Stars Shine at Nelson Mandela Birthday Concert
By
WENN
|
Saturday, June 28, 2008
HOLLYWOOD - A galaxy of stars lit up London's Hyde Park on Friday night to help Nelson Mandela celebrate his 90th birthday.
Amy Winehouse overcame her recent health problems to headline the concert for the former South African president, and she wowed fans with a pitch-perfect performance, which included a duet of "Free Nelson Mandela" with the Special AKA star Jerry Dammers, who penned the freedom anthem.
She was joined onstage by Queen, Josh Groban, Leona Lewis and Razorlight. Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith hosted the party.
The Hancock movie star turned back the years on the mic, performing a short medley of his former hits, including the theme tune to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air--the TV show on which he found fame.
U2 rockers Bono and The Edge--longtime friends of Mandela’s--were stranded in a recording studio in Dublin, Ireland, so they sent a taped message, in which they sang a tribute to Mandela to the tune of Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday."
Elsewhere, Razorlight used the occasion to protest the regime of Robert Mugabe in South Africa's neighboring Zimbabwe. They led the crowd in a chant of "Democracy for Zimbabwe." Spice Girl Geri Halliwell also urged Mugabe to take inspiration from Mandela.
She told the crowd, "When Nelson Mandela speaks, people listen to him. Maybe Mugabe will listen."
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Photo(s) by Dave Edwards- © 2008- DailyCeleb.com- All Rights Reserved
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