Wyclef Jean - Masquerade

The Haitian-born rapper has done more to broaden hip-hop’s musical palette than either Lauryn Hill or cousin Pras, his ex-Fugee cohorts. Like his last two albums, Masquerade mixes reggae and r&b with funk and hard-edged hip-hop beats. There’s a Dylan cover and the usual Marley influence. The message ultimately remains the same: ‘Clef, a product of the projects, preaches ghetto enlightenment. The biggest surprise is the Oriental-flavored “Peace God,” which Jean amusingly calls “crouching tiger style.”