On
Dec. 1, the rapper, Fugee member and activist
Wyclef Jean plans to give a free concert in
Haiti, his first there since 1997
Why did you
start your charity, the Yéle Haiti Foundation?
Yéle is a word I created, a cry for freedom.
I started it when I went back to Haiti with the
Fugees in 1997. Smelling the air when I got off
that plane, it felt like home. What if I never
left and experienced the American dream?
What's been the toughest part of working in
Haiti?
To prove myself to the people, to say, Look,
I don't work for the FBI, I don't work for the
CIA. I'm a musician who left Haiti when I was 10
years old. I didn't come to judge you.
Are you an American citizen?
I'm a U.S. resident. I have a Haitian
passport. Wyclef Jean could never be Wyclef Jean
without America. Once somebody goes to America,
there's no such thing as coming back to Haiti,
you know?
What's the status of the Fugees?
Sometimes I feel like Paul McCartney and the
Beatles--are they getting back together? The
Fugees never broke up. Everyone was doing solo
projects. When we came back to do more music, we
did Dave Chappelle's Block Party, we did BET,
put out one record called Take It Easy. My thing
is if the Fugees want to do another record,
let's go ahead and do it--let's not keep talking
about it.
Does your mom go to your concerts?
Once in a while, along with my wife and
daughter Angelina Jean, 18 months. I was
performing in Toronto and I said, "This is for
Angelina," and they said, "Jolie?" And I said,
"No, my daughter."
Why did you cut your dreads?
When you want a fresh start, you cut off all
your hair, and whatever bag-gage you have, you
can start over.
