Wyclef Jean

The fugitive Fugee gets cruel and kind on his latest single, which sounds like a catchy summer hit, though if you listen closely it has the makings of a ghetto tragedy. (Leave it to Wyclef to make a single both danceable and deep.) The song deals with the awful, everyday tragedy of a woman forced into prostitution, with Akon and Lil Wayne backing Wyclef up. When Akon sings "Cause I'm gonna tell you like Wu told me / Cash rules everything around me," you might wanna cry -- not just for the woman in the song, but for some deep-seated cultural illness the three men shine a lyrical spotlight on.