Jean moved to Brooklyn, New York when he was nine, then to Northern New Jersey, where he began playing the guitar and studying jazz in his high school. In 1987, Jean, his friend (so close they told people they were cousins growing up) Prakazrel Michel (Pras) and his classmate, Lauryn Hill, formed a group called the Tranzlator Crew before becoming The Fugees. Wyclef worked as a cabdriver.
Recently he has been finding success as a collaborator - with his turn on Shakira's 2006 track 'Hips Don't Lie' hitting number one in many countries around the world.
In August of 2010, Jean announced his intent to seek the presidency of Haiti. This move came after his increasingly-high profile humanitarian work in the wake of the earthquake that devastated that nation.
Bicentennial
Wyclef Jean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Welcome to My country
Verse 1:Wyclef Jean:
Man,
When its cold in New York (uh)
I jump on my G4 (yeah)
I head out to haiti (yeah)
Sippin' Refugee rum (yeah)
Under the coconut tree (yeah)
We gonna bounce the world with a new dance from the refugee
Spoken:Wyclef Jean:
123
Lets go
Chorus:Wyclef Jean:
Every body do the kompa
(all the ways)
Every body do the kompa
(keep your hips in place)
Every body do the kompa
(2 steps get closa)
Every body do the kompa
(wind your body like you know her)
I see y'all do the macarena
I see you dance to the salsa
I see you move it to the cha cha (slide)
Every body do the kompa
Hook:
O way o way o
O way o way
O way o way o
O way o way
O way o way o
O way o way
O way o way o
bridge:wyclef jean:
Sweet mickey just walked in the dancehall 2night
(o mickey,
You so fine,
You so fine,
You blow my mind,
Hey mickey,
Hey mickey,mickey,mickey,mickey!)
Verse 2:Sweet Mickey:
I am the ladies man
With the peoples band
Every time the dj play us
People jumping up and play us
We can't wait to dance
That's when they take on the real lance
Wyclef Jean:
So leave your guns and knives at home
Refugees on the right peform
Chorus:Wyclef Jean:
Every body do the kompa
(all the ways)
Every body do the kompa
(keep your hips in place)
Every body do the kompa
(2 steps get closa)
Every body do the kompa
(wind your body like you know her)
I see y'all do the macarena
I see you dance to the salsa
I see you move it to the cha cha (slide)
Every body do the kompa
Hook:
O way o way o
O way o way
O way o way o
O way o way
O way o way o
O way o way
O way o way o
Sweet Mickey:
Say
Milky walked into the dance hall 2night
Verse 3:
I'm the haitian princess
With the peoples band
Every time the djs play us
People jump around and pay us
After call them shades
Now put your hands up on my waist
No need to come to the altahome
And wash your sins and I'm on the phone
Bridge 2:Wyclef Jean:
We've been kicked,we've been stabbed,we've been shot
Lord we've been abbused
Lord knows
Together:
Everytime they throwus down
We stand up and hold our ground
Get it right
Get it right
Get salsa,sumba
What if I told you it came from kompa
Wyclef Jean:
Fill my culture
This is the blood and the warrior from haiti yes more
Sweet Mickey:
This is the Bicentennial
Sweet Mickey:
Ehh,Lakay
Ehh,Lakay
Nou pwale fete moin
Lakay nou pwal fete
Mama kou mama
Lakay nou bwal fete wo
Lakay nou bwal fete
Wyclef Jean:
Right, Left
Right, Left
All my soldiers
C?mon, C?mon
Together:
La,la,la,la,la
La,la,la,la,la
Wyclef Jean:
L'eve Main nou anlé mezamni
Chanté avec nou mezamni
La,la,la,la,la
La,la,la,la,la,la,la
Even if you can't understand
Let me see you rock wit the band
Chorus:Wyclef Jean:
Every body do the kompa
(all the ways)
Every body do the kompa
(keep your hips in place)
Every body do the kompa
(2 steps get closa)
Every body do the kompa
(wind your body like you know her)
I see y'all do the macarena
I see you dance to the salsa
I see you move it to the cha cha (slide)
Every body do the kompa
Hook:
O way o way o
O way o way
O way o way o
O way o way
O way o way o
O way o way
O way o way o
bridge:wyclef jean:
Sweet mickey just walked in the dancehall 2night
(o mickey,
You so fine,(the record about to get stupid)
You so fine,(Its about to get stupid)
You blow my mind,(Lets stop)
Hey mickey)
Ending:
This is Ancito!
