Diddy Pays Tribute To ‘president Wyclef’ During Haiti Telethon
By WENNSaturday, February 6, 2010
Rap mogul SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS called on pal WYCLEF JEAN to consider a run for President of Haiti during Friday night’s (05Jan10) SOS Save OurSelves - Help For Haiti telethon.
The former Fugees star kicked the Miami, Florida benefit off with a musical tribute to his homeland and later teamed up with Akon for one of the night’s performance highlights, but Diddy, who was one of the event’s hosts, paid tribute to the singer’s tireless efforts to help the Haitian survivors of the 12 January (10) earthquake, which ravaged the nation.
He said, “You’ve seen him everywhere since the earthquake struck. I don’t think he’s slept at all.
“In the future, Wyclef should run for President of Haiti.”
The fundraiser, held at the American Airlines Arena and beamed live across America and to Haiti, where locals watched at makeshift open-air theatres, was a two-hour spectacular of performances, collaborations and tributes.
Rapper Busta Rhymes saluted his manager Mona Scott-Young’s mother, Janine, who was feared dead in the Port-au-Prince rubble after the 7.0-magnitude quake. Rhymes revealed Young spent four days trying to get in touch with her mother and was stunned when she saw her on a CNN news bulletin on the Saturday morning after the tremor.
He told viewers, “She heard a voice singing on CNN… and she (mother) was standing among the people with a bullhorn, singing a song of praise and giving thanks to the most high.”
Rhymes invited his manager and her mum to the telethon event and both received a standing ovation.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton was a special guest after jetting to Miami from Haiti, where he had been helping the relief effort hours before the telethon.
He told the audience and TV viewers that the Haitians are “amazing,” and that the capital Port-au-Prince is “coming back to life”.
And LL Cool J had a special tribute to an Internet cafe owner who helped identify the bodies of student customers after his livelihood collapsed around him as the earthquake hit.
The rapper urged audience member Jacques Minville to stand up as he stated, “If you wonder what a real hero looks like, take a look.”
The star-studded fundraiser also threw up some inspired collaborations - Mary J. Blige sang with acclaimed R&B newcomer Jazmine Sullivan; Robin Thicke performed Marvin Gaye’s Mercy Mercy Me with India.Arie and Ludacris teamed up with Monica and Justin Bieber.
But the night’s biggest applause was reserved for embattled R&B star Chris Brown, who took the stage for two numbers almost a year to the day he attacked then-girlfriend Rihanna during a fight on the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards.
The Kiss Kiss singer has spent much of the past 12 months apologising for his violent actions, which landed him in court, charged with assault.
The SOS Save OurSelves fundraiser was the latest in a long line of efforts Brown has made to rebuild his image in the wake of his 2009 disgrace.
