The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book

The Rock is the shining moment of this album.  That's right, The Rock.

Surprisingly enough, this is the first hip-hop album I've ever reviewed.  Being someone who listens to a larger amount of hip-hop than anything else, I found this surprising.  Here we go though, my first hip-hop review.  I've been seeing Wyclef Jean everywhere and I was curious as to what his music sounded like so I downloaded one of his more popular albums "The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book" (2000). Although its not his highest rated album (that would be "Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant" (2007) scoring a 72 overall), scoring mixed reviews ranging from 91 as the high and 20 as a low with an average of 67, it still seems to be Wyclef's first major album that brought him attention after his split from The Fugees in 1997.  

Overall, the first thing you notice when looking at the album is that Wyclef definitely knows people.  He has several different people (not artists) featuring on his album, including Mary J. Blige, Earth, Wind, & Fire, Whitney Houston, Kenny Rogers (yes, that Kenny Rogers), and, the reason I said people, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson;  Yes, Wyclef Jean has a track with The Rock on it.  Surprisingly enough, the song that The Rock features on, titled "It Doesn't Matter," is actually really catchy and The Rock is limited enough on the track that it doesn't seem like some sort of gimmick.  

A lot of Wyclef's songs are very hit or miss.  Most of his songs in which he raps are very solid and even on the track "However You Want It," his flow sounds a lot like that of Mos Def from his track "New World Water" from the album "Black on Both Sides."  Where Wyclef has a fairly good flow with decent subject matter (although his line "Wake up, wake up, I'm in a nightmare dream" makes me want to throw up), the same cannot be said for his singing.  His vocals are rough and although he does sound passionate, its not very good.  Singing is something Wyclef should definitely keep to a minimum on this album, however, the tracks are almost split 50/50 with rapping and singing (He should take a hint from Eminem who tried to sing on his album "The Eminem Show," but kept the singing to one track, "Hailie's Song").  The worst among these tracks has to be "911" which features Mary J. Blige.  This track is especially disappointing because, although I'm not a huge fan of Mary J. Blige, she does an incredible job on this track.  However, with each verse, Wyclef and Blige switch off singing.  Wyclef attempts to sing within the same vocal ranges as Blige and all that comes out are flat, sharp, and off key notes.  Had this been a song that alternated between Blige's vocals and Wyclef's rapping it would have been a significantly more enjoyable track.

The entire first half of "The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book"  is pretty good.  The rapping is consistent and even the track with Kenny Rogers isn't half bad.  However, once the album hits the track "Perfect Gentleman," the album takes a dive bomb.  "Perfect Gentleman" is close to the worst song I have ever heard in my life;  Its at least a lot less than what I expected from Wyclef Jean.  The beat is terrible, combining a subtle symphony with a drum machine beat on top and it easily has the worst chorus in the world: "Just 'cuz she dances go-go/ It don't make her a ho, no/ Maxine, put your red shoes on, hon/ We going to the disco/ We gonna eeeeelope to Meeeexico/ Called up my mama, said I'm in love with this strippah, yo."  Really?  "Just 'cuz she dances go-go/ It don't make her a ho, no" as a hook?  Terrible, terrible.  Not to mention the way its sung makes it even worse.  

Overall, Wyclef does a good job on this album, but only insofar as his rapping goes.  His singing is warm and heartfelt, but its so rough that its incredibly hard to listen to.  "It Doesn't Matter" featuring The Rock and "However You Want It" really save this album.  These two tracks should be a guideline for how all of Wyclef's albums should be.  He needs to stay away from singing unless he takes lessons and learns what pitch is.  That being said, this album is good, but only half of it.  I give it a 60/100.  Take a listen here.