By Chris Richburg
Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday will include more than cake, as rapper Lil Kim and ‘80s pop songstress Cyndi Lauper take the stage together to help celebrate the occasion during a concert to honor the former South African president.
The three-hour event, which will take place at 8 p.m. July 18 at Radio City Music Hall, will feature what organizers labeled as “special collaborations” between performers.
In addition to Lil Kim and Lauper, Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am will perform with Jesse McCartney at Mandela Day: a 46664 Celebration, while Alicia Keys and Angelique Kidjo share their time on stage.
Soul music queen Aretha Franklin and Josh Groban will also take to the stage in a collaborative performance.
Other entertainers include Stevie Wonder, T-Pain, Queen Latifah, Wyclef Jean, Dave Stewart, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Gloria Gaynor and Zucchero as well as the Soweto Gospel Choir, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Chris Chameleon, former child soldier Emmanuel Jal and others.
Mandela Day: a 46664 Celebration caps off a weeklong series of events in New York City in celebration of Mandela’s life.
Activities include a gala fundraising dinner and a Ralph Appelbaum-designed installation of the Mandela’s life and the work of ambassadors.
Both events will be held at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall.
According to event organizers, the Mandela Day celebration will serve as a global call to action for people to recognize their individual power to make an imprint and help change the world around them for the better.
As a result, 46664 is calling on the public to support the creation of an official Mandela Day that would be held every year on July 18.
A limited number of tickets for Mandela Day: a 46664 Celebration, which range in price from $95 to $250, are currently on sale at http://www.ticketmaster.com, livenation.com and thegarden.com.