Stunning Stars Celebrate Mandela Day with Commemorative 46664 Concert

by MICHELLE MCKELVEY · July 20, 2009

    [Photos by JIMI CELESTE for PMc] Radio City Music Hall certainly sparkled on Saturday with stars including Lil Kim, Billie Jean King, Jesse McCartney, Josh Groban, Morgan Freeman, and Wycleff Jean who congregated in commemoration for Nelson Mandela at the 46664 Concert. Guests enjoyed performances by Aretha Franklin, Wycleff Jean, Alicia Keys, and Stevie Wonder while honoring the African hero.

    Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island in 1964, and was the 466th prisoner to arrive that year. The prison administration's scheme of numbering prisoners was to follow the sequence number of the prisoner (466 in his case), with the last two digits of the year (64). The number was imposed on him by the prison for over 25 years, until his release in 1990. "Prisoner 46664" continues to be used, as a reverential title for him. Shortly before Joe Strummer's death, he and U2's Bono co-wrote the song "46664" for Mandela as part of the campaign against AIDS in Africa.

    Lil Kim, Cyndi Lauper Lil Kim, Cyndi Lauper

    Duncan Spencer, Alfre Woodard Forest Whitaker, Martin Luther King, Jr. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Dave Stewart, Forest Whitaker, Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Gloria Gaynor Gloria Gaynor

    Josh Groben Josh Groban

    James Pickens, Jr. Jesse McCartney James Pickens, Jr., Jesse McCartney

    Keisha Whitaker, Forest WhitakerMorgan Freeman Keisha Whitaker, Forest Whitaker, Morgan Freeman

    Suzanna Owiyo Wycleff Jean Suzanna Owiyo, Wycleff Jean

    Will.i.am Will.i.am