Jay-Z’s “Answer The Call” 9/11 Charity Concert

Jay-Z held a news conference today, August 31st, 2009 to discuss the details of his upcoming “Answer The Call” charity concert at Madison Square Garden on September 11th, 2009. The concert will raise money for the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund.

The event is being sponsored by Absolut Vodka, Roc Nation, Live Nation, Citi and Fuse TV, will be televised live on Fuse at 9pm EST on Sept. 11th. All tickets will be priced at $50, with 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales and concert merchandise going to New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund. Additional information can be found at answerthecall.org.

“This all came about September 10th, 2001. I was in Los Angeles shooting a video. The album was to come out the next day. On that day, I got a phone call and a friend of mine said, ‘turn the TV on.’ I turned the TV on and I saw the World Trade Center on fire,” Jay-Z said. “It looked like a movie to me — it didn’t look like anything that could be real. The last thing I was thinking about was the album. The first thing I thought about was, ‘What happens from here? What happens tomorrow? How will this continue?

“I turned the TV on September 12th and I saw footage of these heroic actions, people running to buildings and saving each other and I saw the strength of New York,” Jay-Z continued. “It made me proud. So, as I was embarking on putting out ‘Blueprint 3,’ it was only right that we revisit that day. This is my chance to do something to help out.”