New Orleans hip-hop and R&B music festival, Essence Festival returns for its 21st year in 2015 and has announced the list of artists who are set to perform this fourth of July weekend at the Superdome. It will be headlined by Common, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige, with a wide variety of other acts across pop, R&B, hip-hop and funk joining the party.
In addition to the aforementioned heavyweight headliners, there will be acts like Erykah Badu, Esperanza Spalding and Slick Rick performing with some funk provided by Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk and foreign flavor of pop from Nico & Vinz.
In addition to the musicians who will be performing, there will be a few celebrities and notable names hosting and MCing the event. According to Vibe, one of the most in-demand names in Hollywood right now, Kevin Hart has been tabbed to host the concert alongside fellow comedians Nephew Tommy from The Steve Harvey Morning Show and Luenell will take turns on MC duties over the weekend.
The three-day festival runs from July 3–5 and starts at 6 p.m. each day. There will be day parties hosted by big-name hip-hop DJs, Funkmaster Flex, DJ Drama, Spinderella and Biz Markie from July 2–5 to get the party started each day at 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Head to Essence Festival's website for more information on tickets, speakers and artists. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 25. See the full lineup below.
Essence Festival Lineup 2015
Kendrick Lamar
Mary J. Blige
India.Arie
Trombone Shorty
Floetry
Common
Erykah Badu
Kool Moe Dee
Doug E. Fresh
Mystikal
Slick Rick
Ivan Neville's Dumpstapfunk
Nico & Vinz
Lianne La Havas
Elle Varner
Esperanza Spalding
SZA
Dee-1
Tonya Bond Cannon
Leon Bridges
Andra Day
Kelly Price
Raheem DeVaughn
Mali Music
Eric Roberson
Teedra Moses
Avery*Sunshine
Kindred The Family Soul
Goapele
Robert Glasper
Tweet
Jeff Bradshaw
Bilal
Tank & The Bangas
