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.
Hendrix
Wyclef Jean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
The judge hit the hammer they ain't coming home
We all are from the danger zone
The devil pulled the card and he said choose one
I chose music, my homies chose yay
Some of my ballers chose the NBA
Cuzzo's on the block, man they gang bang
Funeral parlors makin' all the change
Yeah when my cousin got his first Tec
I was playing Jimi Hendrix in the basement
All I wanted to be was a rock star
And all he wanted to be was an Escobar
El Chapo, Si
El Chapo, Si
All he wanted to do was be El Chapo, Si
El Chapo
El Chapo, Si
All he wanted to do was be El Chapo
Gone 'til November, he ain't comin' back
I was talking 'bout my homies man that sold crack
Caught in the trap, hit from the back
They hid the steel
Like the owl boy that's hidden on the dollar bill
Welcome to the rotten apple
The city of lights
No matter how days shine
They can't steal the nights
'Cause when the ghost knock knock
Just before you guess, red dot at your chest
The Eagles raid the cuckoos nest
Better be with them artillery packs
They be jumping like Jack when they jump out the box
Ratatatata that's the sound of the gat
They be flying through the air like vampire bat
Straight from the back when they attack
In the middle o' night when you up in the trap
You keep on bucking, they bucking you back
In the middle of bucking somebody get flat
Oh I'mma do this one for my homies gone
The judge hit the hammer they ain't coming home
We all are from the danger zone
The devil pulled the card and he said choose one
I chose music, my homies chose yay
Some of my ballers chose the NBA
Cuzzo's on the block, man they gang bang
Funeral parlors makin' all the change
When my cousin got his first Tec
I was playing Jimi Hendrix in the basement
All I wanted was to be a rock star
And all he wanted to be was an Escobar
El Chapo, Si
El Chapo
All he wanted to do was be El Chapo
El Chapo
All I do is practice
When he bought me that guitar I felt like Prince the artist
Turn up my guitar
When my cousin got his first Tec
I was playing Jimi Hendrix in the basement
All I wanted was to be a rock star
And all he wanted to be was an Escobar
When my cousin got his first tat
Acoustic trappin' in the basement
All I wanted was to be a rock star
The lyrics of Wyclef Jean's song "Hendrix" delve into the contrasting paths taken by the singer and his friends in their pursuit of success and survival in a dangerous environment. The song begins with a homage to the singer's fallen friends, expressing sadness for those who are no longer able to come home due to the judgments imposed by the legal system. They all come from a dangerous zone, indicating a troubled neighborhood or upbringing. While faced with the devil's choice, the singer chooses music as his path, while his friends turn to selling drugs or pursuing careers in sports.
The singer reminisces about a time when his cousin acquired his first firearm ("Tec"), and at that same moment, the singer was aspiring to be a rock star while playing the music of Jimi Hendrix in the basement. The juxtaposition between the singer's dreams of music and his cousin's ambition to become a drug lord (referred to as "Escobar" after the infamous Colombian drug lord) creates a vivid contrast. The repeated phrase "El Chapo, Si" emphasizes his cousin's desire to follow the path of another notorious drug lord, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán.
The song's lyrics also touch upon the struggles of living in a dangerous environment, where violence is a constant threat. References to hidden guns and the dangers of late-night confrontations paint a picture of a community burdened with violence and fear, where retaliation is a part of survival. The lines "They be jumping like Jack when they jump out the box" and "Ratatatata that's the sound of the gat" highlight the sudden and often deadly nature of these confrontations.
Overall, the lyrics of "Hendrix" showcase the singer's personal choice to pursue music, while also shedding light on the choices made by his friends and the harsh realities they face in a dangerous environment.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: WYCELF JEAN, MADELINE NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joshua Hudnell
Searched "Hendrix" for the legend Jimi Hendrix of course. Glad I came across this along with classic Jimi.
DarkHandz
Can't stop replaying this song!!! THIS IS AWESOME
John stones
too good, i need more of this wyclef
hcief
i actually love wyclef jean
Zoejers
Damn old school lyrics with today flow straight🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Dannygm480
"Old school lyrics"? Thought they were just lyrics
23 DJAMAL
+Cars n' Bikes me do what I want bro
Cars n' Bikes
Aime Cliford Why did you put so many spaces in-between?
23 DJAMAL
and they keep saying Haitians can't do nothing .
ahmaad longmire
This song low key packs the heat 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