Post by dawyked on Nov 26, 2005 21:51:48 GMT 1
By: Dominick A. Miserandino
Wyclef Jean is well known for both the Fugees and his solo career. What stands out most though is the mind behind his music. Wyclef doesn't act politically because it is a popular thing to do but because he really cares about the people and issues that he is singing about.
DM) You've recently recorded an album in Haitian Creole for Haiti, and you're song "If I Were President" has played prominently in today's political environment. Is there a fine line between politics and music?
WJ) First of all, I think politics should be called poli-tricks. I think the fine line between politics and music is that if you ever change your speech you become a politician. My message is the same where ever I go. Wherever there is a platform where I can speak on issues I'm going to always do that because I think that's a natural vehicle to speak on issues. As I'm getting older, I feel that I'm getting a little more active. I'm not trying to be a politician or anything. I find that a lot of what I'm doing are a little more related to issues that effect the average person.
DM) Were you always interested in social issues?
WJ) Since I've been in school. My little brother is a lawyer and it was as if we were both supposed to go to law school. The music just happened to work out for me. I remember being in history class and it was the most fun class. It didn't just teach you about American history but it went around the world teaching you how things functioned.
DM) Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but it seems that lately you're even more active politically?
WJ) I think that when you look from the first Fugees to the very last CD, you'll find a few songs talking about the same issues. I don't feel I'm doing anything different than when Public Enemy came out. I look at myself as a modern day CNN. If something is going on I'm going to let you know what's going on. All you have to do is pick up my CDs and you'll find three or four songs about current events.
DM) When it comes to the charity work like your work with Haiti do you have the chance to see the results first hand?
WJ) The thing about it is, sometimes I feel that I'm too involved. I went there a few times and I was personally on flood relief myself, in the boots and all. My family sometimes tells me that I'm too deep into it. I always believed in action. You can't just say something. When they hear "Celebrity Charity" they think it's all just talk.
DM) Do you find you get lost in it?
WJ) You definitely get lost in it. When something happens to someone you really start to think about it. "Why did this happen to him? What separates me from this person and why didn't it happen to me?"
DM) Can you take a step back for yourself in this?
WJ) That's really something that I feel like I've been fighting with myself on. If you're doing something for somebody sometimes you feel like saying, "This time I feel like doing it for me." which is painful for me mentally. I always say that its like a good song. Sometimes I can't sleep until I can put down a good song. That's still something that I need to probe and find out. They say that meditation might help. Maybe I'll try that.
DM) I can imagine that seeing what's going on down there must be upsetting.
WJ) It is upsetting but I feel like I was chosen was for this work. I'm not the first Haitian in the music industry. The thing about Haiti is that it's like the only place in the Caribbean that doesn't have that New York culture. It's the only place you can feel that energy. You feel heaven and earth at the same time. When you're somewhere like that with the right development, it's like paradise.
DM) Is this reflected in your last album "Welcome to Haiti Creole 101"?
WJ) When you listen to the CD you can hear undertones of the consciousness. You can feel the tone of the area and it's people.
;D
Wyclef Jean is well known for both the Fugees and his solo career. What stands out most though is the mind behind his music. Wyclef doesn't act politically because it is a popular thing to do but because he really cares about the people and issues that he is singing about.
DM) You've recently recorded an album in Haitian Creole for Haiti, and you're song "If I Were President" has played prominently in today's political environment. Is there a fine line between politics and music?
WJ) First of all, I think politics should be called poli-tricks. I think the fine line between politics and music is that if you ever change your speech you become a politician. My message is the same where ever I go. Wherever there is a platform where I can speak on issues I'm going to always do that because I think that's a natural vehicle to speak on issues. As I'm getting older, I feel that I'm getting a little more active. I'm not trying to be a politician or anything. I find that a lot of what I'm doing are a little more related to issues that effect the average person.
DM) Were you always interested in social issues?
WJ) Since I've been in school. My little brother is a lawyer and it was as if we were both supposed to go to law school. The music just happened to work out for me. I remember being in history class and it was the most fun class. It didn't just teach you about American history but it went around the world teaching you how things functioned.
DM) Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but it seems that lately you're even more active politically?
WJ) I think that when you look from the first Fugees to the very last CD, you'll find a few songs talking about the same issues. I don't feel I'm doing anything different than when Public Enemy came out. I look at myself as a modern day CNN. If something is going on I'm going to let you know what's going on. All you have to do is pick up my CDs and you'll find three or four songs about current events.
DM) When it comes to the charity work like your work with Haiti do you have the chance to see the results first hand?
WJ) The thing about it is, sometimes I feel that I'm too involved. I went there a few times and I was personally on flood relief myself, in the boots and all. My family sometimes tells me that I'm too deep into it. I always believed in action. You can't just say something. When they hear "Celebrity Charity" they think it's all just talk.
DM) Do you find you get lost in it?
WJ) You definitely get lost in it. When something happens to someone you really start to think about it. "Why did this happen to him? What separates me from this person and why didn't it happen to me?"
DM) Can you take a step back for yourself in this?
WJ) That's really something that I feel like I've been fighting with myself on. If you're doing something for somebody sometimes you feel like saying, "This time I feel like doing it for me." which is painful for me mentally. I always say that its like a good song. Sometimes I can't sleep until I can put down a good song. That's still something that I need to probe and find out. They say that meditation might help. Maybe I'll try that.
DM) I can imagine that seeing what's going on down there must be upsetting.
WJ) It is upsetting but I feel like I was chosen was for this work. I'm not the first Haitian in the music industry. The thing about Haiti is that it's like the only place in the Caribbean that doesn't have that New York culture. It's the only place you can feel that energy. You feel heaven and earth at the same time. When you're somewhere like that with the right development, it's like paradise.
DM) Is this reflected in your last album "Welcome to Haiti Creole 101"?
WJ) When you listen to the CD you can hear undertones of the consciousness. You can feel the tone of the area and it's people.
;D
