Home • Photos The ESSENCE Music Festival The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 By Essence · Updated October 30, 2020 01 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 Ashanti rocks the EMF crowd 02 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 Jahiem reminds sisters that he would do “anything” for them 03 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 LL Cool J still drives the ladies crazy 04 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 Faith Evans gives an uplifting performance 05 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 Usher doesn’t know what you came to do, but he came to party 06 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 Steve Harvey livens up the crowd with a few jokes 07 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 Gerald Levert showed the sisters some love. 08 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 Erykah sets the mood at the ESSENCE Music Festival. 09 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 Chaka Khan gladly gives her all at the 2003 ESSENCE Music Fest 10 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 A sexy Patti LaBelle shimmies in song 11 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 Stevie wowed the crowd with his "wonder"ful piano skills 12 The ESSENCE Music Festival to Air on UPN at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Sept. 12 UPN stars Flex Alexander, Mo’Nique and Tracee Ellis Ross are all smiles in New Orleans