CONCERT BENEFIT SET
Disproving the stereotypes that neither hip-hop nor Facebook can amount to much good, Minneapolis rapper Unicus of the group Kanser has hastily assembled the Twin Cities' first major benefit concert for his native Haiti, and he has the ubiquitous social-networking website largely to thank for it.
The event, dubbed Hip-Hop for Haiti, is set for Tuesday at the Nomad World Pub, 501 Cedar Av. S., in Minneapolis' West Bank. Performers will include Desdamona, Illuminous 3, DJ Snuggles, Ernie Rhodes, More Than Lights, Aquafresh and Young E.
"I just posted a note on Facebook about wanting to do a show, and the response was immediate and very positive," said Unicus, whose real name is Harry Philibert.
He emigrated to the United States with his family in 1985 and still has relatives in Haiti, whom he believes are all alive but in great need after the quake. Putting together the concert, he said, "was the obvious thing to do."
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Many local organizations are accepting donations:
Churches: All 217 Roman Catholic parishes in the Twin Cities will take a second offering this weekend specifically for the relief effort. Other churches will tell members that donations marked for Haitian relief can be added to the general offering.
American Refugee Committee: Accepting donations at www.arcrelief.org
Haiti Outreach: haitioutreach.org