*Timing, as they say, is everything. Essence Fest just dropped its 2026 headliners—a massive reunion between Brandy and Monica that had fans ready to book flights to New Orleans. And almost immediately after, an old video resurfaced that has some of those same fans asking a much messier question: should we even be going?
The video, originally posted in July 2023 by activist and former Louisiana political candidate Gary Chambers Jr., is making the rounds again on X (formerly Twitter). In it, Chambers holds up a Temporary Restraining Order and calmly explains how Essence Festival Productions LLC used the courts to shut down a literary event planned by two Black women entrepreneurs during Essence weekend.
It’s not new. But in the context of 2026—after years of simmering frustration over the festival’s direction, unpaid vendor reports, and ongoing debates about ownership—it’s landing like a bomb.
African Owned Essence Fest name is ruined pic.twitter.com/qWkQDR4au7
— GOD IS A BLACK MAN! (@godisBlackman) March 21, 2026
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What the Video Actually Shows
Chambers, holding the actual court document, breaks down exactly what happened. An event organized by Atlanta based Tamika Newhouse of Lit Diaries LLC and Kimberly LaTrice Jones, in partnership with Baldwin & Co.—a Black-owned bookstore and coffee shop in New Orleans—was scheduled on private property during Essence Fest weekend. The event was designed to showcase Black authors.
Essence filed a TRO, claiming the independent event was misleading artists into thinking it was an official Essence function. Organizers were allegedly charging participants up to $650. Essence also cited the city’s “Clean Zone” ordinance, which restricts unsanctioned events near the festival to protect the official event.
The event was canceled at the last minute. And Chambers, a New Orleans native, was not having it.
“Essence would file such document to stop Black folks from making money in New Orleans while you are a guest in our city,” he says in the video, his voice measured but firm. “Y’all need to rectify this. You gotta do right by us not sometime but all the time.”
He then quotes New Orleans City Council President JP Morrell, who called the move “completely inappropriate” and “akin to a non-compete clause”—especially since it targeted a Black-owned event showcasing Black female authors during a weekend dedicated to Black culture.
Why It’s Blowing Up in 2026
The video isn’t new. But the context around it has shifted. Essence was acquired in 2018 by Richelieu Dennis, the Liberian-born founder of SheaMoisture. Since then, some in the Black community have expressed discomfort with what they see as a shift away from African American cultural priorities toward a more “pan-African” corporate identity.
Last year added fuel to the fire. Reports of unpaid vendor bills and venue debts circulated widely, and turnout was reportedly lower than in previous years. For some, the festival’s glow has dimmed.
Then came the 2026 lineup announcement. Brandy and Monica—fresh off their The Boy Is Mine tour—are set to share the stage for the first time at Essence Fest. It’s the kind of booking that reminds everyone why the festival matters. But the resurfaced video is reminding everyone of something else: the tension between celebrating Black culture and controlling who profits from it.
Two Sides of the Same Black Twitter Debate
The replies to the post are running the gamut. Some are calling for a full boycott, arguing that Essence has lost its way. Others are defending the festival’s overall impact while admitting the 2023 move was heavy-handed.
“Essence is a guest in New Orleans every year,” one user wrote. “They don’t own the city. They don’t own Black business.”
Another countered: “I get the frustration, but Essence has to protect its brand. If someone is charging $650 making people think it’s official, that’s a problem.”
A third landed somewhere in the middle: “Gary said he loves what they do. That’s the nuance. We can hold them accountable without pretending the festival hasn’t done good things.”
What Actually Happened After the Lawsuit
For those just catching up, the 2023 incident did get resolved … sort of. Essence dropped the lawsuit against Baldwin & Co. after an apology and settlement. The legal action continued briefly against the promoter, Lit Diaries, but was eventually settled with a joint statement acknowledging mistakes on both sides.
The bookstore owner continued pushing for changes to the “Clean Zone” ordinance, arguing it favored large corporations over local businesses. That fight, in many ways, is still ongoing.
Accountability vs. Celebration
This is classic Black community discourse. Essence Fest remains one of the largest celebrations of Black culture in the country. It brings millions of dollars to New Orleans, provides a platform for Black artists, and creates moments—like the Brandy and Monica reunion—that feel genuinely historic.
But it also operates as a corporation. And when a corporation uses the legal system to shut down Black women trying to make money during its marquee weekend, people notice. They remember. And when that memory gets tied to larger questions about who owns the culture, resurfaced videos have a way of ruining the rollout.
Gary Chambers ended his video with an appeal, not a condemnation. “Essence, we love what you do, but you gotta do right by us. Reach out and make it right.”
Three years later, that message is echoing again. Whether Essence is listening this time may determine how many fans show up to see to Brandy and Monica.
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