Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian-American musician, producer, and activist known for his significant contributions to the hip-hop genre and beyond. Born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, he moved to the United States at a young age, where he quickly immersed himself in music, eventually forming the influential group the Fugees with his cousin Pras Michel and Lauryn Hill. The Fugees gained international acclaim with their second album, "The Score," which blended Caribbean influences with hip-hop and soul, earning multiple Grammy Awards.
Jean's solo career began with the critically acclaimed album "The Carnival," which featured a mix of musical styles and achieved commercial success. His subsequent albums continued to showcase his diverse influences, focusing heavily on his Haitian roots. Beyond music, Jean has been an active humanitarian, founding the Yéle Haiti Foundation to support relief efforts in Haiti, particularly after natural disasters. He even attempted to run for president of Haiti in 2010, although his candidacy was ultimately rejected.
Throughout his career, Wyclef Jean has been recognized not only for his musical talent but also for his commitment to social issues, using his platform to raise awareness about the challenges faced by marginalized communities, particularly in Haiti. His work remains influential in the music industry and beyond, resonating with audiences worldwide.
Wyclef Jean
- Born: October 17, 1969
- Birthplace: Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti
Hip-hop musician and activist
After first achieving fame and critical success as one-third of the hip-hop trio the Fugees, Jean developed into an eclectic solo artist heavily influenced by world music. Jean also became well known for his activism, especially on behalf of his native Haiti.
Early Life
Nel Ust Wyclef Jean was born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, to Nazarene preacher Gesner Jean. Jean’s father and mother immigrated to the United States, but Wyclef and his younger brother remained in Haiti for nine years afterward in the care of relatives before moving to housing projects in Brooklyn, New York, to join their parents.
Although Jean spoke only Haitian Creole when he arrived in New York, he learned English quickly. Jean was surprised at the level of poverty he observed but ultimately believed in the American dream of upward mobility through hard work. Jean’s father soon moved the family to Newark, New Jersey, to be closer to his church, the Good Shepherd Church of the Nazarene.
Jean displayed a talent for music at an early age. At Vailsburg High School, he focused his attention on jazz through the school’s music department. He learned to play a number of instruments and learned the fundamentals and rhythms of the uniquely Black American music. In 1987, Jean formed a music group with his classmates Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, who also is his cousin, and Lauryn Hill. The group called itself the Fugees (short for “refugees,” a term often applied to Haitian immigrants at that time) and released its debut album, Blunted on Reality, in 1993. The album showcased Jean’s talent as a producer, rapper, singer, and guitarist. It met with moderate success. The next year, 1994, Jean married designer Marie Claudinette.
Life’s Work
The release of the Fugees’ second album, The Score, on February 13, 1996, marked a departure from the aggressive attitude of Blunted on Reality and the gangsta rap genre that dominated the airwaves in the late 1990s. It catapulted the group to fame, went six times platinum, and generated the number-one single “Killing Me Softly.” The album fused a Caribbean influence with hip-hop and soul music and exuded a social and political consciousness that was largely absent from mainstream rap. The Score won Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group for “Killing Me Softly.”
Jean was the first of the Fugees to make a solo album, releasing The Carnival in 1997. The celebrated album blended Haitian Creole and Cuban music with soul, hip-hop, folk, and disco. It went double platinum and produced hit singles such as “Gone Till November” and “We Trying to Stay Alive.” The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book (2000), Jean’s second solo album, did not sell as well and seemed to mark the unofficial breakup of the Fugees. On September 4, 2001, Jean’s father died.
Jean’s next three solo albums—Masquerade (2002), The Preacher’s Son (2003), and Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101 (2004)—featured even stronger Caribbean influences and were sung almost entirely in Haitian Creole. In 2005, Jean and his wife adopted a daughter, Angelina Claudinelle Jean. He remained active in music, releasing albums and contributing to sound tracks and benefit concerts throughout the 2000s. Jean won an Image Vanguard Award from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 2010. Jean released the EP J'Ouvert in February 2017 and the album Carnival III: The Fall and Rise of a Refugee in September of that year. Carnival III, released on the twentienh anniversary of The Carnival, was a moderate success, reaching number eight on the Rap Album chart and fourteen on the R&B/Hip-Hop Album chart. In early 2018 he embarked on a tour in support of the album. The following year, 2019, saw the release of his next album, Wyclef Goes Back to School Volume 1. Remaining active despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdowns, by 2021 he was composing scores for fourth-season episodes of the Showtime series The Chi and had begun a podcast as well as worked on a new music scoring and source app.
In 2005, Jean started the Yéle Haiti Foundation to provide opportunities and relief for Haiti after the island nation was struck by 2004’s Hurricane Jeanne. In August 2009, the foundation was involved in a scandal involving its sudden filing of its tax forms from 2005 to 2007 and mismanagement of funds. The organization remained active, although under increased scrutiny, especially after Jean’s plea for funds following the devastating earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on January 12, 2010.
Jean announced on August 5, 2010, that he would run for president of Haiti during that year’s election. However, on August 20, 2010, his bid was rejected because he had not been a resident of the country for the previous five years as required by law.
Significance
At a time when mainstream hip-hop music was dominated by gangsta rap and its pervasive violence and misogyny, Jean provided a fresh sound that mixed diverse international influences with social and political awareness. A talented musician whose work crosses genre and cultural lines, he became a sought-after producer and collaborator for a wide swath of artists. Jean has used his fame to draw attention to the plight of impoverished people, particularly those in his native Haiti.
Bibliography
Jean, Wyclef. "Wyclef Jean on Scoring 'The Chi,' Bob Marley and His New Music App, Sodo." Variety, 15 July 2021, variety.com/2021/music/news/wyclef-jean-scoring-chi-app-sodo-interview-1235020260/. Accessed 22 July 2021.
Jean, Wyclef. "Wyclef Jean Talks 'Carnival III,' Young Thug, DACA." Interview by Mosi Reeves. Rolling Stone, 18 Sept. 2017, www.rollingstone.com/music/features/wyclef-jean-talks-carnival-iii-young-thug-daca-w503308. Accessed 10 Apr. 2018.
Jean, Wyclef, with Anthony Bozza. Purpose: An Immigrant's Story. HarperCollins, 2012.
Joseph, Karin. “Fugee Star.” In A Haiti Anthology: Libète, edited by Charles Arthur and Michael Dash. Princeton, N.J.: Markus Wiener, 1999.
Mitchell, Gail. “Sounds Without Borders.” Billboard, November 24, 2007, 51.
Whetstone, Muriel L. “The Fugees: Erasing Cultural Barriers.” Ebony 52, no. 1 (November, 1996): 70-74.