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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 9 July 2018

Queen Latifah celebrates with hip-hop legends at Essence

By STACEY PLAISANCE cavernous halls — Ambro- dropping gems for those
CHEVEL JOHNSON sius gave the audience that didn’t have them
Associated Press a taste of her hits “Far when they should have.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Away” and “Late Nights & Like, I wish I had a me, kick-
Iconic females in the mu- Early Mornings” as well as ing me in the behind say-
sic industry shined at the songs from her new album, ing, ‘Just go for it. Just go
Essence Festival, where “Nyla,” named after her for your dreams, standing
Queen Latifah used her de- 1-year-old daughter and in your own truth. And, if
but performance to cele- scheduled for release in someone despises you for
brate “Ladies First” and her September. that, then that’s on them.
30 years in the trenches. “As women, we bury our It’s not on you.”
Latifah was one of the secrets so deep down, The festival closes Sunday
headliners on the festival’s you’d never know what with a much anticipated
main stage Saturday and affects us. And, on this al- performance by mega-
was joined — to the de- bum, I decided to not only star Janet Jackson, who
light of the crowd — by let them all go, but let them touched the lives of four
hip-hop legends MC Lyte, Queen Latifah performs at the 2018 Essence Festival at the be seen. I’m okay with the single mothers from New
Yo-Yo, Salt-N-Pepa, Missy Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Saturday, July 7, 2018, in New scars that I wear. Orleans with a surprise
Elliott and Monie Love as Orleans. And, I don’t think too many Mother’s Day gift that cul-
well as rapper Remy Ma Associated Press are, and that’s why we can minates this weekend.
and R&B singer Brandy. She songwriter Marsha Ambro- perience to be able to set dig ourselves a deep hole The women are to receive
also entertained the audi- sius said she looks forward foot on stage with people of depression when we makeovers from Jackson’s
ence with her vocal skills, to performing at the festival I’ve looked up to my whole don’t have to. My music personal make-up artist,
showcasing her love of jazz every year especially since life,” said Ambrosius, who’s is my therapy,” Ambrosius Preston Meneses, and tick-
with a rendition of Phoe- she gets to experience performed more than a said of the upcoming proj- ets to her performance.
be Snow’s “Poetry Man,” what she described as a half-dozen times at the fes- ect. Others scheduled to per-
which she dedicated to her “surreal” lineup. tival. “It’s been an incredible form Sunday include Fanta-
mother, who died this year “The lineup is one long During her set inside one of journey just getting to know sia and a New Jack Swing
of a heart condition. weekend of legends, icons the event’s Superlounges myself and where I am in reunion featuring Teddy
In an interview with The As- and my heroes. ... It’s an — intimate club-like spaces the world. It’s retrospec- Riley, SWV, Blackstreet and
sociated Press, British singer- honor and a humbling ex- set up in the Superdome’s tive, introspective, and I’m Guy.q