2023 Essence Festival of Culture™ Celebrates Hip-Hop 50 w/Stacked Night-By-Night Evening Concert Series

Essence Festival of Culture
2023 Essence Festival of Culture perfomers

*As culture connoisseurs get ready to put on their flyest fits and kicks, the 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® is rounding out its evening concert series with a night-by-night line-up of musicians, performers, and Hip-Hop and R&B legends at the New Orleans’ Caesar’s Superdome.

This year’s festival marks our first-ever, all-Black women in Hip-Hop headliner line-up of Ms. Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott and Megan Thee Stallion, which has been previously announced. Festival-goers can check out the full star-studded line-up by purchasing single-day tickets, as well as weekend packages, on sale now at www.ESSENCEFestival.com.

Essence Festival 2023
Essence Festival 2023 Photo Courtesy: Essence Communications

On Friday, June 30th, Ms. Lauryn Hill will headline and take music lovers back 25 years, when the iconic 5x Grammy-winning “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” album dropped, with a very special performance to celebrate its milestone anniversary.

Attendees can also expect to see highly anticipated performances from some of the pioneers of Hip-Hop curated by Doug E. Fresh including Big Daddy Kane, EPMD, KRS-One, and Slick Rick. In addition, hitting the stage that night will be performances from Tems, Tobe Nwigwe, Jagged Edge and Ari Lennox, hosted by Deon Cole, and musical sounds by DJ Clark Kent.

Essence 2023
Essence Festival 2023 Photo Courtesy: Essence Communications

Saturday, July 1st, will be sure to show attendees how to ‘work it’ as the first female in Hip-Hop to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Missy Elliott, graces the center stage for a can’t-miss performance! From Philadelphia to the French Quarter, an injection of Philly Soul will pierce through this year’s festival, when the one and only Jill Scott rocks the mic, to bring some Brotherly…and Sisterly Love.

West Coast All-Stars Ice Cube, DJ Quik, Ice T, Yo-Yo, Lady of Rage, J.J. Fad and E-40, will remind, and show, the city of New Orleans that California knows how to party. Jermaine Dupri will curate a special “The South Got Something to Say” performance highlighting some of the biggest Hip-Hop artists from the ATL with Ludacris, T.I., Gucci Mane, Lil Jon and Big Boi.

The second night in the concert series will also include R&B hits from Monica and Coco Jones, hosted by Affion Crockett & Spice Adams, with DJ Kid Capri on the Wheels of Steel.

To close out the festival’s evening concert series on Sunday, July 2nd, 3x Grammy Award-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion, will hit the stage and get attendees in the right mood for a ‘hot girl summer’! Radio icon Angie Martinez is bringing a golden celebration of the women who changed the face of Hip-Hop and influenced culture with a curation of performances by Eve, Salt-N-Pepa, Remy Ma, Trina and New Orleans’ own Mia X. Afrobeats hitmaker and Grammy-award winning artist Wizkid will join the closing night along with R&B songstress Muni Long and Nigerian singer-songwriter Kizz Daniel, hosted by Abbott Elementary breakout star Janelle James with throwback jams and remixes, to keep the party going from DJ Spinderella.

But, nah, there’s more.

Like Hip-Hop, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® is more than just the music. While attendees embark on a celebration of Hip-Hop’s rich history across stages, there will be something for everyone in New Orleans and virtually, that will get the people going. From the ESSENCE stage itself to the Food and Wine Festival to programs promoting health and wellness to discussions about love and relationships to the ESSENCE Film Festival to BeautyCon, even an ESSENCE Spades Tournament, there will be plenty for attendees to experience throughout the four-day event, which kicks off June 29th. So, tap into your inner B-Girl, grab your 54-11’s, and be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime event to give a birthday toast to a genre born in the concrete and, through its pavement, grew into a global shifting entity that affects all aspects of people’s lives. The 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ is presented by Coca-Cola® and major partners, AT&T, Disney and Target.

Attendees can find festival information, sign up for updates, and purchase weekend packages or single-day tickets at www.ESSENCEFestival.com. Join the conversation on social @ESSENCEFest or experience the festival virtually on ESSENCE.com.

MORE NEWS ON EURWEB: ESSENCE Magazine’s ‘Time of Essence’ Set to Premier on OWN – August 18 At 9pm E/P

We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!

A$AP Rocky during trial - screenshot
Drake (Getty)
Tamika Mallory - Getty
D'Angelo - Getty
Gugu Mbatha-Raw via Apple TV+
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3
W. Kamau Bell
Cynthia Erivo - via Instagram
Donald Trump (scowling) - via Grok AI2
NYC Subway
Cherelle Parker - screenshot
Read More
Kanye West and Bianca Censori on Grammy Red Carpet - screenshot
Read More
Beyond the Gates
Read More
Damon Wayans
Read More
Denzel Washington - Gladiator II
Read More
Learjet after crashing - via Grok AI
Read More
Sunny Hostin
Read More
Amtrak
Read More
Will Smith (AI character from 'I Am Legend 2'
Read More
Bevelyn Beatty Williams
Read More

POPULAR

Beyond the Gates
CBS to Air Special on New Daytime Soap Opera 'Beyond The Gates'
Zero Day/Robert De Niro
Netflix Drops Official ‘Zero Day’ Trailer Starring Robert De Niro and Angela Bassett
Taco Bell customer and security guard who slapped her
Crunch Slap Supreme: Taco Bell Security Guard Caught Brutally Slapping Black Woman in Viral Video | WATCH
Irv Gotti - Getty
Irv Gotti's Family Expects a Packed Church for His Funeral at Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral
Raising Kanan Fourth Season
New Trailer for 'Power Book III: Raising Kanan' Hints at Intense Season 4 | Watch
Kendrick Lamar (Getty Images - CNN Newsource)
Who is Worthy to Follow Up Kendrick Lamar At 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show?
Denzel Washington - via Grok AI
Wait. Whaat?! Denzel Washington Forced to 'Slow Down' After Nearly Biting His Tongue Off
Jalen Hurts - Getty
Jalen Hurts' Mother Confronts Fox Sports Analyst Nick Wright over Criticism
Serena Williams - via screenshot
Serena Williams Reveals Kendrick Lamar Requested Her Crip Walk Performance - That's it. No 'Git Back' at Drake