"Wyclef Jean" is a song by American rapper Young Thug. It was included on his mixtape Jeffery and was released as the second single from the tape on January 24, 2017. The song is named after Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, who is best known for being part of the Fugees.
| "Wyclef Jean" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Young Thug | ||||
| from the album Jeffery | ||||
| Released | January 24, 2017 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:57 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Young Thug singles chronology | ||||
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The song peaked at number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100, and is best known for its music video, which was released on January 16, 2017. Young Thug never showed up for the shooting of the video, and it subsequently went viral as a result.
Music video
editThe music video for the track was released on January 16, 2017, and was directed by Pomp&Clout.[1] Young Thug was not present in the video aside from one scene, due to him not showing up. His representatives later confirmed to Pitchfork that Thug "gave his input and creative direction for the concept and theme".[2]
The video won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing in 2017, much to Young Thug's confusion, who tweeted that he did not know he had won an award.[3][4]
As of March 2024, the music video currently has 44 million views on YouTube.
Critical reception
editMitch Findlay of HotNewHipHop reviewed the track on its third anniversary, and called it "a shining point in Thug's discography".[5]
Awards and nominations
edit| Organization | Year | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTV Video Music Awards | 2017 | Best Editing | Won | [4] |
Charts
edit| Chart (2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[6] | 96 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 87 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] | 32 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[9] | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[10] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ "Young Thug's Video for 'Wyclef Jean' Isn't What You'd Expect". Complex. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Everything Falls Apart in Young Thug's 'Wyclef Jean' Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Young Thug Had No Idea He Won a VMA Award". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ a b "Apparently No One Told Young Thug His "Wyclef Jean" Video Won a VMA". GQ. August 29, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Young Thug Introduced His Modern Classic With "Wyclef Jean"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Young Thug Chart History: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Young Thug Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Young Thug Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Young Thug – Wyclef Jean". Music Canada. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ "American single certifications – Young Thug – Wyclef Jean". Recording Industry Association of America.