Wyclef Jean

It's been a decade since Wyclef turned out the first Carnival LP, and the sequel shows that he hasn't lost his taste for unlikely collaborations, hip-hop, candy-sweet choruses and guitar showboating. The result is mixed. "Fast Car," a duet with Paul Simon, is as successful as "Any Other Day," with Norah Jones, is bland. Attempting to recreate magic with Shakira yields schizophrenic results on "King and Queen," but duets with Mary J. Blige and T.I. show off his writing skills. The lack of gratuitous skits and focus on heavy social issues shows how 'Clef has grown.