I mentioned that this was going down a few weeks back. Check out a video recap of what went down below…

…via RR.

This weekend will be great for Wyclef Jean, as he’s set to receive The Harvard Foundation’s most prestigious medal at their annual Cultural Rhythms award ceremony on Feb. 27. Check out the info below…

…“His contributions to music and distinguished history of creativity have been appreciated by people throughout the world,” said S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation, “and he is admired worldwide for his humanitarian efforts on behalf of the people of Haiti.”…

…He is widely known for his humanitarian work through the Yéle Haiti Foundation, which promotes sports and the arts in Haiti. This support includes thousands of annual scholarships, soccer programs for at-risk youth, and free outdoor films in neighborhoods without electricity. The organization distributes food to communities in need throughout Haiti and mobilizes emergency disaster relief, including its current efforts in response to the devastating earthquake in the Port-au-Prince area.

The Harvard Foundation, the University’s center for intercultural arts and sciences initiatives, honors the nation’s most acclaimed artists and scientists each year. Previous awards have been presented to such artists as Sharon Stone, Andy Garcia, Will Smith, Matt Damon, Halle Berry, Jackie Chan, Denzel Washington, Salma Hayek, and Herbie Hancock….

Check out the full article on his honor and purchase tickets to the event, if you’re in the area, here: Haitian-American artist honored.

Rex Nettleford performing in 1965; photo by Maria LaYacona

I made the mistake of not getting this out last week, when The Hon. Rex Nettleford, OM, FIJ, OCC passed. For that, I apologize. For those unfamiliar with Rex Nettleford, and the legacy he leaves behind, see the passage below…

Jamaica lost one of its most revered cultural figures last night when Professor Rex Nettleford, vice-chancellor emeritus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and founder of the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC), died, just hours before he would have celebrated his 77th birthday…

…”Jamaica and the entire world have lost an intellectual and creative genius, a man whose contribution to shaping and projecting the cultural landscape of the entire Caribbean region is unquestionable,” (Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce )Golding said….

In the time since his death, numerous pieces have come up all over the net, a few of which I’ve compiled below…

• BBC Caribbean: Rex Nettleford: Death of a cultural icon.
• Jamaica Gleaner: Icon lost - Golding, Simpson Miller mourn Nettleford.
• Jamaica Observer: Nettleford ’soars like an eagle’, says former UWI head.
• Yahoo! News: Jamaican scholar, choreographer dies in US at 76.

For more on the life of Mr. Nettleford, see the video below, courtesy of The Jamaica Gleaner…

This is a great cause. Help Jamaica has dropped their 2010 Calendar, with 100% of profits going towards building their first library in JA. Check out the details below…

Christmas soon come…. Get your perfect Christmas gift right here – give out the calendar to somebody as a present and make a donation towards HELP Jamaica! the same way!

Put Jamaica in sight! Be reminded on the beautiful island everyday by some exceptional photos displaying the many facets of Jamaica. Great shots from eight parishes – different countryside, Kingston, charismatic people, promising school kids, fishermen, churches and more photos from international photographers. High quality calendar 14 pages offset-printed, the calendars are carefully single welded to ensure secure shipment!

Guaranteed, 100% of the money raised with this calendar will be used to establish our first HELP Jamaica-operated! education centre in Kingston, Jamaica.

The calendar retails for about $20 (12.50 €), plus shipping. For more info, and to buy the calendar, click here.

image via Cooper Mitch.

Apparently mutli-platinum albums, endless production credits, grammy awards, and guesting on The Chappelle Show isn’t enough for ‘Clef. He’s about to go to school, to earn his Bachelors degree in music. Check the info below, via BV Buzz…

Grammy winner Wyclef Jean is going to college to further his education.

“I am enrolling in Berklee College in Boston to get my bachelor’s degree in music! That’s how important education is to me. I plan to work with Rev. Al Sharpton because that’s how important stressing the importance of education to children is to me,” the musician announced during the Congressional Black Caucus Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington, DC on Saturday….

Check out the full article here: Higher Learning: Wyclef Jean Going To College.