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Nel Ust Wyclef Jean ( ; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, singer, and record producer. Born in
Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
, Jean emigrated to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
as a child. He gained fame as a founding member of the Fugees, a New Jersey–based
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
trio he formed in 1990 with
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American musician. She is celebrated as one of the most influential musical artists of her generation. Hill is credited with breaking barriers for female rappers, contributing to the popular music, m ...
and Pras Michel, serving as the group's lead producer and guitarist. Their second album ''The Score'' (1996) became one of the best-selling albums of all time. Following the Fugees' success, Jean launched a solo career with '' Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival'' (1997), which featured the ''Billboard'' Hot 100-top ten hit " Gone till November". Also in 1997, Jean guest appeared on Destiny Child's breakout single " No, No, No". Afterwards, he co-wrote the 1999 singles " My Love Is Your Love" for
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
, and " Maria Maria" for
Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer * Sailboat designs by W. D. Schock Corp ** Santana 20 ** Santan ...
. His second solo album, '' The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book'' (2000), was supported by the top 40 single "
911 911, 9/11 or Nine Eleven may refer to: Dates * AD 911 * 911 BC * September 11 ** The 2001 September 11 attacks on the United States by al-Qaeda, commonly referred to as 9/11 ** 11 de Septiembre, Chilean coup d'état in 1973 that ousted the ...
" (featuring
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
), and received
platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
certification by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). His third album, ''Masquerade'' (2002), peaked within the top ten of the ''Billboard'' 200. He guest performed on
Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Music", she has had a Cultural impact of Shakira, significant impact on the ...
's 2006 single, "
Hips Don't Lie "Hips Don't Lie" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, featuring Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, released by Epic Records in November 27th, 2005. The single is a reworking of Jean's 2004 track "Dance Like This", therefore it features addi ...
", which peaked atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The following year, his single " Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" (featuring
Akon Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon (), is a Senegalese-United States, American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, businessman, and philanthropist. An influ ...
,
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
and Niia) peaked within the chart's top 20; it served as lead single for his sixth studio album and final release on a major label, '' Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant'' (2007). Alongside his recording career, Jean has produced and co-wrote several hit songs for other artists. He also worked with rock icons
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by the nickname Bono ( ), is an Irish singer-songwriter and activist. He is a founding member, the lead vocalist, and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Bono is known for his impassioned voca ...
and
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician. He is known as the lead singer and one of the founder members of The Rolling Stones. Jagger has co-written most of the band's songs with lead guitarist Keith Richards; Jagge ...
, and co-wrote "
Dar um Jeito (We Will Find a Way) "Dar um Jeito (We Will Find a Way)" is the List of FIFA World Cup songs and anthems, official anthem of the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil performed by Carlos Santana and Wyclef Jean featuring Avicii and Alexandre Pires. The song was executive ...
", the official
2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
anthem, alongside
Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the Rock music, rock band Santana (band), Santana. Born and raised in Mexico where he developed his musical background, he r ...
,
Avicii Tim Bergling (8 September 1989 – 20 April 2018), known professionally as Avicii, was a Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer. At age 16, he began posting his remixes on electronic music forums, which led to his first record deal. He rose ...
, and Alexandre Pires. Jean contributed to various film and television projects, including scoring '' The Agronomist'' (2003) and appearing on the
Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award catego ...
-nominated ''30 Rock'' episode " Kidney Now!". In 2004, Jean co-wrote and performed "Million Voices" for ''
Hotel Rwanda ''Hotel Rwanda'' is a 2004 biographical historical drama film co-written and directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay by George and Keir Pearson, and stars Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina and h ...
'', earning a
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
nomination for Best Original Song. Beyond music, Jean has been active in Haitian politics and philanthropy. In 2007, he was appointed
Ambassador-at-Large An ambassador-at-large is a diplomat, a secretary of state, secretary, or a minister (government), minister of the highest rank who is accredited to represent a country and its people internationally. Unlike an ambassador-in-residence, who is us ...
of Haiti and later ran for the 2010 Haitian presidency, but was deemed ineligible due to residency requirements.Wyclef Jean to appeal against Haiti election ruling
, bbc.co.uk, August 22, 2010.
"Haiti's electoral commission said that Mr Jean was ineligible to stand as the Haitian constitution requires candidates to have lived in the country for five years prior to an election. The 40-year-old singer lives in the US."
His charity, Yéle Haiti, raised funds for Haitian relief efforts, including the 2010 Haitian earthquake, before disbanding amid financial scrutiny. Jean has won three
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
s, and his production work on Santana's ''
Supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
'' (1999) was later recognized by the
Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...
. He also received the BET Humanitarian Award and NAACP Vanguard Award. In 2011, Haitian President
Michel Martelly Michel Joseph Martelly (; born 12 February 1961) is a Haitian musician and politician who served as the 42nd president of Haiti from May 2011 until February 2016. On August 20, 2024, the United States sanctioned the former president for traffic ...
awarded him the
National Order of Honour and Merit The National Order of Honour and Merit () is the highest honour of merit awarded by the President of the Republic of Haiti. The Order was instituted on 28 May 1926 and is awarded in five grades to both Haitians and foreign nationals. The award ...
. Jean is among the few artists to chart on 16 different ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' radio charts.


