The gig: The 2013 wedding of the grandson of Kazakhstan’s president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. The pay: Upwards of $3 million. The aftermath: The usually outspoken emcee has remained mum since the incident. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The gig: Singing the birthday song to the president of Turkmenistan at a concert June 30, 2013, in that country. The pay: Undisclosed. The aftermath: “The event was vetted by her representatives. Had there been knowledge of human rights issues of any kind, Jennifer would not have attended,” a statement from the singer’s rep said. Lopez found herself in a similar pinch July 2010, when she canceled a performance in Cyprus after receiving criticism for planning the concert. (Taylor Glascock / For the Times)
The gig: A private 2008 New Year’s Eve concert linked to a Kadafi family member. The pay: $1 million according to Wikileaks. The aftermath: “I was naive and unaware of who I was booked to perform for,” she said in a statement. “I feel horrible and embarrassed to have participated in this mess. Going forward, this is a lesson for all artists to learn from. We need to be more aware and take more responsibility regardless of who books our shows. Ultimately, we as artists are to be held accountable.” Carey now plans to record a new single and donate the profits to human rights issues. (Evan Agostini / Associated Press)
The gig: A private 2009 New Year’s Eve concert with connections to the Kadafi family. The pay: Undisclosed, but rumored at $2 million. The aftermath:“Once it became known that the third party promoter was linked to the [Kadafi] family, the decision was made to put that payment to a good cause, " her spokeswoman Yvette Noel-Schure said in a statement. Overall, Beyonce dodged heavy criticism when she announced she had donated the funds to Haiti earthquake relief more than a year ago. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The gig: A private 2009 New Year’s Eve concert with connections to the Kadafi family. The pay: Undisclosed. The aftermath: “I am sincerely troubled to learn about the circumstances surrounding the Nikki Beach St. Barts event that took place on New Year’s Eve 2009,” Usher told the public in a statement. “I will be donating all of my personal proceeds from that event to various human rights organizations.” (Robert Vos / EPA)
The gig: A 2005 Venice Film Festival party organized by the Kadafi family. The pay: Undisclosed. The aftermath:“In light of the ongoing events in Libya, 50 Cent will be making a donation to UNICEF, which is providing vital relief supplies to meet the needs of women and children at risk during this crisis [in Libya],” a 50 Cent representative said in a statement. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
The gig: Lopez was scheduled to perform at the Cratos Premium hotel in July 2010 in the breakaway north of Cyprus, but backed out before the show. The pay: $3 million, according to reports. The aftermath: “Jennifer Lopez would never knowingly support any state, country, institution or regime that was associated with any form of human rights abuse,” said a statement on her website. It also acknowledged the cancellation as a team decision “that reflects our sensitivity to the political realities of the region.” Greek Cypriots applauded her decision. (Daniele Venturelli / World Music Awards)
The gig: A 2009 private concert arranged by the daughter of Uzbekistan dictator Islam Karimov. The pay: He reportedly made as much as 2 million British pounds. The aftermath: Sting addressed criticism saying he was “well aware of the Uzbek president’s appalling reputation in the field of human rights as well as the environment. I made the decision to play there in spite of that.” He added, “I have come to believe that cultural boycotts are not only pointless gestures, they are counterproductive, where proscribed states are further robbed of the open commerce of ideas and art and as a result become even more closed, paranoid and insular.” (Paul Kane / Getty Images)
