wyclef jean ...

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – After the hip-hop party was over, the cheering supporters back in their tents and the speaker trucks parked for the night, newly minted presidential candidate Wyclef Jean sat down to talk business — promoting Haiti's and defending his own.






Haitian-born singer Wyclef Jean gestures as he leaves the electoral office after submitting the paperwork to run for president of Haiti in the next elections in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) The potential front-runner in Haiti's Nov. 28 election told The Associated Press that he supports the U.S. and U.N. vision for rebuilding Haiti's economy after its magnitude-7 earthquake — a plan that encourages private investment in factories, agriculture and other areas.



He also hit back at critics of his own personal finances, including allegations over his use of post-quake charity funds and the revelation he personally owes $2.1 million in back taxes to the United States.



"We can provide a way to get (Haitians) out of the mess they're in. And the way that that's going to happen (is) education, job creation and investment for Haiti," Jean said in the wide-ranging interview Thursday evening.



He spoke in a Port-au-Prince hotel room as aides, his wife and 5-year-old daughter looked on.



The Haitian-born, Brooklyn-raised singer is attempting a difficult and potentially dicey transformation: From multimillionaire international recording artist to leader of one of the world's poorest and most dysfunctional countries — and doing so through a pivotal and difficult election.