Ms. Lauryn Hill, Megan Thee Stallion to Headline 2023 Essence Festival

In honor of HipHop50, ESSENCE Fest looks to have a splashy return this year in New Orleans, with Ms. Lauryn Hill and Megan Thee Stallion headlining this year’s festivities, Billboard can exclusively report.

On June 29-July 3, ESSENCE Fest will be a rap-centric event, with Hill performing her landmark 1998 solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. The five-time Grammy Award-Winning femcee will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of her game-changing debut effort. As for Megan Thee Stallion, the slot marks another major headlining performance, as she will embark on her first concert this year at March Madness Music Festival in Houston this Friday (March 31). Megan will also take her talents to the West Coast later this year as she’ll co-headline L.A.’s Pride in the Park.

The 2023 ESSENCE Fest will also feature sets from Wizkid, Monica, Coco Jones, and Kizz Daniel for their Festival of Culture stage. There will also be a special performance curation by Doug E. Fresh while DJ Spinderella, DJ Kid Capri, and DJ Clark Kent will hit the turntables during the weekend’s festivities. Another noteworthy milestone that will be marked over the weekend is the 30th anniversary of So So Def, which will be spotlighted in a performance from label owner Jermaine Dupri and Friends.

Music lovers can also enjoy some laughs in the evenings, with Deon Cole, Affion Crockett, Spice Adams and Janelle James hosting nightly activations.

“For nearly three decades, the ESSENCE Festival of Culture has been an international and joyful gathering that empowers community throughout the global Black diaspora,” says newly-appointed Vice President of ESSENCE Festival of Culture, Hakeem Holmes. “As the nation’s largest festival by per day attendance, it continues to be a crown jewel of Black culture and plays a pivotal role in the amplification and celebration of the contributions of the Black community through business, music, and more. As we gear up to celebrate the ’50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop’, we couldn’t think of a better way to honor the contributions that genre has made on global culture and the impressions that these artists and their deep musical catalogs, which we all know so well, have been ingrained into the fibers of our day to day lives. This year, we are excited to have everyone join us in celebrating 50 years of musical excellence, experiencing our diverse daytime and nighttime offerings, and in highlighting the importance of Black economic inclusion.”

More acts will be added to the lineup soon.