Wyclef Jean Warns People To Avoid Scammers When Donating to Bahamas Relief

BY Erika Marie 1406 Views
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Wyclef Jean
There's always someone ready to take advantage of the vulnerable.

Whenever there are natural disasters around the globe, people band together to help relief efforts with various fundraisers. Charitable foundations and organizations do their best at raising money for those affected by tragedies as people lose their homes, belongings, and even loved ones. However, not everyone who claims to be a helping hand is truly out to assist the less fortunate, and Wyclef Jean is warning givers to be wary of malevolent scammers.

While he made his way through the baggage claim of an airport, a TMZ cameraman caught up with the artist and asked about his thoughts regarding the recent devastation in the Bahamas. Hurricane Dorian has wreaked havoc on the islands, and in turn, many celebrities are donating money to worthy relief efforts, including Michael Jordan who recently pledged to give $1 million.

Wyclef praised Jordan for offering up such a hefty donation but advised him, and others, to proceed with caution. "But what I would like to say, which is the most important thing is, we watch these reliefs, whether if it's Haiti, whether if it's New Orleans, whether if it's the suffering that continues in Puerto Rico, and now in the Bahamas," Wyclef began. "There's gonna be a lot of money given through relief. The most important thing for me is that the money is really allocated right and we really don't use distractions. Don't use people for patsies. Don't distract the crowd, have them looking another way, and at the end of the day..."

The cameraman interrupted him and asked how this seems to happen so often. "One man's disaster is another man's gain," Wyclef stated. "So, I pray for the people in the Bahamas and I pray that everyone in the Bahamas within the parliament structure would say very diligent [with] what's about to happen. And my heart goes out to y'all."

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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