Early life

Named after the biblical scholar
John Wycliffe John Wycliffe (; also spelled Wyclif, Wickliffe, and other variants; 1328 – 31 December 1384) was an English scholastic philosopher, Christianity, Christian reformer, Catholic priest, and a theology professor at the University of Oxfor ...
, Wyclef Jean was born in
Croix-des-Bouquets Croix-des-Bouquets (, ; or ) is a commune in the Ouest department of Haiti. It is located to the northeast of Haiti's capital city, Port-au-Prince. Originally located on the shore, it was relocated inland after the 1770 Port-au-Prince ea ...
, Haiti on October 17, 1969. At nine years old, he emigrated with his family to
Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
, New York City, and ultimately settled in East Orange and
Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...
. Jean began to make music as a child, and as a teen, his mother, having recognized his musical talent, bought him a guitar. He has cited
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
artist Bigga Haitian as one of his early influences, as well as neighborhood heroes MC Tiger Paw Raw and producer Lobster v. Crab. He has stated that he played music to earn respect.ANAND GIRIDHARADAS, "The Would-Be Prince of Port-au-Prince"
, ''New York Times Magazine'', 15 July 2011; accessed 30 January 2017
Jean graduated from Newark's Vailsburg High School and enrolled for one semester at Five Towns College in New York. In 2009 he enrolled in the
Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...
to pursue his diploma. Jean has been a resident of Saddle River, South Orange, and
North Caldwell, New Jersey North Caldwell is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and a suburb of New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,694, an ...
.


Music career


Fugees (1988–1997)

Jean and other musicians formed a group in the 1980s under the name Tranzlator Crew. Jean and band member
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American musician. She is celebrated as one of the most influential musical artists of her generation. Hill is credited with breaking barriers for female rappers, contributing to the popular music, m ...
pursued a romantic relationship beginning in 1992, and ending in 1997, the year of the band's breakup. Jean later revealed that Hill's dishonesty about the parentage of her child, Zion David, caused the rift that split the group up. After they signed with Ruffhouse Records and
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
in 1993, they renamed their group the Fugees – an abbreviation of "refugees", and also a sometimes derogatory reference to Haitian immigrants. The group's debut album, '' Blunted on Reality,'' was released in 1994. It achieved limited commercial success, peaking at number 62 on the US
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip-hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Luminate. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated January 30, ...
chart. The album peaked at number 122 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...
in 1997, and it was certified gold by the
Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique SNEP (, in English National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing) is the inter-professional organisation that protects the interests of the French record industry. Originally known under the acronym SNICOP, the organisation was established in ...
(SNEP).Peak chart positions for albums in the United Kingdom: * ''Blunted on Reality'': * ''The Score'' and ''Bootleg Versions'': ''Blunted on Reality'' spawned three singles: "Boof Baf", " Nappy Heads" and " Vocab". "Nappy Heads" was the Fugees' first single to be ranked on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, charting at number 49. In 1996, the Fugees released their second album, titled ''
The Score The Score may refer to: Films and television * The Score (1978 film), ''The Score'' (1978 film), a 1978 Swedish film, released in Sweden as ''Lyftet'' * The Score (2001 film), ''The Score'' (2001 film), a 2001 crime drama film starring Robert De Ni ...
.'' The album achieved significant commercial success in the U.S., topping the ''Billboard'' 200. It was later certified as six-times platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). It performed well in several overseas nations, topping the Austrian, Canadian, French, German and Swiss albums charts, while also peaking at number two in Sweden and the United Kingdom. Four commercially successful singles were released from ''The Score''; " Fu-Gee-La", the first single from the album, peaked at number 29 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA and by the
Bundesverband Musikindustrie The ( English: Federal Music Industry Association), or simply BVMI, represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 280 labels and music industry related enterprises, which comprise 90% of the music i ...
(BVMI). The other three singles – " Killing Me Softly", " Ready or Not" and " No Woman, No Cry" – did not appear on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as they were not released for commercial sale, making them ineligible to appear on the chart, although they all received sufficient airplay to appear on the Hot 100 Airplay and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts. "Killing Me Softly", a cover of the
Roberta Flack Roberta Cleopatra Flack (February 10, 1937 – February 24, 2025) was an American singer and pianist known for her emotive, genre-blending ballads that spanned R&B, jazz, Folk music, folk, and pop and contributed to the birth of the quiet storm ...
song "
Killing Me Softly with His Song "Killing Me Softly with His Song" is a song composed by Charles Fox with lyrics by Norman Gimbel. The lyrics were written in collaboration with Lori Lieberman after she was inspired by a Don McLean performance in late 1971. Denied writing cre ...
", performed strongly in other territories, topping the singles charts in Australia, Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom, among several others. "Ready or Not" peaked at number one in the UK and at number three in Sweden. "No Woman, No Cry" – a cover of the Bob Marley & The Wailers song of the same name – topped the singles chart in New Zealand. The Fugees collaborated with singer
Bounty Killer Rodney Basil Price OD (born 12 June 1972), known as Bounty Killer, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. AllMusic describes him as "one of the most aggressive dancehall stars of the '90s, a street-tough rude boy with an unrepentant fl ...
on the single "Hip-Hopera" and recorded the single " Rumble in the Jungle" for the soundtrack to the film ''
When We Were Kings ''When We Were Kings'' is a 1996 American documentary film directed by Leon Gast about the " Rumble in the Jungle" heavyweight championship boxing match that was held on October 30, 1974, in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) betw ...
'' in 1997: although they have not released any studio albums since ''The Score'', a compilation album, ''
Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
'', was released in 2003, and spawned the single "Take It Easy".


