Wyclef Jean 'took over' Gurney's in Montauk as part of new hospitality venture

Haitian hip-hop star Wyclef Jean took over the Montauk hot spot Gurney’s last weekend according to social media posts from the musician and others who attended the event.

"Amazing weekend," Jean posted to Instagram on Tuesday. "This was a dream come true."

Jean, 56, formerly of the rap group The Fugees, is the first artist to partner with a culture-oriented hospitality group called The Residency. "We place world-class creative voices inside luxury properties and give them full authorship of the property," the company’s website boasts. At Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa, that meant a Jean-approved Friday-night dinner with espresso martinis, tuna tartare, strip steak and hamachi, plus Jean’s impromptu rendition of his verse from the Shakira single "Hips Don’t Lie," according to the website Travel + Leisure. Saturday featured a number of daytime DJ’s hand-picked by Jean, the publication reported.

Marcus Damas, founder of The Residency, said his company aims to hold similar artist-takeover events at various luxury properties, according to Travel + Leisure. "It has to be the right partner, it has to be the right property, and it has to be the right co-author in the next experience," Damas said.

The Gurney’s event adds to a musical summer in the Hamptons that has already seen performances from Lyle Lovett, Matisyahu, Brandi Carlisle and Lauryn Hill (Jean’s former Fugees colleague and romantic partner). Still to come in August are the South African singer St. Lucia at the Solé East resort in Montauk and the flamenco-pop group Gipsy Kings at The Clubhouse Hamptons in East Hampton.

Jean, a three-time Grammy winner, hinted that he could return to Gurney’s soon. "I will be back before my summer turns to winter," he posted to Instagram.

The Residency and Gurney’s did not respond to requests for comment.

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com