Written by Mariah C. Bond | Media Shot & Edited by Talmadge Wells
New Orleans, LA – For three days straight- July 4th through 6th, 2025, New Orleans was not just a city, but it was the global capital of Black culture. The 2025 Essence Festival of Culture, presented by Coca-Cola, welcomed hundreds of thousands of people from every corner of the diaspora. From Nigeria to New York, Ghana to Georgia, London to Louisiana we gathered.
Held across the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Caesars Superdome, this year’s theme “Made for Me” served as a soulful affirmation of generational beauty, innovation, and truth. The 2025 Essence Festival was not just a festival… It was a declaration. Of pride. Of power. And of presence.
And Black Power 96 was honored to be on assignment with full media credentials, and though we didn’t broadcast live, BP96’s own Mariah and Talmadge were there to capture the essence of this unforgettable celebration.
A tapestry of expression
Inside the Convention Center, every corner hummed with creativity and resistance. Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles spoke on redefining power in athletics. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, in her keynote, unpacked legacy and leadership like a sermon, planting her words into the crowd like little seeds of transformation.
The Global Black Economic Forum hosted reflections on the 61st anniversary of the Civil Rights Act with names like Marc Morial, Derrick Johnson, and Janai Nelson, reminding everyone that Black excellence is still resistance.
Voices like Keith Lee, Nick Cannon, Tamar Braxton, Myra Brock Akil, and Luvvie Ajayi Jones shared their perspectives on food, media, and publishing.
And it wasn’t all talk. It was the hair. And like the kids say- the drip. The steam of soul food rising in the aisles. Vendors from across the diaspora filled the space with oils, books, jewelry, fashion, and affirmation. The Essence Authors Pavilion, BeautyCon, and GU Creator House were temples of African imagination.New Orleans Burlesque extraordinaire Juno was sharing the art with the crowd. Just a few halls over, Lynn Whitfield glided through the Convention Center with her signature grace. During a chat with Whitfield, she talked about the importance of storytelling, legacy, and her duty of reflecting the realness of Black womanhood on-screen.
Master P, meanwhile, took the mic not just as a legend, but as a teacher. He spoke of hustle, the community, and the struggle to build Black wealth from the ground up.
Black joy, loud and unapologetic
One of the biggest draws of this year’s Essence Fest was BeautyCon- where Black-owned brands like Camille Rose, Kaleidoscope Hair, and Canvas Beauty took center stage. Their booths were packed with fans grabbing samples, snapping pics, and meeting the powerhouse Black owners behind their favorite products.
From edge control demos to full-blown product giveaways, the energy was high and the lines stayed long. BeautyCon wasn’t just about glam- it was a celebration of Black entrepreneurship, self-care, and community connection.
But the feeling of Black empowerment wasn’t just on stage. It was seen throughout the city. It was the denim jumpsuit from Detroit stitched with Free-ish Since 1865. The line-dancing aunties. The long dresses flowing in the summer wind. The crowds following the second line horns on Bourbon Street. The powdered sugar flying at Café du Monde. The Spades table at the Amazon activation felt just like grandma’s house.
The streets sang and so did the Superdome
By nightfall, the party shifted to the Superdome. Friday opened with a soulful mix of old-school and some next-gen stuff too. Coco Jones, Ari Lennox, and GloRilla brought fresh soul. Maxwell seduced the crowd with his velvety-smooth tones. Babyface delivered a symphony of his biggest hits. And Ms. Lauryn Hill closed the night like only she can with righteousness and fire.
Saturday brought the soul: Erykah Badu, Buju Banton, Davido, and a heart-stopping, sisterhood-honoring “Philly Jawn” with Jill Scott, Jazmine Sullivan, and Patti LaBelle. Now that wasn’t just a concert- it was a deliverance.
Speaking of delivering, Jill Scott delivered her revised rendition of the american national anthem which went viral online after last year’s fest. “Oh say, can you see, by the blood in the streets,” she began a cappella to the rhythm of the colonial anthem, slowing down the cadence, allowing each word to reach the 13-acre curved, concrete roof of the Superdome. “That this place doesn’t smile on you, colored child.”
Scott’s rendition ended in a retching revised closing line, replacing the words written by slave owner Francis Scott Key, “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave,” with “This is not the land of the free but the home of the slaves.”
The Suede Lounge: A space for the brothers
Over at the Suede Lounge, Essence carved out space just for the fellas- complete with a pool table, video gaming setups, and a cigar-lounge vibe that blended cool with conversation. With a timepiece collection discussion led by Terrence J and talks with Lance Gross and the ever-smooth Silver Fox Squad, the space brought African men together to talk legacy, wellness, fatherhood, and the power of presence—in style.
Honoring Black queer culture
Essence Festival 2025 made space for everyone and the Queer Space event was a standout moment. TS Madison and Niecy Nash were honored for their trailblazing work and representation, drawing a packed-out, crowded place for an emotional, affirming celebration of Black queer excellence. TS Madison again proudly proclaimed,”I’m probably one of the Blackest motherf–kers around; Black like that!” in reference to her Black identity and experiences, which earned her a Grammy as her declaration caught the ear of and was earlier sampled in Beyoncé’s song “Cozy”.
Back over at the Convention Center, Funky Dineva was in full form, delivering his signature wit with his Essence Fest fans. Meanwhile, Miss Lawrence and Derek J turned heads all weekend in statement heels and Tamar Braxton’s sass, and You Already Know the Queen Diva Big Freedia came to slay- reminding everyone that queer style and presence are central to the culture, not just an accessory to it.
Movement, memory & media magic
Essence Festival 2025 didn’t just celebrate the now- it pointed toward what’s next. The weekend began with the QualifyHER 5K, where hundreds joined in support of African women’s wellness, weaving joy and purpose through the streets of New Orleans.
