Wyclef Jean Inks Netflix Deal
Whether you’re Ready or Not, hip-hop Mogul Wyclef Jean is set to start Killing us Softly with a new Netflix movie. As a life-long fan of the rapper/actor/producer/activist, the news has me singing, “Oooh La La La La La La Lalala La Laaah, sweet thing.”
Netflix announced that they’re collaborating with Jean, a “musical visionary,” on a CG animated musical that reimagines his life story. Jean will produce the project in collaboration with the entertainment media company, Stampede. The movie which will be written by Justin Marks (The Jungle Book, Top Gun: Maverick) is inspired by Jean’s childhood in Haiti.
Jean had this to say about the upcoming project, “I grew up in extreme poverty but I was rich with imagination. Now to see that imagination turn into reality with Netflix and my producing partners makes me want to tell the kids from the slums around the world to never stop dreaming.”
Melissa Cobb, Vice President of Kids and Family at Netflix, added, “When Wyclef first came to us with the rich story idea for an animated film about his personal journey and the evolution of his music from when he was a young boy in Haiti to finding his voice in New York City – we were hooked. Animation is a medium that travels the globe exceptionally well and we cannot wait to share Wyclef’s unique perspective and voice with family audiences around the world.”
If you’re not familiar with Jean and his body of work you should take the time to get familiar with his storied career. Born in Haiti in the late 60’s, Jean emigrated to the United States at age nine and fell in love with hip-hop culture. In the early 90’s, he joined forces with Pras Michel and Lauryn Hill to form the hip-hop supergroup, The Fugees. The group exploded in popularity after releasing their second album, The Score, which spawned several hip-hop classics including Ready or Not, Fu-Gee-La, and Killing me Softly. The album’s breakout success opened doors for the group’s members, who went on to great fame. Jean would produce music for the biggest acts in popular music including Carlos Santana, Destiny’s Child, and Shakira.
It’s no secret that Netflix has a Scrooge McDuck-like vault full of money. They’re spending cash on new projects faster than a Beverly Hills trophy-spouse with a mimosa in their hand, an American Express black card in their wallet, and low self-esteem. It’s no secret either that many of these Netflix Original projects are hot trash. But there are a few reasons to stay optimistic about their collaboration with Jean.
Jean’s has an unassailable track record as a musician and producer. Lots of musicians reach platinum sales numbers and win Grammys, but few have done it like Jean. He’s not one to jump onboard a hot trend, he is a trendsetter. The Fugees rose to fame with a sound unlike anybody else. Their music blends rap, R&B, and reggae together into a unique style that after 20 years, still bumps in the club. He’s a successful artist who values artistic expression more than commercial success. And when is the last time you watched a movie taking place in Haiti? A story set in Haiti that cherishes the culture is a long time coming. Combine Jean’s creative talent, unique cultural perspective, and rags to riches tale his Netflix collaboration has the makings of a heartfelt, insightful, avant-garde picture.
It’s still early in the film’s production cycle, but I’m optimistic that Jean will show Hollywood that great origin stories don’t require awkward cameos, people in capes, or billionaires shot dead in an alley.
By: By Victor Stiff for Thatshelf.com |
Five Noteworthy Facts You May Not Know About Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is an artist, rapper, producer and musician who, by way of his association with hip-hop supergroup the Fugees, helped transform pop, hip-hop and R&B. When the Fugees (Jean, cousin Pras Michel and Lauryn Hill) released albumThe Score in 1996, it became one of the biggest rap albums of all time by way of its fusion of hip-hop, soul and reggae influences, and as a solo artist, Jean has managed to craft a sound that pulls together his love of Haitian music, reggae, rap and pop that helped influence a generation of artists.With his new record Carnival III: The Fall and Rise of a Refugee now out, there was no better time than our October issue to examine his life's story in our regular Timeline feature. And while you'll have to grab our print edition to read the piece in full, here are five noteworthy facts you may not know about Wyclef Jean, below.1. Jean takes his share of the blame for the dissolution of the Fugees."We're all human and make mistakes. I'll keep it real with you. You can't mix business with pleasure. Sometimes I wish that me and Lauryn had never gotten involved, you dig? You learn. So maybe if I could do it again I wouldn't have gotten involved with Lauryn romantically. But then I don't know that you would have gotten The Score," he tells Exclaim! in 2017. "We never really broke up, by the way, we just stopped talking about getting together to record again. In any case, Pras has made it clear to me that he thinks I'm responsible, and I understand why he feels this. It's because he had to manage Lauryn and me when we became a couple on the road. Every time we fought, he was in the middle, keeping us focused, telling jokes, doing whatever he could to stop things from getting too crazy. Pras was the glue that kept the Fugees together."2. Jean played a key role in the career success of Beyoncé — then known as a member of R&B/pop group Destiny's Child — by producing and making a cameo appearance on platinum-selling single "No, No, No Pt. 2.""I always knew Beyoncé would be great," he tells The Guardian in 2017, "because when Destiny's Child were opening for me on tour, every time they got off stage she would go get changed then stand at the side of the stage and watch my show like a hawk."3. Jean believes Lauryn Hill's first pregnancy might have contributed to the group's breakup."In that moment something died between us," Jean wrote in his 2012 memoir,Purpose: An Immigrant's Story. "I was married and Lauryn and I were having an affair, but she led me to believe that the baby was mine, and I couldn't forgive that." 4. Jean filed to run for president in his native Haiti in 2010. Requirements to run for office, however, include living in the country for the preceding five years, and Jean doesn't meet the requirements. Jean releases an EP titled If I Were President: My Haitian Experience; single "If I Were President" is a moderate hit."It's the continuation of my music and it represents both sides of life: love and hate, war and peace. It's for all my fans. It's for those who love me for 'Gone 'Til November' and 'Hips Don't Lie,' too," he tells Consequence of Sound in 2010.5. He still believes that the Fugees will reunite one day."I believe there will be a day when the Fugees get together, but everyone in the group's gotta be ready. The Fugees are definitely going to get back together. The time will come. You've gotta wait, man," he tells hip-hop site Rap-UP in 2011.Carnival III: The Fall and Rise of a Refugee is out now courtesy of Sony Legacy.By: Ryan B. Patrick - Sep 29, 2017