Campello (photo by Darrow Montgomery)

Good morning! Lenny Campello, author of the forthcoming book 100 Washington Artists, isn't happy—at all—with Kriston Capps' Arts Desk piece on him from yesterday, and says so at length on his D.C. Art News blog. Jeffry Cudlin—artist, curator, WCP art critic—has some thoughts on his blog, which he gets to after having some fun with his own inclusion in Campello's book:

So, if this were my book, how would I do it? I don't want to diminish for a second the hours, organization, and mental energy that Lenny has put into his book…but it seems to me that to really put this concept to bed, one needs not just to identify a pool of notable working artists, but to sort them according to the various disciplines in which they work.

This imaginary book, then, would survey and classify the various strains of DC gallery culture, with brief intros to each section, and offer a little history, a little criticism, and bios of key players in galleries and museums as well.

Right out of the gate it seems to me that this book would need to account for the division between traditional gallery culture ("new realism", landscape painting, black-and-white street photography, etc.) and avante-garde gallery culture (new media, installation, cross-disciplinary project work, and traditional consumable media oriented toward contemporary art museums/Artforum/Chelsea).

He goes on, and it's worth your time.

Circling back: I've noticed that Campello frequently deploys the term "DMV" on his blog. Apparently a lot of you are doing this! says The Washington Post's Paul Farhi, who details use of the appellation outside the area's hip-hop and go-go scenes. As for its origins? "We would congratulate the originator of 'the DMV,' but it's not clear who should get the props," he writes. One option: WDMV-TV, former name of D.C's Channel 9 (UPDATE: Actually, that's totally not true). More likely? Any of a number of rappers in the local scene. But Sarah Godfrey already wrote that story in Washington City Paper in October 2009.

DCist has some great interviews with local bands this week: Office of Future Plans, who close Fort Reno at the end of the summer; The Shirks; Bellflur. This weekend's Old Bridge Festival was canceled after its venue in rural Virginia fell through. Some of the bands—and some of the kegs!—will instead be at D.C.'s Paper Sun on Saturday. Of course, there's another D.C. music festival going on this weekend in the Virginia wild: Mustock, detailed in today's City Lights pick.

Start your day sweetly and sadly:

I pointed out that athletes generally don't earn a varsity letter until junior year. He smiled.

Anyway: The Letterman dropped about 20 minutes ago. I'm listening now. Grab it for free here.

Ever since his single "The Pocket" started getting radio play in the area a few years ago, Tabi Bonney's been one of D.C.'s most notable and visible and—as you know if you've heard his two albums—best rappers. It's a fact he states early on his new—and incredibly, his first—mixtape, A Place Called Stardom, which spends as much time taking measure of Bonney's career thus far as showcasing some of his more recent activities. Bonney released it today, and you can download the tape for free. There's lots of guests (Wale, Raheem DeVaughn, GZA) and some between-song commentary from Bonney, including the story behind the "Pocket" beat and a meditation on go-go's importance to D.C. youth.

Yéle came under fire over the weekend after the Smoking Gun reported that the organization's tax filings for the years 2005-2007 showed a series of dubious payments to for-profit companies associated with Jean. Yéle's president, Hugh Locke, responded to that report and others in a statement, and Jean recorded a video that the organization uploaded to YouTube. According to Yéle's Web site, the organization "uses music, sports and the media to reinforce projects that are making a difference in education, health, environment and community development."

In a press conference this afternoon, Locke and Jean apologized for what they characterized as accounting mistakes but defended the intent of the organization's actions—including paying $100,000 to a recording studio owned by Jean for the production and performance of a 2006 benefit concert in Monte Carlo, and paying $250,000 for airtime for educational programming to a Haitian television station owned by Jean. "Have we made mistakes before? Yes. Did I ever use Yéle money for personal benefits? Absolutely not," Jean said. Locke said that in the past, Yéle used companies partially owned by Jean and board member Jerry Duplessis for cheaper, quicker access to services, but that it would not do so in the future.

A spokesperson for the 9:30 Club, Audrey Schaefer, said the venue has been following reports on Yéle. "We feel a very strong sense of confidence [in Yéle] in terms of the reaction to the report and in terms of what Wyclef himself is saying."

"I think it’s fair for every organization to meet a standard and we’ll continue to watch it, but from what we’re seeing so far it’s an organization that’s run well," Shaefer said. "And frankly, we don’t want people to get distracted. There’s a great need there. Even Wyclef said [in his video], 'Examine us, if you want to give somewhere else, just give.' "

Members of the group organizing the event, DMV Supports Haiti, held several conference calls over the weekend to discuss the allegations that Yéle has mishandled its finances. "We’re very confident in responding the organization. We stand firm in our decision," said Candice Mackel, the publicist for the event. "We’re just looking to have a wonderful show and to keep in mind that this is for Haiti. This is for a good cause. We just want to keep it positive."

The concert, which will feature performances from Wale, Tabi Bonney, D.C. Don Juan, Phil Adé, XO, Kingpen Slim, and others, will also benefit Partners in Health, a Boston-based nonprofit that operates nearly a dozen hospitals in Haiti. The organization is helping rehabilitate the public University Hospital in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital which was decimated by the earthquake last week. The top U.S. military commander in Haiti, Lt. Gen. P. K. Keen, has estimated that 150,000 to 200,000 have died since the quake hit.

The concert will likely sell out, Schaefer said.

Yéle Haiti is currently collecting supplies for an airlift sometime this week out of Miami. At the press conference, Locke said that because of Jean's iconic status among Haitians and the group's on-the-ground knowledge of the country, Yéle should play an essential role in relief and rebuilding efforts. He said a law firm, DLA Piper, and an auditing firm, Grant Thornton, will oversee Yéle's relief efforts. Locke said the group hopes to raise $1 million a day.

Jean, who spent three days last week in Haiti, said he hopes that Yéle will assist with an eventual evacuation of Port-au-Prince. “I give you my word, if I tell them to go, they will go,” he said.

Wyclef Jean

UPDATE – 7:55 p.m.: Hugh Locke, the president of Yéle Haiti, has released a statement: "Wyclef Jean, the founder of Yéle Haiti has never profited from his organization." Read the full statement at the bottom of the article. Original post below:

On Monday, some of the District's biggest rap names will perform at the 9:30 Club to raise money for charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti—but one of those organizations, Yéle Haiti, has an inconsistent history of reporting its finances to the IRS, and has made a series of dubious payments to companies associated with its founder, the Haitian-born performer Wyclef Jean.

One organizer of the concert, Yodit Gebreyes, was surprised to learn of the reports of the charity's history, but stressed that the show will go on—and, for the time being, plans to donate proceeds to Yéle Haiti will not change.

The Smoking Gun reports today that the Wyclef Jean Foundation, which conducts business as the Yele Haiti Foundation, only began filing tax returns last August—for the years 2005, 2006, and 2007—despite being incorporated and active for 12 years. In 2006 and 2007, the Smoking Gun reports, the charity paid $31,000 a year in rent to Platinum Sound, a recording studio in Manhattan that Jean owns with Jerry Duplessis, who is a board member of the foundation along with Jean. Jean also received $100,000 from the foundation for "musical performance services" at a fundraiser. And in 2006, the foundation paid $250,000 for "TV airtime and production services" to Telemax, S.A., which is a for-profit company that Jean and Duplessis own "a controlling interest" in. According to the Christian Science Monitor, Yéle put nearly a quarter of its revenues to operating and fundraising costs in 2006 and 2007.

Gebreyes, a graduate student at Georgetown who runs the nightlife and marketing Web site TalkofDC.com, said the group organizing the show, DMV Helps Haiti, is taking the Smoking Gun report seriously.

"Of course with allegations like these, we definitely take them to heart," she said, noting the good reputation of the other charity the concert will give money to, Partners in Health.

Gebreyes said she would discuss with other organizers the efforts and actions of Yéle Haiti, which has raised over $2 million since a 7.0 earthquake decimated the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince earlier this week. She said the group may re-examine Yéle Haiti, and may decide to donate less money raised by the concert to the organization. "It’s kind of sad that something like this could mess it up," she said. "We’re going to hope that it’s not true and that if it is, they’re going to fix that."

Jean, who was born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, is currently in the island nation helping with relief efforts.

A spokesperson for the 9:30 Club, who had not read the Smoking Gun report, said the venue was approached this week by DMV Helps Haiti and quickly agreed to stage the concert. "For us it was a natural thing to say yes to," said Audrey Schaefer. "We were dark on Monday. [Headliner] Wale was available on Monday.” She stressed that the venue will donate 100 percent of the evening's proceeds to the two charities, that the club's employees are donating their wages for the night, and that the ticketing service, Ticketfly, will waive its usual percentage.

“Wyclef Jean is walking around Haiti with President Clinton, and all the eyes of the world are on Haiti and the organizations helping there, so I trust that those organizations are doing the right thing,” Schaefer said. "We will take it upon ourselves to see where [the money] goes. We’re the ones writing the check.”

Andrew Marx, the communications director of Partners in Health, said concertgoers should feel confident giving money to that charity. “We have really been in a position to provide effective relief. We’ve been working in Haiti for 25 years, and we have 10 functioning hospitals north of the city that were not damaged.” Although the closest hospital Partners in Health runs is about two hours north of Port-au-Prince, the organization has been treating victims since the earthquake hit, and is currently preparing a team to send into the capital city.

Tabi Bonney, one of the evening's performers, wrote in an e-mail: "I just got a call & agreed to perform for the people of Haiti brother. I am sure that the proceeds will go to the PEOPLE OF HAITI. God is too great!"

UPDATE – 7:55 p.m.: A statement from Hugh Locke—one which leaves Gawker, quoting an anonymous source it says is familiar with the charity, feeling skeptical:

Statement by Hugh Locke, President of Yéle Haiti

“Wyclef Jean, the founder of Yéle Haiti has never profited from his organization. It’s a shame that during this international emergency, we have had to divert resources away from our response efforts to address these allegations.”

Yéle Haiti Financial Facts

Fact: Yéle Haiti, originally called the Wyclef Jean Foundation, filed a tax return in 2000 and then suspended activities until 2005 and so was not required by law to file a tax return until it resumed operation.

Fact: Yéle Haiti received a clean bill of health in independent external audits conducted in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 by the firm of Tempesta & Farrell, P.C..

Fact: Yéle Haiti was guided by the firm of Grant Thornton LLP to ensure that all transactions involving board members Wyclef Jean and Jerry Duplessis were conducted to fully comply with both the spirit and letter of the law governing such matters.

Fact: Yéle Haiti offices are located in Platinum Sound, the recording studio owned by Wyclef and Jerry Duplessis in order to save money. The organization pays only $2,600 a month for the space and a shared reception service, instead of considerably more for the same arrangement in midtown Manhattan.

Fact: Wyclef Jean was paid $100,000 in connection with a benefit concert in Monte Carlo in 2006, which was organized by a for-profit organization. The vast majority of that amount went towards costs related to the performance, including the hiring of backing musicians and other costs related to the production.

Fact: Yéle Haiti purchased $250,000 of airtime on the commercial television station Telemax in Haiti that is owned by Wyclef and Jerry. We have documentation allocating the hundreds of hours of Yéle programming, over several years, that addressed a wide range of development and social issues in Haiti.

This just in:  Wale, Tabi Bonney, XO, Phil Adé, Kingpen Slim, and a number of other area rappers will perform at 9:30 Club on Monday to raise money for Haiti relief efforts. All proceeds will go the Partners in Health Organization and Yéle Haiti, the charity founded by Wyclef Jean. Tickets went on sale... about three minutes ago.

Check out our list of other arts-related Haiti benefits. Press release after the jump:

JUST ANNOUNCED AT THE 9:30 CLUB

Wale Headlines Haiti Benefit Concert

Monday, January 18th 2010

D.C. Artists and Venue Band Together, All Proceeds Go to Haiti Earthquake Relief Washington, D.C. (January 15, 2010)- D.C. artists are coming together Monday, January 18th at the 9:30 Club to raise much-needed financial support for earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Wale, coming off of two sold-out shows at the 9:30 Club earlier this month, will headline. He’ll be supported by other D.C. area artists including D.C. Don Juan, Tabi Bonney, Phil Ade, XO, Kingpen Slim, K-Beta, Que (formerly of Day26) – and special surprise guests will take the stage as well. The benefit concert will be hosted by Chris Cole of BET’s College Hill South Beach.   Organized by DMV Helps Haiti, all ticket sales will be donated to the Partners in Health Organization and Yéle Haiti, founded by Wyclef Jean.   The artists are donating their performances, the 9:30 Club has donated the use of the venue, club employees are donating their wages and the advance ticket sales service charge also will be donated.   General admission and VIP tickets are available at the 9:30 Club box office and at http://www.930.com. The 9:30 Club is located at 815 V St NW, Washington, D.C. Doors for Monday’s show open at 6pm.   About Yéle Haiti: Founded in 2005 by Grammy Award winning musician, humanitarian and Goodwill Ambassador to Haiti Wyclef Jean, Yéle Haiti is a grassroots movement that builds global awareness for Haiti while helping to transform the country through programs in education, sports, the arts and the environment. Yéle’s community service programs include food distribution and mobilizing emergency relief.  

About Partners In Health: Partners In Health (PIH) works to bring modern medical care to poor communities in nine countries around the world. The work of PIH has three goals: to care for our patients, to alleviate the root causes of disease in their communities, and to share lessons learned around the world. Based in Boston, PIH employs more than 11,000 people worldwide, including doctors, nurses and community health workers.

About DMV: Just one tweet on Twitter by Yodit Gebreyes grew into an initiative to help Haiti.  Gebreyes, together with other young entrepreneurial professionals in the DMV (DC/MD/VA) area, many from Haiti or with family ties there, created DMV Helps Haiti. At first it was to be just one event at Busboys and Poets, but as the discussions continued, the group knew they would have to have a larger event, the mother of them all: the DMV Helps Haiti Benefit Concert. "Never before have I felt like I needed to do something to help. After watching the news and seeing images of people who have lost everything, I knew that it was our duty as mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, citizens, human beings to do the right thing and get involved whether its through volunteering, sending an email, a text message, donating to a cause, or telling a friend." — Says Yodit.

About the 9:30 Club:  Multiple winner of both Billboard’s and Pollstar’s Nightclub of the Year awards, the 9:30 Club (www.930.com) is the inimitable place bands aspire to play and music fans love to attend – a destination for locals and people from across the country. Gracing the stage have been legends Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Al Green, and James Brown; recently discovered acts like The Arctic Monkeys, Wolfmother, Katy Perry and Lily Allen, and arena acts looking for an intimate club play such as Justin Timberlake, the Smashing Pumpkins and Foo Fighters.  The 9:30 Club is located at 9th and V streets, NW, Washington, D.C.

• "DMV Helps Haiti" at Busboys & Poets: There will be a discussion, an open mic, and an auction featuring works by Demont Peekaso. Suggested donation: $10. Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
• A Benefit for the Victims of the Haiti Earthquake at the Black Cat: Sets from Tennis System, the State Department, and more. $10. Feb. 6 at 9 p.m.
• Cheeky Monkey Sideshow benefit at Palace of Wonders: $10, Friday at 10 p.m. Sideshow freaks and burlesque for a good cause!
• Not really arts-related, but cool: CrisisCamp Haiti at Sunlight Labs. The event "will bring together volunteers to collaborate on technology projects which aim to assist in Haiti's relief efforts by providing data, information, maps and technical assistance to NGOs, relief agencies and the public." Free. Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Dubfire's going to be doing something. Nadastrom too.
• Diamonds in the Rough is hosting a benefit on Monday.
• Liberated Muse will host a benefit concert on Feb. 12 and is looking for performers.
• The Liberation Dance Party at DC9 will donate all proceeds to the Red Cross. $7. Friday at 9 p.m.

We'll list more events as they're announced. E-mail me if I've missed anything.

One. One. Ten, his second proper full-length for Studio 43 (the area label that first put out Wale), plays like a stream-of-consciousness love letter to D.C.—quite literally, in fact, in the case of “City Loves Me Back,” a checklist of the city’s underground and black touchstones, from graffiti legend Cool “Disco” Dan and mambo sauce to one-time drug kingpin Cornell Jones and the legendary go-go venue Ibex.

Read the full review, and download the album for free here.

Read the full City Lights pick here; show deets after the jump:

WALE PERFORMS AT 11:30 P.M. AT THE 9:30 CLUB, 815 V ST. NW. $10-$25. (202) 265-0930.

The Internet feels pretty bleak today, but a couple of new songs from local artists caught my eye:

Rapper XO will drop his album One One Ten this Friday—that'd be Jan. 1, 2010, natch—at a release party at K Street Lounge, and he just leaked a track called "Blah Blah." It's produced by Oddisee, one of XO's Diamond District partners, and the beat sports a funky, brassy horn sample that I'm going to spend the rest of the day tracking down.  Hear "Blah Blah" here.

The Sleigher has hung up his Santa cap until Winter 2010, so he isn't able to devote any words to "Holiday (Be Good to Me)," a new yuletide-themed song from Middle Distance Runner. The local indie poppers recently recorded the ditty—a desperate, if also strangely chipper, plea for a happy holiday—and released it for free earlier this month. You can download it here.