World-Renowned Musician Wyclef Jean Proud of Haitian Roots

Updated December 27, 2012 4:26 PM

Haiti, an island in the Caribbean Sea, situates itself alongside the Dominican Republic. It's a country known for many things, a place where the infamous Duvaliers ruled, as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and home of its most famous export, hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean.

Jean began life in Croix-des-Bouquets, born in 1972. At ten years old, he emigrated to the U.S., beginning his music career in 1993. Founder of the group, The Fugees, and producer of best-selling album, Blunted On Reality, a second album The Score brought his group two Grammy Awards for Best Vocal, Killing Me Softly, and Best Rap Album.

His next success was a solo album, The Carnival, which earned platinum, producing the monster hit, "Gone Til November". A subsequent album, Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book earned gold. His songwriting gifts earned him even more recognition, with "My Love" written for Whitney Houston and "Maria, Maria" for Carlos Santana.

His success as a music artist allowed him to start a record company, Fugee Camp. In 2002, he issued two albums in quick succession, The Masquerade and MVP, the first in English, the other in Créole. Rapping in Créole, Spanish, English and Japanese, he is also skilled in many music instruments. As an actor, he has appeared in "Shottas" and "Carmen" A Hip Hopera". He has entered the world of philanthropy as well, founding The Wyclef Jean Foundation, a music education non-profit. Although technically a Haitian-American, Jean declaims, "I was Haitian first. Haiti(an) till I die!"

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