“My favorite ESSENCE FEST memory was when I got a to hang out with Dave Chappelle & Erykah Badu. We chatted for a long time after our interview and then HE insisted on taking a selfie.” – Yolanda Sangweni, ESSENCE Entertainment Editor
“In 2012, LL Cool J pulled a few fans on stage during his performance. One of the ladies he pulled on stage took over his entire set! She ended up dropping it on HIM and the audience couldn’t get enough of her.” – Charreah Jackson, ESSENCE Lifestyle & Relationships Editor
The iconic boy band released their seventh studio album and Bad Boy in 2004, One Love. The album debut at number 12 on the Billboard 200.
“My favorite festival memory would have to be in 2012 when D’Angelo took the MainStage after being out of the musical circuit for over 10 years. It was if he was singing directly to ME and watching him move from one instrument to another, showed that he was leaving himself on that stage and GOD was in the house. #JAMSESSION #PURETALENT”- Allyson Brown, ESSENCE Creative Director of Marketing
“In the past, we have arrange proposals on the old ESSENCE.com Center Stage. One year, movie producer Will Packer proposed to his wife on stage in the middle of the Convention Center in front of thousands of people. Our ESSENCE FEST audience loved it and it turned out to be a really sweet moment.” – Steven Psyllos, ESSENCE Deputy Editor
“Every year, we have our ESSENCE FEST Eye Candy Competition. Each time, the entire Convention Center lights up and participates in selecting the winner. They really make the guys work and it’s hilarious to watch.” -Steven Psyllos, ESSENCE Deputy Editor
“My favorite ESSENCE Fest memory is walking into the Superdome in 2014 and seeing the eye-popping MainStage design! Especially how social media was integrated — it added a new element of excitement to the show, and was so fun to see the Instagram posts and Tweets from the audience showing up big and bold on the screens.” – Dawnie Walton, ESSENCE Deputy Managing Editor
