The Clara Lionel Foundation, an organization named in honor of Pop star/business mogul Rihanna’s late grandmother, raises funds to promote emergency response programs, increasing efforts for global education, and more. Its crowning glory to date comes courtesy of the annual Diamond Ball – a social event that not only raises money for its primary causes but also has become one of its season’s ‘must attend’ event for industry A-listers.
Annually honoring a humanitarian whose efforts align with the foundation’s vision, the previous winners of the ceremony’s highlight – the coveted Diamond Ball Award – have usually been lauded for being named the year’s honoree. 2019 cannot boast the same, however. Just hours after Rih took to press to say…
“I can’t imagine a better night than this year’s Clara Lionel Foundation event with Seth Meyers, Pharrell and DJ Khaled,” Rihanna said in a statement obtained by Variety. “I am particularly honored to present Prime Minister Mottley and Shaun King with this year’s Diamond Ball Awards for their groundbreaking work. We are so thankful to them for joining us and making the night better than ever.”
I’m really wondering why people find it so shocking that Rihanna is honoring Shaun King. This girl have a track record of being problematic but she’s y’all relatable queen. pic.twitter.com/1Amxxf3qZ0
— my original account got suspended on April 14 (@mayMing04) August 22, 2019
While Shaun King has made a career as a champion for civil rights publicly (even honored by the BET Awards as a ‘Humanitarian Hero’ in 2018), there have been longstanding murmurs about the 39-year-old allegedly misallocating funds raised for Black families affected by police brutality and discrimination, plagiarizing many of his written works, and misreporting facts to stir controversy among his followers.
Once Twitter got wind of news he would be among the year’s honorees at the 2019 Diamond Ball there were calls for Rihanna to reconsider. See highlights below:
Chile she needs to change this before they start dragging her.
Lol all this outrage and I bet none of them ever donated a penny to the charity anyway
Shaun king is not even black, he is white. He is doing black face. He is over exaggerating his black features.
He is the Male Rachel Dolezal
Rihanna I cant believe u will do something like this. I pegged u as someone intelligent.
And what on earth made you think that? Lol
Rihanna intelligent??? Bitchhhh!!!!! LOL She is almost at Beyonce´s level 🙂
Lmao damn, Rihanna can’t be THAT dumb can she lol?
this post is semi-racist
Yeah rih probably thought she was doing something when she honoured him. Used to think he was about social justice until I did a little research his just like any other white person profiting of black people in some shape or another.
I don’t know who this guy is, but people need to stop expecting these rich, coddled, out of touch celebrities to be social justice warriors. With that being said, Rihanna needs to have this dude removed from the program for her own sake.
Dammm Ritry really lost her sexual appeal, which was the only valuable thing she had for the music industry.
I mean, Is anyone surprised? Rihanna’s interest in social issues has never gone beyond a surface level understanding. She always expresses herself like a teenager. With childish insults, expletives, and basic liberal talking points that she heard somebody else say. Shaun King is right up her alley.
If anyone believes artists like Rihanna actually care about social issues then I have a bridge to sell you in North Korea. Rihanna needs to stay in her lane. Fashion and music. Leave civil rights to the real activists.
Exactly
The PM of Barbados is a woman beater..
The authorities in Barbados turns a blind eye to her atrocities towards women on the island because of who she is..
But I guess awards are being giving away no matter what…
This world we live in
So why should rihanna care what u all think…..its her foundation and last i checked….she does not need anyones permission…..
Everyone who accuses this man of
being no good, shows no facts behind
Their allegations.
Most of you are useless so this would bother you.