1997–2004


Start of solo career

Jean announced plans to begin a solo career with 1997's '' Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee All-Stars'' (generally called ''The Carnival''). The album's guests included Fugees members
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American musician. She is celebrated as one of the most influential musical artists of her generation. Hill is credited with breaking barriers for female rappers, contributing to the popular music, m ...
and Pras, along with Jean's siblings' group Melky Sedeck; the I Threes (back-up vocals for
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive voca ...
);
The Neville Brothers The Neville Brothers were an American R&B/soul/funk group, formed in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana. History The group notion started in 1976, when the four brothers of the Neville family, Art (1937–2019), Charles (1938–2018), Aaron (b. 19 ...
and Celia Cruz. The album was a hit, as were two singles: " We Trying to Stay Alive" (adapted from the
Bee Gees The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry Gibb, Barry, Robin Gibb, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in ...
' "
Stayin' Alive "Stayin' Alive" is a song written and performed by the Bee Gees from the ''Saturday Night Fever'' motion picture soundtrack. The song was released in December 1977 by RSO Records as the second single from the ''Saturday Night Fever'' soundtr ...
") and " Gone till November" (recorded with the
New York Philharmonic Orchestra The New York Philharmonic is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...
). Released in 2000, Jean's second solo album '' The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book'' was recorded with guests including
Youssou N'Dour Youssou N'Dour (, ; also known as Youssou Madjiguène Ndour; born 1 October 1959) is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, musician, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician. In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' described him as, "perhaps the m ...
;
Earth, Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire (abbreviated as EW&F or EWF) is an American band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1969. Their music spans multiple genres, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling ba ...
;
Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (born Kenneth Donald Rogers) (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particul ...
; The Rock; and
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
. With Blige, he released "
911 911, 9/11 or Nine Eleven may refer to: Dates * AD 911 * 911 BC * September 11 ** The 2001 September 11 attacks on the United States by al-Qaeda, commonly referred to as 9/11 ** 11 de Septiembre, Chilean coup d'état in 1973 that ousted the ...
" as a single. He was nominated for Best Hip-Hop Act at the 2000
MTV Europe Music Awards The MTV Europe Music Awards (originally named MTV European Music Awards, commonly abbreviated as MTV EMA) are awards presented by Paramount International Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture. It was originally conceived as an al ...
. Following the
9/11 attacks The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
, Jean participated in the benefit concert '' America: A Tribute to Heroes'', contributing a cover of the Bob Marley song " Redemption Song". His third album, '' Masquerade'', was released in 2002. His fourth album, '' The Preacher's Son'', was released in November 2003 as the follow-up to his first solo album, ''The Carnival''. In 2004, he released his fifth album, '' Sak Pasé Presents: Welcome to Haïti (Creole 101)'' (released in the U.S. by Koch Records). Most of its songs are in his native language of
Haitian Creole Haitian Creole (; , ; , ), or simply Creole (), is a French-based creole languages, French-based creole language spoken by 10 to 12million people worldwide, and is one of the two official languages of Haiti (the other being French), where it ...
like "Fanm Kreyòl" with the French Caribbean Admiral T. Jean also figured on the album ''Mozaik Kreyòl'' of this one in the song "Secret Lover". He then covered
Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival, commonly abbreviated as CCR or simply Creedence, was an American Rock music, rock band formed in El Cerrito, California. The band consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty, h ...
's song " Fortunate Son" for the soundtrack of the film '' The Manchurian Candidate'' (2004) and wrote the song "Million Voices" for the film ''
Hotel Rwanda ''Hotel Rwanda'' is a 2004 biographical historical drama film co-written and directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay by George and Keir Pearson, and stars Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina and h ...
'' (2004).


