Soledad O'Brien, NeNe Leakes and Anderson Cooper together in one room? This scenario may not seem likely, (except for the fact that surprisingly, Anderson Cooper admitted to being a huge Real Housewives of Atlanta fan in 2010 on a episode of Andy Cohen's Watch! What Happens Live) but it is happening the weekend of July 1-3. As part of the Essence Fest Empowerment Lecture Series, these three will give speeches and inspirational words to people as a supplement to the music all weekend. This year the Lecture Series focuses on "Transforming Your Life" on July 1, with speeches from comedian Steve Harvey and mayor Mitch Landrieu, followed by "Transforming Your Community" with speeches from Soledad O'Brien, Andersoon Cooper, Housewives of Atlanta star, NeNe Leakes along with Basketball Wives stars Shaunie O'Neil and Evelyn Lozada on July 3. Closing out the speech series is singers Kelly Price and CeCe Winans along with Warren Sapp to speak about "Transforming Your Soul" on July 3. -Briana Prevost
Chaka Khan
The beautiful and voluptuous Chaka Khan, who has remained just as sensual as she was during her days as the front woman of the funk band Rufus, is on the main stage at this year’s Essence Festival. Chaka may very well have been an inspiration for other vocalists with a sexy style akin to hers, such as Sade and even Mary J. Blige. Coming from a family of musicians has attributed to this Divas success, but the work she’s put in on her own has also gained her critical acclaim as a performing vocalist. Chaka has been the voice of hit songs “Tell Me Something Good” and “Sweet Thing”, just a few tracks you may have heard on the radio throughout the years. Her style remains the same, an untouched sweet and sexy R&B sound, where she may switch from her smooth and sensual mezzo-soprano to a fun jazz scat. At the end of the nineties Chaka was signed to Prince’s label NGP Records. When she left the label in 2004 she released an album of jazz covers that was well received and reminded fans and critics alike of her vast range as a vocalist. She eventually did a duet with Mary J. Blige for the song “Disrespectful” which earned both vocalists a Grammy. In 2008 Chaka released the album titled Funk This her most recent work, and she has come full circle today making another appearance at the New Orleans’ Essence Festival. Her performance is a must see for this very special festival, so be front and center at the main stage to see how R&B is really done. –Brian Serpas
Macy Gray
It is nice that a singer whose sound is akin to the great Billie Holiday can entertain our generation. You can say she also sounds like the model and singer Betty Davis. The singer is Macy Gray, and she will be on the main stage at this years’ Essence Festival. Macy Gray is one of the best R&B/ Soul singers to have graced our ears in the past fifteen years. Her sound is unmistakable and she is well known for her raspy voice, a characteristic that Ms. Holiday herself became known for. But she is not only known for having a gruff tone, the sweetness in her sound is there as well and she has a range that has landed her guest vocal gigs on the Black Eyed Peas debut album most notably. Lyrically she reaches out to the masses with songs of love and struggle. Five Grammy award nominations and having won one, proves she has the attention of many fans of music. The song “I Try” is not only a song that just about everyone you know loved, but it also propelled Gray’s debut album On How Love Is to a multiplatinum status. It is safe to say that this Lady has more than honed her talent as a singer and performer, and at 43 she is better than ever. Make sure and be front and center at the main stage this year, Macy Gray is a talent everyone should remember. –Brian Serpas
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is one of the most important R&B groups of all time, which is all the more fitting that they take the main stage at the biggest African American music festival in the country. Essence proudly hosts this now three piece group, having lost Michael McCary due to his battles with scoliosis, at this years’ festival. The group says he will return once better but until then Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, and Shawn Stockman are still performing and signed to Decca Records, as of 2008. These guys are some of the best vocalists in the business, their start beginning in the bathroom of the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts. Theses guys have honed their skills since they were, well, boys, and are truly amazing singers. Known for their beautiful Capella performances, Boyz II Men will be giving Essence Fest attendees a great musical performance. It is fun that New Edition is also on the bill this year, because Boyz II Men have not only been inspired by the group but chose their name from one of Edition’s songs. Boyz II Men will be singing about their favorite topic as always, love, which is something that we all could use a bit more of. I know I don’t need to tell you to check this group out, but to all of you out there reading this, I agree with you that they will definitely be one of the better performances this year. –Brian Serpas
New Edition
I am definitely excited to be writing about New Edition. Looking back to my awkward days as an adolescent, with all those urges and curiosities about the girls, I was surely taking pointers from this group not only on romance or moving past first base, but their sweet cardigans were help also. Comn’ people, whether you like this genre or not, I know you heard the radio hits “Cool It Now” and “If It Isn’t Love” and you probably sub-concisely tapped your finger to the beat during the amazing chorus as well. Don’t lie. The group has gone through multiple member transitions over the years, with some of the original members moving on to promising solo careers and new projects such as Bobby Brown and Bell Biv DeVoe. In the early eighties the band consisted of Ronnie DeVoe, Ralph Tresvant, Bobby Brown, Michael Bivins, and Ricky Bell. They were and still are considered the fountainhead of the boy band movement that soared in the eighties and nineties. New Kids on the Block, then the Back Street Boys had a tough act to follow in spite of their heightened success. Just watching New Edition videos from back when is so fun. Bobby Brown is barely recognizable he’s so damn young in those videos! Within the past five years New Edition has gotten back together to do some touring. Rumor has that they may even do a tour with New Kids On The Block… Gosh I’m wet. Anyway, more importantly they will be on the main stage at Essence Fest this year. So ladies, prepare yourselves for the leaders of the eighties and nineties boy band movement. And fellas, just be happy that you are on a date where the outcome of this group’s performance may help you have a happy ending to your festival. –Brian Serpas
Mary J. Blige
Born in the Bronx, Mary J. Blige is an internationally renowned R&B superstar. Her stellar career includes a slew of Grammy Awards and American Music Awards, and the World Music Legends Award, among others. When looking back at her accomplishments, it’s no surprise that Billboard Magazine ranked Blige as the most successful female R&B artist – ahead of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey – of the past twenty five years.
Blige made her debut in 1992 with the multi-platinum selling album, What's the 411?, which was a collaboration with Sean "Puffy" Combs. The first song "You Remind Me" shot to number one on the R&B singles chart. "Real Love" followed behind and soon become a Hot 100 single on Billboard, peaking at number seven. With these two back-to-back releases, Blige forcefully broke onto the R&B scene.
Even though Blige’s career was soaring, and her next album My Life eventually became certified triple platinum, she began experiencing bouts of depression and problems with substance abuse. But Blige worked through the pain. Over the next few years, the survivor produced Share My World and Mary. Her next album, No More Drama contained the Dr. Dre produced hit “Family Affair.” And Blige’s album Breakthrough sold more than three million copies when it was released in 2006. The stylish singer followed up with Growing Pains and her latest album, Stronger With Each Tear, and continues to go strong – proving to R&B fans that she plans to stick around for a while.-Suzanne Pfefferle
Friday, July 1
Tank
Taking the Super Lounge stage Friday at the 16th annual Essence Music Festival is the multi-talented R&B superstar Tank. Though Tank's only been in the business for a decade, his catalog of music stretches seemingly a lifetime, with four studio albums, eight Grammy nominations and innumerable production and writing credits; working extensively with the likes of Aaliyah, Chris Brown, and Ginuwine. Tank's a part of the powerhouse production team the Underdogs, credited with producing the Dreamgirls soundtrack. Usually behind the scenes, Tank took to recording his first solo album in 2001, Forces of Nature, which went to number 1 on the US R&B charts. As an artist, he's matured greatly but always stayed true to his rhythm and blues roots. 2007's Sex, Love & Pain debuted at number 1 on the US R&B charts, giving Tank some of his most memorable hits, “Please Don't Go” and “Heartbreaker”. Tank's latest album Now or Never was released last December, his first with Atlantic. His music is classic soul and genuine R&B, a genre he's especially passionate about. The album is a call to preserve the beauty of what Tank sees as a fading style and is his most forceful effort yet. The single “Emergency” is a yearning slow jam, mixing love and loss with the passion of unyielding desire. Essence Fest fans rejoice as they have the perfect artist to take their lovers to see for some sensual getting down.-April Seise
Saturday, July
2
El DeBarge
It's been a tough 2011 for El DeBarge but the iconic vocalist returns to the Essence Music Festival stage after last year's surprise performance. He'll be on the Main Stage Saturday performing classics and his latest material from 2010's Grammy-nominated album, Second Chance. After its release, El embarked on his first tour in almost two decades to promote the album, opening for fellow Essence performer Mary J. Blige. Sadly he had to cancel the rest of his appearances and planned solo tour due to a relapse. El had recently come clean about his substance abuse problems after his first stint in rehab, hitting the talk show circuit and detailing almost 25 years of drug addiction. That honesty and subsequent treatment culminated in the first record from El since 1994's Heart, Mind and Soul. He's been a mainstay in the R&B world since the early 80's, first performing with his brothers in DeBarge then making his solo debut in 1986 with his highly successful self-titled album, giving him his biggest hit “Who's Johnny”. El's talented piano work and unmistakable falsetto helped define the future of R&B and Motown. His “Rhythm of the Night” is a carefree tropical jam while Second Chance's self-titled single is a powerful plea for forgiveness set to heartbreaking piano arpeggios, lifting the song to another level of poignancy. In a previous interview with Soul Magazine, El describes the song as something that was ready to be sung the second his hands hit the piano. A powerful performance is in store with the comeback of a legend.-April Seise
Sunday, July 3
Kourtney Heart
Recent Edna Karr graduate and local singer Kourtney Heart has had quite the senior year, performing at Jazz Fest on the Congo Square Stage and now Essence Music Festival on Sunday at their Super Lounge Stage. Heart's first album, Eye Dee Kay, is a testament to her youthfulness, coming from a voice well beyond her years. At just 17, Heart has made impressive gains in the years she's been performing, first winning a celebrity look-a-like talent show at age 13. Her performance as Beyoncé caught the eye of DJ Raj Smoove, who became her producer. As both mentor and producer, Smoove has been pivotal in Heart's evolution as an artist, giving her the opportunity to collaborate with Magnolia Shorty on their 2010 smash hit “My Boy”. That song was what caught the attention of JIVE records, who recently signed Heart. The remix of “My Boy” features her with Soulja Boy, helping her gain even more exposure. Hear aspires to be the next Beyoncé and is well on her way, with a strong stage presence and powerful vocals. Though “My Boy” may be a carefree catchy pop tune, “Sweet Poison” is a testament to the songstress' range of style, delivering pure R&B smoothness. Exciting things are on the horizon for Kourtney Heart and Essence marks a pivotal point in her blossoming career.-April Seise
