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Rihanna enlists Issa Rae and Childish Gambino for her latest project

British  Vogue’s  September cover star Rihanna has called upon Issa Rae and Childish Gambino to host and perform at her fourth annual Diamond Ball, the fundraising gala benefitting the Clara Lionel Foundation.

Rihanna announced her collaborators via Instagram on a glittering slide befitting the black-tie event, which will take place on September 13 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.

So excited to announce that my sis @issarae is hosting this year’s #DiamondBall in exactly one month!! AND @childishgambino is closing out the night with a special performance! SEPT. 13. NYC. Find out how you can attend at 2018diamondball.com 💎 @claralionelfdn

A post shared by badgalriri(@badgalriri) on Aug 13, 2018 at 6:03am PDT

The gala has become a significant date in New York’s social calendar, often coinciding with the city’s fashion show schedule. Last year’s guest list indicates the pulling power of the Bajan pop-icon-turned-beauty-entrepreneur. Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Leonardo DiCaprio attended the Dave Chappelle-hosted event, while Kendrick Lamar and Calvin Harris provided the night’s musical interludes.

The inaugural Diamond Ball in 2015 raised over $3 million according to Claralionelfoundation.org, and it is estimated that last year’s gala amassed over $5 million in donations. Rihanna launched the foundation in 2012 in honour of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite, and with the intent of improving the quality of life of young people around the world through health, education and the promotion of arts and culture.

Current programmes that the foundation is working on include a global scholarship scheme, a centre for oncology and nuclear medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados and the Barbados micro-grants initiative. At the September 13 event, the foundation will also honour the work of fellow human rights campaigner, Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans, who is set to receive the 2018 Diamond Ball Award from Rihanna, herself.

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