I have literally no idea what to do with this.

This record is 72 minutes long and includes a bunch of catchy songs (some of which were hits that I know from the radio, some of which are catchy because they are the hip hop equivalent of covers) and a seemingly endless number of skits. There’s also a bunch of other songs that are not as catchy as the singles.

I’m not sure if I’ll ever get hip hop the way so many other people do, but I can often respect the production and find stuff of interest in that, if nothing else.

But the barriers that prevent me from enjoying hip hop are all the more present in the skits that (for me) dominate “mix tapes,” skits I rarely enjoy and which distract me from the music. I can’t help my old man self, but I like albums that are full of music on them and I have never really enjoyed skits by musicians. (I enjoy skits by comedy troupes who are, usually, much better at writing funny skits than musicians for some strange reason.)

So this record is just a drag to me. It’s just interminable. I hope that on the podcast someone can help me appreciate it better.
I’m sure it’s very well done.

6/10 I guess. Honestly I have no idea.

1. “Court Clef” (Intro) by Wyclef Jean, produced by Jean, 3:15
2. “Apocalypse” by Jean and produced by Jean 3:49
3. “Guantanamera” (featuring Celia Cruz, Jeni Fujita and Lauryn Hill) by Jean, Jerry Duplessis, Lauryn Hill, Pete Seeger, Julián Orbón, Joseíto Fernández, José Martí, produced by Jean 4:30
4. “Pablo Diablo (Interlude)” (featuring Crazy Sam and Talent) by Jean and produced by Jean 0:39
5. “Bubblegoose” (featuring Melky Sedeck) by Jean and Salaam Remi, produced by Salaam Remi 3:49
6. “To All the Girls” (Prelude) by Jean and produced by Jean 0:29
7. “To All the Girls” by Jean, Al McKay, Albert Hammond, Ben Liebrand, Guy O’Brien, Hal David, Henry Jackson, Maurice White, Michael Wright, Philip Bailey and Sylvia Robinson, produced by Jean 4:18
8. “Down Lo Ho (Interlude)” (featuring Talent and Wil Shannon Briggs) by Jean and produced by Jean 1:13
9. “Anything Can Happen” by Jean and Duplessis, produced by Jean 4:36
10. “Gone till November” by Jean and Duplessis and produced by Jean 3:27
11. “Words of Wisdom (Interlude)” by Jean and produced by Jean 0:45
12. “Year of the Dragon” (featuring Lauryn Hill) by Jean and Duplessis, Hill G. Summers, produced by Paul Epworth 4:07
13. “Sang Fézi” (featuring Lauryn Hill) by Jean and Alan Price, produced by Jean 4:02
14. “Fresh Interlude” by Jean and produced by Jean 1:45
15. “Mona Lisa” (featuring The Neville Brothers) by Jean and produced by Jean 4:30
16. “Street Jeopardy” (featuring John Forté and R.O.C.) by Jean, Duplessis and  John Forté, produced by Jean 3:57
17. “Killer M.C. (Interlude)” (featuring Pras) by Jean and produced by Jean 0:32
18. “We Trying to Stay Alive” (featuring John Forté and Pras) by Jean, Forté ,Pras Michel, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb and  Robin Gibb, produced by Pras 3:11
19. “Gunpowder” (featuring Lauryn Hill) by Jean and produced by Jean 4:24
20. “Closing Arguments (Interlude)” (featuring Talent and Wil Shannon Briggs) by Jean and prouced by Jean 1:35
21. “Enter the Carnival (Interlude)” by Jean and produced by Jean 0:24
22. “Jaspora” by Jean and produced by Jean 4:03
23. “Yele” (featuring Joel Servilus and Lauryn Hill) by Jean and produced by Jean 5:24
24. “Carnival” (featuring Jacob Desvarieux, Jocelyne Béroard and Sweet Mickey) by Jean and Duplessis, produced by Jean 5:06