Look To The Stars News: Kanye West

British Stars Get Behind Anti-Bullying Campaign

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Tons of singers, including Leona Lewis and Kanye West’s protégé, Mr. Hudson, have teamed up to film an anti-bullying campaign video for BBC’s music station Radio 1.

Celebrities have recorded motivational video messages to help U.K. teens that suffer under the hands of bullies.

Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole encourages teens to be comfortable with themselves. She said, “There’s nothing more beautiful than somebody that is comfortable and confident in themselves. Surround yourselves by the people who absolutely adore you and love you for who you are.”

Hudson also gives advice, saying, “If you’re in a situation where you don’t feel comfortable, make you sure take long deep breaths and say what you need to say. You will sound more confident and feel more confident.”

Australian pop star Peter André, British boy band JLS and X Factor winner Alexandra Burke are also supporting the awareness drive.

$1.1 Million Raised At Milan Fashion Week Charity Event

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Regina Walton

Supermodel Linda Evangelista opened the amfAR Milano Foundation’s inaugural event held recently in conjunction with Milan Fashion Week.

In a moving speech in which she recalled the losses of friends during the early epidemic, she talked about the death of her booking agent. “Those were desperate times for so many of us. I watched him die and helped bury him, not understanding any of it. The fashion industry was especially hard hit by AIDS.”

  The event raised $1.1 million (euro750,000) for HIV/AIDS research, and was attended by many of the rich, famous and fashionable, including Rachel Bilson, Kanye West, Donatella Versace and models Anja Rubik and Chanel Iman.   

Janet Jackson, longtime dedicated philanthropist and HIV/AIDS activist, chaired the event along with many other notable people including DSquared² designing twins Dean and Dan Caten and Linda Evangelista. The event was presented by DSquared², BMW Group Italia, and Lambertz, along with media partner Vanity Fair and hotel partner Westin Palace Milano. The black tie dinner and auction was followed by an after-party deejayed by Bob Sinclar.  

Alek Wek and Giuseppe Zanotti auctioned off a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti boots designed exclusively by Mr. Zanotti for Michael Jackson to be worn on the opening night of his planned come-back tour. The hand-embellished boots featured 3,000 multicolored Swarovski beads and sold for $14,634.
 
French model Noemie Lenoir made the impromptu decision to go out on a date with the highest bidder in the room and, in doing so, raised $16,097.
 
There were so many more great items auctioned off, including a private DJ lesson with Bob Sinclar. 
 
Dita Von Teese, a longtime amfAR supporter, celebrated her birthday on the evening of the event. Von Teese closed the night by treating guests to a special performance of “Le Bain Noir.”
 
 You can read more about the event here. To learn more about amfAR, click here

Kanye West Takes To Stage At Charity Event

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

The Common Ground Foundation held its second annual “Common & Friends” concert at the famed Hollywood Palladium on Saturday night. The show raised funds for the foundation, created by Grammy-Award winning hip-hop artist and actor, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, best known as Common.

The concert featured live performances from Common, The Roots, Nas, De La Soul, Ludacris, Queen Latifah, Kanye West, Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Heavy D, while Freddy Rodriguez, Garth Trinidad, Rasual Butler, Toccara Jones, Serena Williams, Amber Rose, Erica Hubbard, Alyssa Milano, Eva Amurri and Ian Ziering were all in attendance to support the Common Ground Foundation.

“I am very grateful and thankful to all who attended and supported the 2nd annual Common Ground Foundation event. To all the gifted artists that participated – I thank you for giving your time, energy, and creativity,” said Common. “To all the sponsors, thank you for your ongoing commitment to the progress of the future of our youth. God bless… Love.”

The Common Ground Foundation continues to show support through partnerships, events and programs reaching many dynamic groups. Recent initiatives have included being the recipient of Cartier’s LOVE Charity program; the Chicago White Sox’s “Be in the Game” day at Cellular Field; and the Emmy-award nominated “A Minute” campaign. Last year’s inaugural event, “Start the Show & Bowl” featured will.i.am, Lupe Fiasco, The Roots, Talib Kweli, Bilal, and Marsha Ambrosius.

Jay-Z Answers The Call For Charity

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hip Hop megastar Jay-Z played a tribute concert in New York on Friday night to mark the deaths of those that lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks eight years ago.

The Answer The Call show, which launched his new album Blueprint 3, raised money for the New York Police & Fire Widows’ & Children’s Benefit Fund, a charity fund that has distributed over $96 million to the families of firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty since 1986.

The rapper was joined by stars such as Kanye West, Pharell Williams, P. Diddy, John Mayer, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Santigold for a two hour show that covered hits from his 11 album career.

