(AllHipHop News) Organizers of an upcoming telethon produced by MTV to benefit Haiti have denied reports that rapper Kanye West not invited to the event.
The Hope for Haiti telethon is slated to air tonight (January 22) on a number of television networks and will feature various stars campaigning to raise money for the Haiti.
Guests include former President Bill Clinton, Clint Eastwood, Chris Rock, Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Tom Hanks and others.
Performers on the telethon include Wyclef Jean, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kid Rock, Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Keith Urban, Mary J. Blige, U2 and numerous others.
Reports have been circulating that West was banned from the event, due to his infamous outbursts, most notably during a 2005 telethon to raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims and again in 2009, when he interrupted country singer Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Best New Artist during the MTV Music Awards.
Representatives for MTV claimed that they did indeed approach Kanye West to participate, but he was unavailable.
“The report is absolutely false. MTV talent executives involved with booking the telethon contacted Kanye’s management and label about having him perform,” a source told Access Hollywood. “Unfortunately, he is unavailable and regrettably unable to participate.”
Kanye West is in the recording studio working on new material.
The Hope for Haiti Now two-hour telethon starts tonight at 8:00 PM and will be hosted by Wyclef Jean in New York, George Clooney in Los Angeles and CNN‘s Anderson Cooper, direct from Haiti.
