ESSENCE Celebrates Hip-Hop’s 50th Birthday With Megan Thee Stallion & More

Photo: Getty Images

In honor of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, hip-hop’s finest descended upon New Orleans to celebrate the genre's 50th birthday!

The five-day festival featured appearances from Vice President Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey, Taraji P. Henson, Kelly Rowland, Jeezy, Rev. Al Sharpton, Ginuwine, and many more, for impactful conversations, panel discussions, and interactive activities from June 29th - July 3rd.

From June 30- July 2, each day was closed out with nighttime performances on the Superdome stage, with the festival’s all-women in Hip-Hop headliners: Ms. Lauryn Hill on night one, Missy Elliott on night two, and Megan Thee Stallion on night three. Additional Superdome performances included Hip-Hop pioneers Doug E. Fresh, Jermaine Dupri, Ice T, Eve, and Remy Ma. The three-night concert series also featured performances from Jill Scott, Ari Lennox, Wizkid, TEMS, Coco Jones, Lil Wayne, Juvenile, and Mia X!

See pics from the concert series below!

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Photo: DEREK BLANKS WITH CROWD MGMT
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 02: Megan Thee Stallion performs onstage during day 3 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 02, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 02: Lil Wayne performs onstage during day 3 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 02, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 02: Angie Martinez (L) and Cheryl James of Salt-N-Pepa perform onstage during day 3 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 02, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Ima
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 02: Megan Thee Stallion performs onstage during day 3 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 02, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 02: Eve performs onstage during day 3 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 02, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 02: Tems performs onstage during day 3 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 02, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 02: Muni Long performs onstage during day 3 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 02, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 02: (L-R) Sandra Denton and Cheryl James of Salt-N-Pepa perform onstage during day 3 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 02, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty I
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 01: Jill Scott performs onstage during day 2 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 01, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 01: (L-R) Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri and Ludacris perform onstage during day 2 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 01, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 01: (L-R) Jermaine Dupri and Gucci Mane performs onstage during day 2 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 01, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ES
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 01: E-40 performs onstage during day 2 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 01, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 01: Ice-T performs onstage during day 2 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 01, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 01: Juana Burns, Dania Burke and Michelle Franklin-Ferrens of JJ Fad perform onstage during day 2 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 01, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Aaron J.
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 01: Coco Jones performs onstage during day 2 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 01, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JULY 01: Ice Cube performs onstage during day 2 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on July 01, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JUNE 30: Lauryn Hill performs onstage during day 1 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JUNE 30: Janelle Monáe performs onstage during day 1 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JUNE 30: Janelle Monáe (C) performs onstage during day 1 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JUNE 30: (L-R) Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean perform onstage during day 1 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JUNE 30: Slick Rick performs onstage during day 1 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JUNE 30: Bone Crusher performs onstage during day 1 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JUNE 30: (EDITORS NOTE: Image was created using a star filter.) Grandmaster Melle Mel and Scorpio perform onstage during day 1 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisi
Photo: Getty Images
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JUNE 30: DJ Mannie Fresh speaks onstage during day 1 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ at Caesars Superdome on June 30, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)
Photo: Getty Images
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Photo: DEREK BLANKS WITH CROWD MGMT

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