{Haiti} It's Official! Wyclef for President

Courtesy www.radioteleginen.ning.com

The rumors have been swirling for the past couple of months--that Haitian born singer Wyclef Jean would run for the President of Haiti. Yesterday, that rumor was confirmed, the R&B singer will run and against a family member. He is set to make the official announcement tonight from Haiti.

Only 37 years old, he was born Nel Ust Wyclef Jean to a Nazarene pastor and his wife in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti. When he was just nine, the famly moved to New York and shortly after to New Jersey, where he attended Eastern Nazarene College--but dropped out.

From TV to movies, singer, songwriter, producer, social activist, Wyclef has made his name. But for most most of the world, they will always remember him from a little (sarcastically) group called The Fugees. The three-member group that included Lauryn Hill, Prakazrel "Pras" Michel (Jean cousin) and Wyclef Jean. The group produced two successful albums, Blunted on Reality and The Score (this album leading them to several Grammys.)

But it was in 1997 that Wycelf wanted a solo career and he did with his first solo album "Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival Featuring Refugee All Stars", he followed this with six solo albums, the latest out this year ("Hold On").

In 2005, Jean established the "Yele Haiti Foundation",it aims to provide 6,800 scholarships to children in Port-au-Prince, Gonaïves, Les Cayes, Port-de-Paix, and Cap-Haïtien. In it's first year alone, it provided 3,600 scholarships and doubled in it's second year.

Wyclef and his team has done their part with this foundation in Haiti-- In January 2007, Jean became a roving ambassador for Haiti, to help improve its image abroad. In 2008 – Yéle Haiti partnered with WFP (World Food Programme) of the United Nations to launch www.togetherforhaiti.org.

Later that year in September,Wyclef in conjunction with Yéle Haiti Charity delivered food to Hurricane Ike victims in Haiti. Matt Damon provided assistance in the food lines serving food.

In October of that same year, Wyclef Jean performed on stage with Carlos Santana in San Francisco on behalf of Yéle Haiti, OneXOne, and WaterPartners International to raise funds for clean water, education, health, environment, and community development in the USA and in the developing world. And Wyclef Jean and The Timberland Company joined forces to help raise environmental awareness in Haiti.


...But it wasn't until January 2010, that "Yele Haiti" became known around the world.The Caribbean island of Haiti was struck with a magnitude 7.1 earthqauke sending the entire nation into chaos.

Wyclef, along with his uncle Raymond Joseph, Haitian ambassador to the US, issued an appeal for international aid following the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Now, eight months later, Wyclef says he is ready to run for the Presidency.

So what makes him different any other candidate..or shall I say what is his secret weapon to WIN.

The singer says it is the youth of Haiti. They (youth) do not believe in the politicans anymore and with the devastation that had been taking place in the last seven months, they and the rest of the nation are ready for a change (sound familiar?) Wycelf though, has proved to his motherland that he never forgot them, even while being famous and living the American dream. 

Wyclef will have to prove citizenship and ownership of properties before he can offically be placed on the ballot. He will be running against serveral candidates, including Raymond Joseph--Haitian ambassador to the United States since 2005 and also Jean's uncle.

Wyclef Jean is set to make the offical announcment tonight on CNN's Larry King Live (from Haiti.)

...It seems that Haiti's son always knew he would one day run for President....