“Make some noise for everybody that lost their lives so we can live ours,” the rapper told the crowd. “We stand here tonight eight years later even stronger, even stronger.”

He also held a minute of silence to honor those who lost their lives in the attack.

Go Back To School With Celebrity Items

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Grammy Foundation and MusiCares want you to rock in the new school year by taking part in a new charity auction that features unique memorabilia and VIP experiences that benefit their high school music programs.

Decorate your room with original artwork and photos from Taylor Swift and Paris Hilton, signed postcards from Kanye West and Stevie Wonder, and play on guitars signed by Depeche Mode, John Mayer, Tom Petty and Sheryl Crow.

The auction also gives you the chance to extend your wardrobe with hoodies signed by the Jonas Brothers and a T shirt signed by Iggy Pop. There are also items and experiences from Coldplay, Maroon 5, Joe Satriani, the Dave Matthews Band, Slash, Alice Cooper, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Hudson, Neil Diamond, 3 Doors Down, John Legend, Jason Mraz, U2, Melissa Etheridge, Green Day and many more.

The GRAMMY Foundation cultivates the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the impact of music on American culture through music education programs, scholarships and grants, and MusiCares provides a safety net of critical financial assistance and services for music people in times of need.

The auction runs until July 31 and can be accessed here.

Celebrities Do Whatever It Takes For Charity

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A huge selection of celebrity-designed bags and T-shirts are currently available at the UK’s premiere celebrity charity auction website, Buy Once Give Twice.

The auction site is hosting the auction for Whatever It Takes, a unique charity artwork project which inspires hope by gathering artworks from leaders in all fields; royalty, film, music, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, sports, literature etc. The artworks are used to ethically produce Whatever It Takes products which are then sold to raise funds for charitable causes chosen by each contributing leader.

Going under the hammer in the auction are T-shirts featuring designs by The Killers, Pink, Snoop Dogg, Nicole Kidman, Hilary Duff, Lucy Liu, Toni Collette, Coldplay, Minnie Driver, Keane, Whoopi Goldberg, Green Day, Barry Manilow, Penelope Cruz, Melanie C, Annie Lennox, and the Kaiser Chiefs. There are also bags and purses designed by Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Lucy Liu, Kanye West, Slash, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, and Stella McCartney.

Charities supported by Whatever It Takes include: Adopt-A-Minefield, Anti-Slavery International, Breast Cancer Campaign, CARE, Children of the Andes, Children’s Medical Research Institute, Christian Children’s Fund, City at Peace, Comic Relief, Dreams Can Be Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Greenpeace, Healthlink Worldwide, Heifer International, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, Red Cross, LIFEbeat, LifeLine & Rape Crisis PMB, Opportunity International, Oxfam, ROTA, Rights and Humanity, S.A.F.E., Save the Children, Sharon Osborne Colon Cancer Program, Snoop Youth Football League, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Teenage Cancer Trust, The BRIT Trust, Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, Little Dreams Foundation, Lotus Outreach, Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, Toothfairy Foundation, Trade plus Aid, UNHCR, UNICEF, and WaterAid.

To make a bid in the auction, which runs until June 30, click here.

Bono Faces The Real Deal In Elle Magazine

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

As a rock and roll star, Bono has written some of the most important music of our time, and now, the U2 front man has been asked by ELLE Magazine to turn a page (RED) and address “the greatest health crisis in 600 years: HIV/AIDS.”

In his one page letter, which appears in this month’s edition, Bono shares startling statistics on HIV/AIDS, including the fact that 90% of new cases occur in females aged 15-24. “I can’t get my head around that fact, let alone get it out of my head” he writes. Bono also shares details of his journey to Africa six years ago, where he witnessed the devastating effect the disease has had on the communities, including “orphans raising orphans.”

Bono also writes about the importance of (RED), its products and the pure power of consumer activism. “They have power in their pockets,” he writes, “(RED) raises money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS—$120 million so far. That is enough to buy drugs for more than 750,000 people for a year. (RED) funds prevention and counseling programs as well as treatment, and is now the thirteenth biggest contributor to the Global Fund; it’s giving more than many countries.”

“There are the millions of men and women whose names we don’t know, but whose (RED) purchases are doing nothing less than keeping people alive,” he continues, “(RED) is not asking you to flock to the stores for the sake of it, but if you find yourselves browsing, we are asking you to choose (RED) where you can—for the sake of those who can’t ask you themselves.”

Other celebrities involved with (RED) include: Scarlett Johansson, Gisele Bundchen, Christy Turlington, Penelope Cruz, Julia Roberts, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Garner, Kanye West, Djimon Hounsou, Chris Rock and Steven Spielberg among others

Bono’s complete (RED) letter can be read here.

