Showing posts with label Haiti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Haiti. Show all posts
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Wyclef Honored At Harvard University; Does Head Stands & Backflips
via Harvard University Gazette
Haitian-American musician and record producer Wyclef Jean has been named 2010 Artist of the Year by the Harvard Foundation of Harvard University. The Grammy Award-winning musician will receive the group’s most prestigious medal at the annual Cultural Rhythms award ceremony on (Saturday) Feb. 27.
The Harvard Cultural Rhythms festival will begin that day at 3 p.m. in Sanders Theatre. The award will be presented around 4 p.m. There also will be an 8 p.m. performance.
“His contributions to music and distinguished history of creativity have been appreciated by people throughout the world,” said S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation, “and he is admired worldwide for his humanitarian efforts on behalf of the people of Haiti.”
Photos:
Wire Image
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Jim Jones & Julez Santana Haitian Relief XXL Magazine Benefit Concert Recap
photo courtesy of Jon Caranaica / New York Times
via New York Times
“Forever Harlem” by Juelz Santana, Jim Jones and the singer Tobb Cobain — a remake of “Forever,” last year’s song by Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem — is the rare mixtape version of “Forever” that challenges the original in audacity.
Tuesday night (February 9) at the Studio at Webster Hall, both Mr. Jones and Mr. Santana were performing, though the amiable show didn’t pick up until the music dropped out altogether, and Mr. Santana, cocky, delivered his “Forever Harlem” verse a cappella:
This is my movie, you an extra/B-roll
Your girl insist I got a very big/Ego
I’m here to take the game from these lames/Deebo
And I got chips, cheese/Doritos
There were other words rhymed too — kilos, Speedos, cee-lo, repo’d — each one delivered like a haymaker. When Mr. Santana was younger, a protégé of the flamboyant technical rapper Cam’ron, his exclamatory style came off as a sort of rap Tourette’s, barking that was awkward and difficult to control.
But in the last year, especially, he’s polished the idiosyncratic style to high gloss, in turn becoming a rapper approaching his moment of greatness. He’s still struggling to form an identity of his own — most of his hits have come with other people, either alongside Cam’ron (from whom he’s now estranged) or Mr. Jones, or with R&B singers, like the recent “Back to the Crib” with Chris Brown.
At Tuesday’s concert — a benefit for the American Red Cross, sponsored by the hip-hop magazine XXL (Styles P also performed) — he was in top form, arrogantly charismatic and effortlessly intricate. Mr. Jones, who performed before him, then split once they did their handful of collaborations, was, as ever, convivial, sauntering through hits in mushmouth fashion: “Na Na NaNa Na Na,” “Plenty Money (remix),” “Baby Girl.”
He didn’t mumble on “Forever Harlem,” though. “I’m a vampire, True Blood like Sookie,” Mr. Jones rapped, nestling a gang shout-out in the middle of his TV show name-drop. “We turn the whole situation ugly/Whoopi.”
Even though Mr. Jones has been the more successful of the two men, Mr. Santana, in his ascendance, was far more entrancing to watch. Surrounded by a cluster of hype men and hangers-on — the best one shrouded in a do rag, Haiti bandana and Gucci ski goggles combination — he was a small glimpse of what might yet be to come.
As if to prove the point, he was joined toward the end of his set by the 50 Cent protégé Lloyd Banks. Seven years ago Mr. Banks was to 50 Cent what Mr. Santana was to Cam’ron: a punch-line-happy sidekick who motivated street loyalists even as the boss went off on flights of fancy. But Mr. Banks lacked Mr. Santana’s natural charm, never appearing to be more than a glorified infantryman. He’s still affiliated with 50 Cent’s G-Unit Records but no longer signed to its distributor, Interscope — a gruff MC settling back into semi-obscurity.
Last week he released a new song with Mr. Santana, the sinister “Beamer, Benz or Bentley.” Here his verse was delivered in his characteristic raspy groan, dexterous but depressive. But when Mr. Santana dived in for his verse — “Making movies, Tom Cruisin’/If it’s action, then I’m shooting” — he sounded sharp and eager, as if he were gingerly stepping over Mr. Banks and continuing to climb.
