Hip-Hop’s 50th birthday was celebrated the ESSENCE way in its forever home of New Orleans and virtually, this past weekend. The unforgettable daytime experiences at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center saw appearances from Vice President Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey, Taraji P. Henson, Kelly Rowland, Jeezy, Rev. Al Sharpton, Ginuwine, and many more, for impactful conversations, panel discussions, and interactive activities from June 29th – July 3rd.
Each day was closed out with crowd-rocking nighttime performances on the Superdome stage, with the festival’s all women in Hip-Hop headliners: Ms. Lauryn Hill who took music devotees back in time on night one with an extraordinary performance to celebrate the iconic 5x Grammy-winning “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” album’s 25th anniversary; Missy Elliott who showed attendees how to ‘work it’ as she took the spotlight on the Superdome stage; and self-proclaimed H-Town hottie Megan Thee Stallion who shut down the festival on night three. Additional Superdome performances included Hip-Hop pioneers Doug E. Fresh, Jermaine Dupri, Ice T, Eve, Remy Ma, and other top talented musicians, including Jill Scott, Ari Lennox, Wizkid, TEMS, Coco Jones, alongside the Crescent City’s very own Lil Wayne, Juvenile and Mia X! More inside…
For the first time in the nearly three-decade relationship between the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® and the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, the event took place throughout the entire Ernest N. Morial Convention Center with the entire Essence Ventures portfolio of brands coming together to create an unmatched experience with unforgettable activations from the debut of AFROPUNK BLKTOPIA™ and Beautycon: ESSENCE Festival of Culture™Edition to impactful conversations on the Global Black Economic Forum™ Headquarters Stage.
The 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® concluded with a celebration of the music, culture, and people in the City of New Orleans with the ESSENCE Family Day™: The Block Party, at Armstrong Park in the heart of the oldest Black neighborhood in the U.S., Tremé. The ultimate reunion for everyone in the family featured local vendors and food. It honored the range of the community’s music scene – from bounce with the Soul Rebels alongside special guest Big Freedia, brass with The Original Pinettes Brass Band, to soul with Tonya Boyd-Cannon, and many more. ESSENCE Family Day™: The Block Party also included a Graffiti Wall & Art Installation created by local New Orleans artist Monique Lorden.
