Words by Eddie STATS Houghton
The ink is hardly dry on Wyclef Jean’s rejection letter from the Haitian electoral college (after he tried unsuccessfully to run for president of his native land) yet Columbia records has just announced that they will be digitally releasing his new six-song EP If I Were President: My Haitian Experience on December 7th. The first single “Election Time” was dropped in time to encourage young voters to turn out for in the US midterms yesterday (though not in time to save Democratic control in congress) and if it is any indication, this might be ‘Clef’s most urgent and honest record in quite a while.
Seems like the last Fugee standing is embarking on a sort of musical West Wing, using the album to create an alternate universe in which to realize his frustrated presidential ambitions. Or, if you’re more conspiracy-minded, maybe he knew all along that he wouldn’t qualify to run and the whole presidential campaign was just a ploy to re-inject his music career with some relevance and position him closer to the real prize: the Grammy which has eluded him so long as a solo artist. On the other hand, if turning political failure into art gets ‘Clef back to his best days in the studio, does it even matter? Listen to the single, check the video preview after the jump and let us know what you think…
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