Search - Wyclef Jean :: Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101

Best Wyclef Album to Date

Mikhail S. Jenkins | Mpls, MN USA | 08/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are 18 tracks on this CD; 1 is in English, 1 is in Spanish, 3 are in French, and 13 are in Haitian Creole. I am a native English speaker who took four years of French in high school [Class of 1991] and live in MN - which does not have a large population of Francophones. (Everyone whom I've met who speaks French have been from Haiti or French-speaking countries in Africa.) Despite my limited knowledge of the French language, I do listen to a lot of French hip hop - Amazon.com being one of the better sources - and love Carribean music, not to mention being a big Fugees (Reguee Camp AND Tranzlator Crew) and the three people of whom the lyrical portion was comprised.

I cannot understand all of the lyrics but still appreciate the music though much of the verbal intent is lost. The sole English song is "President" which Wyclef performed when he was in town a few months ago - I had wondered where that song was from. It would be a big big hit (which in my experience is not always good) if popularily released, combining the better parts of the first half of «Carnival» and the second half of «The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book». The release of this album *almost* makes up for the lack of songs in Creole on the last few CD's - in my opinion «Carnival» had the best mix, variety speaking, while «Ecleftic» was the most polished of the first 3. I'm excluding from discussing «the Preacher's Son» from the list of Wyclef albums; it was wholly too commerical. (A soundbite of "This one goes out to the ladies" for «Preacher's Son» is implied, though not included on the CD, preceding every song.)

The main thing that disappointed me when I did see Wyclef live was that he didn't perform any songs in any other language than English. He preceded one of the first songs in Spanish - and that was it. If he's decided to go commercial, he should at least be real about it and admit it. The release of this CD as an import-only is almost rubbing our faces in it; assuming we who appreciate diversity in music being the minority. Whomever is in control of the airwaves (radio or at the clubs) is in charge of what people are being musically fed; I've never even heard «Guantanamera» off Wyclef's «Carnival» played anwhere. My first impression of Wyclef is that he was an artist willing to diversify the often limited world of Hip Hop; it was pretty limited in the old school (of which I am a big fan) and pretty limited now. It's either gangsta, for the ladies, or talkin' out the side of your neck - though a limited amount of people are on the peace tip (De La Soul's release of «Buhloone Mind State» really let me down), but that's about it. With the exception of OutKast, it's all seeming pretty trite - even Nas has slipped. I had wished Wyclef would have made more of a difference, but he's letting people down. To quote him, «Don't forget where you came from, where you came from». (From «Pullin' Me In» off «Ecleftic: 2 Sides II A Book».)"

Exacly what I have been looking for!

DrDre | New Jersey | 10/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After I bought this album, I listened to it two times through! It's that good. It is a real nice change from most other American music, it shows how awesome raegge and Carribean music is. I love how some of the songs are in different laguages and its just great music!



Here is a tip: Download iTunes (Windows or Mac) and you can buy a high quality download of this whole album, plus the cover art for just $10. What a great deal!



By the way the cover art is some of the best I have ever seen!"

REPRESENT

jean | St-Catharines, ontario, canada | 11/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wyclef is doin exactly what im tryin' to do: REPRENT HAITI: in this album hes represnting me and my haitian family(beacause im haitian) a little fact: his sampler of this cd came out in 2001 when my mom came back from visiting her cousins in haiti and taking care of buisness down there she brought back 2 samplers of masquerade(his album before the prechers son) and 2 hot off the studio copy of the Welcome to Haiti Creole 101 samplers for me and my sisters but after i heard that sampler 3 years ago i was like "I WANT THAT CD!" so then i went looking on every cd store shelf for Welcome to Haiti Creole 101 but then i found out the actual cd wasnt even out yet but now three years later when my sampler of Welcome to Haiti Creole 101 is all ratty and old my sister's boyfriend brings me a real FULL copy of Welcome to Haiti Creole 101 but basiclly what im trying to say is this cd is suprisingly good and SAK PASSE HAITI MAP VINI"