28 Unforgettable ESSENCE Meal Times must go down in history

1995: Aaliyah takes the stage

We are thrilled to have beloved R&B singer Aaliyah who has improved the stage in the history of the Festival. At the time, he was enjoying the success of his first album and stole the hearts of music lovers one clean bop at a time.

1996: The Fugees The Blaze Stage in their Prime

The lineup for the 1996 ESSENCE Festival featured a popular rap trio, The Fugees. The band has run high on the success of their sophomore album, The number, and have recently released their hit single, ‘Killing Me Softly,’ which has been the scandal in the arena for the rise of the upcoming Hip Hop icon, Lauryn Hill.

2001: Destiny’s son begins their ESSENCE Fest Debut

Just two months after the release of their first album as a third in 2001, Destiny’s Child lit up the main stage of the ESSENCE Festival with a flawless performance of their hit single. , reminding the world that they are truly, “They are living.”

2003: Patti LaBelle, Gerald Levert, Faith Evans, Usher & More Pay Tribute To Luther Vandross

R&B legend Luther Vandross was originally scheduled to play at the 2003 ESSENCE Festival, but when he was locked in a coma for months that separated his face, some of the fans joined in. very big name in the song to honor him with a whole new song. the unparalleled tax.

2005: “We like Old Kanye …”

Attending the ESSENCE Festival for the first time with a live performance, 28 -year -old Kanye West is an embarrassing month away from releasing his sophomore album, College Dropout, and is only days away from starting. before what is to be revealed. One of the greatest hits of his career (Gold Digger).

2007: Presidential Candidate Barack Obama blows up the ESSENCE Fest Crowd

Just 5 months after announcing his historic run for president, Senator Barack Obama took the stage at the ESSENCE Festival to speak to the many supporters from the community who are working hard to help. To become the country’s first Black president. .

2007: Queen Bey is present

Although Beyonce has touched on the stage of ESSENCE Fest several times before with her band members Destiny’s Child, 2007 marked her first musical career. Needless to say, it was epic.

2008: A storm on the climb takes the building down

When Rihanna hit the grounds of the ESSENCE Festival in 2008, she was on her way to becoming the world superstar she is today. His single, ‘Take A Bow’ was at the top of the charts with his 2007 album, The fair maiden has gone astray; he encouraged her as a young woman who just kept going.

2014: A musical story is presented at ESSENCE Fest in production

Less than two years before he passed away in 2016, Prince delighted the Superdome crowd with one of the most entertaining performances in ESSENCE Festival history to celebrate the 20th anniversary of ESSENCE Fest with very large.

2015: ESSENCE Fest hosts Kendrick Lamar

One of the strongest young voices in music today brought his outstanding records and platinum-selling sound to the ESSENCE Festival venue to close out the 2015 Festival weekend as the he can.

2015: Aint No Party Like A Missy Elliott Party

When Missy Elliott, the lively entertainer and crowd, took to the stage, it was an unstoppable party from the very beginning and her start of 2015 was no different at the ESSENCE Festival stage!

2016: Queen Oprah gives a speech

During her first appearance at the ESSENCE Festival, pioneering talk show host, actress and media mogul Oprah Winfrey was on fire when she took to the stage to deliver a memorable speech. Not during the day’s program at the Convention Center.

2016: The naughty boy is alive

Diddy, Mase, 112, Total, Faith Evans and the Bad Boy family hit the grounds of the ESSENCE Festival to give the world a glimpse of their reunion journey in the 20th year. download from their work on the 2017 summer blockbuster, Girls’ Tour.

2016: Braxton Sisters pay tribute to Toni Braxton

20 years after his sophomore album, Secretdrumming on concerts with songs like “Un-Break My Heart” and “You’re Makin ‘Me High,” Braxton’s sisters Tamar, Traci, Towanda and Trina honored their sister Toni with a mesmerizing soundtrack.

2016: A Thought Diva takes the stage

Mariah Carey sang to the entire audience when she hit the ESSENCE Festival stage for the first time in 2016 to run her list of hits while entertaining the audience with change clothes.

2016: A Love Star To The Clark Sisters

The Legendary Gospel music trio, The Clark Sisters, received a musical honors in 2016 featuring some of the most amazing voices in music with Cake Wyatt, Yolanda Adams, Kierra Clark-Sheard, Ledisi, Kelly Price, Chrisette Michele , Tasha Page- Lockhart and others.

2017: The ‘Travel Girl’ Takeover

The host of ‘Girls Trip’ — filmed on location at the 2016 ESSENCE Fest — moved the Festival crowd all weekend as they traveled to the stage for several shows on the program of the day and sit with us in the evening concert.

2017: Miss Ross, Director

The film hit the ESSENCE Festival stage for the first time with a headline performance that included some beautiful changing costumes and a chorus.

2017: The Return of Xscape

After 20 years apart, some of the most beloved 90s girl groups have reunited in the air for their first live performance during an epic ESSENCE Festival.

2017: Solange takes her seat at the ESSENCE Fest table

The strong entertainer and gatekeeper of all things Black Girl Magic, Solange won the ESSENCE Festival stage with a soundtrack and soundtrack from her Grammy Award winning album, Sitting At The Table.

2018: A country favorite makes its ESSENCE Fest Debut

NOLA Bounce took the queen of Big Freedia to the stage for her ESSENCE Festival event that saw the city grow in size.

2018: Janet begins

Revealing during the show that he decided to stop his head work at the Festival, the comedy film reinforced one of the most difficult moments of his life to give the ESSENCE Fest audience a memorable experience. Not to them. He paused during the show to talk about his father’s sudden passing for the first time.

2018: Finding the truth about criminal justice and the black community

Hip Hop artist Remy Ma and Meek Mill shared the scene for the first time sharing their personal experiences during a face -to -face conversation with veteran historian Lester Holt. relating to the fundamental importance of criminal justice.

2018: The Heart of Fantasia

No stranger to lighting up the ESSENCE Festival scene every time he touched it, we thought we had a Fantasia R&B powerhouse artist. But when his brother joined him on the field after telling the story of a tragedy that nearly took his life a year ago, he wept for the whole audience.

2018: Black Women Mayors raise their voices

Months before one of the most important elections of our time a year saw the countless black women in the country going into the political arena, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and Gary Indiana Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson joined for a motivational talk at the Museum.

2019: SoSo Def takes over the Superdome

Jermaine Dupri had the entire Superdome on their feet from start to finish when he brought a star -studded SoSo Def team to the field.

2019: The First Lady forever

Forever First Lady Michelle Obama caught everyone’s eye as she graced the Superdome Festival grounds for the first time in 2019.

2019: Meet the Candidates

One of the 2020 Democratic Presidential candidates brought their A-game to the Festival’s Wealth & Power stage in 2019 for the first time, with current Vice President Kamala Harris.