Brew Bits: Wyclef Raises $9 Million+ For Haiti

Wyclef’s Yele Haiti organization has raised close to $10 million since the January earthquake in Port-Au-Prince. That’s despite scrutiny over its accounting practices, payments to a personal assistant and Wyclef’s alleged affair with his former manager.

Wyclef has always maintained his innocence though, even tweeting:

“...I have been spending money n my country since I was a Fugees! why is it now after the Quake I am being Excuse! They fear I’m gaining ground.”

Whatever’s going on behind closed doors though, $10 mil is good news for the people of Haiti if they get the donations.

Click here if you want to donate to various charities working in the relief effort.

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Never Put The Jumpoff On The Payroll

Wyclef Jean is learning the Jumpoff Commandments the hard way. Sources are questioning Wyclef’s philanthropic work now that records show he gave his alleged mistress a job in the Yele Haiti organization. The woman in question, Zakiya Khatou-Chevassus, made $105,000 as an independent contractor in 2008 for “program development.”

Sources say she served as Jean’s personal assistant, working on his commercial and philanthropic endeavors. Gawker reports Khatou-Chevassus “did whatever Wyclef needed that day, whether it was related to Yele or not. She would do things like book flights, and she wasn’t very good at it. It’s a shame that she made that much money.” Khatou-Chevassus actually made three times what the actual program director who keeps the organization afloat makes.

One source said “everyone knows they were in a relationship. A dozen people, including me, saw and knew. It wasn’t a secret.” Wyclef and his wife Marie Claudinette Jean have reportedly been in an “open” marriage for some time.

No doubt Wyclef reps hard for Haiti. No one can question that. But I give it a solid “hmmmm” when it looks like the open marriage is spilling over into the money. Money and peen/poon don’t mix.

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Will You Watch?: BET's Haiti Concert

BET is getting in on the Haiti relief effort all late and whatnot.  The network plans to do a concert for Haiti next month, with Diddy, Queen Latifah and Pharrell on deck as hosts. 

The two hour concert/telethon, called "SOS Saving OurSelves — Help for Haiti," will be broadcast live from Miami and it'll mark Chris Brown's first "major" return to TV.

Wyclef Jean, Mary J. Blige, Drake, Robin Thicke, Monica and Lil Wayne are also scheduled to perform. Proceeds from the event will go to Yele Haiti, CARE and other charities.

"SOS Saving OurSelves — Help for Haiti" airs on BET, MTV, VH1 and Centric at 8 pm (ET) on February 5th.

So, will you watch?

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What’s Brewing?

Lauryn Hill is alive… and well… and still performing. – Real Talk NY

Yele Haiti gets new accountants! – Hip Hop Wired

Swizzy and Alicia Keys vacay it up and wear matching outfits in Hawaii. – Crunk + Disorderly

Pittsburgh cops open up a can of whupass on teen over a soda bottle. [Graphic] – O Hell Nawl

Melanie Fiona sings "Redemption Song"… and Rihanna should be ashamed! – Neon Limelight

SWV? Where ya'll been at? – Necole Bitchie

The craziest movie trailer ever… – Tazz Daddy

Wyclef: I'm An Example of The American Dream

Wyclef speaks about the situation on the ground in Haiti, his love for his people...and an update on Yele Haiti.

Wyclef Addresses Yele Haiti Controversy

Click here to help Haiti.

Do your part.

Brew Fashion: Play Cloths Tee Benefits Haiti + Yele News

Clothing line Play Cloths is chipping in to help the Haitian relief effort by designing this tee shirt called "Haitian Jack."  100% of the proceeds from the sales of the shirts will go to the Yele Haiti earthquake fund.  But, there's a catch: the shirts are only available until January 22nd, 5 pm (ET).  The shirts retail for $38.  Click here to get yours.

And a footnote to that Yele Haiti controversy we reported yesterday. Hugh Locke, the president of Yele Haiti added to his comment that Wyclef Jean has never profited from the organization.  Locke said it's a “shame that during this international emergency” they had to pull much needed time from the response efforts to the Haiti earthquake and relief effort to “address these allegations.”  The organization suspended activities for a number of years and was not required by law to file a tax return since it was not in operation.

Hope that settles that.  I hope.

