Hold On

Album: Wyclef Jean (2010)
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Songfacts®:

  • This tribute song to Wyclef's native land Haiti was penned months before the earthquake devastated the country in January 2010. The song, which is also dedicated to fallen Haitian rapper Jimmy O, was recorded in early 2009, when Wyclef and producer Wayne Wilkins (Pink, Natasha Bedingfield, Leona Lewis) were working on Jean's self titled album. However, now the tune has an added depth to it given the circumstances. "The song was always about reaching out to help people, to the kids, and especially to his country," Wilkins told MTV News.
  • Wilkins told MTV News the track came together during their first session. The producer admitted to MTV News that was initially nervous about working with Wyclef for the first time: "I had no idea what was going to happen," he said. "I know Wyclef's songs, and I'm a big fan of his. But I walked into the studio and thought, 'What are we gonna do and what is it gonna sound like?' I try not to think too much and just go for a mood and sound. He has so many lyrics going around in his head all the time. He does a blog every single day, generally, or every other day, where he describes the events of what happens, whether it's making his records or his charity. When you hear him talk [in the studio], he's actually making things up on the spur of the moment, freestyling."

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