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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Hip-hop took center stage at this summer’s New Orleans Cultural Essence Festival, an event honoring the genre’s 50th anniversary with performances from Lauryn Hill, Megan Thee Stallion and Jermaine Dupri.
Rap artist Doug E. Fresh will curate special performances from other soon-to-be-announced hip-hop pioneers, while Hill will mark the 25th anniversary of her five-time Grammy-winning album, The Wrong Education of Lauryn Hill.
Additionally, the event will honor Dupri, Grammy-winning producer and founder of So So Def Records, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. He will coordinate special performances by some Atlanta artists produced by So So Def. The performers have not been named, but Dupri has worked with Da Brat, Bow Wow, Xscape, Jagged Edge and Anthony Hamilton.
Three-time Grammy-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion, whose credits include hits like “Savage,” “Hot Girl Summer” and “Body,” also headlined.
this festival Scheduled to run from June 30 to July 3, there will be three nights of music at the Superdome beginning that Friday. Other artists scheduled to perform include Monica, Wiz Kidder, Coco Jones and Kiz Daniel, with more artists for the evening concert to be announced at a later date.
Presented by Coca-Cola, the festival features some of the world’s biggest names, including Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Prince, Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Kendrick Lamar and Sean “P. Diddy” comb.
Essence Fest started in 1995 as a one-off event to celebrate Essence Magazine’s 25th anniversary, but it has grown into a major event in New Orleans to promote the city’s summer tourist season.
In addition to concerts, the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center hosts free daytime workshops, as well as the Essence Food and Wine Festival, Beautycon, Essence Authors and other events in the city designed to engage the community and the economy to empower local Black-owned Businesses benefit.
“As the festival with the highest daily attendance in the country, (the festival) continues to be the crown jewel of black culture and plays a key role in amplifying and celebrating the contributions of the black community through business, music and more,” Hakeem Holmes, Vice President, ESSENCE Cultural Festivals explain.
Both Hill and Dupri have ties to Essence. Hill performed at the festival in 1999, and last year, she made a surprise appearance with her former Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean, taking audiences to the edge with their renditions of “Fu-Gee-La” and “Ready or Not.” into orbit.
Dupri shared the 2019 stage with Grammy-winning songstress Mariah Carey, rapper Lil Jon and more.
In 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival will be held virtually. The 2022 edition was held in person and virtually, with 1.9 million in-person and virtual attendees, according to organizers.
Three-night packages to the Superdome concerts are on sale now, starting at $214 plus fees. There are currently no single-night tickets.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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