James Taylor To Headline Musicians On Call Benefit

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Musicians on Call has announced Grammy award winner James Taylor as the headliner for their 5th Annual Benefit Concert & Auction which will take place at the world-famous Hard Rock Cafe New York in Times Square on February 24, 2009. The exclusive V.I.P. event will include a red carpet, with special appearances by artists and celebrities committed to the cause.

As music and philanthropy are at the core of the brand, Hard Rock International has partnered with Musicians on Call for the benefit event, helping the charity to continue its mission of room-to-room hospital performances by both local musicians and national celebrities.

In partnership with Hard Rock International, Musician on Call’s 5th Annual Benefit Concert & Auction will kick off Hard Rock’s month-long March On Stage charitable celebration. March On Stage is a global live music series featuring both iconic and emerging artists as a philanthropic initiative to support music healing organizations. Committed to its “Love All, Serve All” creed, Hard Rock will donate proceeds from its March on Stage events in North America to Musicians On Call.

“Musicians On Call’s campaign to bring music straight to the bedsides of patients in hospitals would not be able to continue to expand without the donations made at our annual event.” says Leslie Faerstein, Executive Director Musicians On Call. “It’s an exciting night made even more special by a performance by James Taylor. The impact of this one night has a profound effect throughout the rest of the year improving the health and spirits of thousands of patients one song and one bed at a time.”

For the past four years, the Musicians On Call Benefit Concert & Auction has produced the most exciting and rewarding experiences for music fans bringing the best in music to the stage of their events and exciting items to their auctions. Following are just a few items that will be available for bidding at www.musiciansoncall.org beginning on February 10th: a one-hour personal painting lesson from the renowned entertainer and revered painter Tony Bennett at his private studio in New York City; a visit to the set of Nickelodeon’s hit series iCarly; and autographed guitars from Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Loggins, Black Crows, Kings Of Leon, Kanye West, David Cook, & Brooks & Dunn.

The annual Musicians On Call Benefit Concerts have raised over a million dollars for the organization in the past four years; helping them to continue their mission of bringing music to patients in healthcare facilities. While aiding Musicians On Call, lucky music fans have walked away with a myriad of signed guitars and other treasures including a signed 1952 reissued Telecaster from Bruce Springsteen, a played harmonica from the Johnny Cash Estate, time in the studio with Maroon 5, artwork from John Lennon, and a signed basketball from Justin Timberlake.

Tickets for this unparalleled benefit with a special performance by James Taylor are available at www.musiciansoncall.org.

Charitable Stars Shine For Obama

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Celebrities were out and about in droves on Tuesday to celebrate Barack Obama’s inauguration by attending several charity balls.

One of the largest was the Creative Coalition Ball at the Harman Center for the Arts in Washington DC. The sold-out event cost between $10,000 and $100,000 to attend, and attracted appearances by Ashley Judd, Anne Hathaway, Susan Sarandon, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Rachel Leigh Cook, Ron Howard, Heather Graham, Forest Whitaker, Magic Johnson and many more. Entertainment was provided by Elvis Costello, Sam Moore and Sting.

The Creative Coalition is a nonprofit public charity organized by the creative community to learn about pressing issues so they can better inform and influence the community and nation.

Also taking place on the other side of town – at Club Ibiza – was a ball organized by the Recording Industry Association of America to benefit Feeding America.

Hosted by Courteney Cox and David Arquette, the evening attracted big names such as Rihanna, Shakira, Jay-Z, Russell Simmons, Cher, T.I:, Kanye West, Josh Groban, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Stars Gather For Flaunt Magazine's Annual Toy Drive

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:30:00 -0000

The cold weather didn’t stop a host of stars from shining at the Flaunt Magazine 10th Anniversary Party and Annual Holiday Toy Drive in Los Angeles during the weekend.

Kanye West joined celebrities such as Kelly Osbourne, Eva Mendes, Jessica Szohr, Leven Rambin, Taryn Manning, Nikki Reed, Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Danny Masterson, Marley Shelton, Krysten Ritter, Shannen Doherty, Rhona Mitra, Bai Ling, Chingy, Maggie Grace, and Christina Milian for the evening to benefit the Wayne Kao Foundation.

The Foundation collects toys to distribute to needy children across LA, and the evening made Christmas a little bit happier for disadvantaged children this week.

Rihanna To Host Star-Studded Jingle Ball

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Stand Up To Cancer is holding a special Christmas concert hosted by Rihanna in New York this weekend – the Z100 Jingle Ball.