(video courtesy of jaood10, This Is 50)
more fan shot footage below
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Mary J. Blige and Wyclef Jean At Hope Help & Relief Haiti Benefit In NYC
via ITN
Mary J. Blige, Wyclef Jean and Whoopi Goldberg were getting behind a fundraising event for Haiti (Monday, February 8) in New York.
"Hope Help & Relief Haiti" was put together by fashion designer Donna Karan and her Urban Zen Foundation.
The evening was designed as a "Night of Humanity" including a live performance by Blige, an address by Jean and an auction conducted by Goldberg.
The immediate goal of the fundraiser was to provide up to 50,000 tents for homeless families in Haiti. But Karan said the idea was not to limit the effort to just one night but to use it as a launch for a series of events, with the long term goal of helping re-build a permanent, sustainable community in Haiti.
Even as earthquake relief efforts are underway in Haiti, celebrities continue to remind us that support is still needed.
To learn more visit:
Yele
Urban Zen
FFAWN
Photos from the red carpet and event:
Getty Images
Corbis Images
Film Magic
Wire Image
Patrick McMullan
Rex Features
Globe Photos 1
Globe Photos 2
WENN Photo
Friday, February 5, 2010
Snoop Dogg & Stormtroopers Take Over Times Square For Addias Star Wars Sportswear
via ITN
Snoop was speaking as he launched a new range of Star Wars sportswear in New York which saw him march through Times Square with Darth Vader and his army of Stormtroopers.
Hip-hop megastar Snoop Dogg says being a part of the all-star group to re-record charity single We Are the World was an honour.
The rapper said: "To be there with so many big names, celebrities and singers, entertainers, it was a treat for me."
More than 70 artists including Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Hudson and Kanye West were invited to sing on the record which was organised by legendary producer Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie.
The group got together at the same Hollywood studio as the 1985 original was recorded. The track is to raise cash for the victims of the Haitian earthquake.
Photos links from the event:
Getty Images 1
Getty Images 2
Wire Image
Film Magic 1
Film Magic 2
Rex Features
Star Traks Photo
Globe Photos
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Nipsey Hussle On His Participation Of 'We Are The World' Recording Session For Haiti Releif
via XXL
XXLMag.com: What was it like working on a record like “We Are the World?”
Nipsey Hussle: It was kind of like crazy to see so many world-renowned celebrities and established artists in the same studio. I ain’t never been a part of something that big. Obviously for the cause, it was for the redevelopment of Haiti, which is a cause that I believe in and everybody that was a part of it believed in. So it was big to be involved and for them to think of me when they called the artists up, being an artist that hasn’t dropped an album yet, and really just building a buzz on a street level, I was honored and humbled by them even including me in it. And like I said to just seen so many different artists from different genres of music, like Quincy Jones, Lionel Ritchie, down to Lil Wayne, myself, Kid Cudi, Drake, Trey Songz, Wyclef, LL Cool J, Jamie Foxx, Snoop Dogg… I couldn’t quite grasp it for a minute, like, “Wow, this is huge,” but the cause it was for it just goes to show that people are just in touch with the struggle, like nobody is too big for their britches to devote some of their time to something that it is in light of a tragedy on the other side of the world.
XXLMag.com: What was the vibe like in the studio?
Nipsey Hussle: The best word I can describe it was just “epic.” You know obviously 25 years ago [when] they did the original “We Are the World,” I was a little kid for that. I’m 24 right now, so I wasn’t even born for that but Quincy Jones was producing the session so he was behind the board, listening to the tapes, telling niggas, “Nah, go back in, do it again,” so we got a chance to do a record produced by Quincy Jones, that was big… You seen artists like LL Cool J and Jamie Foxx who had a little disagreement in the past, get together on the same record and do they thing. It was just like you would never see this many artists collab on a track, just naturally, so you felt like you was being a part of history just being in there. And like I said, with me being a new artist who ain’t droped a new album yet, being in such good company I just felt honored. I just wanted to show up and do what I do.
