Wyclef Jean and business mogul Howard Misle have merged their media companies to form a new joint venture under the Ya Face/Refugee/Carnival House umbrella to produce music, TV and film projects. Misle and Jean will serve as co-chairmen of the Silicon Valley-based company.
In the new venture Misle and Jean will sign, develop and produce new and established acts. “It was great to find my partner Howard ‘Big H’ Misle, who believes as well as I do that true artistry lies not in technology but in the development of the artist,” said Wyclef via a statement.
Kontrast, an artist under Jean’s Refugee/Carnival House Hip-Hop duo, will join Misle’s In Ya Face Records roster which includes Pop singer Eva, R&B songstress Holly Rae, R&B singer Sonny Blag and Hip-Hop acts Big Work and ProHoeZak. The first music project from the merge is due in the Spring of 2008.
The team also has several major TV shows in development including a reality show set to begin January 2008 and will join forces with an as-yet unnamed Hollywood film actor to produce several films.
Misle and Jean met when Jean approached Misle about developing recycling efforts for the infrastructure in Haiti. Eventually, Misle executive produced the music video clip for Jean’s “The Carnival II: Memoirs Of An Immigrant” debut single, “Sweetest Girl.”