Friday, December 12, will see acts such as Leona Lewis, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Brandy, David Archuleta, Jesse McCartney, Paramore and Lady Gaga perform at Madison Square Garden, with proceeds going to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.

The annual Z100 Jingle Ball has been held every year since 2003, with artists such as the Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, Avril Lavigne, Alicia Keys, Timbaland, the Pussycat Dolls and many others performing.

More information about the show, and the chance to win tickets, visit the Z100 Jingle Ball website.

Bid2Beat AIDS For Special Christmas Gifts

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

One of the biggest celebrity charity auction events of the year is currently gearing up for its launch on December 1.

Bid2Beat AIDS is an annual event that will feature over 1000 items from top stars such as 50 Cent, Adam Sandler, Adrian Grenier, Aerosmith, Alec Baldwin, Amy Winehouse, Antonio Banderas, Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz, Common , Death Cab for Cutie, Denzel Washington, P. Diddy, Donny Osmond, Elton John, Fall Out Boy, Foo Fighters, Good Charlotte, Green Day, Hanson, Hilary Duff, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Blunt, James Earl Jones, James Morrison, Jamie Foxx, Jay-Z , Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeremy Piven, Jessica Alba, John Legend, Johnny Depp, Kanye West, Kirsten Dunst, Ludacris , M.I.A., Madonna, Mariah Carey, Neil Patrick Harris, Ozzy Osbourne, Phil Collins, Raven Symone, Razorlight, Rihanna , Sacha Baron Cohen, Sharon Osbourne, Victoria Beckham, Whoopi Goldberg, Will Ferrell, Wyclef Jean, and many, many more. Also up for grabs will be VIP tickets to concerts and backstage visits with stars like Bernadette Peters, Jewel, Aimee Mann, Joan Rivers, and Michael Feinstein.

The annual auction will raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry’s AIDS fundraising and service charity. The first three BID 2 BEAT AIDS auctions raised nearly $250,000, and this year’s looks set to be the biggest yet.

More info about the auction can be found at the Bid2Beat AIDS website, and the auction will go live on World AIDS Day here.

Look To The Stars will keep you posted as the items are announced.

Stars To Be BRAVE For Veterans

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Hip Hop stars 50 Cent and Ludacris will perform at a concert to raise awareness of veterans causes next month.

“A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE” is part of MTV’s Choose or Lose campaign, an initiative designed to engage, inform and empower young voters on the political issues that matter to them most. The concert hopes to draw attention to a new petition launched by MTV called the Bill of Rights for American Veterans (or BRAVE) which calls on politicians to support vets’ issues and enact positive legislative changes.

“It doesn’t matter where you stand on the war — we can all agree that young veterans serving our country must receive the benefits they’ve earned for their sacrifices,” said MTV President Van Toffler. “By raising awareness through ‘A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE,’ and by launching the BRAVE petition, we aim to elevate these issues and ensure they’re a top priority for our government officials.”

The concert – which will be taped on October 23 and aired on MTV on October 24 – will also feature performances by Kanye West, Kid Rock, Fall Out Boy, Juanes, Nelly and Taylor Swift, with appearances from Beyoncé Knowles, Will Ferrell, Common, Fat Joe, Seth Green, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend and Wyclef Jean.

Kanye West Supports Live To Give Campaign

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0000

The Dr. Donda West Foundation and Washington Redskins NFL hall of famer Darrell Green have teamed up with the Live to Give Campaign for the Give Back Concert Benefit taking place November 4, 2008 at Ibiza.

The show will benefit the work of Kanye West’s foundation named in honor of his mother, Dr. Donda West. The Give Back Concert Benefit will mark the first hip-hop concert benefit in the nation’s capital to encourage giving back to the community.

The campaign specifically focuses on inspiring young adults to give back by voting in the upcoming historic election. The Dr. Donda West foundation will also receive the Give Back award, which honors philanthropists who inspire and encourage young adults to give back to their community and for their dedication to impacting the community through their socially engaged philanthropic efforts. Although Kanye West will be overseas on tour, attendees will be able to gain access to view Kanye’s exclusive video tribute for private viewing only.

The Give Back Concert Benefit will kick off with a meet and greet and voter registration drive with Washington Wizards Star Antawn Jamison for pre-sale ticket purchasers. On October 10 and October 20, the two surprise mega performers will be revealed. The performer who will be revealed on October 10 is a hip-hop heavyweight with his first two albums debuting at number 1 on the billboard charts. The second performer who will be announced has won various prestigious awards including 1 Grammy, 4 BET Awards, and 1 teen choice award.

Keep guessing who these stars might be, and all will be revealed on Look To The Stars when the announcements are made.

