The Carnival

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The Carnival
Studio album by Wyclef Jean
Released	June 24, 1997
Recorded	1997
Genre	Hip-hop
Length	73:51
Label	Sony Music/Columbia Records
Producer(s)	Wyclef Jean
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Pitchfork (8.1/10) link RapReviews.com link Rolling Stone RS 764/765
Wyclef Jean chronology
	The Carnival (1997)	The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book (2000)

Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival Featuring Refugee All Stars, or more simply The Carnival, is the first solo album by Wyclef Jean.

Released shortly after The Fugees' blockbuster hit record The Score, the Carnival became one of hip-hop's most unusual and unique records, with a guest list ranging from salsa legend Celia Cruz to New Orleans crooners The Neville Brothers. Among the album's many accomplishments were bringing New York underground hip-hop into the mainstream, and introducing America to the sounds of Haiti.

The album begins with a movie-promo like intro, featuring many of the album's guest stars, and establishing one of the album's two major "concepts" — that Wyclef is on trial for being a dangerous influence on society (the other "concept" being the "Carnival" theme). Some twenty tracks later, it "ends" with Wyclef's acquittal, and then appends a coda of Haitian music sung in creole.

Standout tracks include "Gone Till November," which includes a full orchestra (and a video that featured Bob Dylan), "Mona Lisa", an old-school love ballad in the tradition of "Tell It Like It Is", and hit single "We Trying To Stay Alive." With this album Wyclef established himself as arguably one of the most musically-minded producers in hip hop. Moreover, the record went on to become RIAA certified Platinum three times.

In 2005, comedian Chris Rock ranked it 16th on his list of the Top 25 Hip-Hop Albums ever. [1]

Contents 1 Track listing 2 Chart positions 2.1 Album 2.2 Singles 3 Credits 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] Track listing

1. "Intro/Court/Clef/Intro" (Skit/Interlude)
2. "Apocalypse"
3. "Guantanamera" f. Celia Cruz
4. "Pablo Diablo" (Interlude) f. Crazy Sam & Da Verbal Assassins
5. "Bubblegoose"
6. "Prelude to "To All the Girls" (Interlude)
7. "To All the Girls"
8. "Down Lo Ho" (Interlude)
9. "Anything Can Happen"
10. "Gone Till November"
11. "Words of Wisdom" (Interlude)
12. "Year of the Dragon" f. Lauryn Hill
13. "Sang Fézi"
14. "Fresh Interlude"
15. "Mona Lisa" f. Neville Brothers
16. "Street Jeopardy"
17. "Killer MC" (Interlude)
18. "We Trying To Stay Alive" f. John Forté
    • Contains altered beat of "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees
19. "Gunpowder"
20. "Closing Arguments"
21. "Enter the Carnival" (Interlude)
22. "Jaspora"
23. "Yele"
24. "Carnival"

[edit] Chart positions

[edit] Album

Year	Single	Chart	Top position
1997	The Carnival	The Billboard 200	No. 16
1997	The Carnival	Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	No. 4

[edit] Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Top position
1997	We Trying To Stay Alive	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	No. 14
1997	We Trying To Stay Alive	Hot Rap Singles	No. 3
1997	Guantanamera	Latin Pop Airplay	No. 16
1997	Guantanamera	Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay	No. 12
1998	Cheated (To All The Girls)	Hot Rap Singles	No. 6
1998	Gone Till November	Canadian Singles Chart	No. 4
1998	Gone Till November	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	No. 1
1998	Gone Till November	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	No. 9
1998	Gone Till November	Hot Rap Singles	No. 2
1998	Gone Till November	Rhythmic Top 40	No. 19
1998	Gone Till November	The Billboard Hot 10	No. 07
1998	To All the Girls	Canadian Singles Chart	No. 19
1998	To All the Girls	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	No. 48
1998	To All the Girls	The Billboard Hot 100	No. 61

[edit] Credits

Rita Marley (Vocals (Background)), Judy Mowatt (Vocals (Background)), The Neville Brothers (Performer), Celia Cruz (Performer), Marcia Griffiths (Vocals (Background)), Sonny Kompanek (Arranger), Salaam Remi (Producer), Salaam Remi (Engineer), Salaam Remi (Mixing), Warren Riker (Mastering), Warren Riker (Mixing), Rudy (Assistant Engineer), DJ Skribble (Scratching), Funkmaster Flex (Scratching), Crazy Sam & Da Verbal Assassins (Performer), Wyclef Jean (Guitar), Wyclef Jean (Keyboards), Wyclef Jean (Producer), Wyclef Jean (Main Performer), Wyclef Jean (Executive Producer), Manuel Lecuona (Mastering), Rawle Gittens (Mixing Assistant), Tony Gonzales (Assistant Engineer), Lauryn Hill (Arranger), Lauryn Hill (Performer), Lauryn Hill, Lauryn Hill (Executive Producer), Jerry Duplessis (Guitar (Bass)), Jerry Duplessis (Producer), Alex Olsson (Mixing Assistant), John Forté (Performer), John Forté, Jay Nicholas (Mixing Assistant), Pras (Performer), Pras, Pras (Executive Producer), Melky Sedeck (Performer), Melky Sedeck, New York Philharmonic Orchestra (Performer), Tomas Muscionico (Photography), Mike Roach (Mixing Assistant), Storm Jefferson (Mixing Assistant), Paul Epworth (Assistant Engineer), Brian Dozoretz (Engineer), Brian Dozoretz (Mixing Assistant), Jocelyn Berouard (Performer), Sweet Mickey (Performer), Will Kennedy (Digital Imaging)

[edit] See also

• concept album

[edit] External links

• Reconstructivist Art: Wyclef's "Mona Lisa"

The Fugees
Members
Lauryn Hill | Wyclef Jean | Pras Michel
Studio albums
Blunted on Reality (1994) | The Score (1996) | Refugee Camp - Bootleg Versions (1996) | The Carnival (1997) | The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) | Ghetto Supastar (1998) | The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book (2000) | MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 (2002) | Masquerade (2002) | Greatest Hits (2003) | The Preacher's Son (2003) | Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101 (2004) | Win Lose or Draw (2005) | Reconciliation (2007)