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Hip-hop artists mixing it up with classical and symphonic sounds is nothing new, especially for Wyclef Jean. “It’s a very natural fit for me,” says the rapper-producer, who performs Friday with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Hall. “It’s like drinking water for me.” His music has always been eclectic. He points out that, in the early 2000s, he was the first rapper to perform at Carnegie Hall, and his hit “Gone Till November” with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra goes back to 1997. Read more: stltoday.com

Prior to hitting the stage in Boston, MA for his carnival Tour. Wyclef conducted an interview with The Urban Collective Show and discussed his current album, shared his passion for music, his reflections on the man he is today after years in the music industry, and his vision. Listen now: soundcloud.com

Local entertainment venues offer a variety of programs and concerts, but many people don’t realize what is available through the Whitaker Center’s Sunoco Performance Theater. “The Whitaker Center is a center for the arts and sciences. We have a three-story science center, a large format movie cinema and a performance theater,” said Ashlee Hurley, director of marketing and sales with the Whitaker Center. “Our Sunoco Performance Theater is as acoustically perfect as you can get and no seat in our theater is more than 65 feet from the stage. There’s not a bad seat in the house. It’s an awesome venue to see a live performance.” Read more: dailyitem.com

Wyclef Jean always knew Destiny’s Child was, well, destined for stardom. “Before any hit,” he tells EW on the 20th anniversary of the pop group’s self-titled debut album, “before any No. 1, remember that I said, ‘They went from a dream to the young Supremes.’” Read more: ew.com

The self-titled debut was released on Feb. 17, 1998, and launched the careers of its members Kelly Rowland, LaTavia Roberson, LeToya Tuckett and of course, Beyoncé Knowles. The album was well-reviewed and eventually went platinum. The single "No, No, No Part 2" ft. Wyclef Jean put the group on the map. Roberson and Tuckett left the group after the album was released, but the self-titled debut established Destiny's Child as an influential music group. Read more: bustle.com