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.
Closing Arguments
Wyclef Jean Lyrics
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I'm not gonna sit here and bore you with a long, drawn out story
Or excuse, of why I think wyclef is guilty
I'm gonna stand by the exhibits as well as the tapes
And songs such as jeapordy, til novemeber, all the girls,
And bubblegoose, which stand side by side with my allegations
I rest my case
As you can see nuttin has been proven here today
Deez witnesses dey brought ere don't not have evidence
To incriminate my client eh?
If he's not guilty he's innocent
If he's not detrimental to the society therefore he positive!
As I say before, dis case is pure bishop
Your honor see, this, this is exactly what I'm talkin about
I mean I've been meaning to ask this the whole time
Who the hell is bishop?
Eh?
And and why the hell hasn't he been brought on the stand?
Bishop, bishop, not true, false, bishop
Ohh, bullshit!
Oui
The song "Closing Arguments" by Wyclef Jean is a portrayal of a courtroom drama where the singer is representing himself in a case. The song is a reflection of the justice system where evidence is presented and the jury decides the fate of the accused. The singer takes a stand and stands by the exhibits, tapes, and songs, which stand side by side with his allegations against him. He is not going to bore them with a long drawn-out story or excuse, but instead, he rests his case in front of the court.
The singer then addresses the jury and speaks about the lack of evidence brought by the witnesses against him. He states that if he's not guilty, he's innocent, and if he's not detrimental to society, he's positive. The singer tries to persuade the jury by stating that the case is pure bishop, which means that it is without any merit or substance.
The song highlights the flaws and loopholes in the justice system and questions the credibility of evidence submitted in a court of law. It portrays the importance of evidence, witnesses, and how justifications could be significant in determining the verdict. The song aims to showcase that even in a courtroom, there could be bias and unfair treatment towards a defendant.
Line by Line Meaning
In closing, ladies and gentlemen of the jury
At this concluding moment, I am addressing the honorable members of the jury
I'm not gonna sit here and bore you with a long, drawn out story
I won't extend your time and patience with an uninteresting, complicated monologue
Or excuse, of why I think wyclef is guilty
I don't wish to provide any apologies for my allegations against Wyclef
I'm gonna stand by the exhibits as well as the tapes
I will testify based on the proofs and evidences gathered throughout the proceedings
And songs such as jeapordy, til novemeber, all the girls,
The songs with titles jeopardy, till november, all the girls are presented as supporting evidence
And bubblegoose, which stand side by side with my allegations
Additionally, the song Bubblegoose also corroborate my allegations in the case
I rest my case
I have no more evidence to present, and I am ready to conclude my testimony
Contributed by Makayla T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.