Hope For Haiti Now

Taken from Allhiphop.com - Saturday, January 23, 2010 1:07 AM | By Chris Richburg

The spirit, faith and determination of the people of Haiti stood front and center Friday night as actors, musicians and Haitians united for the Hope for Haiti Now telethon.

The event, which dominated primetime viewing on more than 25 networks, featured an all-star line up of performers, many of whom wore black while pouring emotion into inspirational songs for the telethon. R&B songstress Alicia Keys set the tone early by opening the two-hour show with “Prelude to a Kiss.”

The hip-hop nation was prominently featured in the Hope for Haiti Now telethon, with the Roots backing performers such as Jennifer Hudson and Mary J. Blige in New York. In London, Jay-Z was on hand to debut his new Swizz Beatz-produced collaboration with Rihanna and U2 members Bono and The Edge, “Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)”

“Not gonna leave you stranded. Oh no, “ sang Rihanna and Bono as a focused Jay-Z brought home the importance of helping Haiti rebound from the 7.0 earthquake that has displaced, injured and killed many Haitians since January 12.

"We right by your side/ While we trying to make sense of this/ Heavenly Father/ Help us see through these problems/ For those that's left/ Welcome them into your garden,” the rapper rhymed. "Let's get involved with 'em/Hand in hand with 'em/ Arm and arm with 'em/ Till they get strong again."

"When the sky falls and the earth quakes/ We gonna put this back together/ We won't break," said Jay-Z, who referenced another devastating disaster in Hurricane Katrina and the lesson taken away from that 2005 ordeal in the second verse of “Stranded.”

"We learned from the past/ New Orleans was flooded/ So we know we just can't rely on the government," he said.

To contribute to the Hope for Haiit telethon, visit hopeforhaitinow.org or call 1-877-99-HAITI. An album featuring live performances from the telethon will be available on iTunes. Proceeds will go to the Yele Haiti Foundation, Clinton Bush Haiti Foundation, the Red Cross, Oxfam America, United Nations World Food Programme, Partners in Health and UNICEF.

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