With the Fugees permanently on hold, Wyclef Jean continues to make a name for himself as a solo artist, even though his name has popped up in the tabloids more than it has on the Billboard charts.
He’s admitted to an affair with Fugees partner Lauryn Hill, but denied allegations that he pulled a gun on Blaze magazine editor Jesse Washington. And despite his recent appearances in gossip columns, the hip-hop artist seems to be enjoying himself more than ever on his latest album, “The Preacher’s Son.”
“This album was like a kid going to a candy store. It was all fun,” Wyclef says. “I got a chance to work with legends [Patti LaBelle and Carlos Santana] and not worry about nothing … They say it’s selling slow, but I’m like, ‘It’s selling, though.’ “
“It’s going to be a cult classic,” Wyclef says with a laugh.
Despite selling millions of albums with the Fugees and numerous more on his own, Wyclef calls “The Preacher’s Son” his first real album because he feels he’s now truly connecting with the music, especially from a songwriting point of view.
“You see yourself go through levels,” he says. “I did the straight-up hip-hop thing, the rock thing, the reggae thing. This is something brand new–I call it the Clef Zone.”
These days, the Clef Zone is a fairly guarded place. Much of Wyclef’s new album was inspired by his father’s death two years ago. Since then, the singer has surrounded himself with only close confidants, including siblings and cousins.
“If I didn’t really know you when I was coming up, you’re not going to hang around me. It’s the hang-ons that get you into trouble,” he says.
Wyclef rounded up friends from the hip-hop and R&B worlds, including Missy Elliott, to create “The Preacher’s Son,” which includes his usual eclectic mix of influences, from hip-hop to salsa with a couple of ballads thrown in for good measure.
Despite his new sound, Wyclef has managed to retain his political voice. The album’s first single, “Party to Damascus,” which, combined with Wyclef’s liner notes about being a revolutionary, might raise some eyebrows in this post-Sept. 11 epoch. But does the singer fear President Bush and his cronies?
“I fear God. That’s it,” Wyclef says. “The message of revolution I speak is the message of the kids. I’m not saying anything different than what a kid is saying. I’m just a mouthpiece for it.”
