DOVER, Del. (AP) – Wyclef Jean had a song named in his honor and worked with producers on his new album who were just kids when he released his debut solo album, “The Carnival.”
At 47, tributes from today’s hip-hop stars and a surge of young producers had Jean deciding to call it a day on “The Carnival” saga. “Carnival III: The Rise and Fall of a Refugee,” is the last one under that banner.
“This is the trilogy. This is it,” Jean said.
Jean’s first full-length album in eight years was released Sept. 12 by Legacy Recording, and coincides with the 20-year anniversary celebration of the Grammy winning “Carnival.” Jean would collaborate with Santana, cover Bob Marley and snagged a cameo from Bob Dylan over the years, a thrill for him to work with and honor some of his musical heroes. These days, hip-hop stars pay homage simply by naming a song after The Fugees co-founder.
“When I first heard the record (I heard) new music, Wyclef Jean. I was like, this is not my song,” Jean said, laughing. “It was like, no the song’s named after you.”