Wyclef Jean

Five Other Failed Rap/Country Experiments

The hubbub this week regarding Brad Paisley and LL Cool J's controversial duet "Accidental Racist" has, among other things, given a sign that the world might still not be ready yet for a full blown country and hip-hop crossover. While rap has been above an attempted crossover, no matter how poorly c ... More >>

Police: Brooklyn Teen Made 400 Prank Calls

In true pre-Internet hijinks and Jerky Boys fashion, a Brooklyn teen "disguised his voice as a girl" and made over 400 calls to 911 to phone in fake emergencies, police said yesterday. The New York Post reports that  since last May, Dean Whylie, 16, made 404 calls reporting non-existent incid ... More >>

Wyclef Jean

Fall Guide 2012: Books

Wyclef's Jean's Trouble With The Truth: A Recent History

​This weekend, the Internet was abuzz with reports from Wyclef Jean and his people that the ex-Fugee and former Haitian presidential candidate had been shot in the hand while campaigning for fellow performer Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly in Port-Au-Prince. Well, "grazed" by a bullet. Or was it ... More >>

Qaddafi Vows 'Long War'; Two Saved From Rubble in Japan; Wyclef Jean Shot in Haiti

A Libyan jet crashes in Benghazi. NYT via Patrick Baz/AFP​The U.N.-sanctioned allied attack on Libyan targets continues today as Muammar Qaddafi promises a "long war," telling state television that "We will not leave our land and we will liberate it." U.S., French, and British forces began air str ... More >>

HELLO, MS. HILL

Gearing up for a New York–centric comeback

The 20 Worst Songs of 2010, #5: Artists for Haiti, "We Are The World 25 For Haiti"

F2K10 is a countdown of the 20 worst songs of 2010. Track our progress here. ​In 2010, when pop musicians are struggling to have half the visibility of the latest news-cycle-spawned entrant into Google Trends, it's hard not to see charity endeavors as ego extensions. Recall "Just Stand Up!," ... More >>

Pras Michel v. Vito Lopez: Brooklyn's Latest Democratic Throwdown

​Now even rap stars are giving Brooklyn Democratic Party leader Vito Lopez trouble. Yesterday, Pras Michel -- late of the Grammy-winning Fugees and whose 1998 "Ghetto Supastar (That's What You Are)" was a hit on the movie "Bulworth" with Warren Beatty -- endorsed a challenger to one of Lopez's ... More >>

Saying Goodbye to Wyclef Jean's Bid for the Haitian Presidency With A Self-Aggrandizing Song Called "Prison for the CEP" and a Ritz Crackers Commercial

​Thankfully, Wyclef Jean's run for the Haitian presidency is now finished. According to everyone but Wyclef Jean, anyway. The former Fugee remains unbowed--or, if you prefer, still entirely delusional--and on Wednesday, he posted to Twitter a song he described as "contesting the CEP, in Creole ... More >>

Week in Review: You Rejected the Youth

Goodbye to all that. Photo by Sam Horine.​In the week one of our team successfully transitioned into the "expert" phase of her juggalo fascination, the rest of us just kind of got silly. Hence: the top ten songs named "Fuck You" or the immediate equivalent; Jay-Z's ten most shameful rock and r ... More >>

Sean Penn on Wyclef Jean: "It Is Folly For We Americans to Assume 'Our Haitian' Is Their Answer"

​Well, this will surely be awkward when Sean Penn and Wyclef Jean have to share whatever inevitable Haiti-relief benefit stage in six months from now. Hours after Haiti's electoral council knocked out Wyclef's appeal of their ruling that he couldn't run for their presidency--because he hadn't ... More >>

Wyclef Jean Will Not Stop Running For the Haitian Presidency, No Matter What Haiti Has To Say About It

Despite the fact that a Haitian electoral board ruled late Friday night that Wyclef Jean was ineligible to run for the country's presidency--presumably because he doesn't meaningfully live in Haiti at all, though the board didn't give a reason--Jean has now decided to appeal the decision. After, t ... More >>

