Wyclef Jean is best known as a musician and past member of the musical group the Fugees. However, he has done much more with his life and notoriety besides sell music.

Wyclef was born, Nel Ust Wyclef Jean, in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti on October 17, 1972 where his father was a Pastor in the Church of the Nazarene. When Wyclef was 9 he and his family moved to the United States. They first lived in Brooklyn, New York before moving to Saddle River, New Jersey then to South Orange, New Jersey. As a teenager Jean spent a short time as an employee of the local Burger King in his town.

After high school Wyclef temporarily studied at Eastern Nazarene College but decided to drop out after one semester. He has stated that he now regrets this decision. His younger brother, Sam, however graduated from the same college with a degree in history. Wyclef is currently enrolled in the Berklee College of Music and now plans to earn the degree he passed on years ago.

In 1994, while maintaining his music career as a Fugee, Wyclef married his current wife, fashion designer Marie Claudinette, who is the owner of Fusha Designs. They adopted their daughter, Angelina Claudinelle Jean, in 2004. The couple recently renewed their vows after 15 years of marriage in 2009.

Wyclef's uncle, Raymond Alcide Joseph, is the Haitian ambassador to the United States and had been since 2005. Although Wyclef has always had ties to Haiti, he has been recently recognized for calling for international aid in Haiti after the devastating January 2010 earthquake. As well as his short stint as a presidential candidate in Haiti and his Haitian aid foundation known as Yele Haiti.