The Live to Give campaign encourages and inspires young adults to live their lives accomplishing their dreams but also giving back on their journey to success. Although there are many ways to give, the focus for this event will be to fundraise for underprivileged youth by selling concert benefit tickets and increasing voter turnout for young adults in this year’s upcoming historic election.

General admission to the Give Back Benefit is $85.00. All proceeds will be given to select charities including the Dr. Donda West Foundation, Rick Ross Charities, the Antawn Jamison Foundation, and the Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation. Tickets are available through www.livetogiveback.org; or charge by phone (301) 605- 5324. The first 200 ticket purchasers will attend a private pre-concert celebrity meet and greet for young adults who vote in this year’s upcoming election. On October 10, 2008 and October 20, ticket prices will increase once each performer is revealed.

Affleck Tops Charity Stars in Denver

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Denver saw an outpouring of celebrity love during last week’s DNC, with Ben Affleck leading the philanthropic pack.

On the Tuesday night, Affleck took part in a poker tournament, along with Richard Dreyfuss and Montel Williams, which ultimately raised over $60,000 for the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

“A lot of important organizations use this environment and the people who are here, celebrities, members of Congress, to try and raise money. This is not a Democratic or Republican group, this is a group serving our veterans,” Affleck said of the charity.

Wednesday morning, the Pearl Harbor star was down at a local food bank, the Food Bank of the Rockies, to participate in a repack event for America’s Second Harvest. Also on hand for the event were members of the Senate Hunger Caucus and members of the House – all there to see who could pack the most boxes of food in five minutes. Affleck, incidentally, won both the poker and the packing events.

He was joined by wife Jennifer Garner for a book reading at the Starz Green Room. Also set to attend were Charlize Theron, Daryl Hannah, Rosario Dawson, Kerry Washington, Josh Brolin, Kal Penn, Stuart Townsend and Hill Harper.

Jennifer Lopez spoke at a reception sponsored by the Jennifer Lopez Foundation in honor of Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund. Fran Drescher, Ashley Judd and Joy Bryant joined Lopez in honoring Edelman.

The Black Eyed Peas performed at the Fillmore Auditorium for the Creative Coalition, and Kanye West performed at a party benefitting the ONE Campaign. Forest Whitaker, Kal Penn and Jamie Foxx were in attendance at the latter.

Moby performed at a private party for DoSomething.org, and Willie Nelson sang out for the people of Darfur at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Kanye West Films Veteran Stories For MTV

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:30:00 -0000

MTV News and Kanye West have teamed up to tell the stories of returning veterans in the powerful documentary Choose or Lose & Kanye West Present: Homecoming.

The one hour television special – designed to raise awareness of young veterans issues – will air on Monday, July 28, at 10pm ET/PT, and will feature West and MTV’s Sway Calloway as they drop in unexpectedly at the homes of some Iraq war veterans and see firsthand the often difficult and painful challenges the young vets face after returning home.

“There are hundreds of veterans out there who are falling through the cracks. They make the ultimate sacrifices for us by laying down their lives, but it seems like a lot of them just get forgotten about,” said West. “I know my music inspires and helps a lot of people, but you can always do more. I teamed up with MTV and took the opportunity to share the spotlight with these veterans and hear their stories. I went to their homes to listen and get their firsthand experiences. I wanted to hear their stories.”

The special will shine the spotlight on three Iraq war veterans, representing the diverse cross-section of America’s returning armed forces. The issues faced by these three young veterans are emblematic of the issues that will be faced by the more than 1.7 million young people who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. The documentary will also highlight how viewers can help through extensive resources available through www.chooseorlose.com and the Dr. Donda West Foundation – a charity set up by Kanye West and named after his late mother.

Recent MTV research revealed that nearly 70 percent of young people 18-29 personally know someone who has fought in Iraq. Through this special news presentation, Choose or Lose hopes to elevate the issues of young, new veterans; ensure Presidential candidates address these issues; and mobilize millions of young people to understand and take action in ways to help their peers who have served, who with the greatest honor, ensure that they register and vote.

For a special sneak preview of the show, or to learn more, visit the site at Think.MTV.

Celebrities Offer Support To Darfur

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:29:43 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Sudanese region of Darfur is benefiting from several new initiatives this month, all designed to raise awareness and money for the war-torn area. And the biggest effort comes from an independent record label that has waded into the music industry to put its money where its mouth is.

Waxploitation, established in 1997 by Jeff Antebi, is a label for innovative artists that has broken with the tradition of managing “producer/engineers” and instead manages artists as record producers – a huge difference in the industry, and one that has led to a huge shift in industry interests.

