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Ghetto movie star >> Smokin' Grooves co-founder Wyclef Jean keeps busy by SCOTT C
Wyclef: I haven't been here, B. I've been shooting a new video for the remix of "To All the Girls I've Cheated on Before" in L.A., and working on my film deal. M: Film deal?! No, you didn't! W: Yes, I did! I'm doing a film either called Greencard, Passport or Refugee and the story is about my life as a musician. Y'know, how I made it after leaving Haiti to come to New York. It's about two kids--a musician and a thug. M: This sounds kinda familiar, Clef... W: Nah, listen. These two Haitian kids leave Haiti to come and make it in America, and I play the musician and my man Jack plays this gangster who became a really big man in NYC. It's a true story, B. It shows the opportunities we didn't have when we got here and how we both overcame in our own ways and eventually met. M: Big budget? Did you spare no expense? W: Well, I really want it to be as intense and true to life as possible, so ain't no corners being cut. I want people to see what it's like to land in the projects and you don't speak English, y'know--you can't even speak English! M: Listen, I know you're a talented man, but can you really act, too? W: Nah, I've never done that before in my life. I never think about what I do. When I pick up the guitar my hands just go, and they say you're an excellent player, and I don't think I can play at all. Now, I wouldn't call myself an actor, but we'll see. M: So basically you're sayin' that you can't act? W: I don't believe I can't do anything, but at the same time I do everything. M: I heard Ol' Dirty Bastard is going to play Wyclef as a child in the movie. W: (laughs) Starring! Big Baby Jesus as young Wyclef Jean, ha! M: I was reading about the Wyclef Jean Foundation somewhere--is that where the money for your film is coming from? W: (laughs) Nah, man! That's for real. I set that up to help music programs in New York schools from getting cancelled. When they need to make budget cuts over here, the music program is always the first to suffer, and you can't cut music out. The foundation is also involved with helping refugees get settled in the U.S. M: How did you get involved with Warren Beatty and Bulworth? W: Warren just called me up and said he wanted me to produce "Ghetto Superstar," so I got Ol' Dirty Bastard, Pras and Mia and tried to do some fresh shit, away from the formula that cats are using. M: What's the formula? W: Big names, big producer, big hook, hit or miss. M: So you've done work for Warren, who else? Cannibus, John Forte, Sunz of Man... W: Yeah, RZA hooked me up with Sunz and me and Ol' Dirty had already talked about doing something at the Grammys. I'm cool with the Wu, and they call me whenever. Y'know I just signed Earth, Wind and Fire, right? M: How could I know that. For real? EWF! W: Yeah, we just signed them to my label, Refugee Camp Sony, and the whole thing went smooth. Expect something from those guys real soon. At Smokin' Grooves with Public Enemy, Cypress Hill, Busta Rhymes, Gangstarr, and Black Eyed Peas, Thursday, July 23, 6pm, Parc Jarry, $30-$35
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Mirror: I've been waiting for you to call me, man, for about four weeks.