XXLMag.com: Did you get to chop it up with any of the other artists, like Wayne, Kanye and Quincy? Or was it all business in the studio?
Nipsey Hussle: Yeah, I hollered at Quincy for a minute because you know me and (Quincy's son) QD3 is real good friends and he produced a record on my project that we gonna keep for the album. Besides from Quincy and anybody that I was a fan of they music or I was big on they work, I just reached out and touched ’em, and hollered at ’em and 90 percent of them were like, “Yeah, man, we know what you do, you killin’ them, keep doin your thing.” I hollered at Kanye, I hollered at Swizz, me and Wyclef is real cool, we did records together. I didn’t get a chance to holler at Wayne, though. I hollered at his manager and he was like, “Yeah, man, Wayne is real big on your shit” and you know me and Drake did a record before so we just chopped it for a lil’ bit. Snoop my homeboy so we was in there… A lil’ bit of everybody. The girl from the Pussycat Dolls (Nicole Scherzinger), I got to chop it with her, she was real cool.
Read the full interview here:
XXL - Nipsey Hussle, The Making of “We Are the World 2010″
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
We Are The World Brings Out Top Talent For Haiti Relief
via the Los Angeles Times
Twenty-five years after the all-star recording of "We Are the World" became a signature moment in celebrity altruism and pop-music history, a new collective of stars came together Monday at the same Hollywood recording studio to record a new version for Haiti earthquake relief.
Just as Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan descended on the A&M Studios on La Brea to sing for famine relief in Africa, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Kanye West and Keith Urban turned up at the same soundstage (now called Henson Recording Studios) to join an all-star chorus that was 100 voices strong.
The 1985 effort, called USA for Africa, raised $63 million and became a template for famous-face fundraising. The new single will premiere Feb. 12 on NBC during the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics with the hope that the download single can help funnel aid into the ravaged island nation.
The anniversary project had been quietly planned for months and was scheduled for the day after the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards to maximize celebrity availability. The plan veered sharply, though, after the Jan. 12 temblor in Haiti: Instead of more relief for Africa, the organizers switched gears and turned their cause to the Caribbean.
The scene on Monday, like the original session, was a fascinating mix of star confluence.
Where else would 83-year-old Tony Bennett sing in unison with 15-year-old Justin Bieber? Emphasizing the cross-generational representation, the choir featured two Beach Boys (Brian Wilson and Al Jardine) and three Jonas Brothers (Nick, Joe and Kevin).
Some newly minted stars, such as Zac Brown, whose band won the best new artist Grammy on Sunday, seemed a bit wide-eyed to be milling in the sweltering recording room with the likes of Carlos Santana, who recorded a searing guitar solo for the single early in the six-hour session.
"It's like standing in the classic records section at the Turtles music store looking at all the covers," Brown said. "It's ridiculous and it's wonderful and for a good cause."
Other performers included Pink, Jeff Bridges, Vince Vaughn, Usher, Akon, T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Toni Braxton, Snoop Dogg and Josh Groban.
Read the full article here:
L.A. Times - An all-star 'We Are the World' remake for Haiti relief
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Wale: Backstage Interview From Hands For Haiti Benefit Show At Howard University
A Wale backstage interview at the Hands for Haiti benefit concert at Howard University Thursday, January 21.
Related:
Wale Performs Haitian Benefit At Howard University
Friday, January 22, 2010
Hope For Haiti Performances With Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bono, Beyonce, Alicia Keys & More
Wale Performs Haitian Benefit At Howard University
via MTV
On Thursday night (January 21), Washington, D.C. rapper Wale rocked the party in the name of charity and good will at last night's Hands for Haiti Benefit Concert at Howard University. 1,500 people crammed into Crampton Auditorium for the MC's extra-boisterous blend of hip-hop that, for at least one night, was delivered in the spirit of charity. Because of the desperate need for resources and aid in Haiti, 100 percent of the proceeds from the concert — a grand total of over $15,000 — will go toward the Haiti Relief Fund.
