The Compass Thursday, September 28, 2000 5
Passionate and Complex...
Entertainment
Wyclef Jean Still Stayin’Alive
by Michael Fournier
Features Editor
Eclectic: made up of what is selected
from different sources.
"Eclectic-2 sides II A Book:" the
sonic kaleidoscope that is Wyclef Jean's
new album.
The Eclectic is Wyclef's second solo
release on Columbia Records. His solo
debut. The Carnival received much criti
cal praise for its abandonment of "tra
ditional" rap music and its inclusion of
different musical styles. The Eclectic
picks up from and expands upon where
Clef left off. Jean's aim as a musician
and artist is more focused now and the
outcome is an album that is passionate
and complex and it transcends the
boundaries the rap world has built
around itself. With The Eclectic, Wyclef
Jean has emancipated Hip-Hop music.
The genres Wyclef dabbles in are far-
ranging and they allow Clef to be cre
atively unrestrained; he pulls from
R&B, Rock, Country, Reggae, and of
course. Rap to create The Eclectic.
I dare say nobody else could fuse the
classic country sound of Kermy Rogers
(and get him to sing the hook) with the
gritty offbeat flow of Pharoahe Monch,
as he does on Dub Plate without mak
ing it sound contrived or gimmicky.
Clef layers the drums from Slick Rick's
Mona Lisa on top of a Ska rhythm and
then for fun adds the WWF's "Rock"
for the hook on the club-banger It
Doesn’t Matter. Even Earth Wind and
Fire have collaborated with The Prod
uct G&B on Runaway. Clef proudly
declares that he is not sampling Earth
Wind & Fire; he actually has them
singing on his album.
Not many Hip-Hoppers could ever
get the chance to say that.
The beats on the album definitely set
Wyclef apart, but the lyrics and
concepts also stand out on The Eclectic.
The first track Where Fugees At? gives
the listener some insight to the troubles
within the Refugee Camp and the fact
that all people want from Qef is another
Fugees album. The soca-influenced Perfect
Gentleman deals with exotic dancers
and the hostile and often unjustified
judgment of the public. In Hollywood to
Hollywood, Clef addresses gang war
fare and the incomprehensible mind
set of gang members.
The most moving song on the al
bum, however, is Diallo, (Amadou
Diallo is the West African immigrant
who was murdered by New York po
lice). The song begins with a dramati
zation of Amadou Diallo's thoughts and
actions during the last thirty seconds of
his life. Done in the traditional Reggae
style, the song is a powerful social com
mentary as well as a touching tribute.
Although he is known
as a rapper. Clef's most
moving work throughout
the album is as a vocalist.
From Diallo to his beauti
ful updated rendition of
Pink Floyd's classic Wish
You Were Here, Clef
shines brightest as a
singer.
Actually, the only
noticeable problem
is that the lyrics
could have been a
little tighter
throughout the
entire album.
That's not to say
the lyrics are
wack, but Clef's
flow has always
been very free
and many times
untraditional in
its end-rhyme. His
flow is just differ
ent, and so to some
that means average. Also 911, fea
turing Mary J. Blige, is a very touching
love song in which Wyclef, once again,
delivers a powerful vocal performance,
but it seems like Mary was just filling
in for Lauryn Hill on that one (Where
Fugees At?).
Without question though. The
Eclectic-2 Sides II A Book: is a solid
piece of work. It is an album with a
wide scope that somehow remains
unified and will certainly expand the
narrow boundaries of Hip-Hop music.
Photo courtesy of DAS Communications
For voting registration info, see www.y2vote.org
University Players Open
Fall Drama Season with
Lysis^Tata
If you don’t do it, who will?
The University Players, ECSU's
theatre troupe, will open the current
season with the classic Greek comedy
"Lysistrata." The play will be presented
on November 8 through 12 in the Little
Theatre on the ECSU campus. Each
performance will begin at 8:00pm.
Under the determined leadership of
Lysistrata, the women of Greece go on
strike in order to persuade their hus
bands to stop fighting each other and
end war. The women strike in an un
usual way: by refusing their husbands
all sexual favors until peace is declared.
The large cast is primarily performed
by ECSU students. Kimberly Carter
will play Lysistrata, and her fellow
"strikers" include Shonte Edmundson
as Kleonike, Jessica Yelverton as
Myhrinne, Sabrina Brown as Lampito
and Nikki Houston as Ismenia. The
male roles will be performed by
Damond Nolan, Michael Edwards,
Keith Burton, Marcus Scotton, Justin
Grubbs and Joel Parker among others.
For additional information regard
ing the play, contact the Players office
in the Little Theatre or phone 335-3436.
Federal Voting Assistance Program
43rd Annual Ebony Fashion Fair
Wednesday, October 11,2000 • 8:00 p.m. • ECSU Fine Arts Auditorium — For Ticket info. Call: (252) 338-8970 or 335-7341