In 2006, the year ESSENCE Festival was moved to Houston, TX because of Hurricane Katrina. We held a Pioneers of Hip Hop reunion that featured Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, Sugar Hill Gang, MC Lyte, Biz Markie, Whodini and Dana Dane.
The “pitbull in a skirt” rocked the Superlounge stage in 2012 and we look forward to her return to ESSENCE festival this year for the 20th anniversary.
MC Lyte has been to the ESSENCE festival several times, both as a performer and as a fan.
Common and Doug E. Fresh have both hit the ESSENCE festival Superlounge stage.
Ludaccris hit the ESSENCE Festival Mainstage in 2007, and had everyone in the Superdome on their feet when he performed his current hit at the time, “Money Maker.”
Revolutionary hip hop represented at ESSENCE festival.
There’s nothing like “Let Me Clear My Throat” live with Biz Markie and Doug E. Fresh.
The legendary Roots crew has graced our Superlounge stages several times and we are happy to have them on the ESSENCE Festival Mainstage in 2014.
ESSENCE festival is a great promotional stop for artists. Rapper T.I. wasn’t promoting music when he joined us in 2010, instead using the opportunity to get the word out about his latest film, Takers.
The legendary female rap duo reunited on the ESSENCE Festival Mainstage and ran through their catalog of hits in 2009.
The legendary artist and dj showed us what the art of spinning is really about in 2008.
The iconic hip hop group has performed at ESSENCE Festival twice, in 2002 and in 2010.
