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.
Words of Wisdom
Wyclef Jean Lyrics
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Hello, boys and girls.
Welcome, to Wyclef Words of Wisdom.
Have you ever been sitting in your
house at two o'clock in the morning
and you get a mysterious phone
call from a girl that you don't know? (A female begins talking sexy)
Now, hold on, think with your mind
Cause if you invite her over
this is what might happen:
Rape! Rape!
Rape! Rape!
Rape! Rape! (What the... Yo, yo, yo...shit!)
Rape! Rape!
Rape! Rape!
Rape! Rape!
Cop: Freeze! Put your hands in the air!
Wyclef: Officer, you don't understand.
She called me. I was sleeping.
I was minding my business.
Cop: I don't give a flying fuck
about two bits about a piss.
You're fuckin' guilty. (Yes, yes)
Wyclef: Nobody's protected.
The song "Words of Wisdom" by Wyclef Jean begins with him introducing himself as the host of the show and proceeds to ask a thought-provoking question to his listeners. He then talks about receiving an unexpected phone call at 2 am from an unknown girl who starts talking sexy. Wyclef advises his listeners to use their minds instead of their guns in this situation because the girl's intentions may not be genuine, and if invited over, it could lead to rape.
The song takes a dark turn when the chorus explodes with screams of rape. Wyclef then describes a scenario where he is falsely accused of rape by the police despite being called by the girl. Wyclef emphasizes that no one is safe from the injustice of rape, and the police can make false accusations, which can ruin lives.
The song's message about the dangers of rape is both clear and straightforward. It advises young men to be cautious about responding to random pleas from unknown girls. Regardless of the complexity of a rape case, the victim is still the ultimate loser, and no one is immune to it. It also exposes how easy it is for false rape charges to be made by the police and encourages listeners to be mindful of this fact.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello, boys and girls.
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen.
Welcome, to Wyclef Words of Wisdom.
Welcome to my show, where I share my wisdom.
Have you ever been sitting in your house at two o'clock in the morning and you get a mysterious phone call from a girl that you don't know?
Have you ever received an unknown call from an unfamiliar woman at an odd hour of the night?
(A female begins talking sexy)
The female caller speaks with a seductive tone.
Now, hold on, think with your mind and not with your pistol.
Think logically and act rationally, rather than aggressively.
Cause if you invite her over this is what might happen:
If you entertain her, you might face some adverse outcomes.
Rape! Rape! Rape! Rape! Rape! Rape! (What the... Yo, yo, yo...shit!)
There is a possibility of getting sexually assaulted, which is extremely alarming.
Cop: Freeze! Put your hands in the air!
The police officer commands the person to stop and raise their hands.
Wyclef: Officer, you don't understand. She called me. I was sleeping. I was minding my business.
Wyclef tries to explain that he was not involved in any illegal activity and that the woman contacted him first.
Cop: I don't give a flying fuck about two bits about a piss. You're fuckin' guilty. (Yes, yes)
The cop disregards Wyclef's explanation and accuses him of being guilty.
Wyclef: Nobody's protected.
Everyone is vulnerable, regardless of their background or status.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NORMAN BERGEN, SHELLY COBURN, WYCLEF JEAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind