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Muammar Abu Minyar el-Qaddafi has been the ruler of Libya since 1969, when he led a successful military coup and claimed the country as an Arab republic. The man, whose Marxist, Islamic and socialist ideologies helped him to achieve the position of the "longest-ruling leader in Africa and the Arab world," is known not only for his terrorist and oppressive tactics but also for his quirkiness.
A flamboyant figure, who is exceedingly rich (with a penchant for Bedouin tents), heavily armed virginal female bodyguards, flowing robes and aviator glasses, Quaddafi loves to spend lavishly on arms and perks for those loyal to him and his sons.
As a matter of fact, a whistle-blower website stated:
"All of the (Muammar) Qaddafi children and favorites are supposed to have income streams from the National Oil Company and oil service subsidiaries."
It's no secret that through the years celebrities have been known to rub elbows with autocrats. In many cases, if the money is right, there is no shame in their game. A-listers have often performed or partied with dictators and have accepted "blood money" without even batting an eyelash.
Recently, WikiLeaks reported that the American Embassy in Tripoli informed the State Department in February 2010 of the New Year's Eve bash "reportedly featuring copious amounts of alcohol and a million-dollar personal concert courtesy of Beyoncé, Usher and other musicians." This statement should not make you clutch your pearls, since Beyoncé and Usher do not stand alone. Here is the list of those who have either performed for or visited Qaddafi.
1) It was reported that smooth balladeer Lionel Richie was flown to Libya back in 2006 to perform for Qaddafi to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the U.S. raid on the dictator's compound.
2) In 2008, songbird Mariah Carey decided to pay a visit to the wealthy playground of St. Barts to meet with the family that is known for being riddled with greed, jealousy and ambition. Carey performed at a New Year's Eve party they were throwing and was paid a cool mil by one of Qaddafi's sons and rumored successor Saif al-Islam.
3) Beyoncé Knowles gave a private concert on New Year's Eve 2009 for the dictator's son Hannibal, the black sheep of the family, according to published reports. Beyonce performed five songs, with her hubby Jay-Z in tow, for revelers held at the palatial Qaddafi estate in Gustavia, the capital of the Caribbean island of St. Barts. The rumored fee for Beyoncé's hour-long show was but a mere pittance at $2 million. Reportedly, the diva donated all her earnings to Haitian earthquake relief efforts. There were some doubting Thomases and Thomasina's with regards to Beyoncé's selfless act until a rep for the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund confirmed that she did in fact donate $1 million to the Clinton Foundation shortly after the January 12, 2010, earthquake. Is she now deserving of a "Halo?"
4) When singing diva Beyoncé stepped down from the stage, heartthrob Usher stepped up. Qaddafi made "Usher wanna...," but exactly how much did the sultry R&B crooner charge for a sampling of his silky vocals? Well, mum's the word!
5) It's no secret that the Qaddafi men love beautiful women. As a matter of fact, in 2009, the Libyan leader hosted a soiree in Rome and was flanked by 200 beautiful, young Italian women who were hired by a modeling agency, as per his request. So why wouldn't the Qaddafi playboys extend an invite to one of their swanky parties to supermodels Miranda Kerr and Victoria Slivstedt, who, of course, didn't turn them down.
6) Canadian singer, songwriter and record producer Nelly Furtado seems to have developed a conscience, but it took her four years to get one! The songstress tweeted recently that she performed for the Qaddafi clan back in 2007 and was paid a cool mill for just a 45-minute gig. Furtado now says that she plans on donating the money to charity. Gurl, what took you so long?
7) In 2005, rap mogul 50 Cent performed for Qaddafi's son, Muatassim, Libya's national security advisor, at a film festival in Venice. "Hey 50, how about asking yourself "21 Questions!" Why did you do it? Why did you do it? Why did you do it...?
Will other "blood money" takers follow suit? The clock starts ticking now!
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