Beyonce to Donate Percentage of Her Proceeds from Verizon Ladies First Tour to Nelson Mandela's 46664 Global Aids Initiative

International pop superstar Beyonce will donate a percentage of her proceeds from the Verizon Ladies First Tour to Nelson Mandela's 46664 global AIDS initiative. The multi-platinum recording artist has earmarked fifty cents from each ticket sold to the Ladies First Tour to benefit 46664.

"I am delighted that Beyonce is continuing to support 46664, particularly as she gave so generously of her time last November when she joined me in Cape Town for '46664: The Concert,'" said Mr. Mandela. "By pledging to donate part of her tour receipts to our campaign she is showing her commitment again. Her leadership, and the involvement of the people of America, is critical in our mission to raise global awareness of HIV/AIDS, as well as funds to help us support those affected by AIDS and prevent the further spread of HIV in Africa. I wish her well on the tour, and thank her and all the 46664 artists for their incredible continuing support."

About 46664

46664 was the prison number of Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, Cape Town where he was held in captivity for 18 years.

Nelson Mandela gave his prison number 46664 to Dave Stewart of Eurythmics in November of last year who then asked the late Joe Strummer to write lyrics for a song that included the 46664 prison number. Stewart completed the song with Bono the two of them recorded it as the first of a series of co-writes together for the 46664 campaign.

Recordings have continued ever since, with Stewart, Bono, Brian May and Roger Taylor joining with a host of other leading world artists in sessions which have taken place in London, New York and Los Angeles. To date over a dozen new tracks have been completed, or are in the final stages of being recorded.

Having created the momentum for the creation and recording of new material which would be used to support the fight of AIDS in South Africa through the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Stewart then came up with the idea of trying to get Nelson Mandela's prison number to work as a telephone number and web site in order to create a new way of donating and bringing awareness to Mr. Mandela's appeal.

The result was 46664, a global initiative that has brought together the leading music icons of our time to spread the message "Give 1 Minute of Your Life To Stop AIDS."

With an astounding 25% of the South African population affected by the HIV/AIDS virus, 46664 will benefit the Nelson Mandela Foundation's work in the country and raise awareness of the Global AIDS Fund's work throughout the world. In addition, 46664's aim is to raise awareness of the pandemic sweeping across the continent and to call governments into action.

The highlight and celebration of the campaign was "46664 - The Concert" in Association with MTV's Staying Alive at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town on 29th November 2003, the weekend before World AIDS Day (December 1)

The concert took place in front of an audience of 40,000 and was broadcast to hundreds of millions around the world via TV, webcast and radio. To date those international artists who have committed to joining leading South African artists Watershed, Bongo Maffin, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Johnny Clegg & Sipho Mchunu, Ladysmith Black Mombaza, Danny K, Zola, and Ready D, include Anastacia, Baaba Maal, Beyonce, Bono, Eurythmics, The Corrs, Angelique Kidjo, Moloko, Paul Oakenfold featuring Shifty Shell Shock and TC, Queen, Youssou N'Dour, and Zucchero.

46664 The CD is planned for release early 2004 featuring the artists previewed on the telephone and the artists who appeared in the concert alongside additional tracks from some of the world's most outstanding artists.

46664 The DVD is planned for release March next year featuring the entire concert together with a wealth of behind-the-scenes footage.

About Beyonce & the Verizon Ladies First Tour

Beyonce recently joined Alicia Keys and Missy Elliott on the historic Verizon Ladies First Tour, the artist's first U.S. tour in support of her #1 multi-platinum debut solo album, Dangerously In Love, which earned her five 2004 Grammy Awards including Best Contemporary R&B Album and Best R&B Song for "Crazy In Love," her smash single featuring Jay-Z. With her recent win of five Grammys, Beyonce tied the record set by Lauryn Hill in 1999 -- and later tied by Alicia Keys (2001) and Norah Jones (2002) -- for the most Grammys to be won in a single year by a female artist.

As a founding member of Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling female groups of all time, Beyonce is one of the most widely-recognized and highly- respected women in pop music. With many of the group's hit recordings co-written and co-produced by Beyonce, Destiny's Child has sold more than 40 million albums and singles worldwide and earned an astounding 22 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum RIAA certifications since the group's recorded debut in November 1997.

Beyonce's burgeoning career as an actress began in 2001 with the lead role in the MTV film "Carmen: A Hip Hopera." She displayed her comedic prowess as "Foxxy Cleopatra" in 2002's "Austin Powers In Goldmember," starring Mike Myers. She starred opposite Cuba Gooding, Jr., in 2003's "The Fighting Temptations."

Beyonce has earned numerous accolades including Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, World Music Awards, and the prestigious NAACP Image Award. When Beyonce won the 2001 ASCAP Pop Songwriter of the Year Award, she became the first African-American woman -- and the second woman ever -- to receive that honor.

"A tragedy of unprecedented proportions is unfolding in Africa. Aids today in Africa is claiming more lives than the sum total of all wars, famines and floods and the ravages of such deadly diseases as Malaria"

  "We must act now for the sake of the world"

  "Aids is no longer a disease it is a human rights issue"

  Nelson Mandela - International AIDS Conference - Paris

  For more information on 46664, please visit: www.46664.com

  www.beyonceonline.com
  www.columbiarecords.com

SOURCE: Columbia Records

CONTACT: Yvette Noel-Schure of Columbia Records, New York,
+1-212-833-4483, or yvette_noel-schure@sonymusic.com

Web site: http://www.46664.com/
http://www.beyonceonline.com/
http://www.columbiarecords.com/