Wyclef Jean has
postponed plans for a pre-Christmas Live Aid concert, Yele Haiti, scheduled
in his native Haiti, citing that he wants to raise awareness of the current
conflicts in the country first. Initial plans called for an all-star-studded
event on December 5, but Wyclef reportedly could not get enough celebrities
to perform. The rapper now plans to hold a series of concerts in New York and
Los Angeles to increase awareness and raise money for Haitians left homeless
as a result of recent storms and ongoing conflict.
"Most other
people seem to know Haiti only by the statistics about how bad things are there.
Yele Haiti is about showing Haitians that there is a way out and that it starts
with them," Wyclef said in a statement. "It’s also about showing the
international community that there is a strong Haitian spirit that can be supported
in order to foster creativity and ideas which can prove valuable to the world
for both business and culture."
Wyclef’s first
Yele Haiti benefit show was scheduled at Glo in New York on Thursday night (Dec.
9), featuring his Refugee All-stars and Roberta Flack. The inaugural concert
is now set for spring 2005 in Port-au-Prince, with an estimated 1.5 million
citizens anticipated.
Oakland’s Hieroglyphics
will travel to Sao Paulo, Brazil to commence a hip-hop event called "Indie
Hip-Hop" to take place on Dec. 11 and 12. In
their first appearance in South America, Hieroglyphics, sans Del the Funky Homosapien,
will perform along with hip-hop acts Black Alien, Z’Africa Brasil, Max B.O.
and Mamlo Sound System at the SESC Santo Andre Arts and Culture Center. "Indie
Hip Hop" will also feature two Brazilian Hip-Hop films, "Aqui Favela"
and "Fala Tu," to be screened during the two-day event. The show is
co-produced by 11th Parallel Worldwide, an international marketing company based
in California.
Canadian emcee/singer
k-os’ currently occupies the number one spot on the hip-hop/rap section of the
iTunes music store for his sophomore album Joyful Rebellion, which reached gold
status in Canada. Not too long after Apple launched the iTunes Canadian store
last Wednesday (Dec. 1), Joyful Rebellion and k-os’ single "Crabbuckit"
became the number one most downloaded in the hip-hop/rap category, residing
over Eminem, Black Eyed Peas, Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z among others. "Crabbuckit"
is also the third most downloaded song overall in iTunes music store.