Songwriting and producing

Jean co-wrote " My Love Is Your Love" for
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
's album of the same name. He produced and wrote songs for the soundtrack to
Jonathan Demme Robert Jonathan Demme ( ; February 22, 1944 – April 26, 2017) was an American filmmaker, whose career directing, producing, and screenwriting spanned more than 30 years and 70 feature films, documentaries, and television productions. He was an ...
's 2003 documentary '' The Agronomist'', about the Haitian activist and radio personality Jean Dominique. With Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis, Jean also composed the score of the documentary '' Ghosts of Cité Soleil'', He helped produce the film and appears briefly onscreen speaking by telephone in 2004 to a "''chimere''" gang-leader and aspiring rapper, Winston "2Pac" Jean.


"Hips Don't Lie" and ''The Carnival Vol. II'' (2004–2009)

During a period between 2004 and 2006, fueled by a reunion performance in the documentary '' Dave Chappelle's Block Party'' (2005), it appeared that the Fugees would record a new album. However, Pras claimed to ''Billboard'' magazine, "To put it nicely, it's dead." Pras said the root of this animosity was the third member of the group, Lauryn Hill, and was quoted in ''Billboard'' as saying; "Me and Clef, we on the same page, but Lauryn Hill is in her zone, and I'm fed up with that shit. Here she is, blessed with a gift, with the opportunity to rock and give and she's running on some bullshit? I'm a fan of Lauryn's but I can't respect that." In 2006, Jean was featured in
Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Music", she has had a Cultural impact of Shakira, significant impact on the ...
's smash hit "
Hips Don't Lie "Hips Don't Lie" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, featuring Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, released by Epic Records in November 27th, 2005. The single is a reworking of Jean's 2004 track "Dance Like This", therefore it features addi ...
". The song went on to reach number one in over 55 countries. Jean and Shakira went on to perform the song at the
2006 MTV Video Music Awards The 2006 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on August 31, 2006, honoring the best music videos from June 11, 2005, to June 26, 2006. The show was hosted by Jack Black (actor), Jack Black at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The 2006 in music ...
and the 2007 Grammy Awards. He joined Shakira on various dates of her Oral Fixation Tour in the U.S. Also in 2007, Jean scored the
Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie ( ; born Angelina Jolie Voight, , June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Angelina Jolie, numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards ...
documentary '' A Place in Time''. In August 2007, Jean released a new song called " Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" featuring
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
, Niia and
Akon Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon (), is a Senegalese-United States, American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, businessman, and philanthropist. An influ ...
, which references the song " C.R.E.A.M." by the
Wu-Tang Clan Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, O ...
. One month later he released an album that he recorded in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, with the help of
T.I. Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. (born September 25, 1980), known professionally as T.I. or Tip, is an American rapper and singer raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Harris is credited as a pioneer of the hip hop subgenre trap music, along with fellow Georgi ...
, who also collaborated with Jean on the songs "You Know What it is" and "My Swag" on the latter's 2007 album, '' T.I. vs. T.I.P''. In 2008, an upbeat single "Let Me Touch Your Button" featuring
will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "will I am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the frontman of the musical group Black Eyed Peas, which he ...
was released in the UK in conjunction with Jean's involvement with UK MOTOROKRSTAR. Jean released a song with Serj Tankian called "Riot". In 2009, Jean was featured on the song "Spanish Fly" with
Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, spoken as "ludicrous" in American English), is an American rapper and songwriter. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age ...
and Bachata group Aventura included on Aventura's album '' The Last'', released in June. On June 17, 2009, Jean announced via
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
that his new album would be called '' wyclefjean'' and was to be released sometime in February 2010. The first single from ''wyclefjean'' was to be titled "Seventeen" and feature Lil Wayne. In August 2009, Jean unveiled his video "Haitian Slumdog Millionaire" featuring Haitian artist Imposs. Making a guest appearance in the video was New York City entrepreneur and philanthropist Ali Naqvi.


