Haiti: Does Hip-Hop Care?
The crisis in Haiti has captivated the global community, but has it mesmerized the Hip-Hop community in same manner?
The affluent seem sluggish in aiding Haiti – at least publicly. Is it me?
Hip-Hop’s activist roots have shriveled in the last couple of decades, giving way to jewels, money, apathy and other collective vices. Nevertheless, in times of extreme need, like police brutality, Sept. 11 and Hurricane Katrina, we have witnessed the Hip-Hop heavies galvanize.
Its still early, but the upper echelon of the Hip-Hop elite seems to have opted out of the relief efforts in Haiti. Brad and Angelina gave a million of their money even though Jay-Z and Beyonce were the top grossing couple of 2009. Even the New York Yankees pledged $500,000 to help the country that seemingly has the worst “luck” with natural disasters.
And then there is Wyclef Jean, one of the most powerful and talented people in music. Being a pure-blooded Haitian clearly makes this cause his passion, but his energy isn’t contagious. We haven’t witness this level of sloth from Hip-Hop in quite some time.
This isn’t to berate or to call people out by names, because that’s not productive and we all know who the influential are. However, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t issue my own minute call to action. By now, we’ve all been able to witness the earthquakes’ destruction and how it has killed, annihilated those that were already under the thumb of corruption, poverty and disaster.
To the moguls: we know there are projects to promote and money to be made, but slide a bit of that budget to the relief effort in Haiti. Then, continue with the art of entertaining. (If you are a weed carrier of a mogul or rapper, give them a nudge to help out…it will bode well with good Karma.) Hey, if you don’t care, you don’t care. If you do care, do something.
In the meantime, AllHipHop.com and other sites, activists, entities and caring people are scrambling to create Hip-Hop for Haiti. What it is exactly, we’ll let you know soon, but we know we will continue to help the nation and support people like Wyclef that are more saints than rappers these days.
And through, Clef’s organization Yele.org, the people have spoken by donating a collective $1 million to Haiti. I’m sure some of the rich ones can politic a ‘lil more, right?
Reuters, Associated Press and AFP images
Action Against Hunger, 877-777-1420Agape Flights, 941-584-8078
American Red Cross, 800-733-2767American Refugee Committee, 800-875-7060American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, 212-687-6200 American Jewish World Service, 212-792-2900AmeriCares, 800-486-4357 Beyond Borders, 866-424-8403B’nai B’rith International, 202-857-6600CARE, 800-521-2273CarmaFoundation Catholic Relief Services, 800-736-3467Childcare Worldwide, 800-553-2328Church World Services, 800-297-1516Clinton Foundation, 501-748-0471Text “HAITI” to 20222 to donate $10 to Haiti reliefConcern Worldwide, 212-557-8000Convoy of Hope, 417-823-8998 Cross International, 800-391-8545CRUDEM Foundation, 413-642-0450CRWRC, 800-55-CRWRCDirect Relief International, 805-964-4767 Doctors Without Borders, 888-392-0392Episcopal Relief and Development, 800-334-7626Feed My Starving Children, 763-504-2919 Food for the Poor, 800-427-9104Friends of WFP, 866-929-1694Friends of the Orphans, 312-386-7499Habitat for Humanity, 1-800-422-4828Haiti Children, 877-424-8454Haiti Foundation Against Poverty Haiti Marycare, 203-675-4770 Haitian Health Foundation, 860-886-4357Healing Hands for Haiti, 651-769-5846Hope for Haiti, 239-434-7183International Child Care, 800-722-4453International Medical Corps, 800-481-4462International Rescue Committee, 877-733-8433International Relief Teams, 619-284-7979Islamic Relief USA, 888-479-4968Lions Club International Foundation, 630-203-3836Lutheran World Relief, 800-597-5972
Medical Benevolence Foundation, 800-547-7627 Medical Teams International, 800-959-4325 Meds and Food for Kids, 314-420-1634Mennonite Central Committee, 888-563-4676Mercy Corps, 888-256-1900Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, 800-306-9950New Life for Haiti, 815-436-7633Operation Blessing, 800-730-2537Operation USA, 800-678-7255Oxfam, 800-776-9326Partners in Health, 617-432-5298RHEMA International, 248-652-9894 Rural Haiti Project, 347-405-5552 The Salvation Army, 800-725-2769Samaritan’s Purse, 828-262-1980Save the Children, 800-728-3843
UN Central Emergency Response Fund
UNICEF, 800-367-5437United Methodist Committee on Relief, 800-554-8583World Concern, 800-755-5022World Hope International, 888-466-4673World Relief, 800-535-5433 World Vision, 888-511-6548 Yele Haiti, 212-352-0552 Wyclef Jean’s grassroots orgText Yele to 501501 to donate $5 via cellphone
