Wyclef Jean Featuring Refugee Allstars: Wyclef Jean (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Prakazrel "Pras", Lauryn Hill, John Forte, Melky Sedeck.

I Threes: Rita Marley, Marcia Griffith, Judy Mowatt (background vocals).

Additional personnel includes: Jerry "Te Bass" Duplessis (bass); Funkmaster Flex, DJ Skribble (scratches); Joel Servilus (background vocals); Celia Cruz, The Neville Brothers, Crazy Sam, Talent, Will, R.O.C., Sweet Mickey, Jacob Desvavieux, Jocelyn Berouard, Jeni Fujita.

Producers include: Wyclef, Salaam Remi, Prakazrel "Pras".

THE CARNIVAL was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. "Guantanamera" was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group.

"Gone Till November" was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.

Featuring Refugee Allstars.

Wyclef Jean Featuring Refugee Allstars: Wyclef Jean (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Prakazrel "Pras", Lauryn Hill, John Forte, Melky Sedeck.

I Threes: Rita Marley, Marcia Griffith, Judy Mowatt (background vocals).

Additional personnel includes: Jerry "Te Bass" Duplessis (bass); Funkmaster Flex, DJ Skribble (scratches); Joel Servilus (background vocals); Celia Cruz, The Neville Brothers, Crazy Sam, Talent, Will, R.O.C., Sweet Mickey, Jacob Desvavieux, Jocelyn Berouard, Jeni Fujita.

Producers include: Wyclef, Salaam Remi, Prakazrel "Pras".

THE CARNIVAL was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. "Guantanamera" was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group. "Gone Till November" was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance.

The Score was one of those rare hip-hop albums that came out of nowhere and rewrote the rules. In the aftermath of its success, many pundits predicted that rap would move away from gangsta and toward a richer, more varied existence. Given such heady praise, perhaps it was reasonable that Wyclef Jean, the guitarist and male rapper for the Fugees, decided to follow The Score with a solo project. However, Presents the Carnival comes across like Jean presenting his case that he is the true genius in the Fugees. And he's partially right. He has the ambition and drive common to many great artists, but he lacks the skills to fulfill his vision. Of course, the very fact that he has an original vision makes Jean one of the more compelling figures of late-'90s hip-hop. Not content to rely solely on hip-hop, Jean adds all manners of influences to his music. You can hear reggae, soul, disco, Caribbean rhythms, worldbeat, and opera scattered throughout The Carnival, giving the record the riotous atmosphere of its title. Even so, Jean occasionally tries too hard, forcing disparate genres to mix and spending more time on production than songwriting. But even with all its faults, The Carnival delivers great thrills when operating at full strength, demonstrating that Jean is at least half a genius. ~ Leo Stanley

The Fugees are one of the few hip-hop groups who successfully blend elements of other musical genres with rap. Their multi-platinum album THE SCORE reached audiences all over the world due to its universal appeal. Wyclef Jean (1/3 of the Fugees) delves even deeper into his personal well of creative musicality on THE CARNIVAL, his solo debut.

As a producer, Wyclef doesn't just sample records. He takes a pre-existing track and uses it as a foundation, building up layers of complex textures. Not many hip-hoppers would try rapping over the Bee Gees classic "Staying Alive," but Wyclef does it on "We Trying To Stay Alive" and makes it work. "Guatanamera," which features the vocals of Celia Cruz, takes an old Latin folk song and turns it into a totally contemporary piece. Full of inventive musicianship and devoid of hip-hop cliches, THE CARNIVAL is an impressive next step in the development of rap.

The Fugees are one of the few hip-hop groups who successfully blend elements of other musical genres with rap. Their multi-platinum album THE SCORE reached audiences all over the world due to its universal appeal. Wyclef Jean (1/3 of the Fugees) delves even deeper into his personal well of creative musicality on THE CARNIVAL, his solo debut.

As a producer, Wyclef doesn't just sample records. He takes a pre-existing track and uses it as a foundation, building up layers of complex textures. Not many hip-hoppers would try rapping over the Bee Gees classic "Staying Alive," but Wyclef does it on "We Trying To Stay Alive" and makes it work. "Guatanamera," which features the vocals of Celia Cruz, takes an old Latin folk song and turns it into a totally contemporary piece. Full of inventive musicianship and devoid of hip-hop cliches, THE CARNIVAL is an impressive next step in the development of rap.