Jean Jimmy Alexandre (March 9, 1974 – January 12, 2010), better known by his stage name Jimmy O, was a Haitian hip hop artist[1] who was born in Port-au-Prince and lived in New York City.[2] He was involved with Wyclef Jean's Yéle Haiti Foundation.[1] Jimmy O performed his music in Haitian Creole.[3]
Jimmy O | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jean Jimmy Alexandre |
| Born | March 9, 1974 Port-au-Prince, Haiti |
| Origin | New York City, New York, USA |
| Died | January 12, 2010 (aged 35) Port-au-Prince, Haiti |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician Singer-songwriter Social activist |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, piano, drums |
| Years active | 1987–2010 |
| Labels | Sak Pasé Records |
In 2006, he and Jean held a hip-hop performance in the Bel Air suburb of Port-au-Prince that was part of the USAID-funded Clean Streets project.[4] The following year, he and other Haitian artists held a concert in the Champ de Mars, the largest public square in the capital, along with Wyclef Jean, Akon, and Matt Damon.[5]
On January 12, 2010, at age 35, Jimmy O was crushed inside a vehicle he was apparently driving in downtown Port-au-Prince during the 2010 Haiti earthquake.[1] His mother, his wife, two of his three children, his agent, and a CNN crew were present when Jimmy O's body was discovered and identified three days later.[6][7] His agent said that the loss of Jimmy O "will be tremendous in Haiti."[8]
At the time of his death he was preparing to release his debut album Destiny in the United States.[9]
References
edit- ^ a b c Candiotti, Susan (January 15, 2010). "Haitian hip-hop artist, charity worker found dead after quake". The Marquee Blog. CNN. Archived from the original on 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
- ^ Benjy Eisen (January 15, 2010). "Jimmy O, Haitian Hip-Hop Artist, Confirmed Dead". spinner.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
- ^ "Rap Creole". Last FM. January 25, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
- ^ Amy Bracken (March 21, 2006). "Hip-hop star brings help – and hope – to Haiti". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ "Haïti-Musique : Wyclef Jean, Akon et Matt Damon en concert au Champ de Mars" (in French). AlterPresse. December 14, 2007.
- ^ "Haiti Earthquake: Friday news updates". CNN.com. CNN. January 15, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
- ^ "Rapper Jimmy O Dies in Haiti Earthquake". 3threat Media. January 16, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-18.
- ^ Kaufman, Gail (January 15, 2010). "Haitian Rapper Jimmy O Killed In Earthquake". MTV. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010.
- ^ Devi, Sharmila; Thorne, John (January 22, 2010). "Victims of Haitian earthquake whose contribution to the nation will be greatly missed". The National (Abu Dhabi).
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