Hendrix

Album: J'ouvert (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this song, Wyclef looks back at his childhood and reflects on a time when he and his friends had to choose a road to follow in life. Many of his friends joined gangs or turned to crime, but he pursued music. The song is titled "Hendrix" after the lyrics where he explains how he was listening to the rocker while his cousin was getting a Tec-9 gun:

    When my cousin got his first Tec
    I was playing Jimi Hendrix in the basement
  • Wyclef grew up in Newark, New Jersey, which was a rough area but close to the action, as it was near New York City. "This speaks to the neighborhood I grew up in and how it didn't look like much," he said of the song. "The devil, or the streets, offered drugs and cartel and I chose music. Some homies chose the NBA, or we would see people like Shaq who are from Newark and see how they made it out the danger zone."
  • Avicii made some contributions to the album, and coined the term "Clefication," which appears in the title. It refers to Wyclef's production touch and what he brings to a song. "It's the human application of music," Jean explains.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.