“A Night of Symphonic Hip-Hop featuring Wyclef Jean paired the rapper, singer and producer with the St. Louis Symphony on Friday night at Powell Hall, conducted by Gemma New, creating a successful marriage of the two,” writes Kevin C. Johnson in Monday’s (3/12) St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri). “It was another great example of the Symphony’s letting its hair down to great effect … as it did a year ago with Nelly, along with upcoming events with Boyz II Men, Indigo Girls and Amos Lee. Jean … sat at the piano to sing the often-covered ‘Ne me quitte pas’ … for what was probably the most unexpected opening…. He engaged the crowd in a sing-along for a new song, ‘What Happened to the Love.’ … He saved his Fugees medley for the end of the first act, a rousing bit that [culminated] with Jean jumping into the crowd…. He performed an island medley featuring ‘Guantanamera’ and ‘Hips Don’t Lie,’ the Jean-assisted/produced Shakira hit that sent Jean back into the audience and into the balcony. Jean triumphantly swooped conductor New up off her feet at the end of the night and carried her offstage, though he returned for an encore that included ‘Redemption Song.’ ”
Posted March 16, 2018
In photo: Wyclef Jean performs with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, led by Gemma New, at Powell Hall in St. Louis on March 9, 2018. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
