The Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee Allstars

Amazon.com
"Taste the culture, know who you are," exhorts a voice in the opening seconds of The Carnival. While Fugees mastermind Wyclef sets a high goal for his first solo album, essentially a follow-up to the Brooklyn hip-hoppers' multiplatinum The Score, he never succumbs to feel-goodism or preachiness while traveling the songlines. Including everything from over-the-top operatic scatting to Bee Gees samples and Celia Cruz as part of its rhythm nation, The Carnival proves that, "Killing Me Softly" or no, the rapper/producer is far from losing his knack for mad fun and games. And, indeed, if you're not careful, you may end up learning something: witness the ballad "Gone Till November," a drug runner's unflinching lament. --Rickey Wright

Tracks:

Intro/Court/Clef/Intro (Skit/Interlude)
Apocalypse
Guantanamera
Pablo Diablo (Interlude)
Bubblegoose
Prelude To 'All The Girls' (Interlude)
To All The Girls
Down Lo Ho (Interlude)
Anything Can Happen
Gone Till November
Words Of Wisdom (Interlude)
Year Of The Dragon
Sang Fezi
Fresh Interlude
Mona Lisa
Street Jeopardy
Killer M.C. (Interlude)
We Trying To Stay Alive
Gunpowder
Closing Arguments (Interlude/Skit)
Enter The Carnival (Interlude)
Jaspora
Yele
Carnival

Amazon.com

"Taste the culture, know who you are," exhorts a voice in the opening seconds of The Carnival. While Fugees mastermind Wyclef sets a high goal for his first solo album, essentially a follow-up to the Brooklyn hip-hoppers' multiplatinum The Score, he never succumbs to feel-goodism or preachiness while traveling the songlines. Including everything from over-the-top operatic scatting to Bee Gees samples and Celia Cruz as part of its rhythm nation, The Carnival proves that, "Killing Me Softly" or no, the rapper/producer is far from losing his knack for mad fun and games. And, indeed, if you're not careful, you may end up learning something: witness the ballad "Gone Till November," a drug runner's unflinching lament. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Classic, Classic, Classic!!!.......2007-01-10

To many people, the Fugees were the quintessential rap trio comprised of Wyclef Jean, Lauryn Hill, and Pras. While the seperation of this supergroup revealed each member's exceptional artistry....who can forget the Miseducation of Lauren Hill....Wyclef out did himself on this album. As hip hop albums go, Carnival can be viewed as one of the Hip Hop Masterpieces of the decade!

Incidentally, I classify the "Miseducation..." as one of the R&B Mastepieces!

Good Album, Shows The Talent of Wyclef.......2006-07-06

I thought this was a good solo album from Wyclef that presents some good songs to listen to. Definately get "We Trying To Stay Alive." It is a great song with a catchy beat from the original Staying Alive. Good Listen

Aiight.......2006-07-02

This carnival gets a little borin' sometimes. If you ever been to a carnival, when you got off a wild ride, then next thing you know you waitin on a long a** line that just kills your fun until the next ride. That's what this album does. Clef hits you in the head wit a bangin track, then kills your mood with a completely unnecessary skit. And its after almost every song. And thats annoyin to me cause I hate skits alot. If you gon' rap n**** then rap. I had this album for like 7 years and I can't listen to it all the way through for that reason. Puttin the skits aside it is pretty solid. And next to the crap pollutin the airwaves these days, it stands a lot higher.

Wicked lots of fun.......2006-04-05

I borrowed this c.d. from a friend of mine, and have never given it back. This c.d. sat in my 6 disk player (in the car) for a year. Not only are the songs so good that you have them stuck in your head all day but the court thing is funny too. I love how it almost takes you around the world in styles. Spanish, french, carribean. I don't know any other talented musician who can do that, except for Wyclef. This is another c.d. that you enjoy listing to the words as well as the great music. Wyclef is a very talented artist, and has the ability to make something beautiful and fun at the same time.

Very Eclectic Lp 2 Say da Least.......2006-01-17

I love The Fugees & Wyclef and admire them as artists man but this lp is the gap between "The Score" and all their solos and "The Carnival" sets the bar pretty high for most Fugee solos. this lp may look uncohesive but it for the most is pretty good. what sparks my attention is the attention to detail and humor used to poke fun at the scene and even if you pick it up today you begin to remember wyclef is a emcee and artist second and he upholds hip hop's honesty and integrity very well. he never forgot wehre he came from man. overall i'm give this cd a 4.5 almost a classic but it was missing to me a vital part of non-skipable stuff and with all the interludes detract from being a classic hip hop record.
favorite tracks on the carnival:
Year of The Dragon
Street Jeporady
Anything Can Happen
We Trying to Say alive
Guantanamera
Bubblegoose

Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee Allstars

Average customer rating:

Clef breaks cultural barriers
The Carnival-Wyclef Jean
THE CARNIVAL---TRULY A CARNIVAL
THE CARNIVAL---TRULY A CARNIVAL
Excellent.

Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee Allstars
Wyclef Jean
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Experimental Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
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Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101

ASIN: B00000DSN0
Release Date: 1997-06-24

Tracks:

Intro/Court/Clef/Intro (Skit/Interlude)
Apocalypse
Guantanamera
Pablo Diablo (Interlude)
Bubblegoose
Prelude To 'To All The Girls' (Interlude)
To All The Girls
Down Lo Ho (Interlude)
Anything Can Happen
Gone Till November
Words Of Wisdom (Interlude)
Year Of The Dragon
Sang Fezi
Fresh Interlude
Mona Lisa
Street Jeopardy
Kiler M.C. (interlude)
We Trying To Stay Alive
Gunpowder
Closing Arguments (Interlude/Skit)
Enter The Carnival (Interlude)
Jaspora
Yele
Carnival

Customer Reviews:

Clef breaks cultural barriers.......2003-08-11

I've had this CD since it dropped & I still throughly enjoy it. It is a creative and interesting blend of hip-hop, r&b, reggae, and Caribbean music. Wyclef keeps the lyrics positive and thought provoking...and at times witty as well. He doesn't seem to care what people have to say, on this disc he has something to share whether there's an audience or not. This has become one of my favorite CD's...it's timeless. If you don't believe me, just listen to the last track and TELL ME it didn't make you get up & dance. I dare you!

The Carnival-Wyclef Jean.......2001-01-28

It's so nice to know that others appreciate the genius of Wyclef. This joint rocks and I can't say enough about his versatility. After buying the Carnival CD, I couldn't wait for his next project to drop and I rushed right out the day it went on sale to buy it because I simply had to hear what he was doing next! Wyclef is simply marvelous and has quickly become my favorite artist. Why he doesn't get more recognition is just beyond me.

THE CARNIVAL---TRULY A CARNIVAL.......1999-11-30

Before THE CARNIVAL, I had the courage/audacity to buy only one other rap CD, the Fugees' THE SCORE. And I did not leave to regret it. THE CARNIVAL is a masterpiece. I truly believe that years from now, even if rap loses its clout in the music industry, this album will be remembered as a milestone. It will probably be what Marvin Gaye's WHAT'S GOING ON album is to us now. I had always thought that Wyclef was just a background singer for Lauryn Hill until I sat down to listen to THE CARNIVAL, and saw his true genius illuminating every edge of that black and purple disc. Unlike several other rap disks that lose their timeliness as months pass, THE CARNIVAL still remains true to life. The only reservation that I have about this disc is the needless swearing that it contains, but as it is, an edited version is now available. My favorite English song was 'GUNPOWDER' and I think it was a pity that Wyclef and the powers-that be at Columbia/Ruffhouse never saw it fit to release it as a single. I also am convinced that the album was not publicized as much as it should have been. And the fact that Clef lost the Grammy nomination to an album as pointless and as balloon-airy as Puff Daddy's NO WAY OUT was a tragedy. That just goes to show that having connections can be a substitute for lyrical and musical prowess. Listening to the album, one is practically given a glance at a soul on fire----to paraphrase Manchester. I love the manner in which the songs are sequenced. Many individuals of Haitian descent thought it insulting that Wyclef chose to place all the Creole songs at the end of the disc, but I do see his point. It was his way of conveying his journey from immigrant kid, to Youth Diaspora to assertive American. THE CARNIVAL was not only a musical milestone, but a cultural milestone too. It was the first time that a culture as alienated as the Haitian culture was taken (even if it were for a brief moment)out of its isolation, and placed in all its beauty, underneath bright lights where all could observe its grotesque qualities. It was the first time someone was proudly declaring their Haitianess, not in a room, but on the international front, where all could hear. Maybe part of the album's attraction was the manner in which Wyclef's assertion of himself, of his culture and homeland became not just a one-man thing, but a universal thing. It was almost as if he channeled his feelings through the rest of us---those who had just come from Haiti, those who had been in the States for some time, and had virtually become de-ethnicized. He speaks of them in his Bible-allegory based reggae song'Jaspora'("Pouki sa, ou pèdi non-w se Samyél/Pouki sa, ou pèdi-w avèk Israyèl)And if THE CARNIVAL is but a sneak preview of what is to be expected from Mr. Jean, than be lo bring on the beats.

THE CARNIVAL---TRULY A CARNIVAL.......1999-11-30

Excellent........1999-07-21

This is a great CD. I really enjoy listening to it

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