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.
John 3:16
Wyclef Jean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey kids gather 'round
It's DJ Muggs, with Wyclef
Aha, I got a story to tell, check it out, c'mon
What do you mean, John 3:16?
For God so loved the world, every man packs an M-16
Says the boy to the fiend
What do you mean, John 3:16?
For God so loved the world, every man packs an M-16
I wanna wake up from this dream
Check it out
I caught the bullet, I was stumblin' like a mulet
Drink White Russian, game, Russian roulette
Flight Continental six o'clock in the mornin'
Briefcase full o' cocaine on my way out, I tipped the doorman
Jumped into the cab said, "Hail Mary, full of Grace"
Yesterday communion was the Mafia's reunion
Confessed to the priest, evade the apple, I ate the peach
Slept with Vanity, sold my soul to Robin Leach
Devil music in my ear, no fear, I'm pumpin' Def Leppard
Slow down, here comes the narc with the German shepherd
I got the plan, man, meet me in the van
I got this kid from the Sudan bringin' tecs from Iran
What do you mean, John 3:16?
For God so loved the world, every man packs an M-16
Says the boy to the fiend
What do you mean? What do you mean?
What do you mean, John 3:16?
For God so loved the world, every one packs an M-16
Says the girl to the fiend
So in the streets, the product must be clean
Five-eleven, the young one went to Heaven
Yo with the gun to his head, yo he was already dead
Sunday mornin' in court, the judge got Wyclef confessin'
"Yo, I murdered Steve Austin," now I'm wanted by Bionic Woman
Women bring you more miseries like that movie
Stress go to India, smoke hashish with Ghandi
My bills of rights is to make sure you're alright
Superman left the gang, 'cause his weakness was Crips-tonight
Godfather got the cottonballs to his cheeks
Pig couldn't fly straight so you die in your sleep
I stay awake only to see Nicodemus
The young one got murdered, the day was the Sabbath
What do you mean, John 3:16?
For God so loved the world, every man packs an M-16
What do you mean, says the boy to the fiend
Why we killin' for the green?
What do you mean, John 3:16?
For God so loved the world, every one packs an M-16
Says the girl to the fiend
I wanna wake up from this dream
I know this drug dealer, who drive a black Beamer
Dreadlock cut off once by this girl named Delilah
Pretty little dancer, voice like Tina Turner
Chickenheads are you a virgin? Yeah right, so was Madonna
S-s-sinner, sinner, seek the master
If not, feel the explosion from the day after
Bit by the vampire, worked for the mobster
Two to the head and now you swimmin' with the lobsters
We got'cha got'cha, set up in Oklahoma
You caught a bad one like a kid catchin' pneumonia
So storyteller, what's the moral of this story?
Live reality and don't get caught up in your fantasy
What do you mean, John 3:16?
For God so loved the world, every man packs an M-16
Says the boy to the fiend
Aren't we all human beings?
What do you mean, John 3:16?
For God so loved the world, every man packs an M-16
But the dream is still for green
So we die in the steam
What do you mean, John 3:16?
This is how it is around the way, y'knahmsayin' Muggs?
Wyclef and it don't stop
Refugee Camp, bing
What do you mean, John 3:16?
The song "John 3:16" by Wyclef Jean is a commentary on the violence that plagues the streets of many American cities. The chorus references the famous bible verse, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son," but instead of a world full of love, the song portrays a world full of guns and drugs. The verses tell different stories of drug deals gone wrong and people caught up in the cycle of violence, and the lyrics express a sense of frustration and helplessness in the face of these problems.
The verses contain vivid descriptions of dangerous situations and illegal activities, such as smuggling drugs in a briefcase, driving a black BMW, and confessing to a murder in court. The chorus repeats the question, "What do you mean, John 3:16?" which can be interpreted as asking why the world is full of violence and why people turn to violence instead of love.
In short, "John 3:16" is a song that uses biblical references to comment on the realities of urban violence and drug culture. It shows the tragic consequences of these issues and suggests that the world needs more love and less violence.
Line by Line Meaning
This is not the burial, it's the resurrection
This is not the end, but a new beginning
Hey kids gather 'round
Listen up, everyone pay attention
It's DJ Muggs, with Wyclef
The DJs are here, we're ready to tell our story
Aha, I got a story to tell, check it out, c'mon
I have an important story to tell, let's hear it
What do you mean, John 3:16?
