Beyonce has been blasted for accepting $2 million to perform at a private New Year's Eve concert for the son of controversial Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Beyonce graced the stage for an hour at the Nikki Beach nightclub on the Caribbean isle of St. Bart's, in front of a crowd that included her husband Jay-Z, Lindsay Lohan and Usher.

Guests allegedly paid $12,000 per table for tickets to the private party, hosted by Hannibal Gaddafi - but the Crazy In Love hitmaker has come under increasing criticism for agreeing to perform at the controversial bash.

Columbia University media professor Ma rc Lamont Hill says, "Beyonce's handlers usually make really good decisions about where she's going to perform... So it seems to me that someone was asleep at the wheel, or the money was so overwhelming that they said, 'Screw the public image, we're going to take the cash.'"