Stepping aside from the major-label playing field for a moment, the ever-unpredictable {$Wyclef Jean} indulges in his Caribbean heritage on {^Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101}, an essentially noncommercial album released on the down-low by {@Sak Pasé Records} in late 2004. The full-length effort is a whirlwind musical journey through Caribbean music styles, as written and produced by {$Wyclef} and right-hand man {$Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis}. Sure, {$Wyclef} has always shown an affinity for Caribbean music, but he's always fused it with his other affinities, namely {\hip-hop} and {\pop/rock}. Not so here: this a full-fledged Caribbean album that careens from style to style -- within the course of a single song, more often than not! -- showcasing glints of everything from {\reggaeton} to {\cumbia} without ever succumbing on the confines of a single style. It's really an amazing listen, especially if you're at all attracted to Caribbean music. Rarely if ever does the music feel by-the-numbers, and {$Wyclef} maneuvers through his musical tapestry with astonishing ease, even switching from English language to Creole whenever he so feels the need. In fact, you could argue that this is the most natural-sounding {$Wyclef} album to date since nothing is forced (i.e., no forceful fusions of, say, {\hip-hop} and {\pop} à la {$Wyclef}'s notorious {\pop-rap} interpolations). Then again, anyone who favors the {\hip-hop} side of {$Wyclef} -- or, more broadly speaking, his commercial side -- is going to find little to grasp onto here. {&"President"} stands out as the album's obvious crossover attempt, and while it's a really great song that is among {$Wyclef}'s best and most heartfelt, it's unrepresentative of the remainder of the album, very little of which could ever find its way onto any commercial radio format in America. That's how freewheeling this album is -- it's so freewheeling that {$Wyclef}'s major-label affiliate, {@J Records}, let this one pass by. The audience for an album like this is quite small, no doubt: of {$Wyclef}'s fan base, only those who enjoy him at his most creative or most Caribbean should consider this release. There are definitely no {&"Gone Till November"}s here. That said, {^Welcome to Haiti: Creole 101} is nonetheless an amazing album and one that deserves acclaim. It's all the more testament to {$Wyclef}'s wayward genius. [The Canadian edition was released by {@BMG} a few months before {@Koch} released the U.S. edition. The track listings differ slightly, and you might consider this Canadian edition if you're especially interested in this album because it features French versions of three of the album's best songs: {&"Fistibal-Festival,"} {&"La Vie Ghetto,"} and {&"24 Heures à Vivre."} On the other hand, it lacks the remix of {&"President"} featured on the stateside edition.] ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide