Wyclef Jean
Nelust Wyclef Jean ( WY-klef ZHON; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, singer, songwriter and music producer. He gained fame as a member of Fugees. Their second album The Score (1996) became one of the best-selling albums of all time. He launched a solo career with Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival (1997), featuring the single "We Trying to Stay Alive", the Grammy-nominated "Guantanamera" featuring Celia Cruz and Lauryn Hill, and the top ten hit "Gone till November".
His second album, The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book (2000), included the R&B hit "911" featuring Mary J. Blige. His third album, Masquerade (2002), peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200, and spawned the top 40 single "Two Wrongs" with Claudette Ortiz. He made a guest appearance on the 2006 single "Hips Don't Lie" by Shakira, which became a global success, reaching number one in 18 countries. His song "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" with Akon, Lil Wayne and Niia, served as the lead single for his sixth studio album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant (2007). He released "Dar um Jeito (We Will Find a Way)", the official 2014 FIFA World Cup anthem alongside Carlos Santana, Avicii, and Alexandre Pires.
Jean has produced and co-written several songs for other artists, including Destiny's Child's first hit "No, No, No" remix, "My Love Is Your Love" by Whitney Houston, "Maria Maria" by Santana, "Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" by Pras featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard and Mya, and "What Would You Do?" by City High. Furthermore, he composed the score for the 2003 film The Agronomist. His accolades include three Grammy Awards, the BET Humanitarian Award and the NAACP Vanguard Award. He received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song for co-writing the song "Million Voices" for Hotel Rwanda (2004).
Jean has been also active in Haitian politics and philanthropy. In 1999, he released the charity single "New Day" alongside Bono. He was appointed Ambassador-at-Large of Haiti in 2007 and later ran for the 2010 Haitian presidency, but was deemed ineligible due to residency requirements. His charity, Yéle Haiti, raised funds for Haitian relief efforts, including the 2010 Haitian earthquake, before disbanding amid financial scrutiny. Haitian President Michel Martelly awarded him the National Order of Honour and Merit.
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