The annual Essence Festival returns to New Orleans this summer with headliners Lauryn Hill and Megan Thee Stallion.
Festival organizers announced plans to celebrate 50 years of Hip-Hop at the upcoming event. The 2023 Essence Festival features Hip-Hop pioneers joining forces for a set curated by Doug E. Fresh.
Lauryn Hill will perform her debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill at the 2023 Essence Festival. Jermaine Dupri will take the stage for a performance honoring So So Def’s 30th anniversary.
“As we gear up to celebrate the ‘50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop’, we couldn’t think of a better way to honor the contributions that genre has made on global culture and the impressions that these artists and their deep musical catalogs, which we all know so well, have been ingrained into the fibers of our day to day lives,” Essence Festival vice president Hakeem Holmes said. “This year, we are excited to have everyone join us in celebrating 50 years of musical excellence, experiencing our diverse daytime and nighttime offerings, and in highlighting the importance of Black economic inclusion.”
Wizkid, Monica, Coco Jones and more are scheduled to perform at the festival. The event’s guest DJs include DJ Clark Kent, Kid Capri and DJ Spinderella.
The 2023 Essence Festival takes place at the Superdome in New Orleans during the Fourth of July weekend. Tickets can be purchased here.
