The Preacher's Son

1	Intro 0:29
2	Industry 3:03
3	Party to Damascus 4:03
4	Celebrate / Jackson Cassidy 4:19
5	Baby Daddy 4:01
6	Three Nights in Rio 4:03
7	Class Reunion 3:52
8	Baby 4:08
9	I Am Your Doctor / Elephant Man 4:09
10	Linda / Carl Restivo 4:11
11	Take Me as I Am / Sharissa 4:18
12	Grateful 3:38
13	Next Generation / Rah Digga 4:40
14	Rebel Music / Prodigy 3:57
15	Who Gave the Order 4:23
16	Party by the Sea / T-Vice 3:55
17	Party to Damascus Bonus Track / Remix 4:03

Barnes & Noble

With his fourth solo disc, Wyclef Jean seems to have finally accepted that the chances of a Fugees reunion are slim-to-none. Instead of blaming his former bandmates for the group's demise, as he did on the bitter "Where Fugees At?" from 2000's The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II a Book, he sings a different tune on the largely acoustic "Grateful," musing, "Could have been Lauryn, perhaps it was Pras, probably the mirror lookin' dead in my eyes." And by letting go of the bittersweet past and leaving Sony for Clive Davis's J Records, the charismatic producer and rap griot forges ahead and continues to push the boundaries of hip-hop. As on his previous discs, Jean enlists an eclectic lineup of guest artists, though this time there aren't any jarring cameos by the Rock or Kenny Rogers, as on The Ecleftic. Musically, Clef alternates between politically charged tunes and comical party jams, and he's still splicing genres -- from world music to doo-wop -- but this time out his sound is more akin to the pop-accessible brand of hip-hop that made his defunct rap trio multiple Grammy winners. The poignantly titled The Preacher's Son (Wyclef's father, a preacher, died in 2001) starts off with the sobering "Industry," which questions the morality of the music industry and pays homage to fallen stars Tupac, Biggie, Left Eye, and Jam Master Jay and then seamlessly switches gears to the bhangra-accented "Party to Damascus," featuring the ever-amusing Missy Elliott. The good vibrations continue on the nostalgic soul of "Celebrate," featuring Patti LaBelle, and the soca-tinged "Party by the Sea," featuring reggae star Buju Banton. Although he has yet to reach the same heights as a solo artist as Ms. Hill, with The Preacher's Son Wyclef may be well on his way. Tracy E. Hopkins

All Music Guide

2003 had so far been a great year for Wyclef. A new label deal with J Records, a greatest-hits compilation, and guest production work for artists kept him at the top of the hip-hop game without actually having to release a solo album. However, Clef decided that these things were simply not enough and had to come out with The Preacher's Son. Easily a redemption for the 2002's marginal Masquerade, Preacher's Son finds Wyclef re-energized right from the opening moments (aside from the extremely out of place introduction by comedian/pitch guy Steve Harvey). Preacher's Son starts off with a one-two punch: the left hook of "Industry" finds Wyclef making a wish list to reverse several of the tragedies and battles hip-hop had endured over the past decade ("Imagine if Biggie and Pac never got shot/Nas and Jay-Z they were still homies/Squash the beef with Ja Rule and 50/Benzino shook hands with Eminem/And on the same record I heard Eve, Foxy and Kim") and the right hook of "Party to Damascus," a bumped-up track featuring Missy Elliott delivering one of her signature raunchy freestyles. Preacher's Son doesn't let up there either thanks to an armada of guest cameos from Patti LaBelle, Redman, Carlos Santana, Scarface, and Monica, just to name a few. And unlike most rap albums, which rely on these guest appearances to carry the weight of the record's impact, these contributions only complement the stellar songwriting, arrangements, and production style that has made Wyclef one of the most in-demand producers of the 2000s and '90s. As with most records, there's a bit of filler that could be trimmed to make a great record into a phenomenal one, but it's easy to forgive when the quality is so high. The Preacher's Son is a welcome return to form and easily one of the biggest highlights of Wyclef's career. Rob Theakston

Blender

On The Preacher's Son, he's savvy enough to work it with Missy Elliott ("Party to Damascus"), mine the lite Latin grooves that revitalized Carlos Santana ("Me and My Guitar") and trade Slick Rick interpolations with Monica over jingling fretwork courtesy of U2's the Edge ("Class Reunion"). Chairman Mao