Kanye West
This Roc-A-Fella Records producer is as successful as he is outspoken. To say that pushing the envelope is a lifestyle choice for Kanye West would be as understated as his latest album is not. Kanye considers himself, first and foremost, an artist. November 2010 release “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” is no-holds-barred in its over-the-topness, genre blending West’s affinity for string and orchestral instrument sounds into a woven chaos of expression. The often explicit lyric is a testament to the man’s genius and fearlessness. 2011 slang, Classical themes, the Occult, music idol homage and self glorification? It’s in there. Whether he’s striving for excellence in his work or working to overcome his Often-A-Nominee/Rarely/A/Winner status at awards shows, there is no doubt, and he’ll plainly tell you, he puts a lot of work into his albums and performances. Yeezy is certainly known for his controversies, most famously including taking over the mic from a VMA-accepting Taylor Swift in 2009. The best homage to Kanye would be to wrap this review with mention of a random Facebook page – “If 2012 happens, well just get Kanye to interrupt it.” Dionne Charlet
George Clinton
Known for his brightly shaded dreadlocks and his herb induced shows, George Clinton brings musical tenure to the Essence stage being a veteran performer for nearly 50 years. Known as one of the godfathers of funk, no matter the age, Clinton knows how to show an audience a good time. After rising to fame as a founding member of the 70s funk-rock outfit, Parliament and Funkadelic, Clinton went solo and penned one of the most sampled songs of all time, "Atomic Dog." In the 80s, he went on to produce for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and had a sudden resurgence in the 90s hip-hop community, who cited Clinton as being a main influence on their sound and music. He then collaborated with the Wu Tang Clan, Redman, Outkast and the late Tupac Shakur on a number of projects before reuniting with some of his P-Funk members to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Now-a-days, Clinton continues to perform with some of his original band members who often frequent Voodoo Fest and now Essence Fest here in New Orleans. Audience members be warned: Clinton's shows are known to take people to a "higher" place. -Briana Prevost
Jill Scott
Rising on the scene as a spoken word artist discovered by ?uestlove of the Roots, Jill Scott is nothing short of artistic. This neo-soul songbird has made a name for herself ever since her assertive debut single, "A Long Walk," back in 2000. Since then, she has won 3 Grammy's and teamed up with artists such as the Roots, Lupe Fiasco and Common to lend her poetic musings on their records. In 2005, she published her rhymes in, The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours and in 2007, released the now infamous sass-driven power-anthem, "Hate On Me," covered on the first season of Glee by resident McKinley High Diva, Mercedes. But her success skyrocketed once audiences saw her acting debut in Tyler Perry's, Why Did I Get Married, which led to her first leading role on the now defunct BBC and HBO series, The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. However, audiences will get a taste of her singing once again as she gears up for the release of her fourth studio album, The Light of the Sun this coming June, and festival goers will be sure to hear sneak peaks of her signature soft jazz and R&B infused melodic sounds this Essence Fest. -Briana Prevost
Trey Songz
Though relatively unknown when he released his debut back in 2005, now-a-days, this gyrating heart-throb sends all the women a flutter with the overtly sexual declarations in his songs and the rock hard abs he displays as he sings them. With a smooth tenor voice reminiscent of a throwback R.Kelly, Trey Songz leaves nothing to the imagination with bold declarations of uncharted "love" skills on songs like, "I Invented Sex" and "Neighbors Know My Name," from his 2009 album (which was also his first top 10 debut on the charts), Ready. However, in-between hits of the, ahem, mature matter, Songz has also rocked the top of the charts with club-bangers thanks to mega-hits like, "Say Aah," featuring Fabulous, and "Bottoms Up," featuring hip-hop's new it girl, Nicki Minaj, from his latest release, Passion, Pain, and Pleasure. The sly smirk from this 26-year-old R&B star is enough to get any woman's attention, so expect lots of desperate audience members screaming and scratching to get to be the lucky lady Songz will sweet talk and serenade from his stage show. -Briana Prevost
