Wyclef Jean Album: “Masquerade”

I was excited about this new release, having really loved the last 2 Wyclef solo efforts. While I really appreciate Wyclef's ecletic style, acoustic guitar and cultural influences - this release was a disappointment.

I've always liked Wyclef's musicianship and that he's different from most "commercial hip hop" (for lack of a better term). But this is all Thugs and Projects ("PJs" are projects, for the uninitiated) and I'm not impressed. I appreciate the origins, but not the unoriginal terminology and style. It sounds far more "mainstream" then his other releases. That said, Thug like Me is musically one of the better tracks, and more Wyclef as we know him.

I don't know what went awry on this one, but it's missing the flow, the unique style and the overall feeling of the other albums. It's like all the ingredients are there, but it just doesn't work as well.

If you love Wyclef, you'll buy this because it is better then lots of other stuff, just not his best. Keep your expectations in check. If you're new, buy The Carnival, then Efclectic before this one. They're much more indicative of his tremendous abilities.

Keep it GANGSTA? Listen, Wyclef puts it out there straight- "Artists" who make and flash huge amounts of money touting hate,material bling,ignorance, violence and misogyny are (at best)seriously ill, at worst culpable for the self-inflicted genocide of (mostly) black youth on the street. I don't, nor will I EVER AGREE with censorship, but "artists" who put this stuff out for mass consumption should be starved into non-existance. Stop buying HATE.Choke off financial support for record labels that make blood money off dead kids and abused women. Wyclef IS A POSITIVE MESSAGE. This man CARES about the kids who have their lives destroyed and taken from them by Crack pimps and people who PRETEND to be heavy Gangstaz. Look- you want change? Work for peace- Through Music, by respecting woman and cherishing the kids. WYCLEF gave MONEY to the NYC reading programs. TAKE NOTE! Karma exists. WYCLEF and anyone who works for justice and the preservation of Life should be a hero to youth, not slammed by big print reviewers who are disappointed that Wyclef isn't spewing out HATE for mass consumption. And this ALL from a cozy air conditioned apartment in the Suburbs somewhere. You are disapointed why? Because you were less entertained? It's called SPIRIT and SOUL. Either you get this equation or you're just pimping WORDS instead of dope.Dig This- NO JUSTICE..NO PEACE.

Love and Tenacity in the face of Evil WILL conquer..but not before we lose too many,too soon. You GO brother. We're listening. Is Washington?

For those of you like me that first became intrigued by Clef in the refuggee days, then you'll understand where I'm coming from with this review. Don't get me wrong, Masquerade is a solid, wonderfully produced album but I have trouble giving this five stars. If Masquerade was Clef's first attempt, then this would be a five, but coming off two influencial and classic albums like the Carnival, and Ecleftic, Masquerade seems just a little sub-par. I am one who has had the pleasure of meeting the man himself, and let me say he is a class act.He signed my Carnival and Ecleftic cds. We snapped a couple pics with him and Seddeck (his brother) and asked some Q&A.

The best tracks on the album are for sure Peace God, Two Wrongs, Daddy and the créole remixes with Melkey (his sis) are slammin' too.

I wish I could give Masquerade that fifth star, but it might direspect some of his earlier work.

Overall this is a solid record from the Haitian Sensation and I recommend this Joint to all the young cats around the world-as Clef would say.

When I put Clefs new joint in my car, I got more than I expected. First I heard "Peace God" and decided it was tighter than most of "The Score"....than I heard "PJs" and knew it wasnt just one tight track. Clef's rhymes on this one are at thier BEST. "80 Bars" sounds like something off of "The Score". Than comes "Masquerade" i swear this one'll be a hit it's instantly recognizable. The rest of the CD is similar - consistant, and than some. His flow has gotten even better. He makes stuff that shouldnt rhyme rhyme. I cant tell ya how happy im with with this one. As well as the above tracks, "Daddy" and "knockin on heavens door" are sad but are also kinda hopeful. "Thug Like Me" is nice, and so is the reggae-influenced "war no more" that brings back pictures of Bob Marley in my mind. In all seriousness, I laughed when I read the critic's reviews that say it's only alright, cause I was getting an orgasm in my ears from the incredible beats.....lets hope the Fuggees get it together, cause Lauryn and Pras are also soundin better than ever.....

At 22 tracks deep, you'd think there'd be a lot of filler tracks, but this ain't the case with this album, "Masquerade" shows the diverse styles that Wyclef brings, I also recommend you getting all the Fugees and Wyclef solo albums to support the most positive man in hip-hop history, God Bless you Wyclef, keep reppin' for the Haitians and I hope you do another Fugees album!