Front Page
US Music News
UK Music News
UK Interviews
Nightclubs
Events + Concerts
Album Reviews
Games
Feature Articles
Music Videos
Chat Room

Interview Archive

He’s worked with everyone from Carlos Santana to Whitney Houston but is still best known for his part in the Fugees. He talks to The Situation about Haiti, reuniting and the future.

The news is out; “Yeah the Fugees are back together,” Wyclef said, although from the tone of his voice I can tell I’m not the first to ask. “We did a show for Dave Chappelle [Block party] and that brought the energy back.” After years of unconfirmed rumours, the Fugees have finally squashed any beef that existed and have reformed, however there will be no follow up to the hip hop classic ‘The Score’ until after Lauryn Hill’s next solo effort is released in 2005. The question is, will the reunification last until then? Only time will tell.

Since the track ‘Fake A** Pras’, words have passed back and forth between Wyclef and fellow Fugee member Pras, his cousin Prakazrel Michel, so until now, a reunification looked unlikely. When asked on the state of their relationship Clef commented, “We alright and Lauryn’s cool.” Wyclef is hopeful about their Fugee future; “Now we're back together anything can happen… There’s no real timeframe at the moment. I think we’re gonna deliver something that moves the world, because we got a lot to talk about.”

Older and wiser, Wyclef is back with his new solo album, which fuses Creole, English, Spanish and French. Born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, Wyclef, a fluent Creole speaker, moved to the Marlborough projects in the rap homeland of Brooklyn when he was nine years old. Although most people would associate him with the Fugees, Wyclef became the first member to go solo and has become a prolific artist, producer and remixer. He explained that his fourth album ‘Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101’ has taken time to come together because of Wyclef’s decision to combine languages and flavours: “That’s why it took so long to record because of the flipping.” The album, which is semi autobiographic, is about a Haitian boy who emigrates to the United States and is raised there. It also serves as a way to give back and pay homage to his birth land of Haiti: “It’s the bicentennial; 200 hundred years since Haiti became the first island to become independent. It’s important to show my energy and show I didn’t forget my native land.” The album has been critically acclaimed in the States, however Wyclef ascertains that the album is more of a personal work than one to please the mainstream. “The vibe is an arty album which is what I wanted, so I don’t really care about what people say about it. The reviews have been incredible; they’re loving the sound.”

One would assume that the multi-lingual element on the album would alienate many listeners. Those who have followed his career should be used to his fusion of hip hop with as many forms of music as he could get his hands on. His albums have included reworking songs by high profile artists such as Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd, and guest appearances by names as diverse as The Rock, Youssou N’Dour and Tom Jones. Wyclef explained that it’s still an accessible album despite the language barrier. “People been saying even if they can’t understand they can still sing along.” The album also opens doors for more multi-lingual hip hop and music to be accepted by a more mainstream audience: “It’s definitely a good thing to do,” he continued. “People can do albums in the language they speak. It’s giving it to the people that speak the language.”

Wyclef is often called ‘hip hop’s unofficial multicultural conscience’ by the media, mainly because of his activism, his role in numerous high-profile benefit shows for numerous causes, particularly those that centre around Haiti. Most recently, Wyclef expressed his support for the Haitian rebels and called for the resignation of Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who fled the country four days later. The situation is still unstable but he said on a positive tip, “Things are gonna get better. I was over two weeks ago. I’m like The Beatles in Haiti, everyone knows me!” Having such status in Haiti means he has become their unofficial ambassador and continues to give back. He is currently organising a concert to raise money and awareness of the situation in the Caribbean island and aims to attract two million people to the event. “That’s gonna be on the 5th of December,” he explained. “It’s raising awareness of the political situation in Haiti. At the moment I’m working on getting G-Unit and Sean Paul down there. I feel it’s important to give back to my community, because the community taught me a lot. It’s important to teach the truth.” - Something Wyclef has managed to do throughout his career and most notably on tracks like ‘Industry’.

Times are busy right now for Mr Jean. Alongside his own album, the return of the Fugees, which has generated a lot of media interest, and his Haiti benefit, he still finds time to work on his own pet projects. “Right now I’m working with Clef Record’s new groups. I have Trinna Don, a rapper, and the new Jackson 5 but there’s 3 of them. They’re called 3 on 3 and they’re from the Bronx.” Supporting the future of black music is close to Wyclef’s heart, and something he sees as vital for the future, as he explained, “I hope to continue to help artists work together.” For those wanting to enter this business we call music, he gave one piece of advice: “Remember, it’s not about the money or the girls, but about bringing great music. That’s what I’ve done and that’s how I’ve survived.”

Back To Interview Archive