"Divine Sorrow" and World Cup Song (2009–2016)

In November 2009, a track titled "Suicide Love" featuring rapper
Eve Eve is a figure in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. According to the origin story, "Creation myths are symbolic stories describing how the universe and its inhabitants came to be. Creation myths develop through oral traditions and there ...
leaked online prior to the release of his EP. Wyclef Jean's EP named ''From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion'' was released on November 10, 2009. It includes seventeen tracks, featuring Eve,
Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper ( ; born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Known for her distinctive image, featuring a variety of hair colors and eccentric clothing, and for her powerful four-octave vocal range;Jerome, ...
,
Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer and rapper. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he is widely acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythm ...
, and
Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper. She was born and raised in New York City and lived much of her adolescent life on the streets after ...
."Wyclef: Leading The Revolution"
by Han O'Connor (Allhiphop)
In this album, Wyclef uses the alias Toussaint St. Jean, his
alter ego An alter ego (Latin for "other I") means an alternate Self (psychology), self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original Personality psychology, personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other ...
, when he raps. Jean's self-entitled studio album was due to be released in 2011, but has yet to surface. "Hold On", the lead single from the project, features dancehall artist Mavado. In May 2014, a Jean video, "April Showers", was banned from
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
after
Cathy Scott Cathleen Scott (born ) is a ''Los Angeles Times'' and ''New York Times'' bestselling American true crime author and investigative journalist who penned the biographies and true crime books '' The Killing of Tupac Shakur'' and '' The Murder of B ...
, author of '' The Killing of Tupac Shakur'', lodged a
copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of Copyright#Scope, works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the c ...
complaint claiming an image in the video was similar to an autopsy photo released in her book. YouTube temporally banned the video.
TMZ ''TMZ'' is an American entertainment-focused tabloid news organization owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested ...
, which broke the story, reported that Scott and the video's director, Hezues R', had settled the matter and agreed that Hezues R' would include a screen credit to the book at the end of the video. Jean worked with
Avicii Tim Bergling (8 September 1989 – 20 April 2018), known professionally as Avicii, was a Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer. At age 16, he began posting his remixes on electronic music forums, which led to his first record deal. He rose ...
on a single titled " Divine Sorrow" from his upcoming EP ''J'Ouvert''. He collaborated again with Avicii in 2015 on the song "Can't Catch Me" on the album ''Stories'', which also featured Matisyahu. This marks the third collaboration with Avicii and Jean, following "
Dar um Jeito (We Will Find a Way) "Dar um Jeito (We Will Find a Way)" is the List of FIFA World Cup songs and anthems, official anthem of the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil performed by Carlos Santana and Wyclef Jean featuring Avicii and Alexandre Pires. The song was executive ...
" and "Divine Sorrow". Jean appeared as a featured vocalist in The Knocks' single "Kiss The Sky", which was released in January 2016. This song was part of their debut album, entitled ''55'', released in March 2016. Jean was also featured on the
Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams II (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern hip hop music, hip hop and trap music ...
song "Kanye West", from the rapper's mixtape '' Jeffery'', released in August 2016. Wyclef wrote an autobiography entitled ''Purpose: An Immigrant's Story'' with the help of journalist Anthony Bozza, published in September 2012.


''Carnival III'' and ''Wyclef Goes Back to School'' (since 2016)

On May 17, 2016, Wyclef released his first song in two years, which gave hints to a new album release. A month later on June 17, he released a new song called Hendrix, and later released a short film featuring
Michael K. Williams Michael Kenneth Williams (November 22, 1966 – September 6, 2021) was an American actor. He rose to fame for his acclaimed portrayals of Omar Little on the HBO drama series ''The Wire'' (2002–2008) and List of Boardwalk Empire characters, Alb ...
. He then did many interviews teasing that his new J'ouvert Extended Play would drop in November. Although, this release was pushed back into February. To promote his EP, he did a concert at Terminal 5. On October 14, 2016, Wyclef released an election song called "If I Was President 2016" that would be featured on his J'ouvert EP. On November 1, 2016, he released a song that he had collaborated on with
Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams II (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern hip hop music, hip hop and trap music ...
. The song was called "I Swear", which is also featured on his EP. Wyclef had also collaborated on Young Thug's Jeffery Mixtape, and was featured on Thug's song "Kanye West". Young Thug also had a song named "
Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean ( ; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, singer, and record producer. Born in Haiti, Jean emigrated to the Northeastern United States, United States as a child. He gained fame as a founding member of the Fugees, a Ne ...
" that was named after him because he was such a big influence. In January 2017, Wyclef announced that his ''J'ouvert'' EP would be released on February 3, 2017. On February 2, 2017, Wyclef released his new single "
Ne Me Quitte Pas "Ne me quitte pas" (''"Don't leave me"'') is a 1959 song by Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel. It has been covered in the original French by many artists and has also been translated into and performed in many other languages. A well-known ...
", which was featured on his ''J'ouvert'' Deluxe EP. The EP was released and charted at 117 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and 50 on the Canadian Hot Albums. Four more singles were released from the album, "Life Matters", "The Ring", "Holding onto the Edge" and "Little Things". On June 9, Wyclef announced on his
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
that '' Carnival III: The Fall and Rise of a Refugee'' would become available to pre-order on June 22, 2017. In November 2017, Wyclef released his, ''Wyclef Jean Inspired By'' mixtape. The mixtape features reworks of some of today's most popular records like ''
Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first music ...
's'' "DNA." The project also offers up social commentary in the track, "Chain Gang Free ''
Meek Mill Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he embarked on his career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group the Blo ...
''", features an original song called, "Camels and Ferraris", and also pays tribute to the late ''
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
'' on, "Inspired By Whitney". In December 2017, Wyclef along with Naughty Boy appeared on the final of the fourteenth series of ''
The X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...
'', guest performing "Dimelo" with contestants Rak-Su. Rak-Su won and the performance was released as the winner's single. On December 25, 2017, Wyclef announced The Carnival Tour via social media. The tour had two legs with a total of 56 shows. It started on February 9, 2018, and ended on October 26, 2018. On March 8, 2019, Wyclef released his ninth studio album, ''Wyclef Goes Back to School Volume 1''.