But not only are they challenging the way record companies operate, Waxploitation is leading the way with programs to fight poverty and hunger, especially in war-affected Sudan. The label has just released a compilation CD, featuring a host of artists who have donated songs to the effort, which has debuted at number 32 on the iTunes chart and almost sold out its first physical CD printing.

“Causes 1:Darfur” includes songs by The Cure, Travis, Death Cab For Cutie, and Spoon, with all proceeds going to three non-profit organizations: Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, and Oxfam America.

“This level of attention is not something we were expecting, given how grassroots our marketing efforts have been,” said Jeff Antebi. “But it shows the strength of the fans and artists who participated and the enormous desire to help Darfur. It’s quite telling that on iTunes people have chosen to buy the album, instead of cherry-picking individual songs. That says people are aware of how important the donation is.”

“Causes 1:Darfur” follows the label’s first charity release, “Genocide In Sudan”, and is available from www.waxploitation.com and iTunes for only 90 days to highlight the urgency of the situation.

The label has also hit the news this week by launching its fourth Darfur Benefit Auction, a massive online event that aims to raise money for the 2 million people forced to flee their homes in the wake of conflict in the region.

The auction, which can be viewed on www.ebay.com/causesauction, features a huge range of unique and collectible items, many of them personally signed by celebrities such as Kanye West, Coldplay, Macy Gray, and Gnarls Barkley. Norah Jones, Avril Lavigne, and Nickleback have all signed guitars for the auction, and other items have been donated by Sony, Xbox, Nintendo, Nokia, and Adidas.

Also joining the fight for Darfur this month is Golden Globe winning actress, Mia Farrow. The 62-year-old has launched Fund4Darfur in association with the Aegis Trust, the UK’s leading genocide prevention organization.

“I have visited Darfur seven times since 2004,” said Farrow on the Fund’s new website. “In these visits, I have seen the suffering that the people of Darfur endure. I believe strongly we should work together to give dignity and hope to survivors and enable Aegis to continue its work against genocide.”

Singer Annie Lennox has also lent her support to the initiative, and has donated a track from her new album to be used to promote the Fund.

Fund4Darfur will directly support survivors of Darfur’s ethnic cleansing, and one third of the money raised will be used to fund campaigning for the protection of Darfur’s threatened African population. Donations can be made at www.fund4darfur.org.

Bid Now For Christmas Gifts

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:21:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The countdown to Christmas has begun, and celebrities are doing their best to make holiday shopping easy this year. Several charity auctions have already kicked off to raise money for good causes, including one that may be eBay’s largest sale of celebrity items… ever!

The BID 2 BEAT AIDS online auction will open on December 1, World AIDS Day, and will feature over 1000 specially signed items, ranging from posters to iPods. The annual auction will raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry’s AIDS fundraising and service charity, and in the past has raised up to $175,000.

The array of memorabilia up for sale this year is simply colossal, with perhaps the most interesting items being a series of “Lend a Hand to LIFEbeat” cards that feature the handprints of over 100 celebrities. Stars such as Britney Spears, Jack Black, and Kathy Griffin traced around the outlines of their hands and decorated their artworks for the auction, and the finished products will make a unique addition to any Christmas stocking.

Also included in the auction is a selection of signed musical instruments. Rapper 50 Cent has donated the tambourines he used during his performance at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, and Metallica and the Foo Fighters have both donated guitars. There are also over 200 official RIAA gold and platinum record awards up for sale, from artists such as Annie Lennox, Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Green Day. Rare tour crew jackets from Guns N Roses, Cher, George Michael, and Prince are also available.

There are a stack of autographed CDs and DVDs on offer in the auction, from Mariah Carey, Elton John, Rihanna, Fall Out Boy, Maroon 5, Amy Winehouse, and Val Kilmer, as well as books signed by Madonna, Bill Clinton, Rosie O’Donnell, Martha Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Ethan Hawke. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Elijah Wood, and Usher have all signed posters for the auction.

For those people after something a little different, the auction also includes an iPod designed by Yoko Ono, a box of cereal signed by Will Ferrell, Borat’s hat signed by Sacha Baron Cohen, and a Spiderman action figure autographed by Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

And if nothing mentioned so far whets your appetite, there are also signed items from Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Nelly, Joan Collins, John Travolta, Kanye West, The Cure, Jay-Z, Cameron Diaz, Victoria Beckham, Robin Williams, Hilary Duff, Jason Alexander, Jack Nicholson, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Adam Sandler, John Legend, Jessica Simpson, Whoopi Goldberg, Aerosmith, Denzel Washington, Good Charlotte, James Blunt, Jeremy Piven, Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Norah Jones, Razorlight, Wyclef Jean, and many more… far too many to list here.

