Frosty's Flava Magazine AUG-SEP- 2019 URBAN FILM FESTIVAL EDITION | Page 60

that make you hate me.” So I can appreciate
your transparency. understand what was going on because I was
extremely affected as well.
JJL: Exactly! But at that particular time “Hero’s” was still in
everyone else’s mind and mouth. When that
earthquake happened; the Media from around
the world only had 2 references - Wyclef Jean
and the “Haitian from “Hero’s.”
FFM: So I have one last very fragile question
for you. I know that the earthquake that
devastated Haiti is very sensitive for you and
you’re very passionate about it.
I remember watching the news and seeing
you in tears and extremely emotional (as
you should’ve been) also, in the tabloids they
mentioned that you had partnered up with a
Group or a Company and you were committed
and really getting
involved in trying to
rebuild and rehab
Haiti.
So up to about 20 minutes after the
earthquake, up until about 48 hours; my phone
rang non stop. Night and day. I had to call in a
bunch of accidents. I did all kinds of interviews,
with Larry King; all kinds of other Media
Platforms because they didn’t have Haitians
around that they
could interview or
that they could even
trust on that level.
How much truth is
there to that?
So that itself, also
forced me to have
to step up and do
something about
it, you know what I
mean?
JJL: Well, first
of all; I created
a foundation
called “Hollywood
Unites For Haiti” in
2008. Which was
way before the
earthquake. So
I was already on
the fields working
with a number of
different groups of
people.
And then when
the earthquake
came, of course
the particular note
that you probably
read was about
my collaboration
with the OAS
(Organization
of American
States) which the
Pan American
Development
Foundation, for which I am an Ambassador.
So together, we do a lot of work; you know? I
mean, because we were able to get money from
the American States as well, we just did a lot in
that sense. I was able to see Haiti Before and
After the earthquake. I witnessed first hand what
happened. I was in the field, just doing what I had
to do.
At one point you know CNN gave me a camera,
thinking I was going to report for them; which
I didn’t.
But yeah, I was there and just trying to
AUG-SEP R.indd 60
You when you’re
forced to go into the
field and someone
is pushing you to go
on the field? You’re
left with no options,
you’re going to have
to play.
FFM: Right! Trust
me, I completely
understand!
JJL: So in essence
yeah, that’s correct!
Whatever you read
about that situation,
is correct.
FFM: Yeah, I
remember it like
it just happened
yesterday. I too had
family members such as my brother, uncles,
aunts and cousins who were unaccounted
for… and that drove us crazy! So believe me
when I say that I also felt everything that you
experienced and expressed to the core.
That’s what actually made me fall even harder
for you. You were so transparent and it was all
about the people, it wasn’t about the media.
It wasn’t about you
getting clout or you
even branding yourself.
I remember watching
you on the news and
30/08/2019 06:50:04