Wyclef Jean has claimed that music executives told him decades ago that Latin music wouldn’t be successful with Black audiences.
The legendary musician spoke with Genius about working with Latin music pioneers like Tego Calderón and Celia Cruz before working with Shakira for their hit song “Hips Don’t Lie.” Clef claimed he once spoke with an industry executive who didn’t believe the music would be popular with Black listeners.
“I remember somebody telling me, one of the A&Rs, ‘Latin music will not play on Black radio,’ Clef recalled. “I was like, ‘Go fuck yourself.'”
Sharing with Complex what he loves about Latin music and how it’s impacted culture, Wyclef added: “The coolest thing about being in America is the fact that you, me, her, everyone gets together, and then when we roll this thing up, it becomes this amazing cultural thing. And you never know what’s going to spin.”
Speaking on how he impacted Latin music and helped push it to the masses, Wyclef told Genius: “There were people before me that were doing it, but I think what I was able to do was take it to the forefront on a level where the cheat code became easy.”
Jean’s collab with Shakira — which turns 20 at the end of this month — went on to become a smash hit when it came out in 2006. A reworking of Jean’s 2004 track “Dance Like This,” “Hips Don’t Lie” went on to become the lead single from Shakira’s seventh album, Oral Fixation, Vol. 2.
The track hit No. 1. On the Billboard Hot 100 in 18 countries, including the United States where it became her only number one hit in the country. “Hips Don’t Lie” also broke the record for most radio plays in a week, as well as it became the fastest-selling digital download song.
“Hips Don’t Lie” has been certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA.
Elsewhere in his Genius interview, spoke about how he feels following the recent death of his close friend and frequent collaborator, John Forté.
“I think I have more Forté songs unreleased on my phone than anyone on the planet,” Wyclef said. “Forté literally is the fourth Fugee, for real. We were all childhood friends. The subtlety [of his passing], it really fucked all of us up.”