Politics

Jean has supported politicians in Haiti. In 2011 he told ''
Women's Wear Daily ''Women's Wear Daily'' (also known as ''WWD'') is a fashion-industry trade journal often referred to as the "Bible of fashion". Horyn, Cathy"Breaking Fashion News With a Provocative Edge" ''The New York Times''. (August 20, 1999). It provides i ...
'' that he was "a big fan of
Sarah Palin Sarah Louise Palin (; Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, and author who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 Republican vice presidential nomi ...
", former vice-presidential candidate of the Republican Party. It was reported erroneously that Jean would be attending the
2012 Republican National Convention The 2012 Republican National Convention was a gathering held by the Republican Party (United States), U.S. Republican Party during which Delegate (American politics), delegates officially nominated former Governor of Massachusetts, Massachuset ...
in
Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
.


2010 Haitian presidential campaign

On August 5, 2010, Wyclef confirmed rumors that he was running for president of Haiti during an interview with
CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
's
Wolf Blitzer Wolf Isaac Blitzer (born March 22, 1948) is an American journalist, television news anchor, and author who has been a CNN reporter since 1990, and who currently serves as one of the principal anchors at the network. He has been a host of ''The ...
. The journalist questioned the rapper's citizenship qualifications, asking about his passport. ''Exclaim!'' magazine reported at the time that Jean would retire as chairman of Yéle Haiti. On August 5, Jean formally filed papers as a candidate for the 2010 Haitian presidential election. Wyclef intended to run as a candidate for the Viv Ansanm (Live Together) political party. On August 20, 2010, his bid for candidacy was rejected by Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council. He was turned down because he did not meet the constitutional residency requirement of having lived in Haiti for five years before the November 28 election. Jean said, "I respectfully accept the committee's final decision, and I urge my supporters to do the same".


Yéle Haiti

In 2001, Jean established Yéle Haiti, a charitable organization known legally as the Wyclef Jean Foundation and incorporated in
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
. Following 2004's Hurricane Jeanne, the organization provided scholarships to 3,600 children in Gonaïves, Haiti. It continued to provide scholarships, school funding, meals and other charitable benefits to citizens of Haiti in the following years. After the 2010 Haitian earthquake, Yéle became prominent in raising funds for disaster relief. According to Jean, Yéle raised over $1 million in 24 hours over Twitter. Jean took part in an
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
donation drive and other publicized fundraising, such as the '' Hope for Haiti Now''
telethon A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other cause. Most telethons feature heavy solicitatio ...
, which he organized with actor and producer
George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Known for his leading man roles on screen in both blockbuster and independent films, Clooney has received numerous accolades, including two Ac ...
. Yéle donated funds to orphanages, street cleaning crews, hospitals and medical clinics and organized food service to provide hot meals to refugees and victims of the catastrophe. By February 2010, questions were reported about the history and management of Yéle. ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' reported that the charity had failed to file tax returns for several years. The former executive director,
Sanjay Rawal Sanjay Rawal (born October 30, 1974) is an Indian-American documentary film director who lives in New York City. His first feature length film '' Food Chains'' premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in its Culinary Cinema Programme in 2014 and ha ...
, questioned Yéle's ability to handle large projects and criticized its lack of financial controls. By August 2012, chief executive Derek Q. Johnson was the last remaining officer of the charity. He resigned and announced that Yéle was closed, saying in a statement, "As the foundation's sole remaining employee, my decision implies the closure of the organization as a whole."
New York Attorney General The attorney general of New York is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state of New York and head of the Department of Law of the state government. The office has existed in various forms since 1626, originally established under the Dutch c ...
Eric T. Schneiderman investigated Yéle and attempted to reach a settlement over allegations of mismanagement. Schneiderman said that the charity had made improper payments to Jean, members of his family, and personal acquaintances. In 2010, after the earthquake in Haiti, Yéle spent more than $9 million – with half of it going to travel expenses by Jean and his entourage, consultants' fees, and real estate fees. The charity has been the subject of lawsuits in Haiti for unpaid debts.


