Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Wyclef Jean prides himself on having a vision, which he does. Few of his peers are as determined to appeal to as broad an audience as a possible, dabbling in everything from ragga to sugary pop, tying it all together as a self-conscious "big statement." His ambition has been clear since The Score, if not the Fugees' debut, and with each of his post-Fugees solo projects, he's worked with the same basic template -- a lot of pop, a lot of hip-hop, reggae, and worldbeat touches, lots of social consciousness, a little does of party anthems, all produced with enough gloss and melody to reach a wide audience, yet with enough NPR sensibility to bring in the serious-minded progressives, no matter their age. If anything, he perhaps tipped a little bit too close to the pop last time around, letting Kenny Rogers in for a new version of "The Gambler," so the first part of his third album, Masquerade, feels like a bit of an overcorrection, as he toughens up the beats, brings in the hard(er) rappers, and aims to the street. Then, after the point has been made, it settles into a Marley-esque reggae groove, before easing into pop for a while, then winding up back in Marley territory with "War No More." Throughout it all, Jean's musical skill is impressive and most of this long, 20-track album is quite pleasurable, but his skills as a recordmaker waver on occasion. The primary problem is that Wyclef wants to be everything to all people, so he'll hit too hard on the hip-hop, then back way up and invite Tom Jones into the studio for a new, not very good, version of "What's New, Pussycat," while rewriting Frankie Valli ("Oh What a Night") and Dylan ("Knocking on Heaven's Door," which now contains shoutouts "to Biggie Smalls and 2Pac...to my people in the twin towers") with equal abandon. He pushes too hard on sermonizing, no matter if it's pompous pleas to the ghettos or heartfelt laments (a spoken tribute to his recently passed father, "War No More," a "Redemption Song"-styled protest song with the unforgettable line, "this looks like a scene from the movie Star Wars"), which offsets the lighter tracks. Instead of sounding generous and openhearted, it's a bit muddled and confusing, especially when taken all at once -- but when isolated in parts, or heard in passing, it's an enjoyable record.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From 12,49€/month
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - No producer credit, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer - Clep Sound, Producer - Toshio Nomura, Composer, Lyricist - Itsuro Hattori, Composer, Lyricist - Benny Latimore, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Governor, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Prolific, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Wyclef Jean featuring Governor and Prolific, Associated Performer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer - Shea Taylor, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Evan Rossiter, Assistant Engineer - Kevin Meyers, Assistant Engineer - Serge "Sergical" Tsai, Recording Engineer
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - No producer credit, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Butch Cassidy, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Sharissa, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Wyclef Jean featuring Butch Cassidy and Sharissa, Associated Performer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer - Neftali Santiago, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Teflon, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - Sheldon Harris, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer - Darryl Radcliff, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Main Artist, Producer - Bob Gaudio, Composer, Lyricist - Judy Parker, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - No producer credit, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Tom Jones, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Wyclef Jean featuring Tom Jones, Associated Performer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer - Burt Bacharach, Composer, Lyricist - Shea Taylor, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Hal David, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - No producer credit, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Claudette Ortiz, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Wyclef Jean feat. Claudette Ortiz of City High, Associated Performer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer
(P) 2002 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - No producer credit, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer - Jennifer Hamady, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Bob Dylan, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist - No producer credit, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Ed Roc, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Errol Sistrunck, Composer, Lyricist - Hakim Bey Scott, Composer, Lyricist - Damon Leigh, Composer, Lyricist - Eugene Alfonso, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Melky, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Wyclef Jean featuring Melky, Associated Performer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Wyclef Jean, Associated Performer, Composer, Lyricist, Main Artist, Producer - Ja Rah Rah, Associated Performer, Featured Artist - Wyclef Jean featuring Ja Rah Rah, Associated Performer - Jerry Duplessis, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY "WONDER" DUPLESSIS, Producer
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Albumbeschreibung
Wyclef Jean prides himself on having a vision, which he does. Few of his peers are as determined to appeal to as broad an audience as a possible, dabbling in everything from ragga to sugary pop, tying it all together as a self-conscious "big statement." His ambition has been clear since The Score, if not the Fugees' debut, and with each of his post-Fugees solo projects, he's worked with the same basic template -- a lot of pop, a lot of hip-hop, reggae, and worldbeat touches, lots of social consciousness, a little does of party anthems, all produced with enough gloss and melody to reach a wide audience, yet with enough NPR sensibility to bring in the serious-minded progressives, no matter their age. If anything, he perhaps tipped a little bit too close to the pop last time around, letting Kenny Rogers in for a new version of "The Gambler," so the first part of his third album, Masquerade, feels like a bit of an overcorrection, as he toughens up the beats, brings in the hard(er) rappers, and aims to the street. Then, after the point has been made, it settles into a Marley-esque reggae groove, before easing into pop for a while, then winding up back in Marley territory with "War No More." Throughout it all, Jean's musical skill is impressive and most of this long, 20-track album is quite pleasurable, but his skills as a recordmaker waver on occasion. The primary problem is that Wyclef wants to be everything to all people, so he'll hit too hard on the hip-hop, then back way up and invite Tom Jones into the studio for a new, not very good, version of "What's New, Pussycat," while rewriting Frankie Valli ("Oh What a Night") and Dylan ("Knocking on Heaven's Door," which now contains shoutouts "to Biggie Smalls and 2Pac...to my people in the twin towers") with equal abandon. He pushes too hard on sermonizing, no matter if it's pompous pleas to the ghettos or heartfelt laments (a spoken tribute to his recently passed father, "War No More," a "Redemption Song"-styled protest song with the unforgettable line, "this looks like a scene from the movie Star Wars"), which offsets the lighter tracks. Instead of sounding generous and openhearted, it's a bit muddled and confusing, especially when taken all at once -- but when isolated in parts, or heard in passing, it's an enjoyable record.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 22 track(s)
- Total length: 01:09:27
- Main artists: Wyclef Jean
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Columbia
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
(P) 2002 Sony Music Entertainment, Inc. WARNING: All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.