ESSENCE Festival Announces Hip-Hop Heralding Lineup Featuring Lauryn Hill, Megan Thee Stallion & More


Get ready!


The 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture is returning to New Orleans for the 29th year and this time, the annual event is celebrating Hip-Hop in all of its glory.



Lauryn Hill x Megan Thee Stallion

Source: Mariano Regidor/ Redferns/ Rodin Eckenroth / Getty



In honor of the genre’s 50th anniversary, ESSENCE will bring out a star-studded list of artists to celebrate hip-hop’s rich legacy and global impact over the last five decades.


The four-day event, set for June 29th, will feature heavy-hitting performances from award-winning hip-hop stars, including Megan Thee Stallion and the legendary Ms. Lauryn Hill.


According to a press release, Hill, 47, will wow fans with a special performance of her five-time Grammy-winning album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in recognition of its 25th anniversary.






Monica, Wizkid, And Several Other Artists Are Slated To Perform At ESSENCE


Doug E. Fresh is also slated to curate an exceptional performance of hip-hop pioneers at ESSENCE. In honor of So So Def’s 30th anniversary, Grammy award-winning super producer/label founder, Jermaine Dupri will deliver a special performance with some of the biggest names in hip-hop to come out of Atlanta.


Wizkid, Monica, Coco Jones, and Kizz Daniel are a few other artists that are expected to hit the stage.


Additionally, throughout the event attendees will enjoy a few laughs from some of the best comedians in the game. Deon Cole, Affion Crockett Spice Adams, and Janelle James will rev up the stage during the evening portion of the event, backed by sounds from DJ Spinderella, DJ Kid Capri, and DJ Clark Kent.


The Festival Will Also Include Daytime Programming


In addition to riveting musical performances, festival goers will also again have the chance to learn and experience hip-hop’s rich legacy through the event’s daytime programming, filled with experiences centered on Black equity, business, and inclusion.


Hakeem Holmes, newly appointed Vice President of ESSENCE Festival of Culture, gushed about the importance of the event in a statement, telling fans:



“For nearly three decades, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ has been an international and joyful gathering that empowers community throughout the global Black diaspora. As the nation’s largest festival by per day attendance, it continues to be a crown jewel of Black culture and plays a pivotal role in the amplification and celebration of the contributions of the Black community through business, music, and more. As we gear up to celebrate the ‘50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop’, we couldn’t think of a better way to honor the contributions the 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.”



Tickets for the 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, presented by Coca-Cola, are now on sale at www.ESSENCEFestival.com.


Join in on the conversation via social media at @ESSENCEFest and if you can’t make it to the festival, fans can experience the event virtually on ESSENCE.com.



Will you be attending this year?