More information and a full list of items can be found at www.bid2beataids.com.

As if this wasn’t enough choice for Christmas shoppers, there are also several other auctions and events on the go at the moment. The biggest of these is the 10th Annual Collaborating For A Cure Benefit Dinner and Auction, a massive black tie gala to be held on November 29. It also happens to be one of the highest grossing charity events held every year in New York, and last year raised over $4 million for the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, a non-profit organization that has provided over $55 million in grants to cancer research, and has been instrumental in the development of new cancer drugs.

The gala dinner and live auction will be held at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue, New York City, and over 1200 guests are expected to attend. The host for the evening is Chevy Chase, and attendees will be treated to a very special performance by Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh, members of 70’s rock group, the Eagles.

Selected items up for auction on the night as well as online include dinner with Chevy Chase, the chance to play tennis with Andre Agassi, and a meet and greet with Aerosmith.

More information can be found at www.charitybuzz.com.

Also on the Charitybuzz website is an auction to raise funding for Stand Up For A Cure, an organization dedicated to lung cancer research and awareness.

The auction runs from November 28 until December 12, and features unique items such as the chance to have Andrea Bocelli perform in your own home, the opportunity to have Patti LaBelle host your cocktail party, and VIP tickets to see Céline Dion at Madison Square Gardens.

And if you still can’t find a suitable gift, have a look at the Have A Heart Auction on Charitybuzz. All proceeds from the auction, which features the chance to meet Avril Lavigne, a copy of “An Inconvenient Truth” signed by Al Gore, and a “Godfather II” DVD signed by Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, will benefit HEART, an organization that aims to foster compassion and respect for all living beings.

But you have to be in quick, as the auction ends on November 29.

Lunchbox Auction Will Help Feed Hungry Children

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:49:04 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

Forget what they say about good things coming in small boxes, better things come in lunch-boxes created by artists, actors, chefs, musicians, photographer, politicians, and fashion designers to shed light on the plight of hungry children in New York City and South Africa. These original artistic efforts are for the Lunchbox Auction.

The artistry is often unique and often indicative of the personality behind the work. World renown chef Bobby Flay’s 2005 lunchbox was decorated with spices. Bono’s lunchbox was simply red signifying his (RED) campaign. The bidding for lunchbox items will commence online on December 6, 2007

Among the other contributors of lunch-boxes for the first online auction included Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, David Bowie and Iman among other famous people. The proceeds help the Food Bank For New York City provide food to more than 1,000 emergency and community food programs throughout the five boroughs.

One in five children in NYC rely on emergency food. Thousands of miles away in South Africa, children face similar hunger oriented plights. Fledgling school programs do not subsidize pre- and high schools, so for many of these children the Lunch box fund feed them their only meal of the day. Moreover, many of the children are AIDS orphans running child-headed households.

To see the full list of lunch-boxes, visit the Charity Folks Website.

Red Versus Blue

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 08:24:56 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Mission Australia and Make-A-Wish Australia are two charities reaping the benefits of the Microsoft sponsored ‘Red V Blue’ Charity campaign. Microsoft enlisted the help of some top-notch celebrities such as Snoop Dogg and Kanye West to sign one-of-a-kind airbrushed Xbox 360s before putting them up for bids on eBay to raise money for the two charities.

Only 30 exclusive Red v Blue Xbox 360’s are being offered during the course of the four-week auction. Each console is hand painted with the artists face on one side, and their signature on the other. Raising money for Mission Australia, team Red members include Snoop Dogg, Neyo, Ice Cube, Justin Timberlake, Pussycat Dolls, Rihanna and Kanye West. On the other side and raising money for Make-A-Wish Australia, are team Blue members: Lupe Fiasco, Evermore, Linkin Park, Talib Kweli, Paramore and Eskimo Joe. Bidding is currently open on Ebay, and so far, team Red has raised over AU$1,200 ($1000) and team Blue has raised AU$283.00 ($250). I’d get ’em while you can, as they no doubt will become collectors items and a must have for Xbox junkies.

Kanye West To Perform Charity Concert

Sun, 22 Jul 2007 13:49:29 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Kanye West has scheduled a special charity concert and VIP event to raise funds for his charity, the Kanye West Foundation.

The concert is to take place on August 24th, at the House of Blues in Chicago, with a VIP reception and a silent auction of Kanye West memorabilia taking place at Hotel Sax.

The Kanye West Foundation strives to keep children interested in education through student-centered programs aimed at increasing literacy, self-worth and independent thinking. The Foundation’s signature program, Loop Dreams, offers hip hop training, allowing students to learn all aspects in the field of creative arts, from writing music to business management.