Wale's set was the centerpiece, but there was also dancing, singing, rapping, and spoken-word pieces performed by students, alumni and local D.C. artists, highlighted by the solemn, moving performance by spoken-word artist and Howard alum Messiah. With every break in the program, students danced in the aisles and waved Haitian flags in support of earthquake victims on the island.
When Wale took the stage in the headlining spot and did not disappoint. His stage presence alone brought everyone up to their feet and rushing to the front of the theater. He clearly thrives in intimate venues like this, as he hopped off the stage to perform top tracks like "Nike Boots," "90210" and "Beautiful Bliss" amidst a sea of singing, arm-waving fans. Everybody walked out happy, not only because they saw an excellent night of music and song but also because they did their bit to reach out to disaster victims in Port-au-Prince.
more fan shot footage below.
(video courtesy of Justplainjones808)
Monday, December 28, 2009
Rick Ross Performs @ Haiti 'Starfest' Concert
via Rap Godfathers
Miami’s Rick Ross was integral part this year at the Haiti stop of the annual Starfest Multi-Cultural Music Festival (Dec. 4th & 5th), which drew an estimated 500,000 fans.
The star-studded event was founded to enthrall Caribbean and other international music fans with music sets featuring the best artists in the realms of Zouk, Compa, Reggae, Jazz, R&B, and Hip-Hop.
Adding to the music are parties, art exhibits, talents shows, food, and cultural awareness events. Also, Starfest brings an additional educational element by illuminating the issues of the Caribbean community.
According to festival founder and president DJ Louis, Ross received a huge reception for his performance despite being the only big name Hip-Hop act on the bill, which featured international stars such as Black Dada, Shabba Dkakout, Chale Republik, and RockFam.
“This was truly for a great cause which made it even more beautiful, but it also speaks as a global movement that is more than just about the music,” Louis explained in a prepared statement. “Along with Ross, we visited hospitals, several boys and girls group homes, and showed love to the men in duty in Haiti. It is a true blessing for the Starfest team to see the results in motion. Again, it wasn’t just about the great music, thank you to everyone that supports our movement including Rick Ross. I cannot stop thanking God for what just happened: it was not a walk in the park in any way. The work is still not done, but with the help of God, all things are possible. We have 15 more countries still to go.”
PHOTOS:
Ozone Magazine
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Wyclef Jean Performs "Sweetest Girl" at This Is 50 Fest Governor's Island NYC
This Is 50 Fest Governor's Island NYC Saturday October 3.
(video courtesy of spotcoffee)
Monday, September 28, 2009
Wyclef Uses Branding, Partnerships and Music For Charitable Organization
Wyclef Jean unveiled a new charitable partnership with clothing and footwear company Timberland today (Sept. 24) during an Advertising Week Q&A session conducted by Billboard editorial director Bill Werde at the Times Center in New York.
For every pair of Timberland boots sold, $2 will be donated to Jean's Yele Haiti Foundation, which will help aid reforestation in that country. "I really think that we're going to sell a whole lot of boots and I really think we're going plant a whole lot of trees in Haiti," Jean said during the afternoon session.
Jean touched on a number of other topics during the Q&A, including his next planned releases, upcoming deals with other mega-brands and the work he's doing to help Haitian students through his foundation.
A day earlier, the artist attended the Clinton Global Initiative in New York -- spearheaded by former President Bill Clinton -- to discuss college scholarships for Haitian students in need.
Additionally, Jean will be the new face of Western Union for the next 16 months. The partnership launches Nov. 2 at an event in Times Square. Tomorrow (Sept. 25), he will join Avril Lavigne and Brad Paisley for a commercial shoot for upcoming T-Mobile television spots. "A deal like T-Mobile brings the brand of Wyclef Jean and makes it relevant," Jean said.
Despite his busy schedule with branding opportunities and charity work, Jean is releasing a mix tape on Nov. 12, and he premiered two tracks at the panel. One of the tracks, "Suicide Love," features Eve, who joined Jean onstage at Billboard's Amp'D Up Advertising Week kickoff event on Monday (Sept. 21) at the Nokia Theater, which Jean headlined. Jean will release a self-titled album in March.
Photos from the press conference/Q&A:
Getty Images
Article:
billboard.biz
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