Greatest Hits - Wyclef Jean > Reviews > Clef and his Great Hits

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Lots of vaiety, great remixes and re - fixes
Disadvantages:	Some bad tracks

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

here is the 2003-released Greatest hits allbum of Wyclef Jean featuring work spanning only five years. These are great hits the fact he called to make a compilation of his great work so early in his solo career.

Disc 1

1. Ghetto Religion (Feat. R. Kelly)

**Four Stars**

We kick off with a reggae collaboration with R&B supersar R. Kelly. In this he gets us into his way of life because "Ghetto is a par of my religion". Using this in such a strong way he shows how passionate he feels towards this ghetto mentality.

2. We Trying To Stay Alive (Feat. John Forté And Pras)

**Four Stars**

Along with his 'cousin' Pras and John Forté, this track samples the Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive" and so it is very funky, and another good track

3. Perfect Gentleman

**Five Stars***

This is one of the fisrt Clef tracks I heard, and I loved it at the time without understanding the lyrics, now knowing what his raps are about I like it even more. This had to be included as it was one of his best-sellers

4. 911 (Feat. Mary J. Blige)

**Five Stars**

I believe this should have been ordered better because after a track about strippers, it is followed by a sombre tune. It is one of my favourites however if it had been put in a different place it would have got me into the modd fisrt off. This is an excellent collaboration along with MJG.

5. Gone Till November Jean (Feat. Canibus)

**Five Stars**

This is from his debut LP and does follow on well from the last track. It is an emotional song by Wyclef in which he must do explain his wishes to leave home for a while. The rap by Canibus completes this tune.

6. Guantanamera (Feat. Celia Cruz And Lauren Hill)

**Two Stars**

This is a cover of a legendary track from Cuba, "Guantanamera", most will probably know that version and I don't believe this competes well against the original.

7. Hey Girl (Feat. Ayesha And Papa Don)

**Four Stars**

This is a typical example of Wyclef's work, funky tune with lyrics and backing music which anyone can get into.

8. It Doesn't Matter (Feat.The Rock & Melky Sedeck)

**Five Stars**

This is the track which caught my attention and attracted me to Clef, because I loved wrestling and obviously to have the biggest star of the time appear along with Jean how could I hate it. Now I actuallyy listen to the song, without just thinking it must be good because The Rock's in it, I can here that it is a great club track that makes you nod your head.

9. Anything Can Happen

**Two Stars**

I wasn't familiar with this to start off with so I found it hard to get into, I didn't really enjoy it after listening to a few times. Other may however like this track, slower than the previous one.

10. Thug Angels (Feat. Small World)

**Three Stars**

Using what could be interpretted to be an oxymoron, Jean explains how it is possible to be both a thug and an angel. THis is a very jumpy tune and with a rap from DTP member Small World it improves it.

11. Gunpowder (Feat. Refugee Allstars)

**Four Stars**

Another reggae tune, the vocals from Clef do catch you a few times, this is ver emotional and he obviously got well into his message, evident by his great delivery of the lyrics.

12. Knockin' On Heaven's Door

**Four Stars**

This is another cover of a legendary track, I believe he does a much better job of making it sound his own with a regga theme which completely changes the song.

13. Runaway (Feat. Earth, Wind & Fire And The Product G&B)

**Three Stars**

Using funk/disco legends earth, Wind & Fire to back him up a song in that genre he gets well into the music. The Product Ghetto & Blues are also featured, they only llasted a while as a successful R&B group but this is one of the better tracks they appeared on.

14. Wish You Were Here

**Four Stars**

Without even saying thoses lyrics the beat alone has the feel of "Wish You Were Here", this is a nice feel-good anthem. It had to be included to lift the mood of the LP.

15. To All The Girls (Feat. Refugee Allstars)

**Three Stars**

This is a Hip Hop track by Clef which I liked a lot, I had not heard it previous to this album and forced me to nod my head to the beat.

16. Two Wrongs (Feat. Claudette Ortiz)

**Three Stars**

Using City High member Claudette Ortiz, "Two Wrongs" is a slow jam with a lot of appeal as Wyclef takes a cliché, and turns it into an entire song.

17. No Woman, No Cry (The Fugees & Stephen Marley)

**Four Stars**

On of the most well-know alternate versions of Bob Marley's, The Fugees collaborate along side the son of the reggae lengend in a more up-beat variation to the original. Thgey obviously didn't compete to take over this track and wouldn't have been close to being better, good attempt.

The second disk is a group of remixes, this uses the most well-known and popular tracks and re-makes it.

Disc 2

1. Gone Till November (Remix) Feat. R. Kelly & Canibus

**Five Stars**

This is a reggae version which I do like in a different way to the original, it is more Hip Hop as Clef MCs and R. Kelly provides most of the singing.

2. Guantanamera (remix) Feat. Beenie Man

**Four Stars**

This is new version and alongside Beenie, it makes a song which i didn't originally like, one of my favourites.

3. Perfect Gentleman (Remix) Feat. Xzibit & Yellowman

This is another new interpretation using the same theme but, everyting else is new. The collaboration features the Jamaican albino Yellowman as well as, West Coast rapper X to the Z.

4. We Trying To Stay Alive (Remix) Feat. Refugee All-Stars

**Two Stars**

This re-vamp isn't as good as the others after giving me more hope this brings it down. It does ruin a track I liked before - well done.

5. It Doesn't Matter (Remix) Feat. Hope

**Three Stars**

This is a full-on Hip Hop track, very serious, no jokes and Rock. I love Hip Hop but I didn't like this tune compared to the original.

6. No Woman, No Cry (Remix)

**Four Stars**

This is a lot more like Bob marley's version, just as slow and emotional, however still isn't as good as how it can be.

7. It Doesn't Matter (French) (Ca Ne Fait Rien)

**Five Stars**

Wyclef shows off his talent and knowlegde of many languages to rap one of his tracks in French, his native tounge. It is a complete translation of the original, no words missing, this talent of being able to do it to the same beat is amazing and a mnice inclusion of this compilation of his work.

This compilation broaded my knowledge of an artist I thought I knew, explooring man tles even different languages. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this display of Wyclef Jean's best work (pre-2003).