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Is there a festival which brings together singers like Patti
Labelle, Nona Hendryx, Sarah Dash and Rihanna, Chris Brown, Kanye West, Mary J.
Blige while it has dance workshops, free empowerment seminars and marketplace? Yes,
the Essence Festival in New Orleans
managed to bring together the past and the present. The complex festival pleased
everybody gathered there.
According to The Associated Press, this was the 14th
edition of the Essence Music Festival and it was held at the Superdome. Grammy
Award-winner Mary J. Blige made her appearance Sunday and was welcomed by an enthusiastic
crowd. She came to the Festival four years in a row.
“It's such a blessing,” said Blige before beginning her
performance.
Another special guest was comedian Chris Rock who retuned
there for the first time in 12 years.
After Rihanna set a peaceful rhythm with ballads like “Take
a Bow,” Chris Brown came with his hip hop songs, beginning his “Shawty Get Loose.”
On one of Essence's smaller stages was Grandmaster Flash demonstrating his
famous turn-table technique, saying that “without DJ’s there would be no
hip-hop,” reported USA Today.
Kanye West’s performance was once again impeccable and the
set from the Apocalypse Now movie was very impressive. West performed songs
like “Diamonds from Sierra
Leone,” “Can’t Tell Me Nothin’” and “Gold
Digger.
Patti Labelle proved her voice was still great while Nona
Hendryx and Sarah Dash joined her when “Lady Marmalade” came up. The three
singers which formed Labelle are set for a tour and their album comes in
September.
The Essence Music Festival represents a celebration of black
music and culture. In 2006, the festival moved to Huston because of the Katrina
Hurricane but it returned to New
Orleans.
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