The world famous(the world famous)!
The song Bicentennial by Wyclef Jean featuring Sweet Mickey is a vibrant and upbeat tune that celebrates Haiti's rich cultural heritage. The song opens with Wyclef Jean welcoming listeners to his beloved country and highlights the warmth of the Caribbean climate that contrasts with the coldness of New York City. Wyclef Jean endorses a new dance craze that is sweeping the Haitian music scene. The Kompa is a popular Haitian musical style that blends African and European rhythms with an energetic dance routine. The chorus urges everyone to join the Kompa dance and enjoy the infectious beat. The refrain of the song's chorus is 'O way o way o' which is a homage to a traditional Haitian folk song.
Sweet Mickey, a popular singer in Haiti, then takes over the microphone and introduces himself as the ladies man with the people's band. He creates excitement on the dancefloor with his performances and encourages people to throw their weapons away and enjoy the moment. The song also features a Haitian princess who leads the band with her voice and has the people jumping around to the beat. The lyrical message of the song emphasizes Haiti's indomitable spirit - even after the island has faced oppression from colonizers, brutal dictators, and natural disasters.
The chorus repeats, calling for everybody to join in the Kompa dance, and the song ends with a shoutout to the world-famous Ancito.
Line by Line Meaning
Welcome to My country
Introducing Haiti, the country of the artists to the listener.
Man,
Addressing the listener directly.
When its cold in New York (uh)
When it's too cold in New York City.
I jump on my G4 (yeah)
I get on my private jet named G4.
I head out to haiti (yeah)
I go to Haiti.
Go chill in the caribbean
Spending leisure time in the Caribbean.
Sippin' Refugee rum (yeah)
Drinking Haitian Refugee rum.
Under the coconut tree (yeah)
Relaxing under the shade of a coconut tree.
We gonna bounce the world with a new dance from the refugee
Introducing a new dance to the world, which is originated from the Haitian refugees.
123
Counting down to start the song.
Lets go
Encouragement to start dancing.
Every body do the kompa
Encouraging everybody to dance Kompa, a traditional rhythm of Haiti.
(all the ways)
Dance in any way you like.
(keep your hips in place)
Keep your waist steady while dancing.
(2 steps get closa)
Stand close to the person you're dancing with by taking two steps forward.
(wind your body like you know her)
Dance very close to the person you're dancing with.
I see y'all do the macarena
I see all of you dancing the Macarena.
I see you dance to the salsa
I see you all dancing salsa.
I see you move it to the cha cha (slide)
I see you all dancing Cha-cha.
Sweet mickey just walked in the dancehall 2night
Announcing the arrival of Sweet Mickey at the dancehall.
(o mickey,
Addressing Sweet Mickey directly.
You so fine,
You are looking very good.
You blow my mind,
You look so impressive that I am speechless.
Hey mickey,
Addressing Sweet Mickey directly again.
I am the ladies man
Sweet Mickey considers himself a lover of women.
With the peoples band
Sweet Mickey carries the music that belongs to the people.
Every time the dj play us
Every time the music is played, Sweet Mickey's band is there.
People jumping up and play us
People start dancing whenever his band is playing.
We can't wait to dance
Excitement to start dancing.
That's when they take on the real lance
That's when they start to dance seriously.
So leave your guns and knives at home
Leave behind the violence and come join us.
Refugees on the right peform
Refugees put on a great performance.
(Ehh, Lakay)
A traditional Haitian phrase meaning welcome home.
Nou pwale fete moin
We are going to celebrate.
Lakay nou pwal fete
We're celebrating at home.
Mama kou mama
Expression of joy.
Lakay nou bwal fete wo
We're going to celebrate big at home.
Right, Left
Setting up the dance steps.
All my soldiers
Addressing the Haitian population as his soldiers.
C?mon, C?mon
Inviting everyone to come.
L'eve Main nou anlé mezamni
Put your hands up and sing with us.
Chanté avec nou mezamni
Sing along with us.
Even if you can't understand
Even if you don't understand the Creole language being used in the song.
Let me see you rock wit the band
Get up and dance with the band.
This is Ancito!
Introducing the band leader.
The world famous(the world famous)!
Emphasizing the fame of the band.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANSYTO, CHAPMAN, CHINN, DUPLESSIS, JEAN, MATELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind