News

Essence Fest Takes Responsibility for Lauryn Hill Ending Show at 3:37 A.M.: 'The Delay? Not Hers'
Essence Festival of Culture is taking responsibility for Lauryn Hill's performance ending after 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 5 ...
As Essence fest takes blame for Lauryn Hill's wildly late set, Stephanie Mills lets criticism rip
Lauryn Hills is off the hook as Essence takes blame for a set that wrapped after 3:30 a.m. Stephanie Mills, however, is still ...
Stephanie Mills Calls Out Essence Festival ‘Operational Deficiencies’ That ‘Marred’ Her Performance
The singer says scheduling issues and "lack of technical preparedness" negatively impacted both her show and attendees' ...
“We Mistake Visibility For Power”: Black Leaders Call For Strategy Over Symbolism Amid Civil Rights Rollbacks At ESSENCE Fest 2025
Nikole Hannah-Jones and Rashad Robinson warn that viral moments and representation aren’t enough to withstand civil rights rollbacks—and call for new models for lasting impact.
NOLA.com51m
Spera: The 2025 Essence Festival had some issues. Here's what needs to be fixed.
Essence Festival in New Orleans' Superdome had issues. From scheduling to the Superlounges to the lack of a superstar, here ...
The Philadelphia Tribune31m
Essence Fest 2025 pays homage to Black women everywhere
During the Fourth of July weekend, women nationwide assembled their closest friends and family members to travel to New Orleans for the annual ESSENCE Festival of Cultural.