Purpose: An Immigrant's Story by Wyclef Jean & Anthony Bozza

Author:Wyclef Jean & Anthony Bozza [Jean, Wyclef & Bozza, Anthony]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography & Autobiography, Personal Memoirs, Composers & Musicians, Rich & Famous
ISBN: 9780061966866
Publisher: It Books
Published: 2012-09-18T00:00:00+00:00

4

THREE BECOME ONE

The first time I met Pras Michel was in my father’s church. The Jean Family band was like the Beatles in our little corner of the ’hood and Pras, being a Haitian like myself, knew all about us. He came down one time when we were rehearsing to try out. The only thing we didn’t have in our band was a horn player and Pras, seeing an opening there, came through with a trombone.

Now that I know him, this story is even funnier. Pras is a great rapper and has a good ear, but trombone is just not something that vibes with his style. And let me tell you something: he was the worst trombone player I have ever heard in my life. But he was the funniest guy we’d ever had around, so we let him stay and hang out at rehearsals. He started coming by every day and was like a little cousin who kept us laughing and made every practice better for that reason. Soon he and I became really good friends. He is a unique guy; he really sees the world his own way. He’s not like anyone else I’ve ever met in my life.

Pras has always had a few hustles in music going on and still does to this day. By the time I was all moved out and living in the Booga, scraping by, making beats for the thugs in the ’hood, he was talking about this group with these two girls that he said were as beautiful as they were talented. I always took what my man said with a grain of salt, but he was right about this. Somehow he had charmed his way into the working in the studio of Khalis Bayyan, one of the founding members of Kool and the Gang, who is a musical genius in his own way. Khalis had seen potential in Pras, and he was working with him to put something together.

Pras called me one afternoon and said he needed me to come down to this studio to lay down some vocals. “I’m here with those two girls I told you about in this group we callin’ Tyme. We doin’ a track,” he said. “I need you to come sing some of that reggae stuff you’re so good at.” He played it cool. I don’t think he even mentioned that he was being produced by Khalis.

The two girls were named Marcy and Lauryn, and the minute I saw Lauryn Hill, I couldn’t believe my eyes. She was in the vocal booth, and when she came through the door to say hello I experienced that feeling when everything stops for a second. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.

“Damn, she’s beautiful,” I said to Pras when I got him alone.

“Oh no. No, no, no. You can’t go there. I know you, man. I’m friends with her brother; you can’t go there.”

I slowly took my eyes off of her and looked at him. “Okay, man. I feel you.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.