "The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II A Book," which he recorded with a diverse range of guest artists including YoussouN'Dour, Earth Wind & Fire, Kenny Rogers, and Mary J. Blige. That same year, he was nominated for Best Hip-Hop act at the 2000 MTV Europe Video Music Awards.
His third solo album, 2002's "Masquerade," peaked at #6 on the Top 200 and reached #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop charts. The record featured tracks recorded with Bumpy Knuckles & M.O.P., Claudette Ortiz, and archetypal 60s mod crooner Tom Jones. His fourth solo album, 2003's autobiographic "The Preacher's Son," drew positive reviews and featured cameo performances from Patti LaBelle, Redman, Carlos Santana, and others. His next effort, 2004's "Welcome To Haiti: Creole 101," marked his most radical artistic and musical statement. It was during this period that he had made his first visit back to his homeland since childhood. Wyclef decided that he would sing much of the album in his native language, Haitian Creole, celebrating his musical heritage.
His talents as a producer and collaborator have led to a myriad of successful projects over the past two decades including recordings with Bono ("New Day"), writing and producing Carlo Santana's "Supernatural," which won the Grammy for Album of the Year, and Whitney Houston's "My Love Is Your Love."
Wyclef most recently struck a chord in mass pop consciousness with "Hips Don't Lie," the chart-topping Grammy-nominated international smash hit duet with Shakira which was based around his own song, "Dance Like This." "No matter how much the drums may change," says Wyclef, "there is nothing new under the sun. A great song will always be a great song." The track took home Song of the Year honors at the MTV Latin Awards and went on to break the spin history records held on Billboard Monitor's Top 40 Mainstream chart. "Hips Don't Lie" also held #1 airplay chart positions around the world for 20 weeks.
For Wyclef, "Hips Don't Lie" opened up a new chapter in his ever-evolving career. "When you're having a dry period, sometimes you question your relevance, not on the music, but on the trends and how things are changing," he confesses. "So when the Shakira record came out and I was told that it broke Michael Jackson's and Elvis Presley's record for airplay, it put a battery pack on my back and reminded me that I am relevant. I became a 14-year old kid again."
Wyclef's brand-new studio album is, he says, "a continuation of 'Gone Till November.' I focus a lot on the songwriting." On his new record, Wyclef has once again called upon his friends from an extraordinary list of artists including Paul Simon, Mary J. Blige, T.I., Norah Jones, Akon, Serj Tankian (of System Of A Down), Lil' Wayne, and Shakira, to name a few. Once again, Wyclef is collaborating on production with his long-time production partner, Jerry Duplessis, whom he has worked with since the beginning of the Fugees. Through the years, Wyclef has always chosen who he works with carefully. "I have to be a fan," he says. "It has to be challenging. The worst thing you can tell me is it can't be done."
