Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant

Wyclef Jean | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 4, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000V9KDMK
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,290 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Haitian born, Wyclef Jean, is a world renowned artist, songwriter, producer, Good Will Ambassador and activist through his Yelé Haiti foundation. He began his career as a member of the The Fugees. Their classic release, The Score, sold over 18 million copies worldwide and certified the trio as international superstars. Jean then began his solo career with 1997's platinum plus album The Carnival Featuring the Refugee All-Stars. Wyclef went on to work with diverse artists including Santana, Destiny's Child, and Mick Jagger. Recently, he produced "Hips Don't Lie", a Grammy®-nominated duet with Shakira. The track broke the record for the most amount of airplay in the history of Billboard magazine’s airplay tracking. The Grammy® Award winner returns to Columbia Records to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of his first solo album with The Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant, which is slated for release on December 4, 2007.

Wyclef Jean Photo

More from Wyclef Jean and Friends

Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee Allstars	The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book	The Preacher's Son
Greatest Hits	The Score	Blunted on Reality

Product Description

2007 release, the sixth studio album from The Fugees' Wyclef Jean. The first single will be "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" which features Akon, Niia Bertino and Lil' Wayne. Other guests include Selena, Mary J. Blige, Paul Simon, Chamillionaire, Shakira, T.I., T-Pain, will.i.am and Serj Tankian of System Of A Down.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Seductively summery., December 3, 2007

By 

modern jazz - See all my reviews

This review is from: Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant (Audio CD)

Now Lauryn Hill's gone bag-lady bonkers, the Haitian Fugees' boss rifled through his little black book for more laydeez to play with.
Norah Jones, Shakira and Mary J Blige are a few that answered his call.
Wyclef Jean is a rare artistic breed - the more big names he collaborates with, the better he gets.
On this laid-back fifth album he rounds up another impressive cast list, mixing rock, rap, reggae, Bollywood beats, dancehall and even samba.
His latest star-studded collection sees him returning to one of his favourite themes: immigration and identity.
The heroes and heroines of his narratives are illegal immigrants, strippers, deadbeat dads and single mothers - but, with the help of his guests, his portrayals of these outcasts are remarkably sympathetic.
The reggae-lite production is seductively summery (especially on the gorgeous "Slow Down"), if slightly aimless at times; despite the influence of Wyclef's conscience, his eye is too firmly set on a carnival atmosphere to ever sound preachy.
The new single "Sweetest Girl" has "hit" written all over it, a reggae-tinged track with a vocal contribution from Akon, Lil Wayne and Niia that fits in perfectly with Wyclef 's sound.
Paul Simon provides a classic chorus on "Fast Car", a folky warning against youthful foolishness.
Sizzla's slot on "Welcome to the East", "What About the Baby" featuring Mary j Blige and the silky "Any Other Day" with Norah Jones also stand out on this impressive display
Easy on the ears, this album is a shot of summer for the chilled days ahead.
Enjoy.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Eclectic Collaborations hurt by over-production, December 5, 2007

By 

D. Hoelck (Chico, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant (Audio CD)

Wyclef Jean likes music, and he doesn't discriminate by genre. His jack of all trades approach to his past albums brought a distinctly unique feel to them, but with this latest effort, it seems that while he may well be a jack of all trades, he's a master of none.
Jean's a producer at heart, and it's always shown. Relying on the collaborative effort to produce his visions has always worked well for him, and this album is no exception. A huge issue in production, however, is knowing when to stop.
Almost every one of Jean's songs feels like a mess. There's energy and passion, but there is no clarity to it. Mixing genres is fine, but the plan wasn't realized here, and just taking the different musical styles and throwing them into a blender isn't going to be enough.
For all the passion, talent, and exploration here, there just wasn't enough planning.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wyclef Jean - Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant, February 18, 2008

By 

Constant - See all my reviews

This review is from: Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant (Audio CD)

Wyclef Jean's sixth solo album "Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant" (2007) is a short enjoyable release. The Haitian MC and Producer delivers an outstanding album which will be enjoyed by an international audience. The diversity of guest appearances on this release is impressive with global guest appearances coming from Serj Tankian (Lebanon), Sizzla (Jamaica), Akon (Senegal), Lil Wanye (New Orleans, Louisana), Niia (Needham, Massachusetts), Shakira (Barranquilla, Columbia), Paul Simon (Newark, New Jeresy), Mary J Blige (Bronx, New York), Chamillionaire (Houston, Texas), Aadesh Shrivastava (India), Norah Jones (Brooklyn, New York), Melissa Jiménez (New Jeresy), Will.i.am (Los Angeles, California), Machel Montano (Trinidad and Tobago), Daniela Mercury, (Salvador, Brazil), Black Alex (Haiti), Shabba Ranks (Jamaica), Djakout Muzik (Haiti), Lucina(Mexico), Sun (Singapore), Elephant Man (Jamaica) & Tony Matterhorn (Jamaica). Clef makes his intro with his daughter talking in the background, leading up to the album's first full length track "Riot" Feat. Serj Tankian (Of System of a Down)& Sizzla a solid track - I like how Wyclef references Big Pun and rhymes like him for a minute. I have two favourite track's on this release, one is the lead single "Sweetest Girl" (Dolla Bill) which features appearances from Akon, Nia & Lil Wayne. Akon's borrows the chorus from Wu-Tang's famous song "C.R.E.A.M." singing soulfully, in a musical tale about deportation - everyone hold's their own on this first class track. The later favorite is a collaboration with T.I. on "Slow Down" a highlight track, Wyclef rhymes and sings about many of the problems of the world, with T.I. relating, Wyclef's chorus is outstanding & the track has a positive message behind it, some people need to slow down & rethink the directions they are moving in life. Shakira delivers some soulfully smooth vocals for the love ballad "King & Queen". "Fast Car" is a laidback collaboration with singer/guitarist Paul Simon. Mary J Blige & Wyclef reunite for another on point collaboration on "What About The Baby". Musical director Aadesh Shrivastava of India provides the backdrop for "Hollywood Meets Bollywood" (Immigration) which features an appearance from Chamillionaire. "Any Other Day" is a mellow collaboration with the multi talented Norah Jones in a track which was originally made for a Hurricane Katrina benefit album. "Heaven's In New York" is the only full length track which has Wyclef on solo, and its a memorable one dedicated to refugees worldwide, Clef sings soulfully " If it was my last day on earth I'd treat it like my first go out the way I came in so innocent so pure with no thoughts of insecurity Live life to the fullest be what I wanna be...". Wyclef and Mexican american singer Melissa pay tribute to the late "Selena" while "Touch Your Button Carnival Jam" is the album's biggest collaboration featuring will.i.am, Melissa Jiménez, Machel Montano, Daniela Mercury, Black Alex, Shabba & Djakout Muzik. Bonus track's include "On Tour" Feat. Lucina & "China Wine" Feat. Sun, Elephant Man & Tony Matterhorn. Wyclef Jean provides a high quality release full of uplifting music with "Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant".