Haitian hip-hop artist, charity worker found dead after quake

[The Straight Story]

Haitian hip-hop artist, charity worker found dead after quake

Jimmy O, a well-known singer and songwriter in Haiti who also was active in hip-hop artist and philanthropist Wyclef Jean's charity, is dead.

Jimmy O, 35, was crushed in a vehicle during the 7.0-magnitude earthquake, apparently while he was driving in downtown Port-au-Prince.

CNN was on the scene when his body was discovered Friday. A man examined the body and pulled from one of the victim's pants pocket the artist's passport. CNN saw the document, which verified the man was Jimmy O, whose legal name was Jean Jimmy Alexandre.

Jimmy O's family and agent, who were on the scene, also verified his identity. "His loss will be tremendous in Haiti," said the agent, Henry Robert Dominique.

Dominique said Jimmy O helped run Yele Haiti, a grass-roots charitable organization established by Jean in 2005. And as a musician, Jimmy O helped develop new talent and artists in the impoverished nation, Dominique said.

http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2010/01/15/haitian-hip-hop-artist-charity-worker-found-dead-after-quake/?hpt=T2