At the Global Black Economic Forum, the official launch of eHBCU.edu drew thousands to its interactive activation- inviting attendees to co-create a living digital tribute to HBCU pride and possibility. With student-led storytelling, mentorship sign-ups, and a visit from Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, the space radiated legacy and future all at once.
National Geographic’s powerful premiere of Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time, directed by Traci A. Curry, grounded the weekend in truth. The panel, featuring survivors and storytellers, reframed Katrina not just as disaster but as living testimony of systemic failure and Black resilience, and premieres July 27 on Nat Geo, and streams July 28 on Disney+ and Hulu.
Closing it out
Sunday delivered the kind of closure that only Essence could provide. Keke Palmer lit up the mainstage with a live taping of her hit podcast Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, featuring special guest Kandi Burruss. The two shared laughs, dropped tea, and surprised the audience with an exclusive sneak peek of The Pickup– Palmer’s upcoming action-comedy film co-starring Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson, premiering August 6 on Prime Video.
Later that afternoon, hearts were full as Erika Alexander and Kim Coles took the stage for a heartfelt tribute to hit 90’s television show, Living Single. Their reflection on 30 years of sisterhood, culture-shifting discussions, and behind-the-scenes memories brought both nostalgia and celebration.
And then came the grand finale at the Superdome. Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, Muni Long, and the legendary Stephanie Mills set the tone, followed by a soaring tribute to Quincy Jones featuring LL Cool J, Tyrese, MC Lyte, SWV, and more. Master P, with his family and No Limit Soldiers by his side, closed out his final live performance in his hometown- an emotional, and absolutely legacy-defining moment.
Boyz II Men brought it all home, their harmonies filling the atmosphere of the dome. The crowd, bathed in light and love, swayed in gratitude- knowing this wasn’t just the end of the weekend. It was a full-circle moment made for the culture.
Black Power 96 was there to capture it all
Mariah, on assignment, spoke with powerhouses like Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, spread the awareness and word of Black Power 96 and the Uhuru Movement, appeared on other media outlets, and met rising artists for BP96’s Local Going Global series. From the convention floor to the lights of the Press Room. From interviews to dancing with the fest-goers, Mariah and Talmadge documented it all. Not just content—context.
The people showed us love love too. Essence Fest-goers shared stories, affirmations, and reasonings for support of Black Power 96 and the work we do as community radio. Some dropped shoutouts. Others offered praise. All of it reminded us: when it comes to our people, this work matters.
Over on the Beautycon stage at Essence Fest, two unapologetic ladies took the mic: Bozoma Saint John, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member and branding legend, and Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. Their conversation, boldly titled “The State of Beauty,” was less of a talk and more of a cultural moment with a no-holds-barred discussion that peeled back the layers of what beauty really means for Black women navigating spaces that weren’t built for them.
From the very start, Crockett kept it real. “It’s about owning who you are wherever you are,” she unapologetically declared. “We were told for too long that beauty had a single face and it didn’t look like us. But we’ve always set the standard.” Her words hit home, revving up the crowd’s applause. “If we weren’t leading,” she added, “they wouldn’t be trying so hard to tear us down.”
Crockett spoke candidly about how beauty has always been part of her life but it wasn’t until she stepped into politics that she realized just how political her appearance could be. “When they come for how you look, it’s not really about your looks, it’s about your power,” she said, drawing attention to the importance of legislation like the CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” aimed at prohibiting race-based hair discrimination.
But Crockett wasn’t there to simply celebrate beauty because she challenged the industry, too. “We see faces that look like ours in campaigns,” she said, “but are they given the platforms they deserve? We’re the top consumers yet still fighting for seats at the table.” Her voice sharpened with conviction. “America’s strength has always been its diversity. The moment we start walking backward from that, we all suffer.”
And Yes, We Heard the Talk
It wouldn’t be the culture without honest conversation. And yes, we heard the chatter online and on-site about Essence feeling “too African now” and not rooted enough in African-American traditions. Even though the fest brought almost $400 million in earnings to the city of New Orleans- a notoriously rich in Black culture city- some folks questioned whether the shift in music, vendors, and branding even leaned too far into diasporic aesthetics.
Let’s be real: that conversation deserves space. And while BP96 is deeply here for the fusion of global Blackness- where we are all Africans, we also understand the desire to preserve specific cultural flavors that raised us. So instead of squeezing that into this recap, we’re saving it for its own discussion. Because culture evolves. Diaspora is layered. And Blackness, in all its global forms, came together, as One Africa.We’ll explore what it means to hold space for both tradition and transformation from an African Internationalism frame and perspective. Catch our upcoming One Africa Worldview Podcast – Season 2, where we’ll dig into it fully: the love, the tension, and the beauty of pan-African identity showing up at Black America’s biggest cultural gathering.
What’s Next?
This year’s Essence Festival didn’t just put on a show. It reminded us who we are and what we carry: culture that commands attention, resilience that runs deep, rhythm that heals, and realness that can’t be replicated. Whether you were in the front row at the Superdome, over at the BeautyCon checking out the vendor tables, or vibing with your crew in the aisles, we hope you felt the energy just like we did.
Throughout July and August, Black Power 96 will continue to share that energy. From our upcoming Essence Festival video recap to exclusive culture reels, interview moments, and artist spotlights, BP96’s radio air waves and social channels will keep the Essence energy alive.We extend our deepest gratitude to the Essence Festival of Culture team and presenting sponsor Coca-Cola for creating a space that holds all of us…loud, proud, global, and resilient.
Essence 2025 didn’t just entertain. It affirmed. It was a celebration. It told the truth. It was Made for Me and Black Power 96 was there and a part of it all. We’re not just explaining the world. We’re changing it. Until next year, Essence Fest.