Yele Haiti Under Fire

Well damn.  Leave it to The Smoking Gun (TSG) to uncover some Brewshyt about a rapper.  Wyclef Jean's Yele Haiti organization has raised $2 million since the initial call for help after Haiti's devastating earthquake.  Now, TSG is giving the side eye to Yele Haiti's business dealings over the last few years, even posting the organization's tax returns.  In a 6-page post, TSG reports:

Internal Revenue Service records show the group has a lackluster history of accounting for its finances, and that the organization has paid the performer and his business partner at least $410,000 for rent, production services, and Jean's appearance at a benefit concert.

Though the Wyclef Jean Foundation, which does business as Yele Haiti Foundation, was incorporated 12 years ago--and has been active since that time--the group only first filed tax returns in August 2009. That month, the foundation provided the IRS with returns covering calendar years 2005, 2006, and 2007--the only periods for which it has publicly provided a glimpse at its financial affairs.

In 2006, Jean's charity reported contributions of $1 million, the bulk of which came from People magazine in exchange for the first photos of a pregnant Angelina Jolie (the actress reportedly directed that the publication's payment go to Jean's charity, not her personally). [As seen on the following pages from the foundation's 2006 tax return], the group paid $31,200 in rent to Platinum Sound, a Manhattan recording studio owned by Jean and Jerry Duplessis, who, like Jean, is a foundation board member. A $31,200 rent payment was also made in 2007 to Platinum Sound. The rent, tax returns assure, "is priced below market value." The recording studio also was paid $100,000 in 2006 for the "musical performance services of Wyclef Jean at a benefit concert." That six-figure payout, the tax return noted, "was substantially less than market value." The return, of course, does not address why Jean needed to be paid to perform at his own charity's fundraiser.

Gawker reports that as of 2007, Yele Haiti had no paid staffers and, according to their source, has one employee who works out of the kitchen in Wyclef's Manhattan recording studio.

Tonight, Hugh Locke, the president of Yele Haiti released a statement: “Wyclef Jean, the founder of Yéle Haiti has never profited from his organization.”

Now, I believe Wyclef is doing an awesome job calling the world's attention to his people.  He's been called the "Bono of Haiti" and in many ways, he is.  And, I'm of the belief that the spotlight is on all of these non-profit organizations and charities during this time of tragedy.  Wyclef won't be the only one under a microscope. Fact-checkers will be looking into all the non-profits' business practices well after this crisis is over.  I would hope that no organizations seek to profit from this tragedy, but, you never know. 

I've given my money to Yele Haiti, the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.  I'm not writing that to toot my horn. I write it to say: spread your money around, divvy it up. Certainly, do background checks to be sure that you're giving to a reputable organization who'll distribute the funds to the people of Haiti.  Do your research and give with an open heart.

Do your part.

UPDATE: Click HERE for Wyclef's video response to the allegations.

Wyclef Pulls Bodies From Rubble

Wyclef Jean is a soldier for Haiti, for real. He and his wife spent Thursday pulling bodies from the streets of Port-au-Prince. He wants the government to call for a state of emergency, saying the death toll is significantly higher than the media is letting on. He calls the conditions there "the apocalypse" and warns of impending chaos in Haiti.

To donate to Wyclef's organization, Yele Haiti, click here or text YELE to 501501 from your cell.

Do your part.

Wyclef's On A Mission

To say Wyclef Jean is on a mission to save his people would be the understatement of the year.  Wyclef took to his Twitter account to get the word out about the earthquake in Haiti and how his 1.3 million followers could help.

Clef asked his Twitter followers to donate $5 just by texting the word YELE to 501501.  C'mon, you spend $5 at the Starbucks daily, don't you?  The text will be added to your cell phone bill.  It's as easy as that.  You can also donate online, although the website has been slow to load from time to time.  Click here to pledge your support of more than 5 bucks.  Clef arrived in Haiti this morning via the Dominican Republic and he continues to tweet his message for donations and others have followed suit by retweeting it.

If you'd like to donate $10 to the Red Cross, you may do so by texting HAITI to 90999.

Do your part!

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AP Photo/John McConnico

Peen Battle???: Akon vs. Wyclef

This is Akon and Clef engaged in some kinda boy pannie skit at the MTV Africa Music Awards.......

Hmmm, I'm sure this was all done in fun but HUNH??????