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Wyclef Jean Lines Up Fund-Raisers For Charity Foundation

As Wyclef Jean's second solo effort, "The Ecleftic: 2 Sides II A Book," arrives in stores this week, the hip-hop heavyweight's charitable organization, the Wyclef Jean Foundation, has just unveiled plans for a series of fund-raising events for its 2000-2001 season.

On September 6, Wyclef Jean will play a "Dance Through The Decades" show at the Copacabana in New York City, a sequel of sorts to a Caribbean-themed event held at the same venue last year that featured a guest appearance by U2's Bono (see [article id="1429182"]"Wyclef Jean And Bono To Perform Benefit Single At NYC Club Show"[/article]).

Jean will then head to the West Coast on November 2 for an invitation-only gig at the Armani Exchange on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles that will also serve as the official launch of the foundation's Web site at www.wyclefjeanfoundation.org.

Following the previously announced Carnegie Hall "Clef's Kids" show in New York City on January

19, 2001 (see [article id="1429149"]"Wyclef Jean Lines Up Benefit Concert"[/article]), the Wyclef Jean Foundation will wrap up its season with the third-annual Haitian Benefit Concert in Miami on February 10.

The lineup for that show is still being sorted out, although organizers are planning to feature several hip-hop, reggae, and R&B artists at the all-day concert, set for the city's Bay Front Park.

The multiple events mark the foundation's most aggressive fund-raising campaign to date, and Wyclef recently chatted with MTV News about why he felt it was important to be involved in community-based charities.

[article id="1444330"]"The reason it's important to give back [is that] you [can] do so much with what you have,"[/article] Jean said. [article id="1444330"]"See, the Lord says when you give, the more you give, the more you receive. So think about it, man. A lot of people talk about it, but I live it every

day.[/article]

[article id="1444330"]"I got the fast cars and all of that stuff, but the kids will tell you that none of that means anything to me,"[/article] he added. [article id="1444330"]"I can walk through any 'hood, and I don't have any problems, and I know every stickup kid in every borough. When they come up to me, they go, 'Yo, this kid is real.'[/article]

[article id="1444330"]"So money doesn't make you, and what I teach these kids is that respect is what makes you. If you're from a community, you've got to give back to that community. I was born in Haiti out of poverty. All I'm try[ing] to do is give back to that." [RealVideo][/article]

In October, Wyclef Jean will head out the road to headline the latest edition of MTV's Campus Invasion tour, which will also feature performances from De La Soul and Black Eyed Peas (see [article id="1425921"]"Wyclef, De La Soul, Black Eyed Peas Set For Campus

Invasion"[/article]).

For more from Wyclef, be sure to check out the MTV News Online feature [article id="1425921"]"Wyclef Jean: Mad Scientist."[/article]

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