Essence Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and today they revealed their 25th anniversary performance line-up. Essence Festival 2019 takes place in New Orleans from July 4th to July 7th. The Festival will be hosted by Loni Love with music by D-Nice.
Essence Festival 2019 will celebrate two classic albums which are also celebrating their 25 year anniversary. Nas’ Illmatic album and Mary J. Blige’s What’s The 411?. Both artists will be headlining the Festival this year, Mary for the third year in the row. Missy Elliott was also revealed as a headliner, returning after performing three years ago.
Other Mainstage headliners include H.E.R., Jermaine Dupri, Pharrell Williams, Teddy Riley, Teyana Taylor, Anthony Hamilton, Brandy, Ro James, Timbaland, Lil Jon, Mannie Fresh, Scarface, Da Brat and RBRM (Ronny, Bobby, Ricky & Mike of New Edition).
Essence Festival 2019 performers for the Superlounge include 702, Brownstone, City Girls, Elle Varner, Ginuwine, Jacquees, Mase, NAO, Nomani, Scarface and many many more.
This year Essence Fest line-up will also include a live album recording by PJ Morton with Jojo, Luke James, Mia X, Pell and The Hamiltones.
Are you excited for the Essence Festival 2019 Line-up???
“We are celebrating our 25th anniversary with an extraordinary, multigenerational, cultural celebration featuring nearly 100 Black artists who know that the ESSENCE Festival is ‘home,’” said Michelle Ebanks, CEO of ESSENCE Communications. “Through an imaginative slate of 25th anniversary curations and a fresh take on our night-by-night line-up, this year’s milestone Festival will creatively represent some of our culture’s most important and influential bodies of work – past, present and future. We are excited to place the spotlight on the music that captivated and inspired our global communities—all reimagined exclusively for the ‘only-at-ESSENCE’ Festival stages.”
Each “25th” set will be curated and performed by the original artists, including Mary J. Blige’s My Life, Nas’ Illmatic, Brandy’s Brandy, Scarface’s Diary, Big Daddy Kane’s Daddy’s Home, Da Brat’s Funkdafied, Slick Rick’s Behind Bars and Brownstone’s From the Bottom Up.
- Kicking off Friday night are marquee performances from some of music’s biggest acts including Missy Elliott, RBRM (Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike) and more; opening night will also include a 25th anniversary set presented by Doug E. Fresh that will feature Brandy, Ledisi and Sheila E., MC Lyte, Morris Day, Former Members of New Power Generation, among others.
- Saturday night is anchored by Mary J. Blige, Nas, H.E.R. and more, with 25th anniversary celebrations by some of the most influential names in hip-hop, including Big Daddy Kane, Scarface, Slick Rick and more.
- Closing night on Sunday will feature a performance by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly with a special tribute to Frankie Beverly delivered by Anthony Hamilton; Jermaine Dupri’s Atlanta-focused curation with performances by Musiq Soulchild, Da Brat, Lil Jon and Dem Franchize Boyz; Teddy Riley’s Legends of Music curation that includes Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, Teyana Taylor, MAJOR., Ro James and more; as well as a NOLA-style bounce performance with Mannie Fresh and Big Freedia.
Main Image: Bennett Raglin / Stringer for Getty Images North America
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