Interview
Wyclef Jean
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Wyclef Jean is a Haitian rapper, singer, songwriter and actor. He emigrated with his family to the United States at the age of ten and exploded onto the scene as a member of legendary hip hop group the Fugees alongside Lauryn Hill and Pras Michel. Their award-winning album, The Score, released 25 years ago, became one of the best-selling albums of all time. Wyclef’s solo career has continued to flourish, as has his philanthropic work. And as well as producing and releasing his own music and eight studio albums, he has produced the work of musicians such as Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Whitney Houston and Destiny’s Child. Wyclef is a regular visitor to the shores of the twin islands where The Citizen caught up with this multi-talented artist to find out about his background and where his love of music came from.
How important is your Caribbean background? I always say that the best part about the US is the cultural experience, the idea that people come from different places but still share something. And those from the Caribbean come from a very unique space. So, what is it about the Caribbean people that are different from the Black community in America? We’re not going to say we’re from enslaved people because we are all from slaves. But we Caribbeans have a very natural spiritual gift in that our African ancestral roots are deeply embedded in us. When did you start being interested in music? Music has shaped me as a person. I came from Haiti at the age of 10 without speaking a word of English. We lived in Brooklyn, where my father was a minister, and so at a young age I was thrown into the pool of worshipping, music and singing. I am a “gospel kid” like Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye. How did you become a musician? I feel I need to tell this story as sometimes kids only see someone’s success, not the long journey it took to get there. When I was a kid, I fell in love with the idea of music, and I decided to learn everything about it on my own. So by 15 or 16 years old, I could play around ten different instruments - all self-taught. My parents decided to move us to New Jersey for a better life, and I started at a new school. One day, I was in the auditorium playing the piano, and Valerie Price, my music teacher, walked in. I always make sure to credit her as she did so much for me. She asked me – keep in mind, this isn’t
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