Personal life

Jean had a relationship with
Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American musician. She is celebrated as one of the most influential musical artists of her generation. Hill is credited with breaking barriers for female rappers, contributing to the popular music, m ...
. In 1994, he married Marie Claudinette, a designer for Fusha. In 2005, they adopted their daughter, Angelina Claudinette Jean. The couple renewed their vows in August 2009. One of Jean's cousins is Raymond Alcide Joseph, a political activist, journalist and diplomat. In 2012 Jean published his memoir called ''Purpose: An Immigrant's Story.'' and which takes him through the turmoil of immigration, The book depicts with painful detail, the story of his childhood in
Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
, to his rise to the American music scene. Wyclef describes growing up in Haiti so poor, he actually ate dirt. ''Purpose'' is considered one of the top ten reads for Haitian Americans as per the Haitian Times.


Discography

* 1997: '' The Carnival'' * 2000: '' The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book'' * 2002: '' Masquerade'' * 2003: '' The Preacher's Son'' * 2004: '' Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101'' * 2006: ''Ghosts of Cité Soleil (soundtrack)'' * 2007: '' Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant'' * 2009: '' From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion'' * 2010: '' If I Were President: My Haitian Experience'' * 2017: ''
J'ouvert J'ouvert ( ) (also Jour ouvert, Jouvay, or Jouvé) is a traditional Carnival celebration in many countries throughout the Caribbean. The parade is believed to have its foundation in Trinidad & Tobago, with roots steeped in French Afro-Creole t ...
'' * 2017: '' Carnival III: The Fall and Rise of a Refugee'' * 2019: '' Wyclef Goes Back to School Volume 1''


Filmography


Appearances in television and film

* In 2002, Jean played the part of ''Richie Effs'' in the Jamaican crime film '' Shottas'', about two young men who participate in organized crime in
Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long spit (landform), sand spit which connects the town of Por ...
, and
Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
. * On a 2004 episode of ''
Chappelle's Show ''Chappelle's Show'' is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedians Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show and starring in the majority of its sketches. Chappelle, Brennan, and Michele Armour were ...
'', he appeared as the musical guest and played a remix of his song "President" from the 2004 album ''Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101''. * He starred in
Virgin Mobile Virgin Mobile is a wireless communications brand used by seven independent brand-licensees worldwide. Virgin Mobile branded wireless communications services are available in Ireland, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emi ...
commercials as himself. * In 2005, he appeared in the film ''One Last Thing...''. His character is a cab driver named Emmett Ducasse. It is implied he is an angel due to being in the main character's "Heaven". Wyclef also has an original track entitled "Heaven's in New York" that is the closing credits first song. * Also in 2005, Wyclef appeared in four episodes of the hit NBC prime-time television drama ''
Third Watch ''Third Watch'' is an American crime drama television series created by John Wells and Edward Allen Bernero that aired on NBC from September 23, 1999, to May 6, 2005, with a total of 132 episodes spanning over six seasons. It was produced ...
'' as Marcel Hollis, a gang leader responsible for blowing up the police precinct house in the final episode of the series. * In December 2007, starred in the four-part MTV exclusive online short-film ''Americlef''. * May 20, 2008: At the Gansevoort Hotel, Wyclef Jean in partnership with the WFP and PADF launched "Together for Haiti" to address the hunger crisis in Haiti members of the American and international television and print media were invited to cover the news. * May 14, 2009: Jean appeared in an episode of
30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
entitled ''Kidney Now!,'' the final episode of Season 3. * February 19, 2012: '' The Apprentice season 12, Episode 1: "Hero Worship"'' * He appeared on the
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
show ''
The Electric Company ''The Electric Company'' is an American educational children's television series produced by the Children's Television Workshop (CTW, now known as Sesame Workshop). It was co-created by Paul Dooley, Joan Ganz Cooney, and Lloyd Morrisett. ...
'' * From 2012 to 2013, he appeared as Dominic "Domino" King, the head of a music label on the ABC drama series ''
Nashville Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
''. * In 2016, Wyclef appeared in an episode of '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' in which played the CEO of a record company * In 2017 December 2, Wyclef Jean joined the X-Factor UK winning male band Rak-su in the finals performing alongside English DJ Naughty Boy on the quartet's smash single 'Dimelo' * On 2017 January 19, Wyclef Jean appeared as a diner on Episode 13 of ''
Hell's Kitchen (U.S. season 17) Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, or Midtown West on real estate listings, is a neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York. It is considered to be bordered by 34th Street (or 41st Street) to the south, ...
''. * In 2021, Wyclef had a resurgence into the public eye when TMZ posted a video of him and the CEO of Jaguar, Joe Eberhardt, attending a leadership conference. During a dance party, the CEO of Jaguar was seen dancing on Wyclef's shoulders. Wyclef accidentally dropped him and everyone rushed over to help.