Live Earth Rocks the Planet

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:16:25 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

They came, they rocked, they conquered. 07/07/07 saw the Live Earth concerts take place on 7 continents, and the event will go down in history and in people’s hearts as one of the greatest spectacles ever staged.

The nine concerts held around the globe attracted hundreds of thousands of music lovers, and another 9 million internet streams – a world record internet audience. Many more are expected to watch replays over the next few weeks.
Concert-goers partied for a total of 22 hours at the events organized by Al Gore to raise awareness of climate change and environmental issues.

“You are Live Earth,” Gore told the crowd in New Jersey, on a stage made from recycled tires. “Today 2 billion of us have come together in over 130 countries… Times like these demand action.”

Despite the rain and low temperatures, 30,000 fans in Hamburg enjoyed stunning and energetic performances by Yusuf – formerly known as Cat Stevens – Shakira, Snoop Dogg, Enrique Iglesias, and former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. German comedian Elton joked about the inclement conditions with the comment “We’re here to fight against global warming in such c—p weather.”

It was also a cold affair in Antarctica, where a previously unknown band Nunatak – made up of polar researchers – played for 17 fellow scientists, allowing Gore to keep his promise to hold concerts in all seven continents.

45,000 people turned out in warmer circumstances in Sydney, where they were treated to performances by Jack Johnson, Toni Collette’s band The Finish, and a newly reformed Crowded House. Sydney was the first of the concerts to open, and was followed by Japan, where thousands rocked to performances by Linkin Park, Rihanna, and a host of local acts.

Johannesburg, experiencing its first snow in ten years, swayed to the rhythms of some of their best known local acts, as well as an intense performance by Joss Stone.

It was a smaller and quieter affair in Washington, where a subdued crowd was entertained by a few lesser known blues and hip hop acts.

The most popular concerts were held in London and New York. The newly refurbished Wembley Stadium was rocking under the weight of 70,000 concert-goers, all enthralled by stellar performances from the Beastie Boys, Kasabian, Metallica, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. 1980’s comedy rock act Spinal Tap reformed for the event to perform their new single, “Warmer Than Hell”, and there was also a touching performance by singer/songwriter Terra Naomi. Naomi wrote the track “Say It’s Possible” after seeing An Inconvenient Truth, and was asked personally by Al Gore to perform it at Live Earth.

The finale of the Wembley show was a set by Madonna, which included “Hey You”, the song she wrote especially for Live Earth. She also thanked Gore “for giving the world the wake-up call it so badly needs, and for starting the avalanche of awareness that we are running out of time.”

Over 50,000 people crammed Giants Stadium in New Jersey to join Al Gore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, and Kevin Bacon for a night to remember. Cool rhythms from Alicia Keys and the Dave Matthews Band gave way to rockier beats later in the evening from Kelly Clarkson, Melissa Etheridge, and Jon Bon Jovi. The show ended with Sting and The Police performing a duet of their hit, “Message In A Bottle”, with rapper Kanye West
.
The free show in Rio De Janeiro, almost cancelled over security concerns, drew a crowd of 600,000 to listen to sun-drenched performances by Lenny Kravitz and Macy Gray, and the show in Shanghai was also a success.

The Chinese crowd were made aware of the International Energy Agency warning that China could become the top emitter of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, by later this year.

The Live Earth concerts were a great day’s entertainment for those who witnessed them, and only time will tell if they achieved their goals.

“Thank you for coming to Live Earth,” said Al Gore as the concerts ended. “Harness the energy in your hearts and help us solve the climate crisis.”

Elton John, P. Diddy and Andrew Lloyd-Webber to Celebrate Life of Princess Diana

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 21:03:21 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

This Sunday, July 1st, music will fill the skies in remembrance of Princess Diana. The event was organised by her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry to celebrate her life, ten years after her death.

Concert For Diana will take place at Wembley Stadium in London, and is showcasing a wide variety of musical styles, from Andrew Lloyd-Webber to P. Diddy. Legends Elton John, Rod Stewart and Tom Jones will be joined by the likes of Joss Stone, Nelly Furtado, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and James Morrison.

Many more performances will take place during the 8-hour-long event, including those by Duran Duran, Take That, Lily Allen and the English National Ballet.

Proceeds of the event go to charities which were supported by the Princess, and to charities of which her sons are now Patrons. These include: The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, Centrepoint, Sentebale, National AIDS Trust, The Leprosy Mission, the Royal Marsden Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital and the English National Ballet.

Tickets cost £45, but those who cannot make it to the concert can view it online at the Concert For Diana website.

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