What is the meaning of John 3:16?
For God so loved the world, every man packs an M-16
Despite God's love, every person still feels the need to carry a weapon
Says the boy to the fiend
A conversation between a boy and a drug addict
I wanna wake up from this dream
I wish this wasn't real
I caught the bullet, I was stumblin' like a mulet
I got shot and stumbled like a clumsy animal
Drink White Russian, game, Russian roulette
I play dangerous games while drinking alcohol
Flight Continental six o'clock in the mornin'
I'm catching an early morning flight
Briefcase full o' cocaine on my way out, I tipped the doorman
I have a briefcase full of drugs and bribed the doorman
Jumped into the cab said, "Hail Mary, full of Grace"
I'm taking a cab and asking for divine protection
Yesterday communion was the Mafia's reunion
The Mafia met during a religious ceremony
Confessed to the priest, evade the apple, I ate the peach
I confessed to a priest about my sins and desires
Slept with Vanity, sold my soul to Robin Leach
I had sex with Vanity and sold my soul for fame
Devil music in my ear, no fear, I'm pumpin' Def Leppard
I listen to music that some consider evil, like Def Leppard
Slow down, here comes the narc with the German shepherd
Be careful, the police and dogs are coming
I got the plan, man, meet me in the van
I have a plan and need to meet someone in a van
I got this kid from the Sudan bringin' tecs from Iran
I have a friend bringing weapons from Iran through Sudan
Five-eleven, the young one went to Heaven
A young person died and is now in heaven
Yo with the gun to his head, yo he was already dead
He was already dead before the gun was pointed at his head
Sunday mornin' in court, the judge got Wyclef confessin'
Wyclef is in court confessing on a Sunday morning
"Yo, I murdered Steve Austin," now I'm wanted by Bionic Woman
Wyclef confesses to a murder and is now a wanted criminal
Women bring you more miseries like that movie
Women can bring trouble and pain like the movies
Stress go to India, smoke hashish with Ghandi
To relieve stress, go to India and smoke hashish with Ghandi
My bills of rights is to make sure you're alright
My duty is to ensure your rights are protected
Superman left the gang, 'cause his weakness was Crips-tonight
Superman left his gang, as they were planning to fight the Crips
Godfather got the cottonballs to his cheeks
The Godfather stuffed cotton balls in his cheeks
Pig couldn't fly straight so you die in your sleep
The police are corrupt and will kill you in your sleep
I stay awake only to see Nicodemus
I stay awake to have spiritual experiences
The young one got murdered, the day was the Sabbath
A young person was murdered on the Sabbath day
Why we killin' for the green?
Why are we killing each other for money?
But the dream is still for green
We still have dreams of making money
So we die in the steam
We die trying to achieve our dreams
I know this drug dealer, who drive a black Beamer
I know a drug dealer who drives a black BMW
Dreadlock cut off once by this girl named Delilah
A girl named Delilah once cut off my dreadlocks
Pretty little dancer, voice like Tina Turner
A woman who dances well and sings like Tina Turner
Chickenheads are you a virgin? Yeah right, so was Madonna
I question whether promiscuous women are truly virgins
S-s-sinner, sinner, seek the master
I repeat 'sinner' to remind myself to seek God
If not, feel the explosion from the day after
If I don't follow God, I will suffer the consequences
Bit by the vampire, worked for the mobster
I was betrayed and hurt by someone I trusted
Two to the head and now you swimmin' with the lobsters
You were shot in the head and now you're dead
We got'cha got'cha, set up in Oklahoma
We caught you and set you up in Oklahoma
You caught a bad one like a kid catchin' pneumonia
You caught something bad, like a child catching pneumonia
So storyteller, what's the moral of this story?
What lesson should we learn from this story?
Live reality and don't get caught up in your fantasy
Live in the present and don't get lost in your dreams
Aren't we all human beings?
We're all human, so why do we hurt each other?
This is how it is around the way, y'knahmsayin' Muggs?
This is the reality of living where I come from, you know what I mean, Muggs?
Wyclef and it don't stop
Wyclef's story doesn't end here
Refugee Camp, bing
We're the Refugee Camp
What do you mean, John 3:16?
What does John 3:16 really mean?
Contributed by Scarlett J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.