Film


Television


Awards and nominations


Golden Globe Awards

source, Golden Globe Awards: , - , rowspan,
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, rowspan, "Million Voices” –
Hotel Rwanda ''Hotel Rwanda'' is a 2004 biographical historical drama film co-written and directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay by George and Keir Pearson, and stars Don Cheadle and Sophie Okonedo as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina and h ...
,
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song The Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song is a Golden Globe Award that was awarded for the first time in 1962 and has been awarded annually since 1965 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The award is presented to the songwriters of a ...
, , -


Grammy Awards

Source, Grammy Award wins: , - , rowspan="3",
1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...
, rowspan="2", ''
The Score The Score may refer to: Films and television * The Score (1978 film), ''The Score'' (1978 film), a 1978 Swedish film, released in Sweden as ''Lyftet'' * The Score (2001 film), ''The Score'' (2001 film), a 2001 crime drama film starring Robert De Ni ...
'' , Album of the Year , , - , Best Rap Album , , - , " Killing Me Softly" , Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal , , - , rowspan="2",
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
, "
Guantanamera "" (; ) is a Cuban patriotic song, which uses a poem from the collection ''Simple Verses'', by the Cuban poet José Martí, for the lyrics. It is an expression of love for Cuba and of solidarity with the poor people of the world. The official ...
" (featuring Celia Cruz and Jeni Fujita) , Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group , , - , '' The Carnival'' , Best Rap Album , , - ,
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
, " Gone till November" , Best Rap Solo Performance , , - ,
2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
, ''
Supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
'' (as a producer) , Album of the Year , , - ,
2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
, "
911 911, 9/11 or Nine Eleven may refer to: Dates * AD 911 * 911 BC * September 11 ** The 2001 September 11 attacks on the United States by al-Qaeda, commonly referred to as 9/11 ** 11 de Septiembre, Chilean coup d'état in 1973 that ousted the ...
" (with
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
)
, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal , , - ,
2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...
, "Million Voices" (shared with
Jerry Duplessis Jerry "Wonda" Duplessis (born August 9, 1975) is a Haitian record producer and musician. His first major success came as the producer of the Fugees' 1996 album ''The Score (Fugees album), The Score''. He served as the bass guitarist for the grou ...
and Andrea Guerra)
, Best Song Written for Visual Media , , - ,
2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
, "
Hips Don't Lie "Hips Don't Lie" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, featuring Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, released by Epic Records in November 27th, 2005. The single is a reworking of Jean's 2004 track "Dance Like This", therefore it features addi ...
" (with
Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977) is a Colombian singer-songwriter. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Latin Music", she has had a Cultural impact of Shakira, significant impact on the ...
)
, Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals , , -


MTV Video Music Awards

, - , rowspan="3",
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
, rowspan="2", " Gone till November" , Best R&B Video , , - , Best Direction in a Video , , - , " We Trying to Stay Alive" , Best Choreography in a Video , , - ,
2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...
, " Dear Future Self (Hands Up)" , Best Rock , , -


Other honors

In 2011, Haitian President
Michel Martelly Michel Joseph Martelly (; born 12 February 1961) is a Haitian musician and politician who served as the 42nd president of Haiti from May 2011 until February 2016. On August 20, 2024, the United States sanctioned the former president for traffic ...
awarded Jean the
National Order of Honour and Merit The National Order of Honour and Merit () is the highest honour of merit awarded by the President of the Republic of Haiti. The Order was instituted on 28 May 1926 and is awarded in five grades to both Haitians and foreign nationals. The award ...
at the rank of Grand Officer "for his dedication to the promotion of Haiti around the world." Jean was inducted into the
New Jersey Hall of Fame The New Jersey Hall of Fame is an organization that honors individuals from the U.S. state of New Jersey who have made contributions to society and the world beyond. The Hall of Fame is a designated 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, overseen by ...
in 2016. In 2025, the
Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...
inducted ''
Supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
'' (1999), recognizing Jean's production on the album.


References


External links

*
Yéle Haiti Foundation

Sak Pasé Records
(a record label founded by Wyclef)

by Wyclef Jean, September 23, 2010
New York Post article on mismanagement at Yéle Haiti Foundation

Wyclef talking about Nation19.com / APDTA
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jean, Wyclef 1969 births Living people Columbia Records artists East Coast hip-hop musicians Fugees members Grammy Award winners Guitarists from New Jersey Guitarists from New York City Haitian emigrants to the United States Haitian hip-hop musicians Haitian human rights activists Haitian rappers Haitian record producers Haitian victims of crime Hip-hop singers Music of the African diaspora People from North Caldwell, New Jersey People from Ouest (department) Entertainers from Saddle River, New Jersey Pop rappers Rappers from Brooklyn Rappers from Newark, New Jersey Singers from New Jersey 20th-century Haitian male singers 20th-century Haitian musicians