Source: Wyclef Jean Will Not Be Ruining Haiti This Fall

Rene Preval, Haiti's inept past, shaking hands with Wyclef Jean, a man who hopefully will have nothing to do with Haiti's future.​And so the world's greatest publicity stunt/most irresponsible political campaign ends, not with an election but with a piece of paper, one that has many names on i ... More >>

Week in Review: Jugga-luh-oh

Run Tila, run! Photo by Nate "Igor" Smith.​In the week one of us went to the Gathering of the Juggalos and came back with what is increasingly looking like Stockholm Syndrome, we witnessed Tila Tequila (and Method Man) battle a pack of angry ICP fans and--shortly after she took her top off--lo ... More >>

Wyclef Jean's Bid for Haiti's Presidency: Gone 'Til Forever

​Via BNO News, it's apparently being reported by Reuters that Wyclef Jean's chances of being the next president of Haiti don't look likely, as his name is reportedly not on the list of approved candidates. His chances and crediblity as a candidate can best be summed up in one paragraph of the ... More >>

Haiti Will Not Rule on Wyclef Jean's Presidential Run Until Friday

​Well, so much for this saga ending any time soon. Though the Haitian elections board was scheduled to rule yesterday on whether or not Wyclef Jean was even eligible to run for the presidency of a country he has no business being in charge of, officials announced late last night that they'd be ... More >>

Wyclef Jean Used $250,000 of His Charity's Money to Buy a Carnival Float, a "Frilly Blouse," and a Lion

​Today, the Haitian elections board is expected to announce whether Wyclef Jean is eligible to run for the country's presidency. Hopefully, he isn't. (A five consecutive year Haitian residency requirement is what's standing between him and the race; how loosely the board interprets "residency" ... More >>

Week In Review: Aw Dude, You Missed It

Unfortunately, this just isn't fun anymore. Pic by Sam Horine.​It's Friday the 13th, and if you're as superstitious as we are here at SOTC, you'll stay away from the outside world altogether. Lucky for you, though, we've put together a pretty awesome rundown of dance parties to visit this week ... More >>

Wyclef Jean Doesn't Think Failing to Pay His Taxes Disqualifies Him From the Haitian Presidency

​Wyclef Jean, as the world now knows, is running for the Haitian presidency. He's doing so despite a complete lack of political experience, a checkered financial past, major accounting and tax problems with his NGO, Yele Haiti, dubious Haitian residency, and the lack of an endorsement from fel ... More >>

Still Not Voting For Wyclef Jean For President of Haiti Friday News Roundup

So now it's even more official: after confirming to the New York Times yesterday that he was running for the Haitian presidency, Wyclef Jean went on CNN last night to formally announce his campaign. Don't vote for him. Meanwhile, NPR questions whether he's even eligible to run, and the internation ... More >>

Vote No On Wyclef Jean: Why the Former Fugee's Run For the Haitian Presidency Is Totally Misguided

Wyclef Jean opens NASDAQ on the six month anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. Photo via Yele Haiti.​So it's official: Wyclef Jean is running for the Haitian presidency. The former Fugee confirmed the news to the New York Times last night; later today, he's expected to go on Larry King Live ... More >>

Carnegie Hall: Not the Place to Hold a Benefit in NYC

Carnegie Hall photo via wallyg's photostream​So, of the $189,793 worth of proceeds Carnegie Hall will take in if Sunday's Haiti fundraiser--featuring the world-beating pianist Lang Lang, conductor Christoph Eschenbach, the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra, and Wyclef Jean--sells out compl ... More >>

Good Morning, Fake New York Senatorial Candidate Harold Ford Jr., Trying His Best Not To Look Terrified Of Iggy Pop At Last Night's Rock Hall Induction Ceremony

​Yeah, some wacky and/or poignant stuff happened at last night's Rock Hall induction, but rest assured that this moment, captured by the NYT's Dave Itzkoff, was the highlight. "Roll over Woodstock, we won," Iggy declared, upon the Stooges' official acceptance, alongside ABBA, the Hollies, Jimm ... More >>

