Wyclef Jean on Fugees reunion, feminism and Avicii's retirement
Wyclef Jean has had a very interesting career, to say the least. The singer got his big break in the 1990s with Lauryn Hill and Pras Michel with the Fugees, and has continued making hits with Shakira, Avicii and now the Knocks with his single "Kiss the Sky" -- he even tried to run for president in Haiti in 2010.
We caught up with the artist at the opening of the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel on Thursday where he was performing.
Tell me about "My Girl" and your new album.
The album is called "Carnival 3: The Road to Clefication." It's the road back to music. It starts with my daughter, "My Girl" -- the queen of my crown. She's 11 years old. She inspires me. She sits around singing "Sweetest Girl," "Hips Don't Lie" -- she don't even know who the Fugees is.
And do you think your daughter will be a singer one day?
Not sure she's going to be a singer, but I know she's gonna be something, somebody one day.
You've evolved so much over the past decades in the music industry. What's your secret to staying relevant?
Well, the pulse of what I do is music. So when people were saying, "I'm a rapper -- I keep s*** real," I was like well, I'm an artist. I do music and when you do music, you gonna know who the Knocks is, who Joey Bada$$ is. They gonna know who you are. That means you transcend time and generations and you do what you do.
Tell me about "Kiss the Sky." You borrow that line from Jimi Hendrix and repurpose it -- what was the idea behind that?
We needed a feel-good record. Something that when you get on the treadmill, you don't want to stop. You feel like you can finish. The idea with "Kiss the Sky" was just paying homage to the old school, but coming up with the sonics and sounds that everyone can sing to. [points to woman] Do you know who that is?
No.
That's Madeline Nelson, CEO of Heads Music, the label that I'm on. It's an independent female label. It's incredible because it's all women that decided they gonna start an indie label. I joined like one and a half years ago because I was focused on technology, so I said I'll partner with y'all if y'all partner with my tech company. So whether if it's like Ben [Ruttner, of the Knocks] with "Kiss the Sky" -- this is like the new Jimmy Iovine brain. It's just dope to see women with that energy.
Do you consider yourself a feminist?
Oh, if I come back in the next life, I'll probably be Harriet Tubman. Definitely.
So many bands are reuniting. Do you think fans will see a Fugees reunion?
Look, the Rolling Stones -- all kinds of bands got back together. I'd love for the Fugees to get back together, but they gotta do it while I'm young, trim, still pretty ... not too gray yet.
You have a lot of time. Over your very prolific music career, what are your happiest memories?
A few things. One is the Grammys, 1996. Haitian flag over my back. The first time in history that the Grammys saw a flag on someone's back -- it wasn't an American flag. It was weird, right? What's this flag? Where's he from? And for me, that instilled pride in people. It instilled pride in the Caribbean, which was important for me.
Another moment was when I got a call from Michael Jackson and he came to see me in Sony studios. I'll never forget being in the booth and watching the elevator come up and Michael Jackson comes out. I'll never forget that.
Another moment: Whitney Houston. Being in the studio with her, Bobby Brown and her daughter and getting her to record my song, "My Love is Your Love."
I pinched myself because this is why I got in the music business. I'm in this for love. You can see the Knocks -- we get together and the energy is strong. It doesn't matter because when you're in it for love of the music, you're always going to search for what's best.
Any memories of Prince?
I love Prince. I got to jam with him in his house in California and that was incredible -- an incredible time.
Speaking of new versus old, I heard you have inside info on Avicii's retirement.
I know Tim. And I think when you have success when you're that young -- that's one thing I can understand. I had success when I was that young and I'm still in the business. It's a good thing that he did it because we watch documentaries, whether it's Amy Winehouse, and we see how people burn out and managers don't say stop. I do believe the artist should be like, "F*** it. I can't do this. My body can't do this." But I do think in probably two years, my prediction is he's going to be in the studio. I think the bug is definitely going to come back. [Laughs.]
You've always been involved in politics. What do you think about the presidential race?
It's the most interesting it's ever been because I think finally, this is a change. Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump -- it's a real political change. You can't look at it emotionally. What do Trump bring to the forefront?
Business experience, I guess.
Yes, but Bill Gates got business experience. A whole lot of people got business experience and a whole lot of money. To run a country, you need a whole lot more, but Donald Trump brings a reality show element.
Bernie Sanders brings an old school revolution, like, "Hold up, yeah! Remember how this country got changed, kids? Y'all the ones that did it. The power's in your hands. I'm saying I could get y'all free school, free tuition, but you gotta help me get there and challenge your senators." He brings a revolution.
Is he your man?
Nah, I'm just giving you all three candidates. Hillary Clinton -- a continuation of the policies of what Barack was doing. So, like I said, it's a very, very interesting time. I myself -- I'm still watching. I haven't endorsed anybody.