Alright, Let's Deal With This Star-Studded Haiti-Benefit "Everybody Hurts" Debacle

Here we have the gala Simon Cowell-produced R.E.M. cover, starring Susan Boyle, Mariah Carey, Michael Buble, Leona Lewis, Rod Stewart, and a gaggle of not-as-famous people. Not a good look. I don't have any problems until James Blunt shows up, and no major problems until Jon Bon Jovi starts howli ... More >>

Week in Review: DIY Snitchin

We bleed for this thing. Photo by Rebecca Smeyne.​In the week Jay-Z went all the way to the top of the singles list on our 2009 Pazz & Jop Critics' Poll, the rapper told SOTC that his two favorite songs of last year both came from Kings of Leon. With an honorable mention tip of the cap to the ... More >>

Your Big, Honking Guide to Haiti Benefits and Valiantly Intentioned Fundraising Efforts, Non-Wyclef Musical Edition

If this doesn't say it all, don't know what does Wyclef's Yele charity has recently drawn a firestorm of criticism, but he's not the only musical figure trying to mobilize folks and funds on behalf of Haiti. There's also an impressive number of benefit concerts and music events happening in the cit ... More >>

More On Wyclef Jean and His Charity, Yele Haiti

So over the long weekend, Wyclef Jean gave both a press conference and a personal statement via YouTube, defending his foundation, Yele Haiti, and the fundraising it did in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck Haiti last Tuesday. In the video statement, Jean said he was "disgusted" with the ... More >>

Wyclef Jean's Haiti Charity Made Dubious Payments: Smoking Gun

​Governor Paterson's office suggests a number of venues to which citizens may donate Haiti relief funds, among them the Yele Haiti site, whose sponsor Wyclef Jean has used Twitter ("text 'Yele' to 501501") to score over $1 million in contributions for the devastated country. The effort is he ... More >>

Wyclef Jean's Haiti Charity Is Probably OK, But Why Not Just Give to the Red Cross If You're Worried About It?

​Lackluster accounting practices and what looks to have been some self-patronage probably should not shatter people's faith in the Wyclef Jean Foundation, which has already raised a ton of money for relief in Haiti. The Smoking Gun's digging mostly just turned up irregular tax returns and a fe ... More >>

Good Morning, Wyclef Jean

​That right there is Wyclef Jean, in Union Square the other day handing out something called the 'Western Union Wyclef Jean Gift Card' which, further research shows, is part of a Western Union campaign to promote "giving cash as the perfect gift for friends and family this holiday season." Cla ... More >>

The Post-Pardon Elation of John Forté

George W. Bush's strangest (and most welcome) beneficiary revels in various types of freedom

Cookie Monster & Wyclef--Definitely Not Kicking It Old School

Back in the '80s when we were rocking Vuarnet sweatshirts to gym class, we loved Cookie Monster best when he lost his cool and went nuts gobbling up those big, flat cookies. But the day he first busted a rhyme about--and entitled--Healthy Food, we couldn't help being convinced that veggies might not ... More >>

John Forte Mania: Please, W., Pardon Remy Ma, Too

BLAZE IT UP

Hot 97 brings nostalgia to Rastafarians

Why Would Musicians Use Steroids?

Track 18 Wins Again

Major-label hip-hop records in burying-best-tracks shocker!

Wyclef Jean's The Carnival II and Pitbull's The Boatlift

Two big shots rock the boat people

I and I Barely Survive

T.I. interrupts a dominant run for some muddled split-personality antics

Es 'Nuestro Himno,' Senor Presidente

Hear the Spanish-language anthem that's bugging Bush

The Fugees: Reunited and Not Very Good

AmsterJam gets AmsterSlammed? AmsterDAMN!

Retooled by Reggae

So when are they gonna get Augustus Pablo and his melodica to cover an old Hooters hit?

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